vity
toward the box.

"Well, this is sure to be a hot time!" laughed Merriwell, delighted.

"You bet it is!" assured Charlie Creighton. "We'll make _Simon Legree_
regret that he is living."

An usher came down the aisle and remonstrated with the tall student. The
tall student replied to the usher with exaggerated politeness, declaring
that he meant no harm, but that he had felt it his duty to inform the
audience that such distinguished personages were in the box.

Then when the tall young man sat down, as if by a prearranged signal,
there was a wild outburst of applause, stamping of feet, whistling
catcalls, and so forth.

The musicians came out and began to put their instruments in tune. They
composed an orchestra carried with the troupe, and were, as Rattleton
forcibly expressed it, "decidedly on the bum."

Some of the musicians seemed to dread what was coming, for they looked
pale and agitated.

"They know that some of the over-ripe vegetables and stale hen-fruit
which the audience may toss at the performers is liable to fall short,"
smiled Merriwell.

Having tuned up after a fashion, the orchestra began to file away at
some sort of a medley.

Griswold rolled his eyes and said:

"I am carried away with the music, as the monkey who was perched on the
hand-organ remarked."

It was with the utmost difficulty that the assembled students repressed
a desire to uplift their voices and drown the sounds which came from the
wretched orchestra; but they felt that it would not do to alarm the
players by too great a demonstration, and so the only interruptions to
the overture were a few catcalls.

At last the curtain rolled up, and the play began. An ominous silence
seemed to hang over the audience. The actors were nervous at first, but
as the silence continued and offensive demonstrations were not
immediately made, they gained courage and swung into their parts with as
much enthusiasm and ability as possible.

It is possible that the sight of two or three policemen at the back of
the house gave the performers courage. The officers had been called in
to overawe the college lads in case they became too demonstrative.

At length, in a very pathetic part of the first act, Griswold leaned
over to Joe Gamp, and whispered:

"It is very touching, isn't it?"

"Yes," said the country boy, chokingly, "it mum-mum-mum-makes me
fuf-fuf-fuf-feel like th-th-thunder!"

He nearly blubbered outright, for he had never seen ma