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CHAPTER V DICK TRIES STRATEGY "Hey! Hear about Dick Prescott?" "What?" "His Christmas got 'pinched'!" "No!" "Sure." Rapidly indeed did the news travel about. Dick told it to his own chums first. The news "leaked" and traveled up and down the streets as Gridley boys began to come forth to compare their Christmas experiences. Just as certainly, too, the news didn't lose any on its rounds. By the time that the yarn had been carried to the further end of Main Street, Dick's holiday losses had mounted up to a total of: A gold watch and chain, a diamond stickpin, a twenty dollar gold piece, a suit of clothes, silver plated racing skates, a camera, a cornet and a host of lesser articles. "Whee! The Prescotts must have been making money this year," commented Ben Alvord, when he heard the long list of presents named. "Say," proposed Dave Darrin indignantly, "we'll hike all over Gridley and just see if we can't run into Mr. Fits somewhere. If we find him we'll jump him all together, and then holler for the police." Quite a bit of searching the six members of Dick & Co. did that morning, though all without the least success. It presently dawned on these Grammar School boys that Mr. Fits must have left Gridley far behind. "We'll keep our mind on the camping, anyway," proposed Dick. "We want to start to-morrow morning. We ought to meet at eight o'clock, and then get away together as soon after as we can." "And hoof it twelve miles?" asked Hazelton. "No; as we'll have so much stuff to carry, we'll have to pay someone to drive the stuff out there for us. If we have a wagon we may as well ride on it." "I hope you fellows will all have a good time," suggested Dan Dalzell generously, though his own face still wore a doleful look. For his father and mother had held out against his going. All of the other boys had secured permission. "It's a shame you can't go, Dan," blazed Dave. "That's what I think," muttered Dan. "Huh! I've a good mind to run away from home." "You'd get spanked when you went back," laughed Tom Reade. "Huh! I ought to run away and never come back," growled Dan. "Oh, cut that out--do!" urged Dick. "Be a fellow of good sense, Danny. Your father and mother have their own reasons for not wanting you to go." "Their reasons don't do me any good," uttered Dan resentfully. "Would it do any good if we all went down to your house and tried coaxing for you?" asked Greg Holmes. "Not a bit," declared Danny gloomily. "Say, will you fellows wait here a little while?" begged Dick. "I want to run home a minute. I'll be right back." "Go ahead," nodded Dave. Dick started on a trot, for he had a new thought as to a possible way of securing Dan's happiness. As young Prescott turned a corner and raced homeward, he was espied by a boy on the other side of the street. "Hey, Dick!" challenged Hen Dutcher gleefully. "What time is it?" Dick flushed, but wisely made no answer. "Humph!" muttered Hen to himself. "Just as well his watch did get the run-off. Now Dick Prescott won't be hauling his old timepiece out every two minutes in school to see what time it is." Dick reached home somewhat out of breath. "Who's been chasing you?" demanded Mr. Prescott, snatching up a cane that stood in the corner of the parlor. He assumed a ferocious expression, which, with one of as peaceable a disposition as Dick's father possessed, looked more than out of place. "I haven't got time to joke, dad," objected the boy, dropping into a chair. "But I've got something very particular that I want you to do for me, and it will make Christmas really jolly after all if you can do it." Then Dick unfolded his plan, while Mr. Prescott looked uneasy. "Why, Dick, my boy, if Dalzell's parents don't want him to go camping it would look very strange in me to call on them and urge them to exchange their own good judgment for mine. It would look like an impertinence on my part. Dan's father and mother are the very best judges as to whether he should be allowed to go away several days camping. In fact, although I've consented to it, I'm not sure that I have shown the best kind of judgment in the matter." "Oh, I don't want you to urge the Dalzells very hard, dad. I'm not just asking that. But I think, if you talk it over with them, perhaps----" "It's a queer bit of business for me," remarked Mr. Prescott. "But will you go, Dad? Please." "Yes," agreed Mr. Prescott very reluctantly. "Can you--can you just as easily go soon, dad?" "Ye-es. I'll go now. It's such a queer piece of business that I shall be thankful when I have it over with." "And you'll say the best word you can think of, won't you?" "If you don't stop soon, young man, I may change my mind and back out altogether." But Dick, who knew well enough that his father's promise, once given, was never gone back on, thanked him and then danced joyously out into the street again. "What was the matter, Dick?" asked Tom Reade, curiously, when he rejoined his chums. "Did you forget something?" "There was something I wanted to talk to dad about," responded Dick evasively. "What----" began Dan, without an inkling of a true guess. "Be still, you Danny boy," ordered Dave Darrin bluntly. "The family affairs of the Prescotts should be no concern of yours." Though, very much to his regret, Dick did not possess a watch, he nevertheless managed to keep very good track of the time. Something more than an hour later he led the fellows around to his own corner. He was just in time to see Mr. Prescott returning. "You stay here a minute," young Prescott directed, then set off at a run to join his father. "Did you--did you----" he panted, as he reached his parent. "Yes," replied the head of the family, a bit stiffly. "I made a nuisance of myself over at the Dalzells. I talked and talked. They talked, too, and both Mr. and Mrs. Dalzell asked me if I thought it at all safe to let such a busy little gang of hooligans as you boys go off on such an expedition. All I could say was to point out the fact that I had given you leave. Well, Mr. and Mrs. Dalzell gave their consent to Dan's going. So now I hope you're satisfied." "Satisfied? Oh, dad, thank you! This is the best Christmas ever. Thank you! Whoop!" With that young Prescott executed an about-face and went charging back to where he had left his chums. "Are you crazy?" demanded Dan curiously. "No; but you'll be, in a minute. Dad went over to see your folks, and they've given in. You're to go with us."Prev Next All
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