Tom Fairfield's Schooldays; or, The Chums of Elmwood Hall Read online

  CHAPTER V

  TOM FINDS A CHUM

  "This is the room assigned to you," said the monitor, pausing in a longcorridor, after he had introduced Tom to Mrs. Blackford. "It is one ofthe best in the Manor, though I don't quite understand why you pickedout a double apartment."

  "Is it a double one?" asked Tom in some surprise. "I did not know it. AsI was requested in the circular I received, I indicated the section ofthe building where I would like to be, and this room was assigned to me.I supposed it was a single one."

  "No, it is intended for two students, and I suppose it was assigned toyou by mistake. I'm sorry, as it is too late to change now, since allthe reservations are taken, and--"

  "Oh, I don't want to change!" exclaimed Tom quickly, as he entered theapartment shown him by the monitor. He saw that there were two beds init, and that it was large and airy. "I'll keep this," our hero added."It's fine."

  "Have you a chum who might like to share it with you?" asked Blackford."The expense may--"

  "Oh, I don't mind that part of it," said Tom. "My father knew how muchit was to cost, and he did not object. I haven't a friend yet--that is,a Freshman friend--but I may find one."

  "There is one, a Sam Heller, who had this room last term," went on themonitor. "He would doubtless be very glad to come in with you."

  "I'm afraid not," replied Tom with a smile. "He and I had a littledifference of opinion just now, and--"

  "Very well," interrupted Mr. Blackford. "You needn't explain. Suityourself about the room. It is yours for the term." He knew better thanto enter into a talk about the disagreements of the students. There wereother troubles to occupy him.

  Left to himself, Tom sat down and looked about the room that was tobe his for the Freshman year. It had a good view of the campus andbuildings, and he liked it very much.

  "Though I should be glad if I had a good chum to come in with me,"reflected the new student. "I may get in with somebody, though. It'srather lonesome to have two beds in one room, but I can sleep half thenight in one, and half the night in the other I suppose," he ended,with a smile.

  Tom was unpacking his belongings from his valise when the expressmanarrived with his trunk, and a little later the matron knocked at thedoor to ask if our hero found himself at home.

  "Yes, thank you," replied Tom, accepting the clean towels she brought.He had begun to hang up his clothes.

  "I do hope you get a nice young man in with you," suggested Mrs.Blackford. "One who won't be cutting up, and doing all sorts ofmischievous pranks."

  Tom proceeded with getting his room to rights as she left him, and alittle later, finding that it wanted an hour yet to twelve o'clock, ourhero strolled out on the campus.

  He looked about for a sight of Sam Heller, or his crony, Johnson, who,it appeared later, had passed his examinations, and was a Sophomore,while Sam had to remain a Freshman, much to his disgust. But the two,whom Tom had come to feel were his enemies, were not in sight. Nor wasReddy Burke, and, though Tom strolled over past Elmwood Castle, he didnot get a sight of Bruce Bennington.

  Tom strolled about until lunch, and the mid-day meal was not a veryjolly affair. About twenty Freshmen, who had come a day before the termformally opened, were at the tables and they were all rather miserable,like fishes out of water, as Tom reflected. Still our hero talked withthem, experiences were exchanged, and the ice was broken.

  "But I don't exactly cotton to any of them enough to have one for aroommate," reflected Tom.

  That afternoon, having formally registered, and being told about thehours for chapel, and his lecture and recitation periods, Tom wrote along letter to his father and mother.

  He was coming back, from having posted it, when he noticed, standing onthe steps of Opus Manor, a solitary figure.

  "I hope that isn't Sam Heller, waiting to renew the quarrel with me,"reflected Tom, as he drew nearer. "Still, if it is, I'll meet him halfway, though I don't want to get into a fight my first day here."

  But he was soon made aware that it was not the bully who stood on thesteps. It was a lad about his own age, a tall, straight youth, with apleasant smiling face, and merry brown eyes. No, I am just a triflewrong about that face. It was naturally a jolly one, but just now itbore a puzzled and unhappy look.

  "Hello," said Tom pleasantly, as he mounted the steps, and was about topass in.

  "Hello!" greeted the other. "Do you room here?"

  "Yes. This is my first day."

  "Say, you're in luck. It's my first day too. I'm a stranger in a strangeland, and I'm stuck."

  "What's the matter?" asked Tom.

  "Well, very foolishly, I delayed settling about my room until I gothere. I thought there'd be plenty of places, and, when I did arrive Ifound that Opus Manor was the only desirable place for us Freshmen. Up Isteps, as bold as brass, and asks for a room and bath. 'Nothing doing,'answers the worthy monitor, or words to that effect. Consequently,behold yours truly without a place to sleep, unless he goes into town toa common boarding house. And I _did_ want to get in with the Freshmen!It's tough luck!"

  Tom was doing some rapid thinking.

  "I don't suppose you know of a good place in town; do you?" went on theother. "My name is Fitch--Jack Fitch. I'm from New York city."

  "Mine's Tom Fairfield, from Briartown," said our hero.

  "Well, Tom Fairfield, have you been here long enough to recommend aplace to room, where I can also get the eats; especially the eats, forI'm a good feeder. Know of a likely place?"

  Tom's mind was made up.

  "Yes, there's a place here," he said.

  "Here? Are you stringing me? They told me every room was taken."

  "So it is, but I have a large double one, and I was looking for a chum.So--"

  "You don't mean you'll take me in?" cried Jack. "Oh, end the suspense!Fireman save my child! Don't torture me!" and he gave a good imitationof a woe-begone actor.

  "I'll be glad to have you," said Tom, who had taken a sudden liking toJack. "That is, if you'd really like to come. You might look at theroom."

  "Say no more! Come? Of course I'll come! Will a duck swim? But I say,you know, you don't know much about me."

  "I'll take a chance--if you will," said Tom, laughing.

  "All right. Then we'll call it square. Lead on and I'll follow. To thinkthat, after all, I'm going to get in Opus Manor! It's great, Fairfield!"

  "Call me Tom, if you like."

  "I like. I'm Jack to you, from now on. Shake!" and he caught Tom's handin a firm clasp. The two looked into each other's eyes, and what theyread satisfied them. They were chums from then on.

  "I'll take you to my room--_our_ room," Tom corrected himself. "It's afine one!"

  "I'm sure it must be. But do you reckon the Lord and Lady of this castlewill allow me to share it with you?"

  "Yes. In fact Mrs. Blackford spoke of me getting some one in with me. Sothat will be all right."

  "Great! Do you mind if I do a little dance? Just a few steps to show myjoy?" asked Jack, and Tom perceived at once that his new friend was ajolly lad.

  "Not at all," Tom answered, and Jack gravely did a hop skip and jump onthe top platform of the steps.

  As he finished there came a laugh from a couple of lads passing.

  "Look at the ballet lady!" mocked a voice, and Tom saw Sam Heller andNick Johnson approaching.

  "Did you like it?" asked Jack, coolly. He was not to be easilydisconcerted.

  "Oh, it was great!" declared Sam with a sneer. "We'll have you in thePatchwork Club if you keep on."

  There was no mistaking the sneering tone of his voice, and Jack flushed.

  "Friends of yours?" he asked Tom.

  "Just the reverse. But don't bother with them now. We can attend to themlater--if we have to."

  "And I think I shall have to," said Jack quietly, as he looked Sam fullin the face. "I don't mind fun, but I like it to come from my friends.Lead on, Tom, and, as you say, we'll attend to those two later."

  He followed Tom, and, as
they disappeared into Opus Manor there floatedto them the mocking laughs of the two cronies.