The Jester of St. Timothy's

g gave Westby every chance to recite and conscientiously helped him through the recitation as much as he did any one else; in the dormitory they exchanged a cold good-ni

aded into the declaration in the desperate effort to maintain a false position. Irving wondered if the boy w

tby turned to Irving and wit

ews from your brother about

ing had so often suffered. But Westby did not flinch; he wait

es that there is a chance of their coming up here to play the

med Westby, in a ton

think they'll come?" "Does L

ons. "He wrote officially to the captain at the same time that I wrote to Lawr

know for sure

s or Lakeview School. They want to play whichever team seems the strong

" declared Blake. "You'll tell your b

" said Irving. "I fancy he knows that it's as much as I can do

believing you had a football brother, won't you, Mr. Upton?

ecame a matter of doubti

ere with him; the boy had been trying to convey an apology, with

s disastrous error, or how humiliated the boy had been in his heart. For Westby was proud and vain and sensitive, accustomed to leadership, unused to ridicule; for two days now the shafts of those whom he had been in the hab

had to jump on me again-well, it's just spite on his part; that's all. I

than that of you," observed Carroll. "And

t Irving had worste

jokes will wear out. Kiddy was a

noyed him

eld and watched the practice of the Pythian and Corinthian elevens. He had once thought the forward pass a detail incapable of engaging one's serious attention, and w

sionally Irving got hold of a football and tested his own capacity in throwing it; his attempts convinced him that in this matter he had a great deal to learn. Looking b

rving moved aside for a little while to see the fin

here there was more action; the second Pythians and second Corinthians were playing a match. But Irving had heard Westby talking

ing task of pulling the string and releasing the skimming disks. When Irving came up, Smythe was finishing; he

et and knickerbockers and leggings; he was always scrupulous about appearing in costumes

the midst of its flight. It seemed to Irving that Westby hardly brought his gun to his shoulder to take aim. It could not all be luck either; that was evident when W

went up

quite wonderful to a man who never fired a gun off but a few tim

ever done anything that most fellows do," he obse

lations, Westby," said Irvi

e that?" asked Carroll, wh

ing to have him hanging round s

ly trying to be de

decent without tryi

do so well in the next round. The trap was set to send the birds skimming lower and faster; Westby missed tw

humor. He knew he was really the better shot, and even t

ngratulated Carrol

you, Carroll?"

-by a clo

nocent in intention, but to Westby it seemed edged wit

d. It didn't matter how hard he tried or what he did; he had not the faculty of winning and holding affection and respect. As

nnouncement that the Freshman eleven would come to play St. Timothy's. He asked Collingwoo

e writes that it was decided only the night before. You'll

id they wouldn't realize it," he said. "Now we'll have to get ready and beat them. Anywa

lletin board in the Study building and posted it for all eyes to see. Th

a streaky game on the First Corinthians; on some days he was as brilliant a runner and tack

s substitute seemed to fill him with elation. He had never taken football quite so seriously as some of the others-as C

or the substitutes; they were expected to do their own training. Westby was notoriously lax in th

e; a large circular doughnut or a chocolate éclair delicately poised between his thumb and finger were his favorite instruments for torturing his cap

llows.-Mr. Upton, Blake's kicking me; make him quit, sir.-Not allowed to eat half the things the rest of you do, and not a

ractice and accepted good-naturedly his position upon the second eleven, an

ght him so much applause that he began really to think there might be a chance of his ousting Dennison from the regular position. When that notion entered his h

d the low meadows and the edges of the pond; it seemed later to dissipate itself through all the windless air in ha

ion that one heard everywher

a gentle rush of excitement in his veins. He would turn his mind firmly back to h

ld find his brother much changed. Only two months had passed since they had parted; yet in

t as madly as the Fourth Formers themselves; the train on which the Harvard Freshmen were coming was due te

waiting the arrival of the visitors. Irving walked about among the groups impatiently, now and th

em, Mr. Upton," said Westb

ile than he had displayed towards Ir

, and at that moment some o

ses, drawing a long red barge crowded with b

n they get here, give three t

figures huddled together in the barge. The horses came down at a run, with a rat

d Collingwood. "Three tim

ould see no one in the barge. Then when that cheer had subsided,

gorous, snappy cheer, and then overflowed at back and sides. In the confusion and the crowd

was Lawrence, laughing at him and struggling towards him through the t

n he could reach and grasp his brother's hand; he look

rving. He could not help being a little conscio

ther reached for Lawrence's bag. Lawrence laughed, and

u little fellow! I

mile; Irving blushed. He led Lawrence away, towards the Upper School. The other

ng from the heart, "Kiddy's brother is certainly a pea

O