xpected that the result of his visit would be to acclaim
him Merry's accepted suitor, and thus raise him to the seventh heaven of
delight.

While Hamlen had been in Boston Billy found himself again side-tracked.
Not only was Uncle Monty engaged, but Philip devoted much of his time to
his new responsibility. Everything conspired to throw Billy back upon
his own resources, and here he developed a decided hiatus. The boy's
strongest point was his ability to fit in with some one else's plans,
and of all his friends Philip proved most fertile in his suggestions.

Now Class Day was at hand, and as it was not his Class Day he felt
himself eclipsed by the added glory which came to Philip and the other
Seniors. As an under-class man he counted for absolutely nothing. When
he was a freshman, the comparative size of the halos worn by his Class
and the graduating students was an open question of debate; from a
sophomore's standpoint, he was near enough the freshmen to be able to
look down upon them with a gratifying sense of superiority; but as a
Junior there was nothing to do but to wait for the coming year,--and
waiting was a game not included among Billy's favorite indoor or outdoor
sports. He had expected little from the visit of the New York friends,
owing to the presence of "the Gorgon" as he christened Mrs. Thatcher,
and in this expectation he was not disappointed. Merry herself was fully
occupied, and her mother took every opportunity to prevent diverting
influences from affecting what she considered a crucial moment. So
Billy, thoroughly disgruntled, drew himself up with a dignity which he
did not know he possessed, denied himself to the visiting friends, and
permitted the procession to move on without him.

Philip himself, being at New London with the crew, was prevented from
taking personal participation in the Class Day festivities, but the
classmate whom he delegated as substitute proved an ideal host. In
Philip's absence Huntington had no compunctions in joining with Hamlen
in the Thatchers' celebration; had the boy been there he would have felt
it an intrusion for any one outside the family to share with them the
triumph which comes but once in a college man's life. So they passed
together from spread to spread, in and out of the Yard, listening to the
music, admiring the attractive costumes and the still more attractive
girls, entering into everything with a spirit which even Hamlen felt,
and which took Huntington