The New Boy at Hilltop

g youth as this! Of Kenneth's own age was the newcomer, a little heavier, yellow-haired and blue-eyed, at once impetuous and good-humored. But

" he ch

face down on his kne

u do?" he

eth. Then, apparently concluding that the figure in the armchair was real flesh and blood and not a creature of the imaginati

he wrong room, I g

y put me," answer

," was the inhospitable re

y interested. Joe Brewster slid o

boy, aren't yo

ehow the reply seemed to annoy Joe. He clenched h

oom for you; there are lots of rooms, I guess. An

y put me in here with you because you are such a fine character. Dr. Whatshisname said you were the pr

actics altogether. It was hard work, however, for Brewster pummeled like a good one, his seraphic face aflame with the light of battle and his yellow hair seeming to stand about his head like a golden oriflamb. And while Kenneth hugged his adversary to him, ducking his head away from the incessant jabs of a very industrious fist, he realized that he had made a mistake in his estimation of his future roommate. He was going to like him; he was quite sure he was; providing, of cou

ough?"

growle

roommates, so we might as well get used to each other now as later, eh? How any fel

e, but managed to hold his place. Panting f

You don't strike me at all as a model of deportment. Seems t

s face and a smile trembled

p," he sa

hav

ep

tory knock on the door, followed instantly by the appearance of a third person on the

up?" h

and gave his hand to Joe. A

a new tackle," expl

of face, shot him

rival, "and who the d

just came to-day. I'm

ed the other, turnin

yself all fall, and now, just when I'm getting used to it, what do they do? Why, t

k to the doctor?"

do any good, I su

n and viewed Kenneth

you from?"

land,

John Garwood, t

said Kenneth. G

o claim relationship with a millionaire

usion, "maybe not, but-but I think he's

laim relationship if I were you. I guess if the honest truth were known there aren'

asked K

e treated his employees in that last str

answered Kenneth hotly. "I

lie," said Graft

, like anything

rafton carelessly. "I've heard my father tell about

ps, thought better of

her?" asked Grafton

name?" ask

nswered the oth

ig politician in C

afton angrily. "He's Peter

th. "What-what's

It's time you came to school if you don't

g par

you been to? My,

this year. Last year I went

our first board

ue said it was a very fine school. I trust

cherub's. Joe Brewster stared, too, for a moment; then a smile flickered a

team, Joe," Grafton said after a mo

it myself,"

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

couldn't I try for

ry," laughed Grafto

m at the grammar school

I play," said Grafton. "M

it?" asked Ken

, you'll have to work

th very simply. Graf

noon," said Joe. "You'd better come along. You're pret

But would practice be likely

fe! You're going to have a real nice time here at Hilltop; I can see that. Well, see you later, Joe. Come up to-n

nne

ey

; K, e,

n. "Well, bring little Kenneth with y

aid the new ju

it!" And Grafton

chair and thrust out his legs, hands in pockets, while a

"you're the first fello

way he t

y under the admiring r

's after six. Come on to supper. Maybe if we

followed his new friend down t

de a particular

m together, and he isn't such a bad sort. Only-he's

him," said Ken

dred years old. Seventy-six feet by forty it is, built of red sandstone with freestone trimming; a fine, aristocratic-looking structure which lends quite an air to the old campus. In th

or amusing themselves in various ways while they waited for the captain to arrive. Several of them Kenneth already knew well enough to speak to and many others he knew by name. For Joe had made himself Kenneth's guide and mentor, had shown him all there was to be seen, had introduced him to a number of the fellows and pointed

ght the fellows up to the highest pitch of enthusiasm were those in which the Blue of Upper House and the Crimson of Lower met in battle. Each dormitory had its own football, baseball, hockey, tennis, track, basket ball, and debating, team, and rivalry was always intense. Hence the arrival of a new boy in Lowe

me for much practice today, because Upper has the floor at five. They're going to have a dandy team this year; a

lay any outs

seball and all that, but they won't let us take on even the grammar school for basket ball. Randy s

th. "I heard that big chap over there say he couldn't p

es another year in the senior class and in order to distinguish him from the fourth-year fellows they call him an advanced senior. See? There are five in school this year. Faculty

th with reddish-brown hair was crossing the floor with a ball under each arm. Joe stopped him and said a few wo

ngly in a pleasant voice as he shook hands. Kenneth

I can play with you fellow

ow are you on th

to be pretty f

nd a good show of making the team as a substitute. Yo