eady."

"What's the admission fee?"

"Two pins and a big green apple."

"I can't dance--I ain't never danced in my life!" pleaded the victim.
"You let me go. I've got to take care o' my hosses."

While he was speaking Buster Beggs had come up behind Horsehair and
placed something attached to a dark string on the box, between the
driver's feet. It was an imitation snake, made of rubber and colored
up to look very natural.

"Oh my, look at the snake!" yelled several, in pretended alarm.

"Where? where?" yelled Horsehair.

"There, right between your feet! He's going to bite you on the leg!"

"Take care, that's a rattler sure!"

"If he bites you, Horsehair, you'll be a dead man!"

"Take him off! Take him off!" bawled the carryall driver, and in
terror he made a wild leap from the packing-box and landed directly on
the shoulders of two of the students. Then he dropped to the ground,
rolled over, got up, and ran as fast as his legs could carry him in
the direction of the stables. A wild laugh followed him, but to this
he paid no attention.

"Well, we are certainly having a night of it," remarked Dave, after
the fun had quieted down for a moment. He spoke to Roger.

"Where is Phil?" asked the senator's son.

"Went off with Ben, I think."

"Where to?"

"I don't know."

"It's queer how much they keep together lately; isn't it?" continued
Roger.

"Oh, I don't know. Of course that affair with Haskers may have
something to do with it," answered our hero, slowly.

"I wish Haskers would leave this school, Dave."

"Oh, it won't make much difference to us, if we graduate, whether he
stays or not."

"I know that. But, somehow, I don't think he is a good man to have
here, even if he is a learned instructor. He never enters into the
school spirit, as Mr. Dale does."

"Well, we can't all be alike."

"Would you keep him, if you were in Doctor Clay's shoes?"

"I hardly think so. Certainly not if I could find another teacher
equally good."

The boys walked on until they found themselves at the last bonfire of
the line, close to where the school grounds came to an end. Here was
a hedge, and beyond were the woods reaching up from the river.

"Nobody down by this bonfire," remarked Dave. "Say, this is careless
work," he added. "The wind might shift and set the woods on fire."

"I didn't think they'd start a fire so far from the others," answered
his chum.

"Let us kick it into the water," suggested our hero,