ey
are so mad about. Taylor says Torrington's will be nothing better than
a swatting shop, and no place for gentlemen, if it isn't stopped.'

Horace opened his eyes. 'I thought we went to school that we might
learn all we could!' he said.

'Oh, Torrington's has got so fashionable that fellows have come to
think of it as an easy-going place, where they need not work if they
don't like it.'

'Just what my pater says!' exclaimed Warren. 'And he told me that if I
didn't turn over a new leaf he should send me somewhere else. Now I
propose we make ourselves into a swatting club. I believe Mr. Mason
would be glad if we did.'

'I'm sure Skeats would,' said another.

'Well, there are six of us here. Suppose we agree that we'll stick to
our work of an evening till we've got our lessons perfect for the
next day.'

'Won't Taylor be mad when he finds it out!' said another. But, as
Taylor had offended them, the suggestion added piquancy to the notion.
And so before they separated each pledged himself to join the new
swatting club. It was not an elegant name for a party of students to
call themselves, but the object of the combination was good, and was
warmly commended by the parents, who were taken into the confidence of
their sons.

If the little party of students thought they were going to have an
easy time of it at school, they were mistaken; for Taylor and the more
popular party soon found out by the answers given in the classes what
the new combination meant, and he was more angry than ever.

'A parcel of beggars who set themselves up to be gentlemen have no
business at Torrington's; and the sooner they take themselves off the
better!' he exclaimed angrily, when discussing this new departure with
a few of his chosen friends.

Warren overheard what he said, and was not averse to a duel of words
with 'the cock of the walk.'

'Who do you call gentlemen?' he demanded--'those who live in glass
houses, and the son of a man who used to keep----'

Taylor did not wait to hear more. Before the objectionable word could
be spoken Warren received a blow that felled him to the ground.

It came so unexpectedly and was struck so unfairly that there was an
instant cry of, 'Coward! coward! Fight it fair and square!'

'All right, let him come on,' said Taylor. But Warren was in no fit
condition to stand up to his antagonist just now, for he had struck
his head as he had fallen, and lay for a minute or two quite
unconscious. Some