ty.

"Oh well, come in any way," said Skippy. "What's your name, freshman!"

"Potterman," said the rotund youngster squeezing in.

"Sir."

"Sir."

"What's the rest of it--the handle, the nickname."

"Are we telling our real names?" said the new arrival, cocking his
derby.

"Green, get out the bamboo cane," said Skippy solemnly.

"Oh well, they call me Hippo--sir," said Potterman hastily.

"Ah yes, Hippo Potterman. Of course. That's good, but we'll try to do
better by you. Where did they find you?"

"Philamedelphia, sir."

"What's that you've got there?" said Snorky just about to fall upon him
bodily.

"Please, sir, it's a letter from Mrs. Bedelle, your aunt."

"Oh, I see," said Skippy with a feeling of disappointment. "You know my
aunt? Well, freshman, you may give it to me. I permit you. Advance.
That's it. Curtsey. A little lower. Better."

DEAR JACK,

My very dear friend Susan Potterman is sending her
son Cornelius--

Skippy frowned and looked up incredulously.

"Is your name really Cornelius?"

Potterman flushed like the rose and said with a gulp:

"Yes, sir, it is."

"Too bad, too bad."

son Cornelius to Lawrenceville. Please do
everything you can to make him at home and see
that he meets the _best_ boys. His mother and
sister will go on with him and I want you
_particularly_ to be _very_ nice to them.

Affectionately,
AUNT CARRIE.

Skippy having read this twice, looked in the envelope to make sure that
a five dollar bill was not enclosed, as all aunts should remember to do,
and transferred his gaze to the fidgeting Hippo.

"H'm, first time at boarding school?"

"Yes, sir."

"Governesses before?"

Hippo, who had been recovering from his first feeling of awe, roared
loudly at this.

Skippy looked indignantly at this breach of etiquette and reached
thoughtfully for a tennis racket.

"Please, sir," said Hippo hastily, "High school."

Skippy considered him thoughtfully and something told him that in the
right-hand lower vest pocket there was undoubtedly a certain amount of
round hard silver bodies and moreover that this condition was not simply
episodic but chronic.

"That coot may be fresh but he is going to do a lot of heavy spending,"
he said to himself with conviction.

How he knew is immaterial. There is an instinct tha