oes. At the same
instant, Teddy swung the back of the seat so that it faced the other
way, and the boys dropped into it.

The rage of the flabby-faced youth was fearful. He started to his feet,
his eyes popping from his head in his excitement.

"You--you----" he spluttered. "I'll----"

"Well," replied Fred, turning and looking him straight in the face,
"what'll you do?"

Before the resolute glow in Fred's eyes, the bully weakened.

"You'll find out what I'll do," he mumbled. "I'll--I'll get you yet."

"All right," remarked Fred calmly. "You can start something whenever you
like. I'll be ready for you. No car seat hog can try any such game with
me and get away with it."

The fellow slumped back in his seat, mouthing and muttering. Nor was his
defeat made less bitter by noting the smiles of approval with which the
other passengers greeted the incident.

"Good work, son," laughed a grizzled old farmer, sitting across the
aisle. "That's the way to take the wind out of his sails."

"What you got to say about it?" growled Andy, glaring at him.

"Whatever I choose to," was the answer, "and there'll be plenty more to
say if you give me any of your impudence."

Andy subsided, but for the rest of the journey his little eyes glowered
with rage as he kept them fixed on the boys in front.

"He's a sweet specimen, isn't he?" chuckled Teddy.

"I'd hate to have to live under the same roof with him," answered Fred,
little thinking that for the next nine months they would have to do just
that thing.

"Starting off with a scrap the first thing!" laughed Ted. "Wonder what
mother would say to that?"

"I think she'd say we did just right," answered Fred, "and I'm dead sure
that father would."

Nothing further happened to mar the pleasure of their journey. The
country through which the train was passing was entirely new to the
boys, and, in the ever changing panorama that flew past the windows,
they soon became so absorbed, that they almost forgot the existence of
their unpleasant fellow-traveler.

"Green Haven the next stop!" sang out the brakeman.

"Here we are," said Fred, as the boys began to gather up their traps. A
little quiver of excitement ran through their veins. They were on the
threshold of a new life. It was the most momentous step they had ever
taken.

With a clangor of the bell and hissing of steam, the train slowed up at
the station.

Green Haven was a smart, hustling little town, much larger than Old