own home, and the other members of Dick &
Co. were up on Main Street before the news had spread of young Holmes's
return.

All sensational events are dead as soon as they have been discussed for
a few hours. The police authorities visited Greg at his home and
questioned him, then reluctantly decided that there was not enough
evidence for issuing a warrant for Abner Dexter and his man Driggs. But
the news came over, from Driggs's own town, that the fellow had been
dropped from the police force there.

On Tuesday morning school went on as usual, and in the afternoon the
boys of the Central Grammar went at their football practice as though
nothing had happened.

Before the practice game Dick called a meeting in the field, at which he
and Dave Darrin were authorized to challenge the North and South Grammar
Schools to a series of games.

Within the next three days both schools had been heard from, and there
seemed every prospect of keen rivalry between the boys of the three
schools.

Many days went along ere Dick & Co. heard again from Dexter or the
latter's henchman. Yet events were shaping that were destined to mark
important pages in the history of Gridley.

Except for football, in fact, things were now so quiet that Dick
Prescott had not an inkling of the startling events that were ahead of
him.

CHAPTER XIII

A GREAT FOOTBALL POW-WOW

"I have important news to communicate," began Old Dut dryly, after
tapping the bell for the beginning of the afternoon session.

Dick and some of his friends looked up rather placidly, for they knew
what the news was to be.

"All lovers of football in the Central Grammar School," continued the
principal, "are requested to meet in the usual field immediately after
the close of school. The purpose is to form a league and to arrange for
games between the three Grammar Schools of Gridley. I will add that I am
glad that so much interest in athletics is being displayed by our young
men. To show my pleasure, I will add that if any of the young men in
this school are so unfortunate as to incur checks this afternoon that
would keep them in after school they may serve out the checks to-morrow
instead. First class in geography! For the next twenty minutes the boys
of this class are requested to remember that football is not geography!"

Excited as many of the youngsters were, and great as was the temptation
to whisper, it happened that not a boy in the eighth grade received a