our fish into the
opera-house and dump them out.... We're going to have some fun.... If we
can't have our president, eels will have to do."

The squatter disappeared inside the building.

"A pile of fun they'll have without their president," grunted a
sophomore.

Tessibel gathered her empty basket upon her arm and amid the smiling
looks of the students who stood watching her she walked away with her
head high in the air.

But Dan Jordan, with a mighty yell, triumphantly taken up by his
classmen, grasped the hat from the squatter's head. The smiling, open
face of Frederick Graves was before them. The sophomores never quite
puzzled out how the freshman president was in his chair at the banquet,
and directly in front of him in the place of honor was a huge dish of
eels.

* * * * *

Shaking the snow from her shoulders like a great dog in a storm, Tess
knocked softly on the Longman shanty door. Mrs. Longman had gone to the
city with Satisfied, and Myra, with the whining brat in her arms,
welcomed her.

One whole week had passed since Tess had seen the student--seven long
interminable days since--and now she had come to ask Myra Longman some
of the mysterious questions about the kiss that Frederick had given her.
Myra relinquished the child to her and the little fellow sank to sleep
under Tessibel's crooning voice. His regular breathing told her that he
slept; she placed him in the box and sat thoughtfully down.

"Air Ben Letts been here lately?" she asked after a pause.

Myra shook her head.

"He ain't got no time for such as the brat and me," she replied
bitterly.

Tess waited until Myra had ceased scattering the shanty chairs in her
rage.

"Did he say as how he loved ye that night in the storm on the ragged
rocks?" she asked presently.

"Yep, he did say it, he did," answered Myra.

"Air he--air he a-knowin'--how to kiss?"

The very word slipping from her lips brought back with a sudden joy that
night a week ago, and the never-to-be-forgotten kiss of the student. She
could feel again the warm, strong lips pressed to hers--the long
muscular arms enfolding her.

Myra scanned her face closely.

"To kiss--yep; but he ain't never kissed the brat."

There was wonderful longing and passion in her tones.

This was a new thought for Tess. The "Pappy" should kiss his brat--but
were they one and the same kisses? She remembered the sweetness of that
first caress "Daddy" had give