On Your Mark! A Story of College Life and Athletics

re closed, for the night was cold, and the big hanging lamp diffused light, warmth, and a strong odor of kerosene through the apartment. This odor Pete was heroically striving to mitigate with th

my, for the fourth time, had slid from the table, plea

ld business, T

Pete. "We're going to open

ested, "but I've got things to do.

ns from the

loaf; but I wan

Be calm, precious youth; the Purp" (college slang for the Purple) "will come out ju

ing out a paper?" asked Pete. "No one would notice it, and thin

ould," sig

he sort. If you missed an issue of that old sheet, you'd commit suicid

could read and enjoy-a murder now and then, or a lynching. Couldn't

e river," suggested Tommy, scat

ich?" H

" he explained in

'em on the fi

ir? What'

." Pete mimicke

he laughter had stopped,

lifeless!" mu

nough of a heavy-weight to be dishonored by having my name

mportant news," said Tom

and the election of Greaves as presid

an old hat to a quarter section of land that I can get my name and a half a column of talke

can't," laug

bet? Money ta

name on the front page of the Purple,

kill the Dean, or blow up Colleg

for the paper,

speak up. What

ou wild Indian!

r effort to te

: you're skeered an' af

he front page while I'm on the paper- Hold on, though; I won't bet that. I'll bet you won't get it there this year unl

bet. And just my name isn't to count; nothing less than a

lan. "I smell tha

te paying the b

who pays, and

eat it," said Hal. "Wise child, Allan. And, by the way, t

g home,"

getting up a freshman club table and wan

it goin

rson

w m

a w

esides, I may go to the trac

you fellows," ann

l, you'd better join until then, Allan; su

et you know in a day or two. Wh

en't a foolish little sophomore

ly. "I've seen all I want of fr

Pete. "I'd like to join, if

ated for

about it. But I think he

ght," answered

said Hal, hurriedly a

aid Pete, with a

inued Hal, anxious not to

s all right. I

ound of a gentl

exclaimed. "

in surprise arou

y, "I think I heard him say

Purdy's with him. He was so quiet that Allan was certain he had something on h

eaning gentleman-is this

ancy he thinks himself a bit of a swell. He's a Dunla

," said Pete. "What is

know; have forms and fagging; and when you want a row with a chap, you have to notify the captain of your form, and it's all arranged for you like a regular duel, and you go out back of one of the buildings, and somebody holds your coat for you and somebody else mops your face with a sponge, and you try and hit

Greb thinks he's the whole thing, does he? Guess that's the reason Hal was hunting a hole when I asked myself to join. I didn't know yo

you wer

inviting myse

was no harm done. It's just that Greb wa

he kno

e met him,

met me if he'd want

ld, but he doesn'

care to,

; you're making a l

wallow my knife," continued Pete, gloomily. "Maybe

you, he doesn

red Pete. "Guess he knew you and

if you want to j

right. Moocha

" answered Alla

a club table on t

again. "What-tha

Burl

w-how do

my own grub-wagon. An

ve you can find a decent place to ta

decent place?" a

, of course, but you cou

could

g tables chiefly, and is p

hat she told m

ou went

nod

dn't get in there. There's a pr

l right. We st

rt w

Pear

re lying!"

n the second floor. It's a right nice-looking place:

how'd y

a little pow-wow. It's going t

bewildered admiration. Then, "But you

ing to be select, you know; eight in all. T

said Allan, doubtfully. "You s

reb will have a

y n

e's he goin

stared

you've got Greb's

and so I said I'd take it and put down a forfeit. And there isn't an

ou're a wonder!

d Pete, unmoved by the trib

is going to be select; it's going to be the selectest table in town. So you tell me who are the top of the bunch in our class, and I

n, "but-well, there's What's-his-name, the

glad you tho

and Wolcott, and-and Cooper-Cooper of St. Eustace, I m

three; guess I can get enough out of the list.

t going to

and carefully put the list in the big yellow leather wallet he carri

k his head

against you before the faculty. How do I know w

ber those ducks we saw on the river last week? We

ou mean? I h

l use the rifle. I've shot du

e as not the silly ducks

as long as we like; make a day of it. Maybe we can find some place to have dinner and won't have to come back here. I'm

so," answ

nk Hal or Tommy

Hal's going to sign off a

ghtfully across the leaf-strewn college yard. "Suppose

ep

rs for sight of a mountai