The Half-Back

during which time he sat and gazed at his rescuer in amazement not unmixe

ose I'd have broke my silly neck if you

ieve you'd have been very much hurt. What's that thing?" nodd

ocking a ball around a bit, an

lf was a rather fu

ut it," replied West a trifle sharply. The rescu

don't believe I'd care much for tumbling over cliffs that

d all that; but--but you don't know the first thing about golf, and so you had better

dge, and slid down the bank to the beach. He dropped the golf ball in his pocket, after examining it with deep curiosity, and started back. But the return was less ea

u get a bit of a run and get up as high as you can, and

ed and the other boy struggled, and then, at last, when both were out of breath, the straw hat rose above the l

make those o

they're molded and painted this way

n our way. I've played baseball and

p about all my time when I haven't got some lesson on; and this is the worst place for less

't you wan

t. "Study! Want to? Of

t's what I came

e was not at all the sort of boy one could teach golf to.

ay football more than anything else. D

, if only football, could not be a bad sort. Besides, he would get over wanting to study; that, to West, was a most unnatu

upper middle, and they say that it's awfully hard to keep up with. Still, I should really like to try my hand at it, and if I have time I'll as

s a fellow can play just as well with a driver and a putter and a niblick as he can with a dozen clubs. Of course, that's nonsense. If Whipple would use some brains about his clubs he'd make a rather fair player. There are one or two other fellows in school who are

kept pretty busy

he's a fine chap. By the way, where'

very often. Jerry Green and I--Jerry's our hired man--we used to get out in t

ou could only drive a golf ball

l Ma

me 'Out' West. My home's in Pleasant Cit

lacksmith shop and a few houses. We've lived ther

en there only forty years. Great gobble! We'd better be scooting back to sc

down behind the mountains, and purple shadows were creeping up from the river. The tow

our room?"

or now that we have twice been introduced to him t

West. "Number 2. I have it all

w named

the village? You have lots more fun there; and you can get a bett

an't help me much. He pays my tuition, and I've enough money of my own that I've

a queer chap!"

sked Joe

tudy, and earning your own scho

father has plenty

dollars a month allow

u must have a good deal saved up by

tell any one, because it's against the rules to have bills, you know. Anyhow

spend it fo

gs," answered West carelessly. "Then a fellow has to d

his own worn apparel. "Then I gues

" answered West halfheartedly

heartily. "I was going to get a felt in Boston, but--well,

?" asked Wes

" West w

in the village at Grove's. And--and

mittingly. They had

said West. "You'd better come

t supper time, and I want to re

iged for what you did, you know. Come and see me t

tory. He found his roommate reading at the table when

looks rather funny for a 'grind,' as you profes

'grind,'" answered Joel qui

icker than a hot cake when he finds it out. Why, he never

ut presently asked, in

re you

Cutters; ev

at's it

and smuggli

nk it would b

I'm through, only it isn't mine;

l, "but I don't believ

on airs. Just wait until you've been here two or three

But in view of the fact that the two were destined to spend much of their time together, Joel recognized the necessity of making the best of his roommate, and of what appeared to be an unsatisfactory condition. During th

ng a dislike for Joel because of the latter's enviable success at lessons and because a resident of Hampton House had taken him up. Sproule cared nothing for out-of-door amusements and hated lessons. His whole time, except when stud

earty meal since he had arrived at Hillton. The exercise had brou

elf hugely enjoying the novelty of eating in the presence of more than a hundred and fifty other lads. Outfield West and his neighbors in Hampton House occupied a far table, and there the noise was loudest. West was dressed like a young prince, and his associates were equally as splendid. As Joel observed them, We

this afternoon?" Bla

thanks," J

examined. Tell him I sent you. You'll find him at the gym at a

s. His left-hand neighbor, a boy who affected very red neckties, and who had hith

met him only to-day o

on the

I'm tryin

Blair doesn't often go out of

nswered Joel. "Who

xamined, you know; if you don't come up to

lf to his pudding, and wondered if ther

e came through the ordeal of measurement and test with flying colors, and with the command to pay

formed. An hour and a half of steady practice, consisting of passing, falling, and catching punts, left the inexperienced candidates in a state of breathless

ade known to each other their intentions to let the school get along as best it might without their assistance on its eleven. They would be no great loss, thought Joel, as he

at of the previous day had already secured to him a reputation throughout the school, and as the little groups of boys passed him he heard himself alluded to as "the country fellow that punted fifty yards yesterday," or