way, although Roy didn't know it then. But now he
recalled the advice--and grinned. Then he began again the examination of
his surroundings. Very beautiful surroundings they were, too. To his
left, beyond the turn of the track, were the tennis courts all freshly
limed. Beyond those the trees began and sloped gently upward and away in
a forest of swaying branches. Turning, he saw, below the courts, and
divided from them by a stone wall, a good-sized orchard across which the
apple and pear trees marched as straightly and evenly as a regiment of
soldiers. Below the orchard lay the vegetable garden, filled with the
blue-green of late cabbages and the yellower hues of waving corn. Then,
facing still further about, until the field was at his back, he could
look over the level top of the wide hedge and so down the slope of the
campus. To his right were the two white barns and clustering outhouses
with the tower of School Hall rising beyond them. Further to the left
was the red brick, vine-draped "Cottage," residence of the Principal,
Doctor Emery, and his family. Then, further away down the sloping turf,
stood Burgess Hall, the dormitory and dining room, while here, close by,
was the handsome new gymnasium. Beyond the campus the "Grove," a small
plantation of beech and oaks, shaded the path which led to the river and
the boat house at its margin. A long expanse of the Hudson was in sight
from where he stood, its broad, rippled surface aglint in the September
sunshine. At the far side of the stream, a group of red buildings
huddled under giant elms, stood Hammond Academy, Ferry Hill's life-long
rival. In the far distance loomed the blue summits of the nearer
mountains. Yes, it was all very beautiful and picturesque, and Roy
admitted the fact ungrudgingly; he was very anxious to discover merits
and lovable qualities in the place which was to be his home for the
better part of the next two years.

"This way, everybody!" called Mr. Cobb, and Roy turned and joined the
group of candidates. There were forty-three students at Ferry Hill that
year, and at first glance it seemed that every last one of them had
decided to try for the football team. But a second look would have found
a handful of juniors whose size or age made them ineligible watching
proceedings from the side-line. And there were one or two older boys,
too, among the spectators, and Roy wondered whether they were
crippled or ill! Surely no healthy boy could be content to