For a large percentage of High School boys and girls, the end of the sophomore year marks the end of their schooling.
This was true at Gridley as elsewhere. When the crowd came forth from commencement exercises at the Opera House on this bright, warm June afternoon, there were not a few of the sophomores who were saying good-bye to the classic halls of instruction.
Not so, however, with Dick &Co. They were bound all the way through the course, and hoped to take up with college or other academic training when once good old Gridley High School must be left behind.
“What are you going to do this summer, Prescott?” asked Dr. Bentley, gripping the lad's arm, as Dick stood on the sidewalk chatting with Dave Darrin.
“Work, mostly, doctor. I'm getting near the age when fellow should try to bear some of the expense of keeping himself.”
“Why, reporting for 'The Blade.' I believe I can capture a good many stray dollars this summer.”
“Good enough,” murmured Dr. Bentley, approvingly. “But are you going to have any spare time?”
“A little, I hope—-just about enough for some rest.”
“Then I'll tell you where you can take that rest,” went on the medical man. “My family are going into camp for the summer, in three days. They'll be over at the lake range, on a piece of ground that I've bought there. You can get over once in a while, and spend a night or two, can't you? Mrs. Bentley charged me to ask you and Darrin,” added the physician. “Belle Meade is going to spend the summer in camp with Laura.”
Both boys were prompt with their thanks.
“Confound it,” muttered Dr. Bentley, “I'm forgetting two thirds of my message at that. The invitation includes all of Dick & Co. Now remember you'll all be looked for from time to time, and most heartily welcome.”
Both boys were most hearty in their thanks. This took care of whatever spare time they might have, for Dave, too, was to be busy a good deal of the time. He had work as an extra clerk at the express office.
Then the two girl chums came along. Dick and Dave strolled along with Laura and Belle. The other partners of Dick &Co. were soon to be seen, their narrow-brimmed straw hats close to bobbing picture hats.
“Your father gave us a message, Laura,” Dick murmured to the girl beside him.
“And you're going to accept it?” asked the girl quickly.
“At any chance to be honestly away from work,” Dick promised fervently. “Yet at my age a fellow must keep something of an eye toward business, too, Laura.”
“Yes,” she answered slowly, glancing covertly at the bronzed young face and the strong, lithe body. “You're nearing manhood, Dick.”
“Just about as rapidly as you're growing into womanhood, Laura,” answered the boy.
Dave and Belle were chatting, too, but what they said wouldn't interest very staid old people.
Gridley was prouder than ever of its athletic teams. The great record in baseball, with Dick &Co. in the team, was something worth talking about.
Lest there be some who may think that a season of baseball with no defeats is an all but impossible record, the chronicler hastens to add that there are, through the length and breadth of these United States, several High School teams every year that make such a showing.
Yet, in baseball, as in everything else, the record is reached only by nines like the Gridley crowd, where the stiffest training, the best coaches and the best individual nerve and grit among the players are to be found.
Did Fred Ripley truly make good?
These and various other burning questions must now be answered in the chronicle of the time to which they belonged. So the reader is referred to the next volume in this series, which is to be published at once under the caption: “The High School Left End; Or, Dick &Co. Grilling on the Football Gridiron.”
At the same time, no interested reader will allow himself to overlook the second volume in the “High School Boys' Vacation Series,” which runs parallel with this present series. All the wonderful summer vacation adventures that followed the sophomore year of Prescott and his chums will be found in the volume published under the title, “ The High School Boys' In Summer Camp; Or, The Dick Prescott Six Training for the Gridley Eleven.” It is a thrilling story that no follower of the fortunes of these lads can afford to overlook.
