The High School Pitcher; or, Dick & Co. on the Gridley Diamond

an

tion,

y ceased promptly in the big assem

o now stood waiting behind his flat-top desk on the platform,

was not in command at the school. Ill health had forced the good old doctor to

out Mr. Cantwell's voice,

inside his desk, and who was not making a disturbing noise thereby

the girls permitted their apprehension to be seen. On the faces of several of the boys rested a lo

hearsing the music for the special exercises to be held in this school on the day before Christmas

slight, little sighs of relief escaped the students, especially from the girls'

to be sold to the pupils at cost to the Board

of his, a personal peculiarity. Then be pe

which you will pay to me. Don't forget, please; each of you bring me his little fifteen pe

Dalzell, of the sophomore class, glanced over at Dick

ssed that Dan Dalzell was hatching another of the wild schemes for which Dalzell was

ck and Dan to pass even a word at this time, for almost immediately the bell for the fourth period

Co. will need no introduction. All six of the youngsters

Prescott as leader, the other members of this unique firm of High School youngs

ar at the Gridley High School. In fact, even in their freshmen period, when new students are not expected to ha

e fact that the Gridley H.S. eleven was one of the best in the United States. Readers will also recall the prank h

chase the freshmen hounds, under Dick Prescott's captaincy, beat the sophomore hares--for the first time in many years. In the skating events, later on, Dick and his chums captured, for the freshman class, thr

they were youngsters of great importance in the student body. They were highly popular with most of their fell

s of any wealth. Yet it was inevitable that some of the boys and gi

er families were agreeable, affable and democratic--in a word,

ir dislike for smiling, happy, capable Dick & Co. One of the leader

who had gone through thin ice. However, so haughty a young man as Fred Ripley, though he had been slightly affected

"plunder" had been found in Dick's own room at home, and the young man had been suspended from the High School for a while. Thanks, however, to Laura Bentley and Belle Meade, two girls then freshmen and now sophs, Tip had been run down. Then the polic

, in good standing as far as sc

ad managed to smother his hatred for D

usual. In time the hands of the clock moved around to one o'clock

f escaped students. This sextette turned down one of the streets and trudged along together. At first several of the oth

k you hard this morning, when Mr. Cantwell as

Dalzell, quickly. "What Prin. did say was that

member," l

ut," pursued Dan. "And now it's too late. But say, if

interrupted Greg Holme

ave passed word around, at recess, to have everybo

nything. "Then you had a vision of the unpopular Prin. being swampe

t imagine the Prin. industriously counting away at thousands of pennies, and a long line of boy and girl students in line, each one waiting to pass him

e passed the word around, it might get to the Prin.'s ears

this late hour, you can see further tha

, or he wouldn't talk about it,"

ay morning, each with fifteen copper cents to hand the Prin., t

to do it?" asked D

a few might refuse to go into the trick. Let us say two hundred and forty times fifteen. That's thirty-si

hand than the rest of us then I don't believe a dragnet search of this crow

ncipal ways of buyin

d. "One way i

ive on!" broke in Harry

you must have cash at the bank behind the check, or you get

he whole town, could a bunch of youngsters like u

eclared Di

e? With yo

e Morning Blade' is a one cent paper. Now, the publisher of 'The Blade' must bank a keg of pennies every day in the week. I can see Mr. Pollock, the editor, t

do that!" glowed Dan

. "Mr. Pollock will do anything

afternoon at one o'clock. Pennies come in rolls of fifty each, you know. We'll

d began to laugh. Tom Reade quickly

n.'s face, if we can spring that j

want to meet on the same old corner on Main Street, at half-past two to-day, we'll go i

you mean," c

ided that Dick Prescott should go in alone to carry on the negotiation. He soon

ssing," suggested Dave,

d Dick. "I have fourteen dollars here.

om, over the bookstore that wa

age on the table. "Mr. Pollock sent out to the pressroom and had

what we are going to d

ould make good local reading in 'The Blade,' so I told him I thought it would be worth a paragraph

of the kind that are used for laying th

sure that we get an exact fifteen coins in each wrapper. If we got in more, we'd be the losers. If we

apid work, and only half the partners could work at any one time. They soon ca

ged. Nor did they find the work too hard. America

hemselves along six different approaches to the High School. Each young pranker h

class, was the first

eted the other, with a gri

dded the junior

last Friday, to bring in our fiftee

, I have my mone

es?" insi

ut I have a quarter, and I

cheme. Purcell, with a guffa

six can't attend to all the business. Won't you take a dozen rolls and

ick noted Purcell's name on a piece of paper, wi

f pickets out around the school none of the student body got through without

sembly room a scene was going

It was the new principal's intention to check off each name as a boy or girl paid for the music. Knowing tha

room. He went to his desk with his books, th

money for the mu

r. Harper," nodd

desk. They were out of the roll. Dick & Co. had cautioned each in

with pennies. Then came Laura Bentley and Belle Mea

Mr. Cantwell. "I trust not many will

innocence rested

ed, "you asked us, Fri

principal, a look of a

ou remember? You laughed, Mr. Cantwell, and asked

adies turned away, a look of suspicion began to settle on the principal's face. Nor did th

this time there was a stern lo

or Dick had thought of a new aspect to the joke. He had sent messen

be in the assembly ro

two minutes of eight-

minutes passed. So busy was he, however, that it didn't quite occur

two hundred boys and girls were coming up in two separate throngs. They were still coming when the assem

rply with a ruler, then leaped to his feet. His face was whiter than ever. It was plain that the man was struggling to

fit to plan a joke against me, and to carry it out most audaciously. It's a good joke, and

protested Dave Darrin, stepping forward. "Don

principal, with a sigh

with pennies. So the copper stream continued to pour in. Mr. Cantwell could have called any or all of his subm

you come to the

Cantwell still felt obliged to do the counting, as he was responsible for the correctness

forehead, and a clammy dew bespangling his white face, counted on in consuming anger. Every

g to pay. Beyond this throng, safely out of range of vision,

. Cantwell swept fully a hundred pennies off on

me in recovering the coins tha

rassed that morning. It was ten minutes of nine when the last student had paid a

he last of the coins into his satch

e a sugges

t, Mr. Drake, that it won't be a suggestion for an eas

u, sir, I should pay n

incipal under his bre

I think it will pass off much better if you don't a

annoy me?" demanded Mr. Cantwe

young men discover that you are easily teased, they are

advise them not to do so," replied M

the morning had been lost, but now the students, most of them finding diff

from the building, carrying the thirty-six hundred pennies to the bank. As that number

e that I want to deposit," he ex

?" asked

ndred," replie

to rolls of fifty, with your nam

he principal. "They're jus

ive them in that shape, sir. They will have to be cou

e pennies home, count them all--again!--a

r some one will have t

was obliged to turn his head away and stifle back the laughter. That man was Mr. Pollock

alize that the satchel is still loaded, and they'll know what has happened to me at the bank. It will make me look fearfully ridiculou

ot far away, and he knew the proprietor. So to that stable Mr. Cantwell hurried

ed the poor principal. "I wish you could do me the favor of hav

ock the satchel; that is all. I'll have th

rs. Cantwell was visited by Getchel, who

and asked me to bring it down to you. It co

must be a big lot of the valuable stuff. But the satchel was locked. Mrs. Cantwell promptly hunted until

y husband have been

robbing the Salvation

sending me money

she trudged up to the bank with it. The journey was something more than a mile in length. Mrs. Cantwell arrived at the bank, only to make the same discovery that her husband had made about the need of counting

f the joke. As they hurried along many of the students noticed that Mrs. Cantwell was standing not far from the gate and that, at

behind, strapping several books together. Then

y funny trick that was played on you this morning. While I am speaking

Ripley. Some day I hope I shall have a not

ld have to guess very lo

do you

ed up in this school, it's generally a pretty safe

" repeated M

y, rapidly naming the five partners. Then, having

tisfy myself that Prescott was at the bottom of this wicked hoax then I--I

l was waitin

incipal's spouse. "Here I've taken it up to the bank, and find they won't accept it--not in this f

-" stammered

d told me it was money you had sent me. Bu

of four young freshmen who had hidden near to learn what the mystery of the satchel meant. It