The Outdoor Chums After Big Game | Page 9

that the fellow's eyes had
opened, and were surveying him with a troubled stare.
"Feeling better, Hank?" he asked quietly.
"Oh, I'm all right, I reckon. What brought you fellows here? Where am
I, anyhow? Did I just drop off that motorcycle? No. I remember, now.
Flimsy took the last cent I had while I lay in the road. The meanest
skunk I ever met up with. If ever he crosses my path again I'll get even
with the cur," he growled, sitting up and holding a hand to his head.
"What happened to you, Hank? Why were you lying in the road? Did
you have a fight with that tramp printer?" asked Frank, suspecting the

truth.
"Yes. I told him I was sick of keeping with him. He's a bad one, and
some fine day he'll land in the stone jug. He scared me the way he
talked. I started to tramp back home, and he kept nagging me all the
way here. In the end he made me so mad I just tackled him. That was
what he wanted. Why, he put me to sleep the easiest way you ever saw.
I just remember him fumbling in my pockets before he hoofed it."
"Well, it was a lucky thing for you, Hank, after all. If you'd kept with
that rascal you'd soon have been just like him. Did you say you meant
to go back home now?"
"That's what I meant to do, but he's fixed it so I can't," muttered the
other, grinding his teeth in fury.
"How's that?" pursued Frank, believing there must be a story back of
his words.
"He took the ten dollars I stole from my dad. I won't never dare face
him and say I lost it. I thought I could put it back in the bureau drawer,
and he'd never know. I'll have to foller that Flimsy, and make him give
it back."
"You can't do that for he'd only laugh at you, and perhaps beat you
again."
"The thief ought to be arrested," grumbled Bluff indignantly.
"That would blow the whole thing, you see, and dad he'd know I
grabbed it. I'm gettin' all I ought to have, I reckon. P'raps I might earn
that ten some way, and hand it over. If I could only get another job as
chauffeur it'd be all right," Hank Brady was mumbling to himself
dejectedly.
"Perhaps you can," said Frank quickly. "I remember, now, that our man
had to go away suddenly the day before yesterday. Look here, Hank!
Do you really mean to do the right thing now? Have you had your

lesson pounded into you?"
"I sure have. Never again for me, I give you my word. I guess my folks
has been worried some on my account, but they don't need to any more.
I've reformed, I have. I'm goin' to walk a straight line after this."
The fellow spoke as though he meant it, and Frank believed he could
detect the ring of sincerity in his voice.
"All right. Shake hands on that, Hank. Don't you forget it, that you'll
find plenty of fellows willing to give you a lift, just as quickly as some
others want to give you a drag down. It all depends on where the other
chap is standing himself. You come and see me to-morrow, some time.
I'm Frank Langdon, and my father is the president of the First National
Bank."
"This is mighty white of you, fellers," muttered the other, apparently
ashamed.
"You can never pay it back to us, Hank, but some time pass it along;
hold out a helping hand to some other poor chap in trouble. I guess if
you know how to run a car decently you will get the job, if I speak to
my dad. Now, another thing--that ten dollars you wanted to put back,
was it in one bill?"
"Two fives," replied Hank, catching his breath.
"Then perhaps we can fix it up. I've got one here. Jerry, can you help
me out?" asked Frank, who believed in doing the whole thing, once he
started.
"Just happen to have it, by good luck," replied the other cheerfully.
"Say! that's too much, fellers--an' after I played that mean trick, too!"
"Don't worry about that. I'm not giving you this, Hank, only loaning it
to you. You can pay it back out of your first month's salary. Here you
are, and don't think for a minute that you're getting the best of all this.

We're enjoying it, in our own way, more than you ever can. See you
to-morrow, then. Good-night, Hank!"
They left the fellow standing there, quite dumb. He had tried to answer
them as they rode off, but not a sound could he utter.
"Talk to me about