and strengthening influence
behind--the members settled down to the debate, which was never very
long, and often only an excuse for fun of all sorts.

"Ralph, Gus, and Ed are for, and Brickbat, Grif, and Chick against, I
suppose?" said Frank, surveying his company like a general preparing for
battle.

"No, sir! I believe in co-everything!" cried Chick, a mild youth, who
loyally escorted a chosen damsel home from school every day.

A laugh greeted this bold declaration, and Chick sat down, red but firm.

"I'll speak for two since the Chairman can't, and Jack won't go against
those who pet him most to death," said Joe, who, not being a favorite
with the girls, considered them a nuisance and lost no opportunity of
telling them so.

"Fire away, then, since you are up;" commanded Frank.

"Well," began Joe, feeling too late how much he had undertaken, "I don't
know a great deal about it, and I don't care, but I do _not_ believe in
having girls at college. They don't belong there, nobody wants 'em, and
they'd better be at home darning their stockings."

"Yours, too," put in Ralph, who had heard that argument so often he was
tired of it.

"Of course; that's what girls are for. I don't mind 'em at school,
but I'd just as soon they had a room to themselves. We should get on
better."

"_You_ would if Mabel wasn't in your class and always ahead of you,"
observed Ed, whose friend was a fine scholar, and he very proud of the
fact.

"Look here, if you fellows keep interrupting, I won't sit down for half
an hour," said Joe, well knowing that eloquence was not his gift, but
bound to have his say out.

Deep silence reigned, for that threat quelled the most impatient member,
and Joe prosed on, using all the arguments he had ever heard, and
paying off several old scores by sly hits of a personal nature, as older
orators often do.

"It is clear to my mind that boys would get on better without any
girls fooling round. As for their being as smart as we are, it is all
nonsense, for some of 'em cry over their lessons every day, or go home
with headaches, or get mad and scold all recess, because something
'isn't fair.' No, sir; girls ain't meant to know much, and they can't.
Wise folks say so and I believe 'em. Haven't got any sisters myself, and
I don't want any, for they don't seem to amount to much, according to
those who do have 'em."

Groans from Gus and Ed greeted the closing remarks of the ungallant Joe,
who sat down, f