The Chums of Scranton High on the Cinder Path

The Chums of Scranton High on
the Cinder
by Donald Ferguson

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Title: The Chums of Scranton High on the Cinder Path
Author: Donald Ferguson
Release Date: August 22, 2004 [EBook #13251]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE
CHUMS OF SCRANTON HIGH ***

Produced by Al Haines

THE CHUMS OF SCRANTON HIGH

On the Cinder Path

BY
DONALD FERGUSON

THE WORLD SYNDICATE PUBLISHING CO.
CLEVELAND, O. NEW YORK, N. Y.

Copyright, MCMXIX
by
THE WORLD SYNDICATE PUBLISHING CO.

Printed in the United States of America
by
THE COMMERCIAL BOOKBINDING CO,
CLEVELAND, O.

CONTENTS
CHAPTER
I.
THE FIVE NUT FORAGERS II. ON THE OLD QUARRY ROAD III.
TALKING OF GHOSTS IV. IN TRAINING FOR THE GREAT

TOURNAMENT V. TREACHERY IN THE AIR VI. THE PROWLER
VII. CAUGHT IN THE ACT VIII. LEON PROMISES TO REFORM
IX. SCRANTON IN GALA ATTIRE X. WHEN MUSCLES
COUNTED XI. THE CRISIS IN CLAUDE'S LIFE XII. STARTLING
NEWS FROM THE JUGGINS BOY XIII. TO THE RESCUE OF "K.
K." XIV. THE SEARCHING PARTY XV. PROWLING AROUND
THE QUARRY XVI. A FRIENDLY "GHOST" XVII. SCRANTON'S
"OPEN HOUSE" DAY XVIII. THE GREAT MARATHON RACE
XIX. ON THE FINAL MILE OF THE COURSE XX. THE BOY
WHO WON--CONCLUSION

THE CHUMS OF SCRANTON HIGH
CHAPTER I
THE FIVE NUT FORAGERS
The bright October sun was half-way down the western sky one
Saturday afternoon. Two-thirds of the Fall month had already gone, and
the air was becoming fairly crisp in the early mornings.
All around the forest trees were painted various shades of bright scarlet,
burnt umber brown and vivid gold by the practiced fingers of that
master artist, the Frost-King. Flocks of robins and blackbirds were
gathering rather late this year, preparatory to taking their annual
pilgrimage to the warm Southland. They flew overhead at times in vast
numbers, making a tremendous chatter.
A noisy bunch of crows cawed unceasingly amidst the treetops as a
large, lumbering old automobile passed along the country road, the
same filled with lively boys, and also a number of sacks stuffed to their
utmost capacity with what appeared to be black walnuts, shell-bark
hickories, butternuts, and even splendid large chestnuts. Apparently,
the strange and deadly blight that was attacking the chestnut groves all
through the East had not yet appeared in the highly favored region
around the town of Scranton, in which place the boys in question lived,

and attended the famous high school where Dr. Carmack, also
supervisor of the entire county schools, held forth.
The five tired lads who formed this nutting party we have met before in
the pages of previous stories in this series; so that to those who have
been fortunate enough to possess such books they need no lengthy
introduction.
First, there was Hugh Morgan, looking as genial and determined as
ever, and just as frequently consulted by his comrades, because his
opinion always carried considerable weight. Then came his most
intimate chum, Thad Stevens, who had played the position of backstop
so successfully during the summer just passed, and helped to win the
pennant for Scranton against the other two high schools of the country,
situated in the towns of Allendale and Belleville.
Besides these two, there was included in the party a tall chap who
seemed to be acting as chauffeur, from which it might be judged that he
had supplied the means for taking this nutting trip far afield; his name
was Kenneth Kinkaid, but among his friends he answered to the shorter
appellation of "K. K." Then came a fourth boy of shorter build, and
more sturdy physique, Julius Hobson by name; and last, but far from
least, Horatio Juggins, a rather comical fellow who often assumed a
dramatic attitude, and quoted excerpts from some school declamation,
his favorite, of course, being "Horatio at the Bridge."
It was "K. K." who got up the annual foraging expedition on this
particular year, and promised that they should go in style in the
antiquated seven-passenger car belonging to his father, who was a
commercial traveler, which car "K. K." often used, when he could raise
the cash to provide sufficient gasolene at twenty-five cents per gallon.
But on this momentous occasion each fellow had chipped in his share
pro rata; so that the generous provider of the big, open car was not
compelled to beg or borrow in order to properly equip the