"Mr. Remsen tells us that you were struck
at by Bartlett Cloud on the football field one day at practice. Is that
so?" Joel replied affirmatively.

"Does he speak to you, or you to him?"

"No, sir; but then I've never been acquainted with him."

"Do you believe that he could have stolen that letter from your room?"

"I know that he could have done so, sir, but I don't like to think--"

"That he did? Well, possibly he did and possibly he didn't. I shall
endeavor to find out. Meanwhile I must ask you to let this go no
further. You will go on as though this conversation had never occurred.
If I find that you are unjustly suspected I will summon you and ask your
pardon, and the guilty one will be punished. Professor Durkee here has
pointed out to me that such conduct is totally foreign to his conception
of your character, and has reminded me that your standing in class has
been of the best since the beginning of the term. I agree with him in
all this, but duty in the affair is very plain and I have been
performing it, unpleasant as it is. You may go now, March; and kindly
remember that this affair must be kept quiet,"

Joel turned with a surprised but grateful look toward Professor Durkee,
but was met with a wrathful scowl. Joel hurried to his recitation, and
later, before West's fireplace, the friends discussed the unfortunate
affair in all its phases, and resolved, with vehemence, to know the
truth sooner or later.

But Joel's cup was not yet filled. When he returned to the dormitory
after supper, he found two missives awaiting him. The first was from
Wesley Blair:

"DEAR MARCH" (it read): "Please show up in the morning at Burke's for
breakfast with the first eleven. You are to take the place of Post at
L.H.B. It will be necessary for you to report at the gym at eleven each
day for noon signals; please arrange your recitations to this end. I am
writing this because I couldn't see you this afternoon; hope you are all
right. Yours,

"WESLEY BLAIR."

Joel read this with a loudly beating heart and flushing cheeks. It was
as unexpected as it was welcome, that news; he _had_ hoped for an
occasional chance to substitute Post or Blair or Clausen on the first
team in some minor game, but to be taken on as a member was more than he
had even thought of since he had found how very far from perfect was his
playing. He seized his cap with the intention of racing across to
Hampton and informing West of his luck; then