m, trying to dodge the avalanche.
But instead of heeding his pleadings the other students proceeded to
ram a quantity of the stuff into his ears and down his collar. Nat
squirmed and yelled, but it did little good.

"Now then, you are initiated into the Order of Straw and Shavings!"
cried one merry student.

"Just you wait, I'll get square, see if I don't," howled Nat, as he
arose. Then he commenced to twist his neck, to free himself from the
ticklish straw and shavings.

"Come on and have a good time, old sport!" howled one of his
tormentors; and then off the crowd ran in the direction of the
bonfires, leaving Nat more disgusted than ever.

"I'll fix them, just wait and see if I don't!" stormed the
money-lender's son to himself, and then hurried to the Hall, to clean
up and make himself comfortable.

In the meantime the march around the campus had begun, each student
carrying a torch of some kind. There was a great singing.

"Be careful of the fire," warned Mr. Dale, as he came out. "Doctor
Clay says you must be careful."

"We'll take care!" was the cry.

The marching at an end, some of the boys ran for the stables and
presently returned with Jackson Lemond, the driver of the school
carryall, commonly called Horsehair, because of the hairs which clung
to his clothing.

"Come on, Horsehair, join us in having a good time."

"Give us a speech, Horsehair!"

"Tell us all you know about the Wars of the Roses."

"Or how Hannibal crossed the Delaware and defeated the Turks at the
Alamo."

"I can't make no speech," pleaded the carryall driver. "Just you let
me go, please!"

"If you can't make a speech, sing," suggested another. "Give us Yankee
Doodle in the key of J minor."

"Or that beautiful lullaby entitled, 'You Never Miss Your Purse Until
You Have to Walk Home.' Give us that in nine flats, will you?"

"I tell you I can't make a speech and I can't sing!" shouted out the
driver for the school, desperately.

"How sad! Can't speechify and can't sing! All right, then, let it go,
and give us a dance."

"That's the talk! A real Japanese jig in five-quarter time."

There was a rush, and in a twinkling poor Horsehair was boosted to the
top of a big packing-case, that had been hauled to the spot as fuel
for one of the bonfires.

"The stage!" announced one of the students, with a wave of his hand.
"The World-Renowned Horsehairsky will perform his celebrated Dance of
the Hop Scotch. Get your opera glasses r