He glanced over into the walled city that he had constructed out of books, and then at D

happened?" inquired the in

" explained Dutch. "I

essor seemed

innocently. "You

r-put the bottle on the rul

Latin instructor. "It is too bad. How did y

laughed, and the lad

k you all have, by this time, a better idea of a catapult than you had before, eve

t the same time, there was an excuse. Dutch came back to the class toward the end of the recitation, with a clean

ght," remarked Sid with a laugh, as

untain pen,"

asked Phil, offeri

k. "Say, how did you come to

gered one. "It wasn't any mistake. I t

erposed Tom. "Well, mistakes will hap

ing the subject, unless he took drastic measures

"It's getting warm, and the snow won't last much lo

once, and soon plans were b

and get your sister and her

e lady-killer

id. "I guess I've got as m

Stick up for your r

fine one, and a merry party of young men and maidens gathered on the hill with

rls who were her chums, clung together and had many a swift coast. It was when several were

s Shambler. "Come on, girls," he went on, addressing Ruth Clinto

to," said Ruth,

hambler. "Come on! Be sports. Here, G

uddenly exclaimed Tom, steppi

their manager?" asked the

way with you." He linked his arm in hers, Phil and his chums began draggi

dibly. "I guess we got in wro

e. "There are other girls on

d not speak of it, each one had an uneasy feeling about Shambler.

spirit of Shambler the four chums had it supplied to them a littl

Sid and Frank eagerly waiting for them in the room. No

yours, and see if they

he room. "You don't mean to say some on

so well that I'm to be excused from all lectures, and that my diploma is waiting for

they are. We got 'em, and here are two letters-one for you, Tom, an

"Say, what's this all abou

d over it," added P

ives unmistakably bore evidence of being "party bids," but Tom kept up the tantalizing tactics a little longer, by turning his over fro

eat," he said, while Ph

Ruth's brother. "The girls are to give a

r!" exclaime

of going where the girls were than he would of taking in a lecture on

up!" excl

Phil. "I supp

l be fun,"

" asked Sid. "You're

bureau and began rummaging among the contents of a certai

cried Tom.

inquir

ast week. It just matched my vest. W

d anger. "To accuse us, when there are so man

you have it. Caesar's side-saddles! A fellow can't have anythin

that tan-colored ti

" and he strode over to his chum's bureau, where, from a

imed, as he looked at it ruefull

just borrowed it to wear the other n

cried Frank aghast. "Say

only tr

view of the fact that there are mitigating circumstances, and that you wore another fellow's

why Tom made such a fuss about that tie

r?" asked the owner of the tan sca

e it

's different.

ds left. But I'll pay for having your little new tie put in shape again, Tommy my boy. I'll buy

om, and he began to rumma

ow?" as

pose some one ha

e if he had all things needful for the dance suggested t

her relics of good times in the past, and then the boys began talking about the coming affai

oes in particular, and all young men in general I am not going to give the

ehave so," Holly Cross remarked as he dropped in when the four were getting into their "glad r

ot going," said Tom, as he made up hi

myself!" shot back

s taking a long time to-well, but there, I promised t

affairs, and this one was no exception. The g

s aren't all fill

spoke Madge Tyler, but her laughing eyes st

om her. Then a look showed him that there were many vacant s

you rubbed off?" demanded Tom

your Randall manne

s! What do you

near a pillar. Someone came up behind me, and snatched my program from my hand

a Randall m

di

was

Shamb

murmured Tom. "I'll

ge. "I told him what I

to his chums. They agreed that Jake Shambler would have to be

e with him, but they refused. However he managed to find some partners, including the girl who had invited him. He gr

time. Doubtless their girl friends did also, and it

or at least a month!" groaned Tom, as he a

fuss about a tan tie," murmured Sid. "Look

lied Tom, feeling of his wilted

snow covering everything. Then a few hours of warm sun, a warm Sou

a spirit of unrest in the air. Lectures were cut in the most unaccountable way. Several lads were see

land, it was dryer than elsewhere a little grou

one, Grasshopper

venteen or bust a l

" asked Tom of his three chu

ing his annual Spr

tch him," su

games," declared Frank. "I think I

for 'em, and I understand Boxer Hall and Fairview would come in with us, on a

legged lad as he made his j

nounced a lad with

Grasshopper. "Oh, hello, Tom!" he c

r w

eague-didn't you

the quartett

magined he was a jumper. "I'm going in for the runn

s about it,"

ome of the fellows are talking of getting up a league for a

talk so far?

But there is going to be a preliminary meeting in a few nig

!" cried the

concerning the new league. Representatives were present from Fairview, Boxer Hall and Exter, and one and

Sid, as the four inseparables were in

ave myself for the diamond. There's enough others to uphol

presentation. How abou

go in for the hammer throw, the sh

ere are some good lads at thos

nd some

g to enter, I he

r?" quer

un, and som

ton to him. Say, things will be lively here soon

e in, Tom,"

l wait a

ouble at home; is it?"

ow when I may have to leave here, and it wouldn't be jus

it would be as

e-there's n

enter, and practice up to the last minute. If you have to drop out, of

plenty of others

ndall, of course. You nev

ow," finished Tom with a smil

would," was t