the fruit country," he began, "and in making
my way across lots lost my bearings and came out in a peach orchard
where I could not see the road nor a house nor anything. Two
rough-looking fellows, fruit pickers, and they are not the best men to
meet even if they are sober, and these were not, came up and looked
rather hostile and threatening. I had considerable money with me and
although I could have met either one of the men singly, did not feel
like engaging both of them. It was either a case of run or be
outmatched, and I was puzzled what to do."

"What did you do?" asked Harry, interested. "They must have been pretty
husky fellows for you to decline meeting them."

"A young fellow in overalls and a rough shirt who was picking peaches in
a tree, I had not seen him at first, suddenly appeared and ordered the
men to get to work and then the boss happened up and sent them away. The
boy went back to his picking and the man gave me directions how to reach
the road. I suppose the boy was a picker just like the rest but at any
rate he had some idea of fairness. He spoke well and I was astonished to
see him with the rest but you can't always tell."

"Art and I had a close call this afternoon," said Harry. "We were coming
down the Academy hill on our bikes when, at one of the worst places in
it, we came upon a young fellow. It looked as if we would run him down
but he stood stock still and with all the nerve in the world, whisked
his arm first to the right and then to the left as a signal to us. We
just flew past but did not hit him and it was a mercy we didn't. Only
for his coolness there would have been a bad upset for the lot of us."

"It was very fortunate that there wasn't. Did you know him?"

"No, never saw him before."

"What was he doing on the Academy hill?"

"I'm sure I don't know. That's what bothered Art and me."

The coach went on up the hill and at last stopped in front of the
Academy and the boys began to alight.

Dr. Theophilus Wise, the principal, was standing on the front veranda
with a good-looking boy in a brown suit and soft hat.

"This is a new pupil, young gentlemen," said the doctor, coming forward
with the strange boy. "Let me make you acquainted with John Sheldon. I
trust that you will make him at home."

"Why, that's the boy that Art and I met on the road," whispered Harry to
his companion as they were descending.

"It is? Why, that is the first picker I was telling you of."

"Oh!" s