oked a little quiet fun at him once and he has never recovered
from it," laughed Harry. "The Colonel is a bit of a martinet and
imagines that the army lost one of its brightest officers when he was
retired."

"But he was a Colonel?"

"Only by courtesy. He would have stayed on till he was a hundred years
old if he could, the pay being a consideration, but was retired some
twenty years ago and now earns his living by instructing us boys and by
occasional articles to the educational magazines."

"It was all I could do to keep from laughing and I can imagine what
Billy would get if the Colonel knew how he had been humbugged. He can be
a very disagreeable person when he is aroused, I imagine."

The boy had not the slightest apprehension of having any trouble with
the drillmaster, always treating him with the respect due his position
and giving no cause for any complaint on the other's part.

The term was progressing smoothly, the majority of the Hilltop boys
attending sedulously to their duties and trying to make a good record,
the exceptions being very few, even some of the disagreeable set like
Herring and his cronies working with considerable vigor.

Jack was already high in his classes and it looked as if he might be
still higher before the end of the term for he was working with a
purpose and meant to finish as near the top as possible.

"If you don't see Jack Sheldon at the head of his class by the end of
the term I shall miss my guess," said Harry to Percival and one or two
others one afternoon as some of the boys were taking a stroll through
the woods near the bottom of the hill.

"I would not mind seeing him there even if he passes me," said Dick.
"Jack is a good fellow and if he can win a scholarship it will mean much
to him. He deserves it at any rate."

"But he is not in your classes," said Harry.

"No, but he might make a better average and next year he might be up
with me and then I should have to look out. I was not thinking of just
now alone."

The boys passed on, not knowing that Herring and Merritt were hiding
behind some bushes within easy hearing.

"That gives me an idea," muttered Herring when the others had gone. "I
can smash Sheldon's chances and I am going to do it."

"How will you manage it?" asked Merritt.

"You leave it to me," with a chuckle. "I may want you to help me a bit
but I'll put a spoke in his wheel all right and the doctor won't admire
him as much as he does when I get t