toward the small waiting room which
served as an excuse for a depot as this junction stop was not often
used by the railroad.

"Listen, Judd!" Benz blocked the way. "You're not going to pull that
high hat stuff around here. We've come to meet you out of respect for
Bob and we..."

"You let me through!" demanded the new arrival, prodding Benz with his
suitcases.

"And what if I don't?" Benz wanted to know, "You haven't been around
much, have you? 'Bout time you were learning a few things!"

"You gonna let me through or not?"

There was fire in the new arrival's eye. He wasn't in the mood to be
kidded. This stepping off the train into a college atmosphere and
being met by a bunch of hoodlums who wanted to slap him on the back and
take his grips away from him and rush him off with a lot of "hurrahs"
didn't set well. Judd Billings was homesick for one thing; he'd been
warned to have nothing to do with strangers, for another; and his
natural backwardness in meeting people only added to his quite
unaccountable attitude of reserve and resistance. Jack Frey was the
one person Judd was prepared to meet. If later Jack should vouch for
these fellows, all well and good. Until then he intended to keep them
at arm's length.

"See here, Judd!" spoke up Potts, "You're acting like a rube!"

"I'll say he is!" seconded Benz, "Try to befriend him and..."

Giving Benz his shoulder, the new arrival, with a sudden, unexpected
shove sent Bartlett's veteran football man sprawling.

"Oh ho!" cried Pole, "So the party's getting rough!"

Regaining his feet, Benz approached Judd angrily.

"Put down those suitcases!" he demanded, "I want to take a crack at
you."

The new arrival attempted to edge out of the group surrounding him.

"Leave me be," he said, "I don't want to be hurting anybody!"

This brought a chorus of defiant laughter.

"I dare you to put those suitcases down!" challenged Benz.

Judd hesitated, looking about him warily. The train had gone on and
most of the passengers had departed with their friends. In the
distance a figure was advancing on the run.

"I tell you fellahs, I ..."

"So you're afraid, eh?"

The new arrival stiffened at this, his fingers twitched, and he
fastened upon Benz a coldly penetrating look. Judd's fear of physical
contact was no more. The suitcases dropped to the cinder platform and
hands went to hips.

"I reckon I can't stop you, if you're hankering for a fight," came the