Part 3 (2/2)

But Neil refused, and plumping himself into a wicker rocking-chair that creaked complainingly, rubbed the dust from his hands to his trousers and looked about the study approvingly.

”We're going to be jolly comfy here, Paul,” he said. ”Mrs. Curtis is going to get a new globe for that fixture over there.”

[Ill.u.s.tration]

”Then we will be,” said Paul. ”And if she would only find us a towel-rack that didn't fall into twelve separate pieces like a Chinese puzzle every time a chap put a towel on it we'd be simply reveling in luxury.”

”I think I can fix that thing with string,” answered Neil. ”Or we might buy one of those nickel-plated affairs that you screw into the wall.”

”The sort that always dump the towels on to the floor, you mean? Yes, we might. Of course, they're of no practical value judged as towel-racks, but they're terribly ornamental. You know we had one in the bath-room at the beach. Remember? When you got through your bath and groped round for the towel it was always lying on the floor just out of reach.”

”Yes, I remember,” answered Neil, smiling. ”We had rather a good time, didn't we, at Seabright? It was awfully nice of you to ask me down there, Paul; and your folks were mighty good to me. Next summer I want you to come up to New Hamps.h.i.+re and see us for a while. Of course, we can't give you sea bathing, and you won't look like a red Indian when you go home, but we could have a good time just the same.”

”Red Indian yourself!” cried Paul. ”You're nearly twice as tanned as I am. I don't see how you did it. I was there pretty near all summer and you stayed just three weeks; and look at us! I'm as white as a sheet of paper--”

”Yes, brown paper,” interpolated Neil.

”And you have a complexion like a--a football after a hard game.”

Neil grinned, then--

”By the way,” he said, ”did I tell you I'd heard from Crozier?”

”About Billy and the ducks? And Gordon's not going back to Hillton? Yes, you got that at the beach; remember?”

”So I did. 'Old Cro' will be up to his ears in trouble pretty soon, won't he? I'm glad they made him captain, awfully glad. I think he can turn out a team that'll rub it into St. Eustace again just as you did last year.”

”Yes; and Gardiner's going to coach again.” Paul smiled reminiscently.

Then, ”By Jove, it does seem funny not to be going back to old Hillton, doesn't it? I suppose after a while a fellow'll get to feeling at home here, but just at present--” He sighed and shook his head.

”Wait until college opens to-morrow and we get to work; we won't have much time to feel much of anything, I guess. Practise is called for four o'clock. I wonder--I wonder if we'll make the team?”

”Why not?” objected Paul. ”If I thought I wouldn't I think I'd pitch it all up and--and go to Robinson!” He grinned across at his chum.

”You stay here and you'll get a chance to go _at_ Robinson; that's a heap more satisfactory.”

”Well, I'm going to make the varsity, Neil. I've set my heart on that, and what I make up my mind to do I sometimes most always generally do.

I'm not troubling, my boy; I'll show them a few tricks about playing half-back that'll open their eyes. You wait and see!”

Neil looked as though he was not quite certain as to that, but said nothing, and Paul went on:

”I wonder what sort of a fellow this Devoe is?”

”Well, I've never seen him, but we know that he's about as good an end as there is in college to-day; and I guess he's bound to be the right sort or they wouldn't have made him captain.”

”He's a senior, isn't he?”

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