"There! Isn"t that clever?" said the Hermit, in apparent admiration.
"Did ever you hear a sentence so well put together, and so eloquently delivered. Why, not even the "too-too" Wrangham (I hope Wrangham"s not here)--"
Blushing was the order of the day. Wrangham tried hard to look unconcerned, but as the eyes of the Club turned round in his direction, the tell-tale roses came on his cadaverous cheeks and mounted to his forehead.
"The "too-too" Wrangham, who loves lilies because they are pure, and calls teapots "consummate" because--well, I don"t exactly know why--he couldn"t have put his one idea so neatly--"
"Look here, Freckleton," said Spokes, feeling it due to the dignity of the Club to put an end to this scene; "this is a private meeting.
You"ve no right to be here. n.o.body wants you."
"Dear me! was that the silvery voice of toffee-loving Spokes?" said the Hermit, amid a shout of laughter; for everyone knew Spokes"s weak point.
"He says "Look here!" Really I cannot, until a sponge has been pa.s.sed over the honest face and shorn it of some of its clinging sweetness.
But, gentlemen of the "Select"--"Select" is the word, isn"t it?"
"If you don"t go out, you"ll get chucked out," said Bull.
"Oh, wonderful English! wonderful elocution!" said the Hermit. "Ah, it is good to be here. Ah! he comes, he comes!"
It was a critical moment as the burly Bull came down the room. Had he done so five minutes sooner Freckleton might have found himself single- handed. But already his genial banter had told among the more susceptible of his hearers, and he could count at any rate on fair play.
For the rest, he had little anxiety.
"Wait a moment," said he, rising to his feet, and motioning to Bull to wait: "Sociables, Bull wants to fight me. Do you want me to fight him?"
"Yes, yes," shouted every one, delighted at the prospect of a fray, and many of them quite indifferent as to who conquered.
"Very well, gentlemen," said the Hermit; "I will obey you on one condition, and one only."
"What is it?" they shouted eagerly.
"This: that if I beat Bull, you make me your president; or, if you think it fairer, if I beat Bull first and then Spokes, you elect me. What do you say?"
The Hermit was staking high with a vengeance. Little had he dreamed, when he came down to have a little talk with the "Select Sociables," of such a proposal. It was the sight of Bull walking down the room which had furnished the inspiration, and he was daring enough to seize the chance while he had it and risk all upon it.
In his secret heart he was not absolutely sure of vanquishing his opponent. For Bull was a noted fighting man, and had made his mark in Templeton. The Hermit had never fought in his life. And yet he knew a little about boxing. He was strong, cool, and sound of wind; and knew enough of human nature to avoid the least appearance of doubt or hesitation in a crisis like this.
"What do you say?" asked he.
"Rather! If you lick, we"ll make you president," shouted the Club.
"As it is a business matter," said Freckleton, "and will have to go on the minutes, wouldn"t it be well for someone to propose and second it?"
Whereupon Braider proposed and someone else seconded the proposal, which was put to the meeting with due solemnity and carried unanimously.
"Now," said the Hermit, slowly divesting himself of his coat when the ceremony was concluded, "I"m at your service, Bull."
There was breathless silence for a moment as all eyes turned on the ex- monitor.
The blushes had left his cheeks, and a pallor rather whiter than usual was there in their place. He stood, in a fascinated sort of way, watching Freckleton as he rolled the sleeves up above his elbows and divested himself of his collar. He had never imagined the "dark man"
would face him, still less challenge him thus before the whole Club.
The coward"s heart failed him when the moment came. He didn"t like the look of things. For an instant the crimson rushed back to his face, then, turning his back, he walked away.
Instantly a storm of hissing and hooting rose from the club, such as had rarely been heard in the walls of Templeton. None are so indignant at cowards as those who are not quite sure of their own heroism, and Bull found it out.
"Do I understand," said Freckleton, as soon as he could get in a word, "that the Bull declines?"
The Bull made no answer.
"He funks it. Turn him out!" cried Gosse.
The Hermit could not prevent a smile.
"Does anyone second Mr Gosse"s motion?"
"I do," shouted Spokes, amid derisive laughter.
"Then," said Freckleton, opening the door, "we needn"t detain you, Bull, unless, on second thoughts--"
Bull slunk out, followed by another howl, which drowned the Hermit"s words. When he had gone the latter put on his coat, and, walking up to the chair, which Spokes had prudently vacated, called the club to order and said:--
"Gentlemen,--I beg to thank you for appointing me your president. I know it will be hard to follow worthily in the footsteps of the gentleman who has just left the room--(groans)--and of the gentleman who has just vacated this chair, leaving some of his sweetness behind him.
(Derisive cheers.) Still, I would like to do something to help make this club a credit. I think we might look over the rules and see if we can get anything in which will keep cowards and cads out of the club.
Of course that wouldn"t affect any of you, but it would help to keep us more select for the future. (Cheers.) In fact, I don"t see, gentlemen, why we shouldn"t make the club big enough to take in any fellow who, like all of you, hates cowardice, and meanness, and dirtiness, and that sort of thing. (Cheers, not unmixed with blushes.) We may not all think alike about everything, but, if we are all agreed it"s good form to be gentlemen, and honest and brave, I don"t see why we can"t be "Select Sociables" still. We pride ourselves at Templeton on being one of the crack schools in the country. (Loud cheers.) Well, any lot of fellows who set up for the "Select" here ought to be the crack of the crack--like you all, for instance. However, these are only suggestions.
Now I"m your president I mean to work hard for the club and do my best--(cheers)--and I ask you to back me up. (Cheers.) I think, by way of a start, we might appoint a committee of, say, half a dozen, to look into the rules and see how they can be improved, and how the club can be made of most use to Templeton. What do you say?"
Cheers greeted the suggestion, and several names were proposed. The six elected included Spokes and Braider, and it was evident, from the half- nervous, half-gratified manner in which these two undertook their new responsibilities, that the Hermit had found out the trick of bringing out the good points even of the most unpromising boys.
The Club separated with cheers for the new president, and scarcely yet realising the transformation scene which he had made in their midst. A few, such as Wrangham, skulked off, but the majority took up the new order of things with ardour, and vied with one another in showing that they at any rate were bent on making the Club a credit.
Freckleton meanwhile retired to report the success of his mission to Mansfield.
"Well, have you got their names and cautioned them?" asked the Captain.
"I"m very hot and thirsty," said the Hermit, flinging himself down on a chair.
"Yes, yes; but what about this bad club?"
"Call it not bad, Jupiter, for I am its president."
"What! you its president!" cried the Captain, taking in the mystery at a bound. "You mean to say you"ve talked them over! By Jove! Freckleton, you ought to be Captain of Templeton."
"Thank you; I"ve quite enough to do as president of the "Select Sociables.""
And he then proceeded to give a modest history of the evening"s proceedings.
Mansfield was delighted at every particular.
"But suppose Bull had fought you," said he, "where would you be now?"
"Better off, I think," said the Hermit. "It would have told better if I could really have knocked him down. However, I fancy it"s as well it didn"t come to a brush."