his chilled body.
When he had tiptoed noiselessly into the dormitory whispers had greeted
him and unseen persons had asked softly whether he had found the water
warm, how the walking was and how he liked diving. But Roy had made no
answer and soon the voices had been stilled. Sleep was long in coming to
him and when it did it brought such unpleasant dreams that he found
little rest.
At breakfast, when the announcements were read by Mr. Buckman, Roy found
himself one of four boys summoned to call on Dr. Emery at the office in
School Hall after the meal was over. Looking up he encountered the eyes
of Horace Burlen fixed upon him threateningly. Roy smiled to himself. So
they were afraid that he would tell on them, were they? Well, they'd
see!
When Roy's turn to enter the office came, after a few minutes of waiting
in the outer room in company with the school secretary, he found himself
a little bit nervous. Perhaps the Principal had already learned of last
night's mischief and held him to blame in the matter.
But when, five minutes or so later, Roy came out again he looked quite
contented. In the outer office he encountered Mr. Buckman, who nodded to
him, paused as though about to speak, apparently thought better of it
and passed on into the Principal's room. Roy hurried over to the Senior
Dormitory, armed himself with books, pad and pencils and managed to
reach his first class just as the doors were being closed. Lessons went
well enough that first day, and when, at four o'clock, Roy trotted onto
the gridiron for afternoon practice he hadn't a worry in the world.
Perhaps that is one reason why he did such good work at quarter on the
second squad that Jack Rogers patted him once on the shoulder and told
him to "keep it up, Porter," while Mr. Cobb paid him the compliment of
almost remembering his name!
"Good work, Proctor!" said the coach.
There were several absentees that afternoon, notably Horace Burlen and
Otto Ferris, and there was much discussion amongst the fellows as to the
reason. Before practice was over the report had got around that the
absent ones had been "placed on inner bounds." Roy didn't know just what
that meant, but it sounded pretty bad, and he was almost sorry for the
culprits. When, after practice was over, Roy did his two laps with the
others, he looked across the hedge as he passed the stables. The doves
were circling about in the late sunshine and the wicked Spot was sunning
himself on t
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