football with a rival school.

Finally, there were Lester Lee and Bill Garwood, of whom Melvin had less
to say, because they had just come, and he knew them hardly better than
he did the Rushton boys themselves.

But Fred and Teddy felt from the start that there was something in these
newcomers that attracted them strongly.

Bill Garwood, they found, was a quiet, reserved youth, who gave one the
impression of latent force. His eyes that looked straight into theirs
were clear and frank, and there were the tiny wrinkles beneath them that
come from looking off into far spaces. On the ranch at Snake River from
which he came, he had lived far from neighbors, and he seemed a little
shy and awkward amid the abounding life at the Hall. But, underneath his
quiet exterior, one felt that he had sterling qualities and in case of
trouble would be a good friend to have at one's back.

Lester Lee impressed them with equal favor. He was tall and lean, and
his face was as bronzed as a sailor's. This did not surprise the boys
when they learned that he had lived in the lighthouse at Bartanet Shoals
on the coast of Maine. He was jolly and full of fun, and had a magnetic
way with him that put him on cordial terms with the boys at once.

When at last they were undressing, seated on their adjoining beds, Fred
turned to Teddy, who had just given a low chuckle.

"What's the joke?" he asked.

"I was thinking that the joke was on Uncle Aaron," replied Teddy.

"How's that?"

"Why, he thought he was punishing us by having us sent here," answered
Teddy, "and I'll just bet that we're going to have the best time of our
lives."

"Provided we don't have a run in with Andy Shanks," suggested Fred,
yawning.

"Yes," said Teddy thoughtfully, "we've got to look out for that fellow."

"I don't think he knows we're here yet," continued Fred. "He didn't seem
to see us when he spoke to Granger this afternoon."

"He'll find it out soon enough," remarked Teddy, "and when he does, look
out for squalls."

And the squalls were not long in coming.

CHAPTER XVII

TEDDY'S JOKE

Two weeks went by with amazing swiftness, and it looked as though
Teddy's prediction was going to be realized. Certainly, so far, they
were having, in Fred's words, "a whale of a time."

All the newness and rawness had worn off, and they felt as fully at home
at Rally Hall, as they might have felt in months, if they had started
under less favorable conditions.