Until he had entered Joe Perkins's study a quarter of an hour before he had met with no voicing of the public contempt. He had managed to accept Tracy Gilberth's veiled insult with unmoved countenance, yet it had required the greatest effort of any. He didn't know who that man was; he only knew, from observation in the practise-cage, that he was the foremost candidate for the position of pitcher, and so must be, in view of Perkins's remark, either Gilberth or King or Knox. Whoever he was, Jack vowed, some day he would be made to regret his words. For although Jack was accepting his fate in silence, he was very human, and meant, sooner or later, to even all scores.
When he had almost reached College Place and had taken to the board-walk again, footsteps crunching the frosty planks ahead of him brought his mind suddenly away from thoughts of revenge. He looked up and saw that the man who approached and in another moment would pass him was Professor White. Jack stepped off the boards and went on with averted eyes. The professor recognized him at that instant, and as they came abreast spoke.
There was no answer, nor did Jack turn his head. The professor frowned and stopped.
"Weatherby!" he called sharply. Jack paused and faced him.
"What does this mean? Are you trying to add boorishness to--to your other failings?"
"No, sir, I was only trying to spare you the unpleasantness of speaking to a coward."
"Very thoughtful of you," said the other, sarcastically. "But allow me to tell you, sir, that if you want to remove the--ah--the sorry impression you have made you will have to adopt a less high-and-mighty manner."
"It's a matter of indifference to me what impression you hold, sir," replied Jack simply. "Good night."
The professor stood motionless and looked after the boy until he had crossed the street, the anger in his face slowly fading before a grudging admiration of the other's clever, if extremely impolite, retort. Presently he swung his green bag of books under his arm again and trudged on.
"I wonder if I wasn't too hasty the other day," he muttered. "For a coward he's got a surprising amount of grit, apparently. He'll bear watching."
Jack sped homeward, feeling rather pleased with himself. His score with the professor wasn't by any means even, but the encounter had put something to his credit, and as he remembered the professor's look of amazement and anger he chuckled.