"I am sorry to see you coming out of such a place, Mark."
"What is it to you, anyway?" returned Mark, rudely.
"Not much, perhaps," replied Frank, calmly, "but I don't like to see my acquaintances coming out of a liquor saloon."
"No, it won't hurt me, but if tho principal should hear of it, it would not be pleasant for you. You know students are strictly2 forbidden to enter any saloon?"
"I suppose you mean to tell on me," said Mark, hastily, and not altogether without uneasiness.
"You are mistaken. I am not a talebearer."
"Then there is no need to say any more about it. Come along, James!"
Frank's interference was well meant, but, as we shall see, it did harm rather than good.
As Mark left the saloon, he had half decided4 not to enter it again. He was three dollars out of pocket, and this did not suit him at all.
In fact, Mark was rather a mean boy, and it was with considerable reluctance5 that he had handed over to his companion the two dollars with which to pay for the games.
Moreover, he was mortified6 at losing the two games of billiards7, when so great odds8 had been given him.
James Carson was no scholar, but he was sharp enough to perceive the state of Mark's feelings, and he also saw how he was affected9 by Frank's remonstrance10.
He decided to take advantage of this, and strengthen his hold on Mark.
"Well, Mark," he said, "I suppose you'll give up playing billiards now."
"Why should I?"
"Because your stepbrother doesn't approve of it. You won't dare to go into the saloon after he has forbidden you," he continued, with a sneer11.
"What do you mean, James? Do you suppose I care that"—snapping his fingers—"for what Frank says, or even thinks, either?"
"I didn't know but you might stand in fear of him."
"Do you mean to insult me?" demanded Mark, hotly.
"Insult you! My dear friend, what can you be thinking of? Why, I like you ten times as much as that muff, Frank Courtney."
"Then what did you mean by what you said?" asked Mark, more calmly.
"I will tell you. I got an idea, from what Frank said once, that he was in charge of you—well, not exactly that, but he looked after you."
This was a wicked falsehood, as Frank had never intimated any such thing. In fact, he had generally kept quite aloof12 from James.
Mark, however, fell into the trail, and never thought of doubting what his companion said.
"If Frank said that, I've a great mind to whip him," said Mark, angrily.
"Oh, I wouldn't notice him, if I were you!" said James. "For my part, I didn't believe what he said. I felt sure that a fine, spirited boy like you wouldn't submit to his dictation."
"When he spoke14 to you just now," continued James, "one would really have thought he was your uncle, or guardian15, and that you were a little boy."
"I'll show him what I think of him and his advice. I hadn't thought of going to the saloon to-morrow, but now I will."
"Bravo! I like your spirit!" said James, admiringly. "It is just the way to treat him. Shall I come round with you about the same hour as to-day?"
"Yes, I wish you would."
When the two boys parted company, James Carson smiled to himself.
"What a fool Mark is!" he thought. "He thinks he is his own master, but I am going to twist him round my little finger. He's a sweet youth, but he's got money, and I mean to have some of it. Why, he tells me his father allows him eight dollars a week for spending money. If I manage well, I can get more than half away from his in bets."
The next day James called for Mark, as agreed upon, and again the two boys went to the billiard saloon. The performance of the day before was repeated.
James Carson, while flattering Mark's poor play, managed to beat in every game but one on which money was staked, and came out the richer by a dollar and a half.
"So you were, Mark," admitted his sympathizing friend. "You made some capital shots, though, and if I hadn't been so lucky, you would have come out the victor in every game."
"But I didn't."
"No, you didn't; but you can't have such beastly luck all the time."
"I guess I'd better give up billiards. In two days I have spent five dollars. It doesn't pay."
"No doubt Frank will be gratified when he hears that you have given up playing. He will think it is because you are afraid of him."
"It's lucky for me that Frank spoke to him," thought James. "It makes it much easier for me to manage him."
One thing, however, James had not taken into account. There were others besides Frank who were liable to interfere3 with his management, and who had the authority to make their interference effectual.
On the day succeeding, as James and Mark were in the campus, Herbert Grant approached them.
Now Herbert was the janitor18 of the academy. He also was employed by the principal to summon students who had incurred19 censure20 to his study, where they received a suitable reprimand.
It was not a pleasant duty, but some one must do it, and Herbert always discharged it in a gentlemanly manner, which could not, or ought not, to offend the schoolfellows who were unlucky enough to receive a summons.
"Boys," said he, "I am sorry to be the bearer of unpleasant news, but Dr. Brush would like to see you in his study."
"Both of us?" asked James.
"Yes."
"Are there any others summoned?"
"No."
Mark and his companion looked at each other with perturbed21 glances. No one cared to visit the principal on such an errand. Corporal punishment was never resorted to in the Bridgeville Academy, but the doctor's dignified22 rebuke23 was dreaded24 more than blows would have been from some men.
"What do you think it is, James?" asked Mark, uneasily.
"I think it's the saloon," answered James, in a low voice.
"But how could he have found it out? No one saw us go in or come out."
The billiard saloon was at some distance from the academy building, and for that reason the two boys had felt more secure in visiting it.
"I'll tell you how it came out," said James, suddenly.
"How?" asked Mark.
"You remember Frank saw us coming out day before yesterday."
"He said he wouldn't tell."
It was not very difficult for Mark to believe anything against Frank, and he instantly adopted his companion's idea.
"The mean sneak25!" he said. "I'll come up with him! I'll tell my father not to give him any money for the next month. I'll—-I'll get him to apprentice26 Frank to a shoemaker! Perhaps then he won't put on so many airs."
"Good for you! I admire your pluck!" said James, slapping Mark on the back. "You are true grit27, you are! Just teach the fellow a lesson."
"See if I don't!"
Mark nodded his head resolutely28, and went into the presence of Dr. Brush, thirsting for vengeance29 against his stepbrother, who, he felt persuaded, had informed against him.
If Frank had known his suspicions he would have been very much surprised. As it happened, however, he did not even know that his stepbrother had been summoned to the doctor's study. Had he met Herbert, the later would have told him; but after receiving his list, it so chanced that he and his friend did not meet.
The fact was that a young man employed as tutor in mathematics in the academy, while taking an afternoon walk, had seen Mark and James Carson leaving the liquor saloon, and, as in duty bound, had reported the same to the principal.
Mr. Triangle, however, had not been observed by either of the two boys, and therefore they were led off on a false scent30.
"What do you think the old man will say?" asked Mark, uneasily, as they ascended31 the stairs to the principal's study.
"He'll give us a raking down, I suppose," said James. "He will come down heavy on us."
"I wish I were out of it."
"Oh, it's not worth minding! We haven't committed murder, have we? What's the harm in a game of billiards?"
"Not much, perhaps; but the drinking and betting are certainly objectionable."
The boys knocked at the door, and the full, deep voice of Dr. Brush was heard to say: "Come in!"
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1
irritably
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| ad.易生气地 | |
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strictly
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| adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地 | |
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interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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reluctance
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| n.厌恶，讨厌，勉强，不情愿 | |
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6
mortified
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| v.使受辱( mortify的过去式和过去分词 )；伤害（人的感情）；克制；抑制（肉体、情感等） | |
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billiards
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| n.台球 | |
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odds
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| n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别 | |
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affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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remonstrance
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| n抗议，抱怨 | |
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sneer
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| v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语 | |
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12
aloof
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| adj.远离的；冷淡的，漠不关心的 | |
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impudent
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| adj.鲁莽的，卑鄙的，厚颜无耻的 | |
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14
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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15
guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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grumbled
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| 抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
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toils
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| 网 | |
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janitor
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| n.看门人，管门人 | |
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incurred
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| [医]招致的，遭受的； incur的过去式 | |
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censure
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| v./n.责备；非难；责难 | |
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perturbed
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| adj.烦燥不安的v.使（某人）烦恼，不安( perturb的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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rebuke
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| v.指责，非难，斥责 [反]praise | |
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dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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sneak
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| vt.潜行(隐藏,填石缝)；偷偷摸摸做；n.潜行；adj.暗中进行 | |
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apprentice
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| n.学徒，徒弟 | |
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grit
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| n.沙粒，决心，勇气；v.下定决心，咬紧牙关 | |
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28
resolutely
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| adj.坚决地，果断地 | |
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vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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30
scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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