nquired Hippy, apparently impressed.

"I suspected you on general principles," was the retort.

"If you had had any general principles you wouldn't have suspected me,"
parried Hippy.

"I won't even think about you the next time," was the withering reply.
Nora rose and made her way to the other end of the veranda, perching on
the porch railing beside Tom Gray.

"Come back, Nora," wailed Hippy. "You may suspect me."

"Isn't he too ridiculous for anything?" whispered Nora, smothering a
giggle and trying to look severe. Her attempt failed ignominiously when
Hippy, with an exaggeratedly contrite expression on his fat face, sidled
up to her, salaamed profoundly, lost his balance and sprawled on all
fours at her feet. A shout of merriment arose from his friends. Hippy,
unabashed, scrambled to his feet and began bowing again before Nora,
this time taking care not to bend too far forward.

"You are forgiven, Hippy," declared Miriam. "Nora, don't allow your old
friend and playmate to dislocate his spine in his efforts to show his
sorrow."

"You may stop bowing," said Nora grudgingly. "I suppose I'll have to
forgive you."

Hippy promptly straightened up and perched himself on the railing beside
Nora.

"I didn't say you might sit here," teased Nora.

"I know it," replied Hippy coolly. "Still, you would be deeply, bitterly
disappointed if I didn't."

"Perhaps I should," admitted Nora. "I suppose you might as well stay,"
she added with affected carelessness.

"Thank you," retorted Hippy. "But I had made up my mind not to move."

"Had you?" said Nora indifferently, turning her back on Hippy and
addressing Tom Gray. Whereupon Hippy raised his voice in a loud
monologue that entirely drowned Tom's and Nora's voices.

"For goodness' sake, say something that will please him, Nora," begged
Tom. "This is awful."

Hippy babbled on, apparently oblivious of everyone.

"I have something very important to tell you, Hippy," interposed Nora
slyly.

Hippy stopped talking. "What is it?" he asked suspiciously.

"Come over to the other end of the veranda and find out," said Nora
enigmatically.

Hippy accepted the invitation promptly, and followed Nora to the end of
the veranda, unmindful of Tom Gray's jeers about idle curiosity.

Those who read "Grace Harlowe's Plebe Year at High School,"
"Grace Harlowe's Sophomore Year at High School," "Grace
Harlowe's Junior Year at High School" and "Grace Harlowe's
Senior Year at High Scho