them stopped work to look up as Ben Badger slammed
the door shut again.

"Well, what are you making so much noise about?" demanded one
of the second classmen. "You come in with a roar, and all you
bring with you is---just a poor, insignificant little freshie."

"Oh, but what a freshman!" thundered Frank Thompson. "Listen,
fellows, what do you suppose this freshman has done?"

"Lynch him for it, anyway, whatever it is," retorted another.

"Wait!" commanded Thompson. "And listen."

There upon Frank detailed what he and his two comrades had overheard
at the head of the alleyway. Instantly the complexion of things
changed. There were cheers and hoarse yells, as the football
men rushed forward, crowding about Dick Prescott.

"Now I've told all that I heard," wound up Thompson. "We'll have
to ask Mr. Prescott to favor us with the further details, which
I trust he will be inclined to do."

"Mr. Prescott!" That, instead of "cub," "kid" or "freshie." Had
the enthusiasm been less intense Dick would have been sure that
they were having fun with him.

"Go on," ordered Ben Badger briefly. "Talk up!"

To have refused plain orders from a first classman might have
been serious. Dick knew better. Clearing his throat he related
all he could recall of how the plot came to be hatched. Nor was
Dick glory-hunter enough to give himself any more credit than
he did his partners. In his brief account the freshman spread
all the credit for the invention equally over the six members
of Dick & Co.

"'Twas a great thought, and carried out like a campaign," declared
Ben Badger. There was more cheering. Then Frank Thompson dragged
Dick forward once more before the lined-up team.

"Fellows," proposed Thompson, "we owe this freshie-----"

"Stop that!" roared one of the fellows. "Prescott may be
young---painfully young---but he's no freshie."

"Then," amended Thompson, with grave dignity, "we owe a handsome
reward to this---upper classman. May I tell him what the reward
is to be?"

"Go ahead, Thomp!" came an answering roar.

"Then, listen, Prescott. For the great deed you have done for
Gridley H.S. football every member of Dick & Co. deserves undying
fame. As I can't be sure of our ability to confer that, we'll
do the next best thing. In years and class you're all six of
you freshmen. Now, what is expected of a freshman?"

"Why," laughed Dick, "as I understand it, a freshman is a fellow
who doesn't dare to be fr