Part 5 (1/2)
”Haven't I as good a right as anybody to make a motion?” demanded Peter John hotly.
”You have as much right, but you don't want always to take all your rights, you know.”
”Why not? I'll stand up for my rights every time. Now, I don't believe a word of what you said this afternoon.”
”You're complimentary; but you're under no obligations to believe me,”
laughed Walker.
”I don't mean just that. What I mean is that I'd like to see the soph.o.m.ore who'd tell me what I could wear or what I couldn't; or where I could go and where I couldn't. He hasn't anything to say about that.”
”He thinks he has,” suggested Walker quietly.
”I don't care what he thinks. I know my rights, and I intend to stand up for them too!”
”Is that why you were running up the railroad track the day when you came to Winthrop?” demanded Will Phelps.
”Never you mind about that!” retorted Peter John in nowise abashed.
”That was when I didn't know as much as I do now.”
”Three or four days will do great things for a fellow,” remarked Walker dryly.
”Yes, sir, that's so. You're right about that,” acknowledged Peter John graciously. ”Say, fellows, what are you going to do about these Greek letter societies?” he inquired abruptly, turning to his two cla.s.smates as he spoke.
Both Will Phelps and Foster Bennett glanced uneasily at Walker, but the junior only smiled and made no response. It was apparent though that the topic Peter John had broached was one upon which all three had been conferring.
”We haven't done anything as yet,” said Foster.
”Neither have I,” acknowledged Peter John. ”I thought I'd take my time before I decided which one I'd join. I suppose I'll have to write home to pa, but he won't know as much about it as I do.”
”We live and learn,” said Walker as he rose to depart. ”I'll see you to-night?” he inquired of Will and Foster as he stopped for a moment in the doorway. Will glanced questioningly at his room-mate and then said: ”Thank you, Walker. We'll be very glad to come.”
”Where you going? What did he want?” demanded Peter John when Walker was gone.
”It was something personal,” said Foster. ”Walker thinks you'll have to walk the chalk line, Peter John, or you'll have trouble with the sophs.”
”He does, does he? Well, I'll show him. I'd like to know what right they've got to tell me what to do. I'll do as I please! My chum--”
It was instantly plain to the boys now the cause for this sudden and strange change in Peter John's att.i.tude. He was relying upon the prowess of Hawley to protect him now and apparently was confident that he would not be molested since he roomed with the young giant whose name already was known throughout the college and from whom such great things were expected for the football team.
”Don't depend too much upon Hawley! He can't be everywhere, remember,”
said Foster warningly.
”I'll show 'em, if they come near me!” retorted Peter John as he departed.
For several days the college life went on quietly and the boys were becoming somewhat accustomed to their new surroundings. There had been a ”sweater rush” between the two lower cla.s.ses, in which Hawley had been entrusted with the precious sweater, and, surrounded by his cla.s.smates, successfully defended it against the onslaught of the soph.o.m.ores. The struggle had been severe but in good part, and the worst results had been some torn clothing and bruised faces. The freshmen wore upon their arms a strip of white cloth to enable them to distinguish their own comrades, and great was their elation when after the time limit had expired, it was discovered that the coveted sweater was unharmed. The strength of Hawley had been as the strength of ten and his praises were in every mouth.
Into this struggle Will Phelps had thrown himself with all his might, and when he joyfully emerged from the struggling ma.s.s of humanity gathered about Hawley his rejoicing was great and his cheers for the cla.s.s were among the loudest.