Quarter-Back Bates

Quarter-Back Bates

It cannot be truthfully said that Dick Bates was overwhelmingly surprised when he reached the railroad station that September morning and found fully a score of his schoolmates assembled there. Wally Nourse had let the cat out of the bag the day before. Wally was one of those well-meaning but too talkative youths such as we have all met. But Dick played the game perfectly this morning, descending from the carriageMr. Bates was one of the very few persons left in Leonardville who could afford an automobile and still drove horseswith an expression of questioning surprise. He realized that too much surprise would suggest that he knew the assemblage was there to do him honour; and if, as some said, Dick was conceited, at least he was always careful not to seem so. Mr. Bates handed the lines to Hogan, the coachman, who had ridden in the back seat surrounded[2] by Dicks luggage, and followed his son to the platform with a satisfied smile on his seamed, good-humoured countenance. It pleased him that this younger son of his should be popular and sought after. To a certain extent he accepted it as a compliment to himself. Dick was already surrounded by the little throng of high school boys and girlsfor the gentle sex was well represented, tooand his father heard him telling them in that pleasant, rather deep voice of his how unsuspected and undeserved it all was. Mr. Bates wasnt deceived, however. Dick had confided to him on the way from the house that there might be a few of the fellows there to see him off. Instead, he chuckled to himself. You cant beat him at the diplomatic stuff, he thought proudly. Then his smile faded. Wonder if he isnt a little too good at it! Then Doris Ferguson had spied him and was clinging to his arm and telling him how mean and horrible he was to let Dick go away and leave them, and the other girls, seven in all, were chiming in, and everyone was talking at once. And that pleased Mr. Bates, too, for he liked Doris and, having no daughters of his own, wished he had a girl just like her. He patted her hand and beamed down at her from his six-foot height. ......Buy Now (To Read More)

Product details

Ebook Number: 47120
Author: Barbour, Ralph Henry
Release Date: Oct 15, 2014
Format: eBook
Language: English

Contributors

Illustrator: Rigney, Francis J. (Francis Joseph), 1882-