y morning came, Ralph was nervous. He walked to school with Bud.

"I guess you're a little skeered by what the old man said, a'n't you?"

Ralph was about to deny it, but on reflection concluded that it was best
to speak the truth. He said that Mr. Means's description of the school
had made him feel a little down-hearted.

"What will you do with the tough boys? You a'n't no match for 'em." And
Ralph felt Bud's eyes not only measuring his muscles, but scrutinizing
his countenance. He only answered:

"I don't know."

"What would you do with me, for instance?" and Bud stretched himself up
as if to shake out the reserve power coiled up in his great muscles.

"I sha'n't have any trouble with you."

"Why, I'm the wust chap of all. I thrashed the last master, myself."

And again the eyes of Bud Means looked out sharply from his shadowing
brows to see the effect of this speech on the slender young man.

"You won't thrash me, though," said Ralph.

"Pshaw! I 'low I could whip you in an inch of your life with my left
hand, and never half try," said young Means, with a threatening sneer.

"I know that as well as you do."

"Well, a'n't you afraid of me, then?" and again he looked sidewise at
Ralph.

"Not a bit," said Ralph, wondering at his own courage.

They walked on in silence a minute. Bud was turning the matter over.

"Why a'n't you afraid of me?" he said presently.

"Because you and I are going to be friends."

"And what about t'others?"

"I am not afraid of all the other boys put together."

"You a'n't! The mischief! How's that?"

"Well, I'm not afraid of them because you and I are going to be friends,
and you can whip all of them together. You'll do the fighting and I'll
do the teaching."

The diplomatic Bud only chuckled a little at this; whether he assented
to the alliance or not Ralph could not tell.

When Ralph looked round on the faces of the scholars--the little faces
full of mischief and curiosity, the big faces full of an expression
which was not further removed than second-cousin from contempt--when
when young Hartsook looked into these faces, his heart palpitated with
stage-fright. There is no audience so hard to face as one of
school-children, as many a man has found to his cost. Perhaps it is that
no conventional restraint can keep down their laughter when you do or
say anything ridiculous.

Hartsook's first day was hurried and unsatisfactory. He was not of
himself, and consequently not