Philip Kent in the lower school

Introduction

If you have followed the fortunes of Philip through his experiences as a new boy at Malvern as told in the previous volume, “ Philip Kent,” you will need no introduction to the quartet which figures so largely in the following pages.

The present volume takes “ The Minute,” “ Baconfat,” Jack Tait and “ Lippy ” through their second, third and fourth years. Philip discovers that it is not always natural inclination which evolves the bully and that to lead the lower school requires brains and tact rather than muscles and bull-headedness. He learns the lesson ; at what expense to his pride the reader may discover for himself.

A Different Boy

XX. “ All Right, Old Man ”

3*3

Illustrations

He Kept a Football With Him “ Let Me Have a Shot At You ” . “Won’t You Have Some Jam, Too ? ” .

“ Go Right After Them ” u Can You Hold Out ? ” He Called u Have One ? ” He Said ....

“ I Expect at Least Fifteen Points from

PAGE

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Chapter I A Casual Meeting

“ Next stop Malvern ! "

The brakeman's announcement was greeted with jeers from every seat in the car.

“ Tell us something we don't know ! "

“ What do you think we are ? New boys ? "

“ Oh, let him alone," ordered a corpulent youth with red hair. “ He's new to the job. Jimmy would have known better."

The brakeman, red in the face, slammed the door and retired to the platform, leaving the car full of schoolboys to a hurried collection of scattered belongings.

“ I guess the school’s opening to-day," he volunteered non-committally as the conductor joined him.

“ You ain't so far wrong," admitted that official as he snapped a rubber band round a bunch of 9 tickets. “ They are a healthy bunch to handle when they get started. Don't let 'em get your goat," he added. “ I knew their fathers before them when I was braking same as you, and the breed hasn’t changed none. Listen to 'em now ! "

The new brakeman had no choice in the matter. Shrill above the grinding of the brakes as the train slackened speed for its next stop rose the sustained din of the Malvern cheer. The brakeman grinned at his superior.

“ I never felt like cheering when my school opened," he remarked reflectively.

The conductor brushed the remark aside. “ This bunch never does what you'd expect," he remarked tersely. “ Go in and herd 'em out. Here we are."

As the train drew into the station and stopped with a jolt, the door flew open in the face of the advancing brakeman, and with the red-haired youth in the lead, the body of boys catapulted down the steps, valises banging against the hand rail and threatening to trip up or bowl over any one whose sense of discretion had not carried him to a safe distance.

“ Good-bye, Cap," yelled the redhead, dropping his bag with a thump on the station platform and waving a grimy hand at the conductor. “ See you at Christmas."

io

“ So long, Bacon.” The conductor threw a questioning look down the length of his train for possible dilatory passengers and reached for the bell-cord.

“ You’ll get a bunch like that every trip for the next two days,” he remarked to the brakeman as Malvern station faded from sight round the curve. “ Keep ’em good humored and don’t let ’em fall off the train. That’s about all you can do.”

“ Humph ! ” said the brakeman as he filled a glass with water at the cooler and drained it reflectively, “ it’ll about keep me busy keeping myself good humored.”

On Malvern platform confusion reigned. The express wagon, drawn up to the curb, was being piled high with bags. Trunk checks were being searched for in forgotten pockets at the demand of the baggage agent, whose business it was to deliver all luggage safely at the school, and in twos and threes the new arrivals, these formalities over, were drifting up the street.

“ Wait for me, Lippy,” called Bacon who, after vainly trying to remember to which pocket he had confided his check, was solving the problem by the process of elimination.

A boy who was impatiently balancing himself on the edge of the platform looked back.

ii

“ No hurry/’ he said sarcastically. “ Why don’t you undress while you’re about it? ”

“ Here we are/’ called Bacon, triumphantly extracting the missing cardboard from the lining of his hat. “ I knew I had it somewhere. Now we’re off! ”

He linked his arm in that of his friend and stepped down into the dusty road.

The third week of every September saw this same exodus, from the cities and towns of a dozen states, gather by wide-spread railroads boasting of their four-track stone ballasted rights-of-way, till the scattered units suddenly resolved themselves into a mass which stormed the single-track road waiting funnel-like to receive and discharge them at the gateway of Malvern School, there to split up again in as many units as before, though now citizens of one town with a^ heart one common bond.

Malvern School, perched on high ground, dominated the village through which Bacon and Lippy passed. Usually the village street held their interest, but now the one desire animating them was to push on for their first glimpse of the red-brick pile with its multitudinous interests which they had left so eagerly in June.

To Philip Kent, otherwise known as Lippy, this return ’was new. In June he was a first former and a new boy ; now a proud member of the second form and an old boy by grace of one years residence. How different his feelings in the short space of twelve months ! He looked, hunting for new faces, at the passing carriages. New boys always rode. He had done so, he remembered with a half feeling of scorn for his other self.

“ Don’t feel your oats excessively.” Bacon interrupted his expanding thoughts with characteristic sarcasm. “ You’re not such an awfully old boy yet, you know.”

Lippy, brought to earth, flushed. Then, to cover himself, furious at this sign of weakness, he retorted hotly :

“ None of your freshness, Mr. Bacon. We’re on an even footing now.”

“ Not on your life. I’ve been here a whole year more than you have. '

“ You’re only in the second though, all the same.

Now if you hadn’t flunked out ” Lippy had

to dodge quickly to avoid Bacon’s reprisal. He allowed no one to twit him on his enforced stay in the first form.

The attack was side-tracked by their arrival on the crest of the hill. Before them stretched the playing fields with the school bounding the further side. They stopped to take stock of the familiar scene.

The school was built in the form of an H. The right wing was the headquarters of Dr. Wallace, where they were now bound. On the left, joined to the other wing by a cloistered walk, was the chapel. Above the cloister’s roof appeared the body of the H dotted with rows of windows, the various dormitories and bedrooms. A crowd of boys lounged in the entrance ; a few were idly kicking a football in the middle distance, while to the right white figures darting to and fro indicated that the tennis courts had already been invaded.

The two boys stood for a moment entranced at the familiar scene.

“ It looks about the same,” remarked Bacon, his shining eyes belying the cool restraint of his words.

“ Great ! ” said Lippy, thereby affirming Bacon’s earlier remark as to his immaturity. Bacon considered enthusiasm unbecoming except under great provocation.

“ Let’s get along,” continued the offended. “ I want to see what alcove I drew. Hope we’re near each other.”

For all his indifference Bacon was quite willing to follow the other’s lead, and was no laggard in their race across the football field.

“ Hello, Baconfat ! ”

“ Hello yourself.”

“ No thinner, I perceive.”

“ Don't get personal, Jonesy.”

The crowd at the entrance impeded their progress for a moment with a shower of questions, calculated to extract in the shortest possible time the full details of their summer vacation, but the two were not responsive. Their own interests came first ; there would be ample opportunity to supply information later. They pushed on.

Dr. Wallace met them at his study door.

“ Glad to see you back on time, boys,” he said warmly. “ Nothing like making a good start.” He led the way into his sanctum. “ I suppose you want to know your quarters,” he added as he turned to a typewritten list which lay spread out on the desk. “ Babbitt, Babcock, Bacon,” fee ran down the list. “ Here we are, Bacon T., Alcove 11, Dormitory B. How does that suit you? ”

“ I don't know, sir,” said Bacon non-committally. “ 1 guess it's all right.”

“ It had better be,” retorted the head master with mock severity. “ 1 am not going to make any more changes. Now for Kent. You're not so hard to find. Not many K's in school. Alcove 15, Dormitory B. Well, you're pretty close together.”

“ Couldn't we be next to each other?” queried i5

Bacon, no whit deterred by the Doctor’s earlier remark.

“ Are you two so inseparable? There’s only one alcove between you.”

“ That’s true, sir, but ”

“ But what?” He turned to another list. “I don’t remember who is in 13. Norton. He’s one of the new boys. I don’t think I’ll change him. You and Kent can look out for him and help him along. Now run along, both of you. No ! ” He raised his hand in protest. “ No use arguing. We won’t change.”

“I wonder if Norton is superstitious?” suggested Philip as they left the Doctor’s quarters behind them and plunged into the resounding corridors of the school proper. “ No. 13 doesn’t sound propitious.”

“ If he isn’t superstitious,” said Bacon darkly, “ I have a suspicion that we can make him so. What does he want to butt in between us that way for? We’ll look out for you all right, Mr. what’syour-name Norton.”

Up the two flights of iron stairway they clambered to their new quarters, stopped on every landing by old acquaintances with whom it was necessary to pass the time of day.

“ Dormitory B ? So’m I.”

“ Who’s in charge this year ? ”

“ A new man. Ames.”

“ That’s bad. I was hoping they’d move Ricky over. It’s an awful chore breaking a new master in. They always think you are trying to impose on ’em when you have any fun. So long ; see you later.”

“ This isn’t bad,” commented Philip as he surveyed No. 15 a few minutes later. The alcove contained the usual allowance of furniture : a bed, bureau and chair. To the casual eye it looked bare, but in Philip’s imagination the walls were already hidden with flags and pictures, the curtain of striped ticking replaced with gaudy chintz, and the severe bed brightened with a down quilt. Yes. It was going to be a very nice alcove.

44 It’s nice being up at this end.” This from Bacon, who lounged in the doorway. 44 We won’t annoy Ames so easily when we have a feed.”

44 Pity we aren’t neighbors. See the new fellow ? ”

“ Didn’t look in.” Bacon disappeared, and Philip heard him next door.

44 Hello, what’s your name? ”

“ Norton ; George Norton,” came the hesitating response.

41 What form are you in ? ”

44 The second.”

“ Come here, Lippy, I’ve got something to show you.”

Philip wandered into No. 13 to find Bacon confronting a solid looking boy, with pale yellow hair and a white skin, and wearing spectacles.

“ H’m,” said Philip, recognizing the type instantly. “ You go in for studying, I see.”

Norton, looking very uncomfortable, mumbled some reply, while his white skin disappeared in a wave of color, which surged over his face, of so brilliant a hue that he resembled for the instant a bellicose turkey-gobbler.

“ Gee ! ” said Philip admiringly. “How do you do that? Do it again.”

The new boy, much against his will, promptly repeated the performance.

“ I have seen all sorts of blushes,” remarked Baconfat judicially, drawing on his experience as though it extended back to the Dark Ages, “ but you have anything I ever ran across hog-tied and left at the post. Can you do it whenever you want to? ”

Norton giggled uneasily, puzzled how to take this unusual type of tormentor ; saw his error as reflected instantly in Bacon’s face ; checked himself, choked and once more gave an imitation of a brilliant sunset.

“ You’re a great acquisition to the dormitory.”

Philip had been standing by watching the performance with delight. “ I think I’ll patent you. Kent’s ever-ready light, wireless and inexhaustible. In — in — what do they say when you copy something you shouldn’t? Infringements prosecuted. That’s it ! ”

“ Steady, Lippy,” warned Baconfat, suddenly examining their victim with anxious care. “ Stop your funny business or you will exhaust the current. His light’s getting weak. Give the generator a chance to make some more juice. Let’s see if Jack Tait has turned up yet.”

As his inquisitors left the alcove, Norton turned to his window with a trembling sigh. While he had been arranging his few treasures on his bureau, his alcove had assumed a cozy air ; had given him courage ; had made him forget for a moment that he was in strange surroundings with his way to make in this new democracy. With the appearance of Bacon all was changed. His alcove became again a bare stall, a frail refuge from the disconcerting world, and homesickness surged over him.

Philip was feeling elated. He had fleshed his spurs. He had asserted his position as an old boy ; and because he still rememberd certain unhappy hours of fagdom and blushed to remember, he was the more inclined to practice on others what he had learnt the year before. He fairly swaggered down the dormitory.

This elevation of spirit was but temporary. There was too much with which to renew acquaintance, too many old friends to ferret out in their alcoves deep in unpacking, for Philip to spend much thought on his own affairs. That might come later.

“ Well, if it isn’t The Minute ! ”

“ Rodney Moore, if you please. Can’t you see I’ve grown ? ”

Bacon formed a loop with finger and thumb and looked at the new arrival through this natural telescope.

“ I can see you, if that’s what you mean,” he admitted grudgingly after a moment’s scrutiny.

“ Half an inch ! ” affirmed The Minute proudly.

“ You don’t mean it ? ” Philip was lost in mock admiration.

“ If you don’t look out, I’ll top you both by the time we are in the sixth.”

“ Yes, you will — not ! ” jeered Bacon. “ But half inch or no, it’s fine to see you again. The clans are gathering. See Jack Tait anywhere? ”

“ Sure. Came on the same train. Left him making himself solid with the Gorgon.”

“ What’s up?”

“ Oh, nothing ! He was just telling the Doctor 20 what a nice vacation he had, and how glad he was to get back.”

“ Trust Jack for that,” said Philip. 11 He’s great on the soft-soap.”

Bacon made a grimace. “ You were just as bad the other way,” he said. “ Are you going to be as independent this year ? ”

Philip grinned in return. “ More so,” he said, half defiantly. “ If I have to.”

“ I don’t know what we’ll do with Lippy this year, Rodney,” said Bacon. “ He’s come back with a chip on his shoulder. Thinks his troubles are all over just because he’s an old boy.”

Bacon looked expectantly at The Minute. “ Well, aren’t they ? ” said the latter simply.

Bacon groaned. “ You two will be the death of me ; not to speak of yourselves. I’m going to clear out of such company.”

“ Wait a minute,” said Rodney laughingly. “ It’s not as bad as all that. We might listen to reason. Let me drop my bag, and I’m with you.”

With nothing to do until supper time except unpack the trunks which had not yet arrived, the three started on an exploring expedition.

They peered into the master’s study and were more than half relieved to find it empty. Making the acquaintance of one who is to rule over you for a year is always a difficult occasion and as 21

Bacon from his larger experience put it, “ just as well to let him hunt you up. It’s more casual.”

From there they invaded Dormitory A, and inspected the alcoves they had owned as first formers, much to the embarrassment of the new occupants, who stood round on one foot questioning whether they should open the conversation or if silence was the more respectful and therefore safer attitude. As a matter of fact, they need not have worried. The visitors were much too intent on their own business to pay any attention to the new boys for the moment. So long as they kept from under foot they were ignored.

“ Do you remember the morning South Corridor came up and walloped us ? ” asked Philip, grinning with joy at the reminiscence.

“ Gee ! ” exclaimed The Minute, “ I should think I did. They lit into old Baconfat, too.”

“ Huh ! ” retorted the latter, his dignity offended at mention of his humiliation. “ It was all the fault of you kids. I told you to keep quiet. They hadn’t any business to make me run the gauntlet, though. It was a mean trick. Gregory Hart did it.”

“ Momma Welsh tried to save you,” said Philip.

“Sure he did. He’s all right. But it just goes to show, Lippy, that even an old boy isn’t safe when it comes to hazing. You’d better get these 22 independent ideas out of your head and lie low. Otherwise, — look out when the snow flies.”

“ I’ll take my chances,” retorted Philip confidently. “ There’s a bunch of new boys to keep ’em busy.”

They idled down West Corridor 3, the name given to the stronghold of the fourth form, glanced through open doors at the comfortable rooms within, and, boy-like, dreamed of the day when one of these desirable havens would be theirs.

“ It won’t be long,” said Rodney, breaking the silence and voicing perfectly the thoughts of his companions. 14 We’ll be in the fourth form before we know it.”

“ You and I will,” agreed Philip, winking at The Minute. 44 But I’m not so sure about Baconfat. He will probably flunk out as usual.”

44 As usual ! I like that ! ” exclaimed Bacon indignantly and turned on his defamer. Philip dodged and, hotly pursued, raced down the corridor. He reached the iron doors leading to the dormitory in safety, darted through and collided violently with some one coming in the opposite direction.

44 Phew !” said the latter. 44 What’s up?” and grabbed the startled boy' by the shoulder.

44 What’s your name ? ”

Philip looked up. The individual holding him bore all the earmarks of a master.

“ Kent, sir,” he said breathlessly with an inward quaking.

“ Kent ? And the others ? ”

“ Bacon and Moore.”

“ Well ! ” The master considered them. “ That was a rude introduction, Kent. My name is Ames. I have charge of Dormitory B.”

“ I hope I didn’t hurt you ! ” stammered Kent. “ I couldn’t stop.”

“ No harm done this time,” said the master pleasantly as he passed on. “ But if I were you, Kent, I’d save my speed for the playing field.”

Philip looked blankly at Bacon. “ Gee I ” he said. Then, “ What do you find so funny about it, Rodney?” he asked as he saw The Minute doubled up in silent laughter.

“ Oh, dear ! ” gasped Rodney. “ Nothing — nothing much ! I was just thinking of what Baconfat said about meeting him casually ! ”

Chapter II Forward Pass

When the three boys had somewhat recovered their composure, for The Minute's remark had so tickled their risibilities that Bacon and Philip had used up what breath remained to them from the chase down the hall, they made a fresh start. This time they descended without interruption. The ground floor was, as Bacon expressed it, 14 all cluttered up with new boys," but they found enough old acquaintances to spend a busy half hour in boisterous greetings. Through the throng of smaller fry passed an occasional member of the upper school ; the blue cap, with the white M denoting a member of the school eleven, well back on his head. The small fry would look at him in awed silence, for the most part, hoping for a glance, a sign of recognition which would put the recipient in a niche above his fellows. Even the old boys of the lower school waited to be spoken to.

There are, however, two ways of waiting : the unobtrusive timid style, which usually succeeds in being ignored, and the aggressive insistent style, which usually accomplishes its purpose. Baconfat belonged to the latter class. Being a stickler on form, however, his method could not be taken exception to. Down the corridor, pushing an absent-minded way, would come a member of the sixth. Most boys would make room instantly and be passed unnoticed. Bacon, intentionally slow, would just avoid being run down. The sixth former would be jostled out of his abstraction, come to himself with a start and recognize the impediment to his progress.

“ Hello, Baconfat; still with us?”

“ Hullo ! Wilcox!” or “Judson” as the case might be. “ You look in fine shape for football. Guess we'll trim Windsor again, won't we? ”

The sixth former would give a smiling assent and pass on, but Baconfat had once again impressed his importance on the newcomers, who watched the recurrent episode with wistful eyes.

There was one who came, however, who needed no jostling to draw his attention.

“ Gee ! There's Momma Welsh,” exclaimed The Minute.

Welsh, tall, loosely knit, red haired, came striding down the hall, his eyes darting from side to side, his face a constant smile as he nodded to boy after boy who hailed him. There was no question about his popularity.

“ Hello, Bacon ; Moore, glad to see you. And Phil ! You’re growing, Kid. Going to show us some real football this year? How have you been ? But there’s no need asking. You’ve been getting your nine hours.”

Philip looked pleased as Punch at this recognition.

“ Awfully glad to see you back, Momma.”

“ The pleasure is mutual,” retorted Momma with a twinkle. “ Where’s the other member of your quartet ? What’s his name, Tait ? ”

“ ’Round somewhere.” Bacon searched the hall.

“ Well, be good to yourselves.”

Momma strode away, his walk a triumphal march.

“ Same old Momma ! ” said Baconfat almost reverently. “ They don’t come any better than that.”

They strolled out in the quadrangle looking for Tait, but not finding him, joined the crowd in the cloisters.

Philip sat silent, gazing over the stretch of fields beneath him.

“ What’s the matter with you ? ” Bacon asked at last. “ Homesick ? ”

“ No, indeed.” Philip roused himself. “ I was thinking that I’d rather be like Momma Welsh than any one else. Everybody likes him and looks up to him. He stands for the best.”

2 7

“ Yes,” agreed his companion. “ And there is nothing stuck up about him either. He’s just as simple and friendly as if he wasn’t cock of the school.”

“ I wonder if the lower school will ever look up to us when we are in the sixth,” mused Philip, chin on hand. “ It seems a funny idea somehow.”

Bacon chuckled. “ I’m not worrying about that as yet. It’s too far off. I can’t see it anyway. Imagine a lot of kids kow-towing to us the way they do to Momma.”

“ Well,” returned Philip with a wisdom beyond his years, “ it may seem a long way to look forward to, but I don’t believe it will seem so long looking back.”

Then, as the reflective mood left him, he jumped up, pulled Bacon’s hat over his eyes and then thoughtlessly stretched himself. The mark was too tempting and Bacon retaliated for the indignity with a dig in the unprotected surface.

“ Ouch 1 ” Philip quickly recovered from his laziness. “That was a mean trick.”

“ Serves you right. Cool off now,” Bacon warned. “ I don’t want to fool. Here comes Jack, anyway. Hi, there!” he called.

Jack Tait had broadened considerably during the vacation. His figure gave promise of no 28 great size, but it was well knit. Philip looked him over critically. This was the one boy in his form whom he regarded as a possible rival when he dreamed his dreams of being head of the school. They were natural rivals. Both ambitious ; both above the average in their mental and physical equipment ; the germ of leadership had begun to mark them as different from the others in the class. Neither would be satisfied for long in second place.

The methods used in their fight for independence, which after all is the first indication of budding powers of leadership, were almost startlingly different.

Tait, the more polished of the two, the less selfconscious, was inclined to secure his ends by first ingratiating himself with those who could advance his interests. In doing so he was not, at this stage of his development, above deliberately trying to please at any cost to his own convictions. He felt sufficiently sure of his own strength of purpose to avoid the pitfalls of the toady, though he had in the previous year come perilously close to that undesirable condition, and had in fact been taken to task by no less a personage than Momma Welsh.

Philip, on the other hand, by nature self-conscious, brusque, and somewhat obstinate, endeavored to attain his aim by an independent 29 attitude from the start. He recognized no master willingly, and thanks to an attack of obstinacy, had been “ sent to Coventry ” by George Hart of the sixth when he refused to black the latter’s boots. He had come to school with the thought firmly fixed in his mind that certain forms of hazing were to be resisted at no matter what risk. Service to his elders he would yield, but service which seemed to him beyond the right of the old boys to demand he would not render ; and, getting to be known as a youngster who, though obstinate and at times actuated by principles beyond the comprehension of the easy-going members of his form, lived up to certain well-defined rules of conduct, he captured a certain following among the boys of his age and earned the grudging respect of the upper school.

Between Philip and Jack Tait there had been early in the previous year what amounted at best to an armed truce, at worst to open warfare, but as they came to know each other’s point of view the animosity dwindled until when school broke up in the spring a certain tolerance if not actual friendship had sprung up between them.

In addition, the summer months had intervened, and served to obliterate the old antagonism, so Philip was as glad to see Jack as the latter was to see Philip.

It was not many days before the four friends who had ruled Dormitory A had established their supremacy in their new quarters and were planning the various schemes which would make the duller moments of school life more lively.

Football, of course, claimed their attention at once. Not only was there the practice of the school team to watch and comment on every afternoon, but the practice of the teams of the two clubs into which the school was divided, Ionians and Corinthians, kept them busily employed. Each club put four teams in the field. The rivalry was intense, and there was no surer way of securing the condemnation of one’s fellows than by showing a disposition to shirk the practice. New boys were given no choice of clubs. They were divided equally and in the way that relative strength was held generally equal. Bacon and Tait were Ionians ; Philip and The Minute Corinthians. The rivalry on the field did not affect the roots of their friendship, but at times, particularly after a hard-fought game, surface indications showed strains.

Philip took to football instinctively, and what was even better, so far as his improvement in the game was concerned, spared no pains to perfect himself in the minor but essential fundamentals of the sport. He had learned how to retrieve a 3i fumble ; now he set about practicing the forward pass.

The early days passed quickly and out of the jumbled mass of boys trying for the various teams, the patient coaches began to mould a finished product. Philip to his delight found himself assigned as substitute to the second Corinthian team. Baconfat was playing on the third. Encouraged by this advancement, Philip perfected himself in the signals and redoubled his efforts to acquire the forward pass. His reward came after the first game in which his team had been beaten. Philip had remained on the side lines, impatient to get into the play, and exposed to the jeers of Bacon, whose team did not play until later.