chap, with
a flash of his white teeth.

Gibson sniffed. "I don't see anything so awful funny in that," he
retorted. "He does go past Pine Street about every night; I've seen him
often."

"Quite possibly," agreed Phelps, suavely. "I never said he didn't, you
old grumbler. He probably went past last night, but take my word for
it he didn't turn in. You don't suppose that thickhead would have the
gumption to do what this chap did, or the wit to know about paper being
a non-conductor, and all that? Not in a thousand years!"

Bob's mouth set stubbornly; he was one who never lost a chance to argue.
"I don't see it at all!" he retorted. "Just because you say so doesn't
make him thick. I noticed you picking on him last night, and I tell you
right now that anybody might seem--"

"He didn't _seem_ brainless--he _was_," interrupted Phelps with cool,
scornful certainty. "A fellow who could manage to fall over his feet
as many times as he did in that simple little drill, and make as many
breaks--"

He paused suddenly and bit his lips. At the farther edge of the wide
circle the face of Tompkins himself had loomed all at once into his
surprised consciousness, and something in the boy's level, unsmiling,
somber glance brought a twinge of shame to Ranleigh's heart. For an
instant he stood silent, striving to resume his usual cool nonchalance.
Then he turned away with a shrug.

"But after all," he drawled, "it's hardly worth while arguing about.
Who's got that seventh problem in Geom? It's a sticker, all right."

It was well enough done to deceive most of the fellows about him,
particularly since the sound of the last bell started the crowd up the
steps and into the school building. But Court Parker had noted the
direction of Ranny's glance, and a gleam of indignation flashed into his
eyes. For a moment he stood biting his lips; then his face cleared and
he pounced on Tompkins.

"Well, were you, Tommy!" he demanded airily.

"Was I what?" countered the other, briefly.

"The hero--the chap who leaped into the breach and saved Georgie Warren
from a--a--an electrocutive finish." Court's metaphors might be mixed,
but his vocabulary seldom lacked originality. Tompkins merely shrugged
his shoulders and frowned a bit.

"Is it likely?" he asked, with a touch of bitterness. "Even if I'd had
the chance, I'm too thick to--"

"Rot!" cut in Court, swiftly. As they went up the steps he flung an
arm impulsively around the other's should