came upstairs.

"Here's a letter for you, Jack," said his sister, holding it out.

"Thanks," he returned, as he took the communication and glanced at it.
"Why! what do you know about this? Here we were just talking about Gif
and Spouter, and here is a letter from Gif now," he cried.

"Wonder what he's got to say," remarked Fred, and then, as he saw his
cousin lingering at the doorway, he added: "Don't you want to come in,
Martha, and join us?"

"No, thank you," she returned. "I'm going out with Mary. We're going to
buy some things for you boys to take along when you go to that boarding
school."

"Oh, I know what those will be," burst out Andy, gaily. "Pink neckties
with yellow dots, or nice red socks with blue rings around 'em."

"Oh, the idea!" burst out the girl. "What an eye for color you have!"

"Well, maybe it was blue socks with red rings around 'em," went on
Andy, innocently; "and maybe the pink neckties will be plain yellow."

"Oh, Cousin Andy! I think you're just the worst ever!" shrieked Martha,
and then ran downstairs to join those below.

In the meantime, Jack had torn open the letter and was scanning it
hastily.

"Don't be selfish!" burst out Fred, curiously. "If Gif has anything to
say about that school, let us hear it."

"Sure. I'll read it out loud," answered his cousin.

The communication, which was a rather long one, was of the usual boyish
type, and much of it was of no particular interest. Several paragraphs,
however, may be quoted here.

* * * * *

"You will be interested to know that besides Spouter Powell there will
be another boy here who may or may not join our set. The fellow's name
is Walter Baxter, and he is the son of Dan Baxter, the man who, years
ago, caused your father and your uncles so much trouble at Putnam Hall
and other places. Baxter is very hot-tempered and willing to fight
almost any time.

"When I get back to school I am going in for athletics, particularly
football this Fall, and I hope some of you fellows will want to go into
athletics, too, for it will make it more interesting to have some
friends on the eleven. Spouter don't go in for that sort of thing. He
likes to save his wind for talk."

* * * * *

"Hum! that's rather interesting," was Randy's comment. "I wonder if
this Walt Baxter will try to make trouble for us like his father did
for our fathers?"

"Well, if he doe