The Chums of Scranton High | Page 9

violoncello and oboe, making a good combination

capable of playing up-to-date dances, as well as others known to the
fathers and mothers of the present generation.
These affairs were conducted with a due respect to the proprieties. A
middle-aged lady invariably went along in the carryall to chaperone the
young people, although there was a deal of fun going and coming back
home, as well as on the floor of the great barn, with its many lanterns to
serve in lieu of electric lights.
Hugh was going, of course. He and his best chum, Thad Stevens, had a
pretty fair car in which to transport the two girls whom they had invited
as their partners. These same girls were co-eds with Hugh and Thad on
the weekly paper which Scranton High issued, just as many other
schools do. They were named Sue Barnes and Ivy Middleton. Sue was
Hugh's company, while the dark-haired vivacious Ivy seemed to have a
particular attraction for Thad.
By the way, since Thad has thus far not been introduced to the reader, it
might be a good idea to say a few words about him before going any
further with the exciting events that happened on the Friday night of the
barn hop.
Thad was a quick-tempered lad, in which respect he seemed to differ
radically from Hugh, who somehow managed to keep his under
wonderful control, as though he had long practiced holding it in
subjection. Strangely enough, Thad's folks came of Quaker stock, and
"thee" and "thou" had been familiar words to his young ears. But Thad
apparently had not inherited the peaceful ways of his ancestors, for he
had been in more than a few battles with some of his more pugnacious
school companions, nor did he always come out from these encounters
first best.
All the same, Thad was a pretty clever chap, and Hugh had always been
very fond of his chum. They got on wonderfully well together, and
seldom had the least "tiff."
It was Thad who had secured his father's old car for the special
occasion. He turned up at Hugh's house about half-past seven that

evening. It was a calm night, and the moon was just rising in the east,
being a little past her full period.
"Say, this couldn't be improved on any, according to my notion, Thad,"
Hugh remarked, as, attracted by the call of the klaxon outside, he
hurried forth, wearing his overcoat, for the night air was quite chilly, it
being still only April.
"A bang-up night for a dance," echoed the enthusiastic Thad; "just cool
enough to keep us from getting overheated. The farmer's wife will
make the coffee, and spread a table for us in her big kitchen, she
promised; and the girls are to provide lots of good things. We're mighty
lucky for once, Hugh."
"How many do you think will be on hand?" asked the other, settling
down alongside the driver.
"Well, ten couple have solemnly promised to attend, barring some
accident; and I reckon there may be several more show up, because
we've done lots of talking about the jolly time we expected to have. I
only hope that Nick Lang and his crowd will have the decency to stay
away. If they show up there's bound to be trouble brewing."
"I'm afraid so," acceded Hugh, seriously, "for Nick is never so happy as
when he's making other folks miserable. But the farmer has a stout
hired man, who will be on deck to keep an eye on our cars, and other
conveyances; so there'll hardly be any tricks attempted with the lines,
taking wheels off buggies, and all such practical jokes, such as those
fellows dearly love to play."
"I heard Owen Dugdale was coming," Thad went on to say, as they
started off, "which is something unusual for him, because up to now
we've never seen him at a hop."
"Now how did you learn that?" laughed Hugh.
"Oh! a little bird told me," replied the other. "Fact is, Hugh, pretty
Peggy Noland told my sister Grace Owen had asked her to be his

company to this hop, and she had accepted, because somehow she
always liked Owen."
"Whew! I wonder now how Nick Lang will feel about that?" ventured
Hugh. "You know Peggy used to have him for her company a number
of times. But I remember how annoyed she looked at the class spread
when he acted so rudely, and made everybody present wish he had
stayed at home."
"Oh! Peggy says she will never, never go anywhere again with that
terrible Nick Lang. She never did like him any too well, and now she
detests him. I only hope Nick isn't mean enough to try to pick on Owen
because Peggy's accepted his offer to take