. Curtis is
going to get a new globe for that fixture over there."

[Illustration]

"Then we will be," said Paul. "And if she would only find us a
towel-rack that didn't fall into twelve separate pieces like a Chinese
puzzle every time a chap put a towel on it we'd be simply reveling
in luxury."

"I think I can fix that thing with string," answered Neil. "Or we might
buy one of those nickel-plated affairs that you screw into the wall."

"The sort that always dump the towels on to the floor, you mean? Yes, we
might. Of course, they're of no practical value judged as towel-racks,
but they're terribly ornamental. You know we had one in the bath-room at
the beach. Remember? When you got through your bath and groped round for
the towel it was always lying on the floor just out of reach."

"Yes, I remember," answered Neil, smiling. "We had rather a good time,
didn't we, at Seabright? It was awfully nice of you to ask me down
there, Paul; and your folks were mighty good to me. Next summer I want
you to come up to New Hampshire and see us for a while. Of course, we
can't give you sea bathing, and you won't look like a red Indian when
you go home, but we could have a good time just the same."

"Red Indian yourself!" cried Paul. "You're nearly twice as tanned as I
am. I don't see how you did it. I was there pretty near all summer and
you stayed just three weeks; and look at us! I'm as white as a sheet
of paper--"

"Yes, brown paper," interpolated Neil.

"And you have a complexion like a--a football after a hard game."

Neil grinned, then--

"By the way," he said, "did I tell you I'd heard from Crozier?"

"About Billy and the ducks? And Gordon's not going back to Hillton? Yes,
you got that at the beach; remember?"

"So I did. 'Old Cro' will be up to his ears in trouble pretty soon,
won't he? I'm glad they made him captain, awfully glad. I think he can
turn out a team that'll rub it into St. Eustace again just as you did
last year."

"Yes; and Gardiner's going to coach again." Paul smiled reminiscently.
Then, "By Jove, it does seem funny not to be going back to old Hillton,
doesn't it? I suppose after a while a fellow'll get to feeling at home
here, but just at present--" He sighed and shook his head.

"Wait until college opens to-morrow and we get to work; we won't have
much time to feel much of anything, I guess. Practise is called for four
o'clock. I wonder--I wonder if we'll make the team?"

"Why not?" object