The Spirit of the School

for you to sit there a

what you me

sy enough for you to laugh about it; it isn’t your funeral; but I guess if you’d had a

y. “It’s rotten mean luck. I’d have t

he fact is I never cared much for him. He was sort of namby-pamby, and used to read kid’s books most all the time. Mr. Dana died when I was about twelve, and Mrs. Dana and Hansel went out to Ohio to live with relatives. Then this summer dad gets a letter from her saying that she wants to send Hansel to a good school in the East, and asking his advice. And nothing would do for dad but that the little beggar must come here to Beechcroft and room with me! Did you ever hear of such luck?

k around. The carpet isn’t much, as you say, but then that’s all the better; you won’t have t

fore. He’s been going to some sort of a two-cent academy out there, and now he’s got it into

he plays

n just see the team, can’t you? And I dare say he’ll expect me to get

he’s played football at all we ought to be glad to get him.[4] We haven’t so much new material in sight this fall th

rumpily. “If he can’t find his way from the stati

e—say, what the dicken

nse

ets here; you’re so sweet-tempered, old man!” And Harry Folsom leaned back among the pillows of t

. Bert had never seen Harry angry; in fact, his good nature was proverbial throughout Beechcroft Academy. He was manager of the football team, and was[5] just the fellow f

nd anyone who was with him for any length of time was pretty certain to find it

d looking, with very black hair and snapping black eyes, and in spite of the fact that he was but eighteen years old, he tipped the gymnasium scales at 170 and stood six feet all but an inch. He was generally acknowledged to have won a place on the All-Preparatory Football Team of the year before, and was without

oon sun was pouring in, and with it came a fresh breeze and scented from the beech forest which sloped away up the hill behind the school buildings. To the right of the window an open door showed the white unpapered walls of the small bedroom. In the center of the room, beneath an antiquated chandelier, stood a green-topped study table, at the present moment piled high with books awaiting installation in[7] the

Weeks stands at the other side of the academy grounds, with the Academy Hall between it and Prince. The three buildings form a row in front of which the well-kept gravel driveway passes ere it disappears to circle the ivy-covered red brick walls of the laboratory at the rear. Across the dr

as the Green, is the academy’s athletic field, and has two wooden stands in various stages of disrepair

ir pale-yellow leaves still rustled on the branches, for in the Massachusetts hills the heavy frosts do not come until October at the earlies

him a[9] sunlit vista of yellowing fields, with here and there a white farmhouse amid a green orchard. But the scene was a

now,” announced Harry. “I think I s

e. “For years he’s been trying to get Gibbs to let him drive the nags. Some day he will do it, and

tay and see this Fidus

the other. “Fidus poppyc

” cautioned Ha

h a fellow I liked, not many studies, plenty of time for football[10] and hockey, and—and—now look at me! Stuck up here

at Dana will be like. For my part I’m ready to like him, if only because y

he used to be, he’ll just sit here and read his old books

f staying indoors and reading if h

ed a hundred and twenty pounds and played back of the village livery stable. I’m

“and then we’ll know the worst. If[11] he’s as bad

es, and then Bert called “Come in!” The door swung open and a tall, well-built

the chap, aren’t you?” He looked smilingly at Bert, who had arisen

or Bert Middleto

ok here, you’re not H

e you saw me last. So have you, for that matter. You’re hea

d to where Harry was smiling broadly at his amazement. “This is Mr. Fol

1

d he were to be together.” He shot a malicious glance at Bert and was rewarded with a

room we’ve got, B

for a ch

other, opening his eyes. “I tho

eeks some of the sui

h here, don’t they? I

; one or two thi

hat was wanted. But I suppose I can get thi

“You’ll have to go to Boston, I guess. Bu

r two wouldn’t look bad. If we’ve got to live in a garret

’s eyes narr

sunlit landscape and peeling off a pair of very proper tan gloves. Harry and Bert exchanged glances. Presently he turned and, to

self, had a deep liking for good looks, mentally dubbed Dana the handsomest fellow in school. His nose was straight, his mouth firm without being thin, and his chin was square and[14] aggressive. There was a liberal dash of healthy color in each cheek. As for his attire, there was little to confirm Bert’s prophecies. He wore a white negligee shirt, a suit of gray flannel, low tan shoe

an play football the way he took his gloves off and set that bag down, I fancy there’ll be something doing. Also, unless I’m muc

ed deference to his experience and knowledge. Harry, who fancied he could see a rude awakening ahead for Bert, enjoyed himself hugely. Presently the talk wo

had a team out home at the academy. They made

your big game

, had no coach, and had to pay our own traveling expenses besides; that made it difficult, for lots of the fellows cou

t Harry with a “I-tol

6] Harry. “Well, you must come out for the te

t end; before tha

e’ve got slathers of candidates for the end positions. What we need are m

fifty-eight whe

ve chance at tackle,”

wered Hansel. “I guess it’s end or nothing i

answere

cause my train from the West was over an hour l

the third class, Be

1

, and I guess I can. Latin’s

give you a few pointers. Bring him over, Bert, will you? I’ll see you in dining hall, maybe. I want to run acros

thousand pounds. Who

d owns pretty near everything around here. Larry’s our center, and he’s a crackajac

eared beyond the

ce sort,” said

am, by the way, and if you want any favors you’d better stand in

r said something about i

’s a bunch of pretty swift players here, and so—if you shouldn’t make it, you know, you m

favoritism I wouldn’t go out. But I don’t believe there’s any danger—at least, not unless you’ve changed a whole lot. Perhaps you don’t recall the fact, Bert, but you use

omfortably. “You were

for it, and so I thought we’d make the best of it. What can’t be cured, you know, must be endured. I dare say we’ll get on pretty well together. At least, we know wh

open-mouthed and speechless with amazemen

ype="