"h.e.l.lo, d.i.c.kens, kid," called a voice from behind, and an arm rested on his shoulder.
"h.e.l.lo, Ben," replied Prescott, looking around.
"I just wanted to say that the senior ball comes off Sat.u.r.day night of this week. You"re going to get one of the few freshman tickets. The ticket allows you to invite one of the girls. Now, remember, freshie, we depend upon you to be there."
d.i.c.k started to object. Well enough he knew that there would be few freshmen at the senior dance, which was the most exclusive affair in the High School year.
"You can"t kick," rattled on Badger. "You"ll get thrashed, if you do. Didn"t I tell you that there"ll be very few freshman tickets sent out? Only six, in fact. d.i.c.k & Co. are going to hog all the freshman tickets. That"s largely on account of what you youngsters have done for football and athletics in general.
Lad, this is the last year that the seniors will have a chance to see anything of d.i.c.k & Co. So you simply can"t stay away from the senior ball. Not a single member of d.i.c.k & Co. can be excused from attending."
"We"ll see about it," replied d.i.c.k.
"No, you won"t! It has all been seen to. The six of you are going to be on hand---with six stunning girls, too!"
"I thank you, anyway; I thank you all heartily for this very unusual honor," d.i.c.k protested.
"That"s all right, then; it"s settled," proclaimed Ben Badger, with an air of finality. "The dance begins at nine. It"s all stated on the ticket."
By the next day it _was_ settled that d.i.c.k & Co. were going to attend. Besides the senior cla.s.s, a good many of the juniors were also invited. There was to be a fair sprinkling of soph.o.m.ores, but of the freshmen d.i.c.k & Co. were the only ones invited.
Up to the middle of the week Fred Ripley felt rather certain that he was to be invited. Then, feeling less certain, he went to Thomp and Badger.
"Say, fellows," began Fred, with a confident air, "I just want to mention the fact that I haven"t received a card to the senior ball yet."
"Maybe you will, next year," suggested Thomp coolly.
Fred flushed, then went white.
"Oh, very well, if you mean than I"m to be left out," grunted Ripley.
"I"m afraid, Fred," hinted Badger, "that you were overlooked until the full number of soph tickets had been issued. It was an oversight, of course, but I"m afraid it"s too late to remedy it."
Fred Ripley went away, furious with anger, for he already knew, as did everyone else in Gridley H.S., that d.i.c.k & Co. were to be among the elect at the senior ball. And Fred had been so sure of a card to the ball that he had gone to the length of inviting Clara Deane to accompany him to the affair. That young lady had most joyously accepted.
Now, as he walked home with Miss Clara this afternoon, Fred suddenly broke out:
"I say, Clara, you don"t very much mind if we don"t go to the senior ball, do you?"
"Yes," Miss Deane retorted. "Why, what"s the matter, Fred. Didn"t you receive an invitation?"
"Of course, I could get an invite," lied young Ripley. "But the plain truth is, I want to keep out of the affair."
"Why, what"s the matter?" asked Clara, gazing at her escort in astonishment.
"Haven"t you heard the news?"
"What news?"
"That mucker crowd, who call themselves d.i.c.k &s Co., have been invited."
"There"s no harm in that, is there?" asked Clara Deane, quietly.
"Why, they"re quite popular young fellows; certainly the best-liked freshmen."
"Well, _I_ don"t like them," retorted Fred, sullenly.
"And so, after inviting me to go to the ball with you, now you"re going to invite me to remain at home instead?"
"Oh, of course, if you really want to go, I"ll see about it,"
muttered the soph.o.m.ore.
But he didn"t see about it, nor did Clara Deane again refer to the matter. However, being an enterprising girl, Miss Deane was not long in discovering that Fred was not going to the senior affair for the very good reason that he _couldn"t possibly_ get himself written down on the invitation list.
Apart from the moral side of the question it is rarely worth while to lie---to a girl, especially.
CHAPTER XXIII
THE NITROGLYCERINE MYSTERY SPEAKS UP
In one phase of its social life Gridley H.S. was especially sensible.
Since only a few of the boys could be expected to be able to afford evening dress suits, it was a rule that none, even the seniors, should appear at any of the cla.s.s functions in these fashionable garments.
Hence, d.i.c.k & Co., when they arrived with their girl friends, did not feel out of place on the score of clothes.
Each of the freshmen wore his "Sunday" suit, and each wore a flower at his lapel.
Unfortunately, no limitations were placed on the dress of the girls. Therefore, while some rather plain frocks were in evidence, many of the girls were rather elaborately attired.
Laura Bentley, though her father"s means rather permitted, did not "overdo" in respect of dress. d.i.c.k felt sure, however, as he offered his arm, and conducted her out on the floor, that Laura was quite the prettiest, sweetest-looking girl there.
All of d.i.c.k"s chums felt satisfied with their partners of the evening, for each young man had invited the girl whose company he was sure to enjoy most.
Somehow, though they did not feel just out of place at the senior ball, the six young freshmen and their partners, all of the freshman cla.s.s, happened to come together at one end of the hall.
"What do you all say," proposed d.i.c.k, "if, in the grand march, we freshies keep together, six couples all in one section?"
"We"ll feel more comfortable, surely," grinned Dave Darrin.
"Why? Are you scared?" asked Laura, looking at him archly.
"Not so that the band-leader could notice it," replied Dave.
"Yet I think we"d all be making more noise if this were a freshman dance."
"But the freshmen don"t have a dance until just before commencement time," put in Belle Meade, who was there with Dave.
"Anyway, the seniors are not so very important," laughed Laura.