The Jester of St. Timothy's

had entered; he was wondering whether he had better be courageous, go right up after them, and introduce himself,-just as if they had not ca

rospect of confronting his charges, and he wished to be sure that his hair and his necktie looked right. While he was examining hims

dor a voice answered,

Mr. Randol

" It was another voice

pton. I haven't la

ker paused to laugh. "Suppose it s

new kid; I

not step out and face those fellows who were laughing at him. Of course they were the ones who ought to be embarrassed by his appearance, not he; but Irving felt they would lend one another support and brazen it thro

erently Lawrence would have met the situation-how much more directly he would have dealt with it. Irving resolved that hereafter

y master, and Mr. Wythe, the Fourth Form dormitory master, were also there. They were veterans, comparatively, and it was to meet them and benefi

r at the Lower School, looking after the little kids. Half the time they're sick and

ted Marcy, pessimistically. "There's bound t

o in that case

get the leader of it, but if you can't get him,

tin lines for three ho

urse they'll come wheedling round you, wanting to be e

Sixth Form clas

g answered.

one crowd in dormitory to look after and another crowd in class, you can afford to relax a l

on," said Randolph. He passed over a list. "The others are all

were premature in congratulating

atter with him

tory year before last and kept it in a constant turmoil. And yet if you have any sense of humor at all y

conscienceless,"

no real harm in h

." Irving spoke uneasily. "And he's t

tance-have tables. But we don't let all the Sixth Formers eat together;

them before supper, I should l

ithout witnesses, he could produce a better impression than if he

the dining-room and deriving no help from any of the other masters, went in and stood at the head of the third table, as he had been instructed to do. Four or five boys were already standing there at their places; they looked at him with curiosity and bowed to him politely. The crowd as it entered thinned; Irving was beginning to hope that

gue and a dish of beans, and he began to put portions of each on the plates piled before him. Then as he passed the first plate along the lin

ch broadened into a laugh when the first boy blushingly owned t

hink you're to be in my

o make some reference to their encounter; but Irving passed on to his n

happy inspiration told him that so long as he could keep on taking the initiative with boys, he would have no serious trouble. But it was one thing to recognize an

nct, in spite of its quietness,-"wasn't it funn

erest of all the boys at the table had been skillfully excited, and Westby leaned forward in front of C

hesitatingly. "I-I w

Mr. Upton?" asked Blake, the Fifth

itted Irving, anxious no

and I were in front of the Study, and out came Mr. Upton. And Lou wanted to nail him for the Pythians, so we

was being made an object of general entertainment; certainly the

then?" asked

at he wasn't a new kid at all, but a new master. You

ould har

a contretemps. To think that after all the years we'd b

had caused him, there seemed to be nothing offensive in the remarks. He liked Westby's face; it was alert and good-humored, and the cajoling quality in the boy's voice and the twinkle in his e

studying, but as yet no lessons had been assigned; the classroom work had not begun. The Sixth Form were exempt from the necessity of attending Study, and had the privilege of preparing their lessons in their own rooms. Irving found, on going up to his dormit

ught at first that he would confide to his brother the little troubles which were annoying him. But when he set about it, they seem

hich several boys had gathered. It was followed by

or we'll have Kidd

ce exclaimed in delight, a

college. But none of them seemed so slighting or so jeering as this of Kiddy; and Irving flushed as he had done when he had been taken for a "new kid."

accompaniment on a banjo. Presently four or five voices

st disthress

r there

hanging men

in' of t

ying down the corridor. The banjo-player struck up "The

he wished to be friendly. He did not wait to debate with himself the wisdom of this resolve or to consider how he should proceed; he acted on the impulse. He walked down the c

was squatting cross-legged on the window seat, with the banjo

our acquaintance," said Irving. "We'r

is hand. He was a healthy, light-haired, solidly put together

e disconcertingly direct in their gaze; and a lock of black hair overhung his brow in a far from propitiatin

we sat together at supper." Carroll said nothing, merely smiled in an agreeable

, "and the one next to him, with the aristocratic features, is Ba

round the circle, said

r. Upton?" Westby pushe

t let me interru

you'll

ad. "I wish I could

and launched upon a negro melody; he sang it with the unctuous abandon of the darkey, and Irving listened and look

't it?" he said. "Fine moonlight night;

Morrill, ap

ingly. "Won't you please let us go? It's such a fine warm moonli

mit your being out at this time

es, Scabby here is almost as good as a master-and so is Lou Co

o you go

about a quarter of a mile from here. Come o

say that. If Mr. Randolph is willing

gued Westby. "And if you gave us permiss

n make an exception to

really begun yet,

ar as observing the rules is

s, sir-and that woul

I want to go in swi

on jaw." He turned on the others a humorous look; they all were smiling. Irving felt uncomfortable again,

s," said Collingwood. "I'll challenge you to that wa

"Carrie here will be my trusty

rinned hi

y second," said Collingwood.

ter duel?" a

ponge tied to the end of it. Then the two canoes man?uvre, and try to get within striking distance, and the fellow or canoe that gets upset first loses. W

e an amusing gam

you want to see it," said Collingwood, hospitably. "I

ou; I'd

ith his cajoling voice and his wheedling smile,-"that I

elieve you nee

ould consent. I don't see why you shoul

his, for all the good-natured, teas

-night.-I'm glad to have met you all." And so he took his departure, and

im and caused his manner to be hesitating and embarrassed. One big fellow named Allison was trying to hang a picture when Irving entered; it was a large and heavy picture, and Irving held it straight while Allison stood on a chair and set the hook on the moulding. Allison thanked Irving with the gratitude of one unaccustom

ed out in front of his door at the end of the corridor, and one after another the boys came up, shook hands with him, and bade him good-night. Westby came to him with the engaging and yet somewhat di

excessively urbane. It made Irving look forward to a b

them lessons, and managed to keep them and himself busy. From one of them he brought away some algebra exercises, which he spent

ium. He came at last to the "isthmus"-a narrow dyke of stones which cut off a long inlet and bridged the way over to a wooded peni

bare backs of boys undressing and heard then the defiances which t

right worthily upon the body of yon false knight," quoth

spit thee upon my trusty lance," replied Co

ring-board, gave a bounce and a leap,

ame up as Morrill, reaching out for a long si

aw him; Baldersnaith, Dennison, and Smythe were ful

in time," sai

ched on one knee in the middle, and the canoe careened over with his weight, so that the gunwale was only an inch or two above the sur

p near the spring-board; Carro

" Westby commanded. "I want to show

nge fastened to one end; he pulled at the sponge and announced,

ith it and remarked musingly, "When I catch

said Collingwood.

stern seat and the paddle. Collingwood knelt in the bow, with his spear laid acros

ed Scarborough, as he circled round. "Don't you

thank you,"

hore, took on his passenger. Then he sped out to the middle of t

ws Collingwood and Westby rose to their feet and held their spears in front of them. They advanced caut

red!" jeered Balders

Collingwood's shoulder, and the next instant Collingwood's sponge-well weighted with water-smote Westby full in the chest and hove him overboard. For one

r canoes drew alongside and assisted, Scarborough and Morrill p

this time," spluttered Westby. "

the right to get out of their path; and then suddenly Carroll swung in the opposite direction-with what strategic purpose neither Irving nor Scarborough had time to conjecture. For they were loitering close on that side, not expecting any suc

Westby's laughing shout, "Look ou

G ABOUT AND MAD

O