that's what they did," concluded Tom, telling the final details.
"Now the question is, what had we better do to such cads when they come
back to school and expect to be treated decently? What ought we to do?"

There was silence for a moment, and then Bruce Bennington asked quietly:

"May I say something?"

"Surest thing you know!" came promptly from Tom.

"Then I'm going to give you a bit or advice," went on the older lad.
"You may follow it, or not, but I feel it's my duty to offer it. And
it's this. I've heard the whole story now, and I know how you fellows
must feel. But my advice is--to do nothing at all to Sam and Nick."

CHAPTER IV

HOW SAM TOLD IT

For a few seconds there was silence in Tom's room. All eyes were fixed
on Bruce Bennington, but the latter bore the scrutiny well. Then came
gasps of surprise, and one or two mutterings. Bruce heard them, and
smiled.

"Come!" he invited with a laugh. "Out with it. I know what you are
thinking. Speak up, Tom--and the rest of you."

"Did you--did you really mean that?" asked Tom slowly, "or was it a
joke?"

"It wasn't a joke, certainly. I'm in earnest," and the smile faded
from the face of Bruce Bennington.

"But what do you mean?" insisted Tom. "After the way those fellows
treated Jack and Bert--to say nothing of having practically stolen my
motorboat, together with the help of the old hermit and Mr. Skeel--not
to do anything to 'em!"

"That's it, Tom. Let it drop, is my advice."

"But why? I can't see why, Bruce."

"Because it will make a heap of trouble in the school, that's why.
Look here, Tom. You know you and Sam, to say nothing of Nick, haven't
been on good terms from the start; have you?"

"No, but it was Sam's fault. I had no quarrel with him."

"I know that. I'm not saying but what you're in the right. But it's
the effect of the thing I'm looking at. Tom, do you want to see two
factions in the Sophomore class? Two bunches of fellows, one striving
against the other? Do you?"

"No, I don't know as I do. But once we get rid of Sam, Nick will take
himself off, too, and then everything will be fine."

"I'm not so sure of that. You might drive Sam out of Elmwood, but I
doubt it. And look here, Tom. You know there's going to be a big
Freshman class this year."

"So I heard, but what has that got to do with it?"

"Lots. You know, without my telling you, that the Sophs and Freshies
are mortal enemies. There'll b