s a hazing."

"It must have been!" agreed his friends, laughing heartily.

"Aren't they sore on you?" someone asked.

"Oh, well, maybe a bit," admitted Sam, with a show of frankness. "But
if a fellow can't take a joke what good is he?"

"That's right!" came in a chorus. "If they make any trouble for you,
Sam, let us know."

"I will, but I don't think they will. Ah! here comes the eats! Pitch
in, fellows!"

"You're the stuff, Sam!" came from several. "And that sure was a joke
on Tom Fairfield and his crowd," added a voice. "A corking good joke!"

There was more laughter and talk, and in the next room to the jolly
party sat Tom, looking at his friend Bruce in wonder.

CHAPTER V

TOM DECIDES

"Well?" asked Bruce questioningly, after a pause. "What do you think
of my experiment, Tom?"

"Is this it?"

"It is. Are you ready now to go on with your plan of reading Sam out
of the class, so to speak?"

Tom did not answer for a moment.

"Take time to think it over," advised his friend. "You have heard
Sam's version of the affair. And it's reasonable to suppose that many
will believe him--as many perhaps as would believe you and your chums."

"But he treated Jack and Bert miserably," declared Tom, "he and Nick."

"Of course he did," admitted Bruce. "He isn't denying that. But he
makes a joke of it, and it will be hard to convince the Sophomore class
that it wasn't done in fun. That's what you're up against, Tom. I
rather suspected it would be that way from the first, and that's why I
wanted you to hear for yourself just how Sam would tell his side of the
story. He makes himself out in rather a better light than you and the
others shine in, Tom. And you've got to consider that. I was waiting
for a chance to let you hear him talk to some of his friends, but I
didn't think I'd have the opportunity so soon. Now, what are you going
to do about it?"

Again Tom was silent, while from the next room there came the sound of
jolly laughter, mingling with the clatter of the dishes and cutlery.

"Here's to Sam Heller!" cried someone, toasting the bully.

"And Nick Johnson!" added another.

"The fellows who know how to play jokes!" put in a third voice, and the
toast was drunk amid laughter.

"You see how it is," went on Bruce. "There are a lot of Sophomores in
with him--probably some of your own intimate acquaintances, if not
friends. They'll side with Sam, after this, no matter how much of a