Ralph Henry Barbour

“ To be sure the base-ball and foot-ball teams played other schools, but nevertheless the contests which wrought the fellows up to the highest pitch of enthusiasm were those in which the Crimson of Upper House and the Blue of Lower met in battle. Each dormitory had its own foot-ball, base-ball, hockey, tennis, track, basket-ball, and debating, team, and rivalry was always intense. Hence the arrival of a new boy in Lower House meant a good deal to both camps. And most fellows liked what they saw of Kenneth, even while regretting that he wasn't old enough and big enough for foot-ball material. ”

“ Then, stumbling over the chairs, he groped his way to the hall door and opened it. The corridor was already filled with excitement and confusion. Of the eighteen boys who roomed on that floor fully half were in evidence, standing dazedly about in pajamas or night-shirts and shouting useless questions and absurd answers. Simms, who lived at the far end of the corridor, emerged from his room dragging a steamer trunk after him. Instantly the scantily-clad youths dashed into their rooms intent on rescuing their belongings. Joe joined Kenneth at the door. ”

“ Well, I'm not stingy; I'll call it thirty. Now, what do you say?"
"When you get your place back it'll be by some other means than buying it," said Kenneth contemptuously. He turned toward the door. "You haven't got enough money to buy everything, you see; and—"
There was a sharp knock on the door.
"If you say anything about this," whispered Grafton hoarsely, "I'll—I'll—Come in!"
"Who is here?" asked Mr. Whipple's voice as the door swung open.
"I, sir, and Garwood," answered Grafton.
"Ah! Garwood! And which one of you, may I ask, has been smoking cigarettes?" ”

“ Then there was a mix-up under Upper's goal and the whistle shrilled.
"Double foul!" called the referee.
A sudden stillness fell over the hall. Not a few of the players sank to the floor where they stood, while Knox picked up the ball and advanced to the line. Kenneth, watching with his heart in his throat, had a vague impression of Jim Marble bending across the rail in consultation with one of the Faculty. Then the ball rose gently from Knox's hands, arched in its flight and came down square on the rim of the basket. For a moment it poised there while hearts stood still. ”

“ Eat 'em up, Upper!" gleefully shouted the supporters of the crimson-stockinged players along the opposite barrier.
"Oh, forget it!" growled Joe, pulling the collar of his blue sweater higher about his luck and turning a disgusted hack to the rink. "That's 14 to 3, isn't it? Well, it must be pretty near over, that's one comfort! Hello, here comes Whipple. Gee, but he makes me tired! Always trying to mix with the fellows. I wonder if he was born with that ugly smile of his. He's coming this way." Joe groaned. ”

“ Grafton stared doubtfully.
"Candidates are called for four o'clock to-morrow afternoon," said Joe. "You'd better come along. You're pretty light, but Jim Marble will give you a try all right."
"Thanks," answered Kenneth. "But would practice be likely to interfere with my studies?"
"Say, kid, you're a wonder!" sneered Grafton as he got up to go. "I never saw anything so freshly green in my life! You're going to have a real nice time here at Hilltop; I can see that. Well, see you later, Joe. Come up to-night; I want to show you some new snowshoes I brought back. Farewell, Garwood. ”

“ Four days before the first game with Upper House—the Championship Shield went to the team winning two games out of three—Lower House held an enthusiastic meeting at which songs and cheers were practised and at which the forty-odd fellows in attendance pledged themselves for various sums of money to defray the cost of new suits and paraphernalia for both the basket-ball and hockey teams. ”

“ We'll be burned alive in a minute!" There was panic in his voice and he tugged nervously at Kenneth's arm.
At that moment a great expanse of plaster fell from the ceiling some thirty feet away and the flames glared lucidly through the corridor, making everything for a brief moment as light as day. From below came calls, but Kenneth did not hear them.
"Look!" he cried, seizing Grafton's arm. "On the floor! Do you see?"
"Yes," shouted Grafton. "It's Mr. Whipple! Can we get him?" ”

“ Kenneth picked up his book again and went back to his reading. But he was not so deeply immersed but that he caught now and then fragments of the conversation, from which he gathered that both Joe and Hyde were members of the Lower House Basket-ball Team, that Hyde held a very excellent opinion of his own abilities as a player, that Upper House was going to have a very strong team and that if Lower didn't find a fellow who could throw goals from fouls better than Simms could it was all up with them. ”

“ Kenneth stared.
"But—isn't that a good bit?" he asked incredulously.
"It seems so when you only get twenty dollars a month allowance," answered Joe ruefully. "But every fellow gives what he thinks he ought to, you know; Graft usually gives ten dollars, but lots of the fellows can only give fifty cents." ”

“ Bet you, he doesn't know you're alive!"
"Well," answered Kenneth with some confusion, "maybe not, but—but I think he's related to our family, just the same."
"You do, eh?" responded Grafton sarcastically. "Well, I wouldn't try very hard to claim relationship if I were you. I guess if the honest truth were known there aren't very many fellows who would want to be in John Garwood's shoes, for all his money."
"Why?" asked Kenneth.
"Because he's no good. Look at the way he treated his employees in that last strike! Some of 'em nearly starved to death!" ”

“ For with Grafton gone and Kenneth out of the game the team's plight was desperate. But there was no help for it, and so Jim Marble went to work to patch up the team as best he might, putting Simms back at guard and placing Niles, a substitute, at right forward.
The Homeless Ones were quartered wherever space could be found for them. Joe and Kenneth were so fortunate as to get together again in an improvised bedroom, which had previously been a disused recitation room, at the top of School Hall. ”

“ When Hilltop returns to school it takes the mid-afternoon express which reaches Moritzville just in time for dinner, whereas Kenneth reached the school before it was dark, and at a quarter of five was in undisputed possession, for the time being, of Number 12, Lower House.
"We are putting you," the Principal had said, "with Joseph Brewster, a boy of about your own age and a member of your class. He is one of our nicest boys, one of whom we are very proud. You will, I am certain, become good friends. Mr. Whipple here will show you to your room. ”

“ They bunked us in with the Upper House fellows, and maybe there wasn't a circus! Every time we see King we ask him if it's hot enough for him! I wouldn't be surprised if he folded his pajamas like the Arabs—that's all he saved, you know—and as silently stole away. We've sure got him worried!" He paused and looked inquiringly from Kenneth to Grafton. ”

“ Randy says the game is too rough and we might get injured. Rough! I'd like to know what he calls foot-ball!"
"I don't understand about the classes here," said Kenneth. "I heard that big chap over there say he couldn't play because he was 'advanced' or something. What's that?"
"Advanced senior," answered Joe. "You see, there's the preparatory class, the junior class, the middle class and the senior class. Then if a fellow wants to fit for college, he does another year in the senior class and in order to distinguish him from the fourth year fellows they call him an advanced senior. ”

“ Supper is at six. Afterwards, say at eight o'clock, I should like you to see me again here at the office. If there is anything you want you will find the Matron's room at the end of the lower hall. Er—will you take him in charge, Mr. Whipple?"
On the way across the Campus, between banks of purple-shadowed snow and under leafless elms which creaked and groaned dismally in the wind. Kenneth reached the firm conclusion that there were two persons at Hilltop whom he was going to dislike cordially. ”

“ Kenneth bore the scrutiny without embarrassment, but nevertheless he was glad when Joe joined him where he sat on the edge of the stage.
"Jim hasn't come yet," said Joe, examining a big black-and-blue spot on his left knee. "I guess there won't be time for much practice to-day, because Upper has the floor at five. They're going to have a dandy team this year; a whole bunch of big fellows. But they had a big heavy team year before last and we beat them the first two games."
"Don't you play any outside schools?" ”

“ Not that I'm scared of that old boy, though Doctor Randall isn't so bad, but if the rest of the teachers are like Whipple I don't want to stay. Well, dad said I needn't stay after this term if I don't like it. Guess I can stand three months, even of Whipple! I hope Brewster isn't quite as bad. Maybe, though, they'll give me another room if I kick. Don't see why I can't have a room by myself, anyhow. I guess I'll get dad to write and ask for it. Only maybe a chap in moderate circumstances like me isn't supposed to have a room all to himself. ”

“ See? There are five in school this year. Faculty won't let them play basket-ball or foot-ball because they're supposed to be too big and might hurt some of us little chaps. Huh! Hello, there's Jim. I've got to see him a minute."
And Joe slipped off the stage and scurried across to where a boy of about sixteen, a tall, athletic-looking youth with reddish-brown hair was crossing the floor with a ball under each arm. Joe stopped him and said a few words and presently they both walked over to where Kenneth sat. Joe introduced the captain and the new candidate. ”

“ Whipple, laying a hand on the boy's shoulder, "how goes it to-day?" He accorded Kenneth a curt nod.
"Going bad," growled Joe.
"Well, well, we must take the bad with the good," said the instructor sweetly. "Even defeat has its lesson, you know. Now—"
But Kenneth didn't hear the rest. Grafton Hyde was beside him with a slip of paper in his hand.
"Say, Garwood," said Grafton loudly enough to be heard by the audience near-by, "I wish you'd tell me about this. ”

“ We have lost one of our buildings but money has already been provided for the erection of a new and far more suitable one. I have received from Mr. John Garwood, of Cleveland, and Mr. Peter L. Hyde, of Chicago, a draft for the sum of one hundred thousand dollars for the erection of a large dormitory capable of housing the entire student body. ”

“ They let me have a room to myself all Fall, and now, just when I'm getting used to it, they dump this chap in here. It isn't as though there weren't plenty of other rooms!"
"Why don't you kick to the Doctor?" asked Grafton Hyde.
"Oh, it wouldn't do any good, I suppose," said Joe.
Grafton Hyde sat down and viewed Kenneth with frank curiosity.
"Where are you from?" he demanded.
"Cleveland, Ohio."
"Any relation to John Garwood, the railroad man?"
"Ye—es, some," said Kenneth. Grafton snorted.
"Huh! I dare say! Most everyone tries to claim relationship with a millionaire. ”

“ The Doctor picked up another slip of paper, cast his eyes over it and cleared his throat.
"You will also be pleased to learn," he said, "that in our time of tribulation generous friends have come to our assistance. ”

“ If you can throw goals well, you'll stand a good show of making the team as a substitute. You'd better get out there with the others and warm up."
(To be continued.)
Chapter III.
MR. WHIPPLE SUBSCRIBES Kenneth's first week at Hilltop passed busily and happily. There had been no more talk on Joe's part about getting rid of his room-mate. The two had become fast friends. Kenneth grew to like Joe better each day ”