ers. "Don't you worry about
anything Ranny Phelps says. Nobody ever pays any attention to him,
anyhow. I do wish I knew who that plucky chap was, though. It was a
corking thing to do. You haven't heard any one say, have you, Tommy?"

Tompkins hesitated an instant, an odd indecision in his face. A few
minutes ago he might have found a boyish pride and pleasure in his
friend's surprise at learning his part in the affair. Now he merely
shook his head. "Those I've heard--talking about it, didn't seem to
know," he returned shortly.

"Humph! Well, I guess I'll have to start my mighty brain working and do
the Sherlock Holmes stunt," decided Court, philosophically. "Say! Won't
Jimmy be crazy, though, to be away at school with all this happening to
his own family. I can just see him squirm!"

As they entered the coat-room his volatile mind leaped to another topic.
"There's one good thing, old top; you can come out for the troop team
now. That'll be great! Don't forget there's practice right after school
this aft."

Dale slapped his cap on a hook and turned away. "I'm not coming out," he
said gruffly, making for the door.

Court's eyes widened. "Not coming out for football!" he repeated amazedly.

"No!"

"Why not, for goodness' sake?"

"I don't want to," was the almost ungracious retort.

Court sniffed incredulously. "Tell that to your grandmother! Haven't
I seen you play often enough to know better? Wait a second." At the
entrance of the coat-room he caught Tompkins by the arm, and, whirling
him around, stared into his face. "If you think for a minute," he went
on with some heat, "that anybody-- You old idiot! You make me sick with
your silly notions. I'll--I'll settle you, though."

With which cryptic and somewhat fragmentary comment, he slapped Dale
briskly on the back and slipped into his seat, leaving the other to
seek his own place on the farther side of the room, unconsciously
heartened a bit by his fellow's friendliness. But a moment later his
forehead wrinkled perplexedly. Court had a little habit of impulsively
settling the affairs of nations offhand, and his last remark seemed
to indicate that something of the kind was in his mind at present.

"Well, whatever it is, he won't get me to come out for the team,"
decided Tompkins, his jaw squaring stubbornly. "They don't think I'm
good enough for them, and I'm not going to force myself where I'm not
wanted."

Those few words overheard just before had opened a