the story of a bad boy-第14节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


in　the　afternoon；　when　the　Captain　dragged　me　ignominiously　from　the　haymow　and　conducted　me；　more　dead　than　alive；　to　the　office　of　justice　Clapham。　Here　I　encountered　five　other　pallid　culprits；　who　had　been　fished　out　of　divers　coal…bins；　garrets；　and　chicken…coops；　to　answer　the　demands　of　the　outraged　laws。　（Charley　Marden　had　hidden　himself　in　a　pile　of　gravel　behind　his　father's　house；　and　looked　like　a　recently　exhumed　mummy。）

There　was　not　the　least　evidence　against　us；　and；　indeed；　we　were　wholly　innocent　of　the　offence。　The　trick；　as　was　afterwards　proved；　had　been　played　by　a　party　of　soldiers　stationed　at　the　fort　in　the　harbor。　We　were　indebted　for　our　arrest　to　Master　Conway；　who　had　slyly　dropped　a　hint；　within　the　hearing　of　Selectman　Mudge；　to　the　effect　that　〃young　Bailey　and　his　five　cronies　could　tell　something　about　20them　signs。〃　When　he　was　called　upon　to　make　good　his　assertion；　he　was　considerably　more　terrified　than　the　Centipedes；　though　they　were　ready　to　sink　into　their　shoes。

At　our　next　meeting　it　was　unanimously　resolved　that　Conway's　animosity　should　not　be　quietly　submitted　to。　He　had　sought　to　inform　against　us　in　the　stagecoach　business；　he　had　volunteered　to　carry　Pettingil's　〃little　bill〃　for　twenty…four　icecreams　to　Charley　Marden's　father；　and　now　he　had　caused　us　to　be　arraigned　before　justice　Clapham　on　a　charge　equally　groundless　and　painful。　After　much　noisy　discussion；　a　plan　of　retaliation　was　agreed　upon。

There　was　a　certain　slim；　mild　apothecary　in　the　town；　by　the　name　of　Meeks。　It　was　generally　given　out　that　Mr。　Meeks　had　a　vague　desire　to　get　married；　but；　being　a　shy　and　timorous　youth；　lacked　the　moral　courage　to　do　so。　It　was　also　well　known　that　the　Widow　Conway　had　not　buried　her　heart　with　the　late　lamented。　As　to　her　shyness；　that　was　not　so　clear。　Indeed；　her　attentions　to　Mr。　Meeks；　whose　mother　she　might　have　been；　were　of　a　nature　not　to　be　misunderstood；　and　were　not　misunderstood　by　anyone　but　Mr。　Meeks　himself。

The　widow　carried　on　a　dress…making　establishment　at　her　residence　on　the　comer　opposite　Meeks's　drug…store；　and　kept　a　wary　eye　on　all　the　young　ladies　from　Miss　Dorothy　Gibbs's　Female　Institute　who　patronized　the　shop　for　soda…water；　aciddrops；　and　slate…pencils。　In　the　afternoon　the　widow　was　usually　seen　seated；　smartly　dressed；　at　her　window　upstairs；　casting　destructive　glances　across　the　street…the　artificial　roses　in　her　cap　and　her　whole　languishing　manner　saying　as　plainly　as　a　label　on　a　prescription；　〃To　be　Taken　Immediately！〃　But　Mr。　Meeks　didn't　take。

The　lady's　fondness；　and　the　gentleman's　blindness；　were　topics　ably　handled　at　every　sewing…circle　in　the　town。　It　was　through　these　two　luckless　individuals　that　we　proposed　to　strike　a　blow　at　the　common　enemy。　To　kill　less　than　three　birds　with　one　stone　did　not　suit　our　sanguinary　purpose。　We　disliked　the　widow　not　so　much　for　her　sentimentality　as　for　being　the　mother　of　Bill　Conway；　we　disliked　Mr。　Meeks；　not　because　he　was　insipid；　like　his　own　syrups；　but　because　the　widow　loved　him。　Bill　Conway　we　hated　for　himself。

Late　one　dark　Saturday　night　in　September　we　carried　our　plan　into　effect。　On　the　following　morning；　as　the　orderly　citizens　wended　their　way　to　church　past　the　widow's　abode；　their　sober　faces　relaxed　at　beholding　over　her　front　door　the　well　known　gilt　Mortar　and　Pestle　which　usually　stood　on　the　top　of　a　pole　on　the　opposite　corner；　while　the　passers　on　that　side　of　the　street　were　equally　amused　and　scandalized　at　seeing　a　placard　bearing　the　following　announcement　tacked　to　the　druggist's　window…shutters：

Wanted；　a　Sempstress！

The　naughty　cleverness　of　the　joke　（which　I　should　be　sorry　to　defend）　was　recognized　at　once。　It　spread　like　wildfire　over　the　town；　and；　though　the　mortar　and　the　placard　were　speedily　removed；　our　triumph　was　complete。　The　whole　community　was　on　the　broad　grin；　and　our　participation　in　the　affair　seemingly　unsuspected。

It　was　those　wicked　soldiers　at　the　fort！





Chapter　Ten

I　Fight　Conway



There　was　one　person；　however；　who　cherished　a　strong　suspicion　that　the　Centipedes　had　had　a　hand　in　the　business；　and　that　person　was　Conway。　His　red　hair　seemed　to　change　to　a　livelier　red；　and　his　sallow　cheeks　to　a　deeper　sallow；　as　we　glanced　at　him　stealthily　over　the　tops　of　our　slates　the　next　day　in　school。　He　knew　we　were　watching　him；　and　made　sundry　mouths　and　scowled　in　the　most　threatening　way　over　his　sums。

Conway　had　an　accomplishment　peculiarly　his　own…that　of　throwing　his　thumbs　out　of　joint　at　will。　Sometimes　while　absorbed　in　study；　or　on　becoming　nervous　at　recitation；　he　performed　the　feat　unconsciously。　Throughout　this　entire　morning　his　thumbs　were　observed　to　be　in　a　chronic　state　of　dislocation；　indicating　great　mental　agitation　on　the　part　of　the　owner。　We　fully　expected　an　outbreak　from　him　at　recess；　but　the　intermission　passed　off　tranquilly；　somewhat　to　our　disappointment。

At　the　close　of　the　afternoon　session　it　happened　that　Binny　Wallace　and　myself；　having　got　swamped　in　our　Latin　exercise；　were　detained　in　school　for　the　purpose　of　refreshing　our　memories　with　a　page　of　Mr。　Andrews's　perplexing　irregular　verbs。　Binny　Wallace　finishing　his　task　first；　was　dismissed。　I　followed　shortly　after；　and；　on　stepping　into　the　playground；　saw　my　little　friend　plastered；　as　it　were；　up　against　the　fence；　and　Conway　standing　in　front　of　him　ready　to　deliver　a　blow　on　the　upturned；　unprotected　face；　whose　gentleness　would　have　stayed　any　arm　but　a　coward's。

Seth　Rodgers；　with　both　hands　in　his　pockets；　was　leaning　against　the　pump　lazily　enjoying　the　sport；　but　on　seeing　me　sweep　across　the　yard；　whirling　my　strap　of　books　in　the　air　like　a　sling；　he　called　out　lustily；　〃Lay　low；　Conwayl　Here's　young　Baileyl〃

Conway　turned　just　in　time　to　catch　on　his　shoulder　the　blow　intended　for　his　head。　He　reached　forward　one　of　his　long　arms…he　had　arms　like　a　windmill；　that　boy…and；　grasping　me　by　the　hair；　tore　out　quite　a　respectable　handful。　The　tears　flew　to　my　eyes；　but　they　were　not　the　tears　of　defeat；　they　were　merely　the　involuntary　tribute　which　nature　paid　to　the　departed　tresses。

In　a　second　my　little　jacket　lay　on　the　ground；　and　I　stood　on　guard；　resting　lightly　on　my　right　leg　and　keeping　my　eye　fixed　steadily　on　Conway's…in　all　of　which　I　was　faithfully　following　the　instructions　of　Phil　Adams；　whose　father　subscribed　to　a　sporting　journal。

Conway　also　threw　himself　into　a　defensive　attitude；　and　there　we　were；　glaring　at　each　other　motionless；　neither　of　us　disposed　to　risk　an　attack；　but　both　on　the　alert　to　resist　one。　There　is　no　telling　how　long　we　might　have　remained　in　that　absurd　position；　had　we　not　been　interrupted。

It　was　a　custom　with　the　larger　pupils　to　return　to　the　play…ground　after　school；　and　play　baseball　until　sundown。　The　town　authorities　had　prohibited　ball…playing　on　the　Square；　and；　there　being　no　other　available　place；　the　boys　fell　back　perforce　on　the　school…yard。　just　at　this　crisis　a　dozen　or　so　of　the　Templars　entered　the　gate；　and；　seeing　at　a　glance　the　belligerent　status　of　Conway　and　myself；　dropped　bat　and　ball；　and　rushed　to　the　spot　where　we　stood。

〃Is　it　a　fight？〃　asked　Phil　Adams；　who　saw　by　our　freshness　that　we　had　not　yet　got　to　work。

〃Yes；　it's　a　fight；〃　I　answered；　〃unless　Conway　will　ask　Wallace's　pardon；　promise　never　to　hector　me　in　future…and　put　back　my　hair！〃

This　last　condition　was　rather　a　staggerer。

〃I　sha'n't　do　nothing　of　the　sort；〃　said　Conway；　sulkily。

〃Then　the　thing　must　go　on；〃　said　Adams；　with　dignity。　〃Rodgers；　as　I　understand　it；　is　your　second；　Conway？　Bailey；　come　here。　What's　the　row　about？〃

〃He　was　thrashing　Binny　Wallace。〃

〃No；　I　wasn't；〃　interrupted　Conway；　〃but　I　was　going　to　because　he　knows　who　put　Meeks's　mortar　over　our　door。　And　I　know　well　enough　who　did　it；　it　was　that　sneaking　little　mulatter！〃　pointing　at　me。

〃O；　by　George！〃　I　cried；　reddening　at　the　insult。

〃Cool　is　the　word；〃　said　Adams；　as　he　bound　a　handkerchief　round　my　head；　and　carefully　tucked　away　the　long　straggling　locks　that　offered　a　tempting　advantage　to　the　enemy。　〃Who　ever　heard　of　a　fellow　with　such　a　head　of　hair　going　into　action！〃　muttered　Phil；　twitching　the　handkerchief　to　ascertain　if　it　were　securely　tied。　He　then　loosened　my　gallowses　（braces）；　and　buckled　them　tightly　above　my　hips。　〃Now；　then；　bantam；　never　say　die！〃

Conway　regarded　these　business…like　preparations　with　evident　misgiving；　for　he　called　Rodgers　to　his　side；　and　had　himself　arrayed　in　a　similar　manner；　though　his　hair　was　cropped　so　close　that　you　couldn't　have　taken　hold　of　it　with　a　pair　of　tweezers。

〃Is　your　man　ready？〃　asked　Phil　Adams；　addressing　Rodgers。

〃Ready！〃

〃Keep　your　back　to　the　gate；　Tom；〃　whispered　Phil　in　my　car；　〃and　you'll　have　the　sun　in　his　eyes。〃

Behold　us　once　more　face　to　face；　like　David　and　the　Philistine。　Look　at　us　as　long　as　you　may；　for　this　is　all　you　shall　see　of　the　combat。　According　to　my　thinking；　the　hospital　teaches　a　better　lesson　than　the　battle…field。　I　will　tell　you　about　my　black　eye；　and　my　swollen　lip；　if　you　will；　but　not　a　word　of　the　fight。

You'll　get　no　description　o