Chapman Allen
Tom Fairfield's Schooldays: or, The Chums of Elmwood Hall
CHAPTER XXV
A MISSING PROFESSOR
“Young gentlemen,” began Doctor Meredith, as he faced the assembled Freshmen class in the chapel, where he had requested that they meet him, “this is a solemn occasion. I hardly know what to say to you. Never, in the history of Elmwood Hall, have we gone through what has transpired in the last few days. We have never had a strike, nor an occasion for one. We have never had a burning in effigy.
“I am at a loss what to say. I have tried to sit as an impartial judge in this matter, and so far, I have to admit that there is some right on both sides, and a great deal of wrong on one side – which side is yet to be determined.”
Tom wanted to say something, but he refrained. The doctor was speaking too solemnly to be interrupted.
“I have considered this matter from all standpoints,” went on the head master, “and I have tried to see my duty. I want to do what is right by all. For that purpose I have asked you to meet here, and I will now go a step further and will send for Professor Skeel. Perhaps, when we have a mutual conference, all differences will be explained, a new system can be devised and all will go on peacefully and quietly, as it always has at Elmwood Hall.
“I will ask our worthy janitor, Mr. Demosthenes Miller to step over to Professor Skeel’s house, and request him to come here.”
It was about an hour after Tom’s dramatic interview with the Latin instructor. Our hero and Bruce had parted, Tom to go to Latin class, and, later, with all the Freshmen in that division, to attend the special meeting.
While the janitor was gone there was a painful silence. Then the footsteps of the returning messenger were heard. He came in alone.
“Is Professor Skeel coming?” asked Doctor Meredith curiously.
“No, sir, he is not,” replied the janitor with a respectful bow.
“Why not?” and Doctor Meredith was plainly surprised.
“Because, Doctor Meredith, Professor Skeel has gone.”
“Gone?”
“Yes, sir. Disappeared —vanesco as the classic Latin puts it. His servant just informed me that the professor packed up a few of his belongings, and went to town to catch a train. He will have his other things sent after him. So he will not be here. He also left word that he would not come back.”
For a moment there was a silence. Then came a long breath of relief from the students. It was echoed by Doctor Meredith.
“This – er – this – rather simplifies matters,” he said, a bit nervously. “I had it in mind to have Professor Skeel beg your pardon, and you, as a class, to beg his. Then matters would have gone on as before. But this simplifies matters. Professor Skeel, it seems, is no longer a member of the faculty of Elmwood Hall. I do not understand it, but I fear he has left for good.”
“And I know it – I don’t fear it,” murmured Tom. “I’m glad of it, too. It saves me the disagreeable duty of branding him as a forger. All’s well that ends well? I suppose.”
“The purpose of this meeting having been accomplished,” went on Doctor Meredith, “you may consider yourselves excused. You will report for Latin recitation to Professor Hammond, until further notice, and I will engage a new classical professor as soon as possible.”
“Three cheers for Doctor Meredith!”
“Three more for Professor Hammond!”
“Three big ones for the Freshmen class,” called Tom, when the first two had been given.
“And three cheers for Tom Fairfield, the best leader in Elmwood Hall!” shouted Jack Fitch, swinging his cap.
That the roof remained on the chapel after all that excitement speaks a good word for the workmen who placed it there. Certainly such cheering was never before heard in the old school.
“No more Skeel!” exulted Jack, as he walked out of chapel, his arm linked in Tom’s.
“Nothing but fun from now on,” declared Tom, “and it will soon be spring and baseball.”
“What are you going to do this vacation?”
“I don’t know. I’ve got to wait and see how dad and mother make out in Australia, I suppose. I must write and tell them all that happened here.”
What Tom did when school closed may be learned by reading the next volume of this series, to be called, “Tom Fairfield at Sea; or, The Wreck of the Silver Star.”
“And so Skeel forged that note?” asked Jack, when he and his chum were in their room that night.
“Yes, it was a rank copy of Bruce’s signature. And he had raised the amount, too. I guess he was after money, all right.”
“I wonder where he went?”
“Far enough off, I imagine. He’ll never trouble Elmwood Hall again.”
“Nor Bruce Bennington, either.”
And this was so. Bruce was a different lad, from then on. His face was always smiling, as it had been before his trouble.
“I never can thank you, Tom, for what you did for me,” he said. “Only for you Skeel would have carried out his threat, and his forgery never would have been discovered in time to prevent my disgrace. But I’ve made a clean breast of it to dad, and though he gave me a hard calling down, he’s forgiven me. Oh, I feel so glad!”
“And so do I,” added Tom. “We’re going to have a new Latin prof. I understand. A jolly young fellow.”
“That’s good. Here comes Demy. I wonder what he wants?” spoke Bruce, as the studious janitor approached, with a book as usual.
“Well, what is it?” asked the Senior.
“I fear I have made a grave mistake,” said Mr. Miller. “In announcing the disappearance of Professor Skeel the other day I used the Latin word vanesco. I see now that I used the wrong tense. Will you kindly set me right.”
“Demy!” exclaimed Tom, “if you will kindly follow the example of Professor Skeel, and vamoose, it will be all the same. We’ll give you a Latin lesson later. And, in the meanwhile, here is a dollar to buy a dictionary,” and Tom passed over a bill to the man who was always a friend to the students.
As for Professor Skeel he was not heard of again for some time. But the lads of Elmwood Hall did not care. They had Tom Fairfield, who became more of a leader than ever after his successful strike. As for Sam Heller, he led a miserable life as a Freshman – ignored by nearly all.
“Come on in to town,” invited Bruce that night. “I’ll treat you fellows to a good feed, Tom. And I’ve fixed it with Merry, so we won’t have to hurry back.”
“Good!” exclaimed our hero, and on his way with his chums to a good time, we will say good-bye to him for a time.
