Chapter XXIX: The Sophomore Dinner

When Phil, Tom and Dutch Housenlager came from Holly's room that evening, they were just in time to see Ford Fenton emerge from his plotting conference with Bascome and his cronies.

"I don't like that," exclaimed Phil. "Ford has been in with those fellows for some time."

"Probably trying to think up some scheme so he can get to be baseball manager next year," suggested Tom.

"No!" cried Phil. "By Jove, I believe I have it. Come on back to Holly's room for a few minutes," and he took hold of his chums and fairly led them away, much to their mystification. There was another conference, which lasted a long time, and for a day or two thereafter much activity in the ranks of the sophomores.

The dinner was to be a "swell" affair, to quote Holly Cross. An elaborate menu had been decided on, and there were to be several "stunts" more or less elaborate on the part of the "talented" members of the class. The affair was to be held in a hall in Haddonfield, and the great object of the second-year fellows, of course, was to prevent the time and place of the dinner becoming known to their enemies, the freshmen.

"Do you s'pose they'll bite?" asked Tom, an evening or two later, as he, together with Phil and Sid and Holly, were in the room of the "inseparables."

"It depends on us," answered Holly, who was the president of the sophomores. "I think they'll trail along when they see us go out."

"If they don't have some of their number trail after the main bunch," spoke Phil.

"We'll have to take our chances; that's all," came from Sid. "Well, are we all ready?"

"Pretty nearly," answered Holly. "I want to wait until it's a little darker. Then we'll slip off. I hope the chap is there with the auto."

"He promised to be," said Tom, and they sat about, waiting impatiently for the hour of action to arrive. It came finally, ticked off by the impatient little clock, and four figures stole from the sophomore dormitory, and hurried across the campus.

"There they come," said Tom, in a low voice, a moment later. "They're trailing us all right. See 'em sneaking along on the other side?"

"Sure," spoke Phil. It was just light enough to discern a number of hazy figures creeping along a boxwood hedge.

"See anything of that traitor, Fenton?" asked Holly, in a low voice.

"No, he's with the other crowd," answered Tom. "He's in fear of his life that we'll find him out."

"As if we hadn't already," added Sid.

Hurrying along, the four lads entered a trolley that was headed for Haddonfield. They looked back, as they were on the platform, and saw the shadowy figures leap into an auto which they knew belonged to Bert Bascome.

"They're coming," spoke Sid.

"And we'll be ready for 'em," added Tom.

A little later Tom and his chums were in the town and they hurried to a building, containing several halls or meeting rooms, where the students frequently held dinners, or gave dances and other affairs.

"Did you see anything of them since we arrived?" asked Holly of Tom as they scurried into the structure.

"No, but they'll be on hand. Ford has tipped them off all right; the little puppy! Say, what ought we to do to him? Tar and feathers, or give him the silence?"

"We can settle that later," remarked Phil. "Just now let's see how we make out against the freshies. It's tough to have to acknowledge that there's a traitor in the class."

"It sure is. Come on, now I hope everything is here."

A man came out of a room as the four sophomores knocked on the door.

"All arranged?" asked Tom eagerly.

"Yes. Now I hope you young gentlemen don't have too much of a fight. Don't break the furniture."

"Not any more than we can help," promised Sid.

"When the other fellows come--I mean the freshmen, let 'em right up," instructed Holly. "We'll be ready for 'em. Are the rear stairs clear?"

"Yes, you can slip out that way, and I put double locks on the door you'll go out of."

"And a spring lock on the one they'll enter by?" asked Tom.

"Yes, just as you told me. Now don't do too much damage," and the man, the proprietor of the place, seemed somewhat apprehensive.

"Oh, we'll pay for everything," agreed Holly. "Well, we're ready any time Bascome and his crowd are."

"I'm glad the sophs didn't think of a game like this to play on us when we tried to break up their dinner last year," observed Sid, as the four entered the room.

The place presented a curious sight. There was a table set as if for a banquet, with plates, knives and forks, glasses, and with the usual candles burning in silver candelabras. At the head of the banquet board was a stuffed figure, representing a Randall college student, with the college colors in gay ribbons pinned on one side of his caricature of a face, while the sophomore hues adorned the other side.

"Got the camera and flash powder?" asked Holly.

"Right here," answered Sid, who, because of his knowledge in that line, had been selected for this post of honor.

"They'll be here pretty soon now," prophesied Tom. "Bascome has his crowd in waiting somewhere, and he just lingered around college until he saw us start. Then they'll delay until they think we're all here, and they'll rush in, and make a rough house."

"That is, they _think_ they will," corrected Phil, with a grin. "I rather think they'll be surprised some."

The four moved about the room, completing their arrangements, while Sid busied himself with a large camera, which was focused on the door leading into the banquet hall, and got ready a flashlight powder.

"I think I hear them coming," spoke Tom in a whisper, about half an hour later. "Get ready, Sid."

"I'm all ready."

They listened. Out in the corridor there were shuffling noises, as if several persons were trying to walk quietly. There was a brushing against the door, and a cautious whisper.

Suddenly the knob of the portal was tried, and a voice in the hall cried:

"Give up, sophs! We've got you!"

Several bodies flung themselves against the door, and to the surprise of the freshmen, who were headed by Bascome and Delfield, they found that the portal was not locked. It opened easily--so easily, in fact, that several of the lads fell to the floor, and the others rushed over them. There was a scene of confusion, and this probably prevented the attacking freshmen from seeing that only four sophomores were present. The first year lads caught sight of the table, with its glistening array of silver and glass, and they took it for granted that they were in the banquet place of their enemies.

"Come on, fellows! We've got 'em!" yelled Bascome, scrambling to his feet. "Upset things, and then capture Holly Cross. There he is!"

With a yell his cronies sprang to obey the sporty freshman. They fairly tumbled over each other until they filled the room. Then, with a bang, the door by which they had entered slammed shut behind them, fastening with a strong spring lock on the outside.

"All ready with the camera, Sid!" cried Holly.

"All ready," answered Sid.

Then, for the first time the freshmen seemed to realize that only a small number of sophomores were present--four, who were ensconced behind a table, and near an open door.

"Welcome to our banquet, freshies!" cried Tom.

Holly Cross caught up the effigy of a sophomore and tossed it at Bascome. The freshman leader, taken by surprise, clasped the figure in his arms, and Phil yelled:

"Let 'em have it, Sid!"

There was a blinding flash, and a dull boom, as the flashlight powder exploded, and it was followed by a gasp of fear from the freshmen. Then Holly switched on the electric lights, which had been turned off, and addressed the huddled group of freshmen.

"Gentlemen, I hope you enjoy your call," he said. "As for us, we have to leave you, as we are already a little late for the banquet. This is only a sample of what we will have, and as a sort of memento of this auspicious occasion, let me inform you that we have a flashlight photograph of you in your most interesting poses. Bascome, smile a little, if you please--that's it--look pleasant. That will do. You may lay aside the rag doll now."

With a strong expression the freshman president cast aside the effigy, and yelled:

"Fellows, we're stung! But we can prevent these four from going to the banquet, anyhow! Get at them!"

He leaped across the table, followed by several of his fellows.

"Too late! Sorry to leave you!" cried Tom, as he and his chums glided through the open doorway behind them, Sid taking the camera with him.

The door was hastily pulled shut, and bolted, barred and locked, just as the group of infuriated freshmen threw themselves against it.

"Trapped!" Tom heard Bascome shout from the other side of the portal. "Try the other door!"

"That's locked, too," came the despairing cry. "We're caught!"

"That's it!" cried Phil exultantly. "Ta-ta, freshies! Next time you listen to a traitor, take care to lay better plans. We're off to our annual feed. When you get out come along, and we'll give you the leavings. You can have Fenton, too," and the four who had successfully turned the trick on their class enemies, hastened off, leaped into a waiting auto, and were soon at the banquet hall, where their fellows were anxiously expecting them.