cnooder, adopting the Shad's theories of preparation, made an
extraordinary effort and brought his record down to twenty-six and
four-fifths seconds. The Tennessee Shad then, according to the plan
agreed upon with Stover, purposely broke a shoe-lace and lost the
match.

Dink, in a speech full of malice, awarded the mysterious sealed prize
to Doc Macnooder, with a request to open it at once.

Now, Macnooder, who had been busy thinking the matter over, had
sniffed the pollution in the air and, perceiving a wicked twinkle in
the eye of Stover, shifted the ground by carrying off the box despite
a storm of protests to his room in the Dickinson, where strategically
proving his title to Captain of Industry, he charged ten cents
admission to all who clamored to see the clearing up of the mystery.

Having thus provided a substantial consolation against discomfiture
and joined twenty other curiosity-seekers to his own fortunes, he
opened the box and beheld the prodigal souvenir set. At the same
moment Dink stepped forward and presented him with his own former bill
for three dollars and seventy-five cents.

* * * * *

That night, after Stover had returned much puffed up with the
congratulations of his schoolmates on the outwitting of Macnooder,
the Tennessee Shad took him to task from a philosophical point of
view.

"Baron Munchausen, a word."

"Lay on."

"You must come down to earth."

"Wherefor?"

"You must occasionally, my boy, just as a matter of safeguarding
future ventures, start in and scatter a few truths."

"Pooh!" said Stover, with the memory of cheers. "Any fool can tell the
truth."

"Yes, but----"

"It's such a lazy way!"

"Still----"

"Enervating!"

"But----"

"Besides, now they expect something more from me."

"True," said the Tennessee Shad, "but don't you see, Dink, if you do
tell the truth no one will believe you."

XVII

_Oh, we'll push her over
Or rip the cover--
Too bad for the fellows that fall!
They must take their chances
Of a bruise or two
Who follow that jolly football._

So sang the group on the Kennedy steps, heralding the twilight; and
beyond, past the Dickinson, a chorus from the Woodhull defiantly flung
back the challenge. For that week the Woodhull would clash with the
Kennedy for the championship of the houses.

The football season was drawing to a close, only the final game with
Andover remained, a contest await