curiosity.

Dick, when he came along, heard the news from Hazelton and the
others.

"What can be the cause of it all?" asked Tom Reade, wonderingly.

"Oh, some row with his father," decided Dick slowly. "When I
was up on Main Street I saw them both going into Marsh's clothing
store."

"I asked poor old Rip what the bet was," chuckled Purcell as he
joined the group.

"Say, if you want to have fun at recess," proposed Dan Dalzell,
"let's about twenty of us, one after the other, go up and ask
Rip what the bet is, and how long it's for?"

"Say," retorted Dick sternly, eyeing hapless Dan, "I believe,
if you got into a fight and knocked a fellow down, you'd jump
on him and keep hammering him."

"Not much I wouldn't, old safety-valve," retorted Dan, reddening.
"But I see that you're right, Dick. Rip has never been any friend
of ours, and to jump him now, when he's evidently down at home,
would be too mean for the principles of Dick & Co."

"I'd rather give the poor fellow a helping hand up, if we could,"
pursued young Prescott musingly, "Purcell, do you think there'd
be any use in trying that sort of thing?"

"Why, I don't know," replied Captain Purcell, easy going and good
hearted. "Barring a few snobbish airs, I always used to like
Rip well enough. He was always pretty proud, but pride, in itself,
is no bar to being a decent fellow. The only fellow who comes
to harm with pride is the fellow who gets proud before he has
done anything to be proud of. At least, that's the way it always
hit me."

"Ripley certainly looked hang-dog," commented Hazelton.

"And he must feel mightily ashamed over something," continued
Dick. "I wonder if his father has found out anything about Tip
Scammon and certain happenings of last year. That might account
for a lot. But what do you say, fellows? If Ripley has been
a bit disagreeable and ugly, shall we try to make him feel that
there's always a chance to turn around and be decent?"

"Why, I'd believe in trying to point out the better road to Old
Nick himself," replied Dave Darrin warmly. "Only, I don't believe
in doing it in the preachy way---like some people do."

"That's right," nodded Dick. "See here, Purcell, if Ripley is
looking down in the mouth at recess, why don't you go up to him
and talk baseball? Then call us over, after you've raised some
point for discussion. And we'll tip two or three other fellows
to join in, without, of course, getting a crowd."