"This leaves me high and dry," growled Merwell. "I won't have a cent to spend for two weeks."
"Let us see if we can't borrow some money," suggested Jasniff.
"I'd like to know who from? All the fellows who bet have lost their money."
"Then we'll have to hit somebody who didn't bet--some of the goody-goody fellows," and he laughed bitterly.
"Like Porter, eh?"
"Yes, Porter never bets, nor drinks, nor smokes. I can't understand how he makes himself popular, can you?"
"It's his smooth way. But some day he'll be found out and dropped," answered Merwell.
"He'll be dropped when we work our little game against him," returned Jasniff, with an evil look in his eyes.
Never had the carryall contained a happier crowd of students than those who rode back to Oak Hall after the game. They sang, cheered, and whistled to their hearts' content, and nearly drove Horsehair wild with their antics, climbing out of the windows and over the roof of the turnout.
"Bless my heart, but you must be careful!" pleaded the driver. "I don't want to hurt no-buddy on this trip!"
"Oh, Horsehair, we can't hold ourselves down!" answered Phil. "Such a victory isn't gained every day."
"Yes, sir, I know, sir. But them hosses don't know nothin' about football, an' fust thing you know they'll run away," pleaded the carryall driver.
"We'll take a chance," put in Roger, brightly. "Now, then, all together!" And out on the air rolled the old school song to the tune of Auld Lang Syne, and then followed a cheering that could be heard for half a mile.
"Bonfires to-night!" announced Buster Beggs. "The biggest yet."
"Say, that puts me in mind of a story----" began Shadow, but what he wanted to tell was lost in a tooting of horns and a clacking of rattles that lasted until Oak Hall was reached.
CHAPTER XXI
THANKSGIVING, AND A SNOWBALLING CONTEST
The celebration that night was a grand affair, and Doctor Clay allowed the students to remain out until midnight. Many bonfires were lighted, and the boys danced around, sang songs, and played many practical jokes on each other and on Horsehair and Pop Swingly. Shadow was in his element, and was permitted to tell a dozen or more of his yarns, much to his own satisfaction if not of his listeners.
The only boys who felt blue were Nat Poole and the lads who had played against Lemington and then been put off the eleven. Nat had received a sharp lecture from the doctor and then been sent to his room, to remain there until the following morning. He wanted to pack up and go home, fearing the jeers of his fellow-students when they learned of his meanness, but he did not dare to make this move, for his father had written him a sharp letter, telling him to finish out the term at Oak Hall or otherwise to go to work,--and Nat did not want to go to work.
Of course the victory over Rockville made Dave and his chums feel good. The whole eleven were warmly congratulated by the doctor, and by Mr. Dale and Mr. Dodsworth.
The game with the military academy was followed by a number of other contests, and the school made a fine record for itself, winning six games out of eight. The two games lost were with college boys, and these players were all considerably heavier than the Oak Hall lads. The last game took place on Thanksgiving Day, and was witnessed by Dave's father and Mr. Wadsworth, and also by Laura and Jessie. Oak Hall won this contest by a score of 18 to 11.
"Oh, it was grand, Dave!" cried Jessie, after the boys had left the gridiron. "That run you made was the best ever!"
"You all did well," said Laura.
"It makes my blood tingle, and I feel like getting into the game myself," said Oliver Wadsworth. "It was a clean-cut contest from start to finish."
Phil and some of the other boys were going home, and soon said good-by. Mr. Porter and Mr. Wadsworth went off with Doctor Clay, and that left Dave and Roger with the two girls. As Senator Morr was at home from Washington, it was decided that the young folks should pay Roger's home a visit for the rest of the day, Mr. Porter and Mr. Wadsworth coming there in the evening to take Laura and Jessie back to Crumville.
The young folks made a jolly party as they boarded the train. They turned over one of the double seats and sat facing each other, and laughed and chatted until Hemson was reached. Here a carriage awaited them, and they were driven to the Morr mansion, where they received a warm greeting from the senator and his wife.
The girls had much to tell about themselves, and then asked about matters at the school. They were indignant to learn that Nat Poole had exposed the football signals.
"It is just like him--the sneak!" cried Jessie. "Oh, Dave, I hope you don't have anything more to do with him."
"I am willing to let him alone if he will let me alone."
"Do you hear anything from Link Merwell?" questioned Laura.
"Not much. But I understand he and Nick Jasniff have it in for me."
"Then, Dave, you must be on your guard," cautioned his sister. "I think Merwell is a regular snake in the grass--his actions at the ranch prove it--and Jasniff is no better."
"Jasniff is worse," said Roger. "He is a brute."
The boys and girls spent a happy evening together, and all too soon Mr. Porter and Mr. Wadsworth arrived to take Laura and Jessie back to Crumville. The boys hated to see them go, and went to the depot with them. There was some warm handshaking, and then the train rolled away, and the boys went back to the house.
"Splendid girls, both of them," was Roger's comment, and Dave quite agreed with him. But he was thinking more about Jessie than his sister,--and it is quite likely Roger was thinking more about Laura.
The boys remained at Roger's home until Saturday afternoon, and then returned to Oak Hall. The air was heavy and very cold, and they were glad to get out of the carryall, rush into the school, and warm up.
"Feels like snow to me," said Dave; and he was right. It started to snow that night, and kept it up for the greater part of Sunday, so that by Monday the ground was covered to the depth of a foot or more.
"Hurrah, for a snowballing match!" cried Buster. "Everybody in the line after school."
"Let us choose sides," suggested Ben. "Instead of having an Army of the North and an Army of the South, we can have----"
"An Army of Red and an Army of Blue," finished Dave. "What do you say to the red sweaters against the blue sweaters?"
As many lads of the school wore red sweaters, and about an equal number wore blue, the idea caught on instantly, and at the noon recess the two armies, of Red and of Blue, were hastily organized. Each numbered twenty-five recruits, and Roger was made the leader on one side and Sam Day the leader on the other. With Roger went Dave and Phil, while Ben, Buster, and Shadow sided with Sam. Roger's side was the Army of Red, and they made themselves a big red flag, with the initials O. H. on it. Not to be outdone, Sam's army made a big blue flag, also with the school initials.
It was decided that the Army of Blue was to take a position in the woods, and that the Army of Red was to try to dislodge them and force them to retreat. If either army was driven back two hundred yards it must give up its flag and count itself beaten.
After school half an hour was allowed for getting ready, and most of that time was consumed in making snowballs and in fortifying the edge of the woods by throwing up a snowbank. Then a bugle belonging to one of the students