o and try to explain how it was that his
downfall had occurred. This, they thought, would give them the
opportunity they desired, and if the faculty did not discover the matter
and take action of their own then they might be able to say or do
something to recall Peter John to himself.

On the following day, however, their classmate did not appear, and in
the days that followed he did not once come to their room. Mott they had
seen, but he had only laughed lightly when he met them and made no
reference to the ride he had taken in their taxi.

"I don't believe Peter John knows that we know anything about what
happened on his trip," said Foster thoughtfully one day.

"What makes him keep away from us all the time, then?"

"That's so. Probably his conscience isn't in the best of condition. You
don't suppose he's waiting for us to make the first move, do you?"

"I don't know."

"I hate to leave the fellow to himself," said Foster. "He'll go to the
dogs as sure as you're born if he is."

"If he isn't there already."

"Well, if he's there we must help to get him out."

"You're the one to do it, Foster. You aren't working up your Greek."

Will had been working with even greater intensity than before and was
beginning to see the results of his labors. With his disposition there
was no comparative degree. Everything was at one extreme or the other
and now he was giving himself but little rest and even Peter John's
disgrace was not so keenly felt by him as at the time when it had
occurred.

"I think I'll have to do something," assented Foster, "or at least try
to."

But on the following day an excitement broke out among the students at
Winthrop that speedily and completely banished from the minds of Will
and Foster even their well-intended efforts to aid their weak and
misguided classmate.

CHAPTER XVIII

AN ALARMING REPORT

The excitement first came to Will Phelps when one night he was returning
to his room from his dinner in the fraternity house. The house, together
with four or five other similar houses, was situated in the same street
with the dormitory, but was distant a walk of seven or eight minutes,
and there was usually a crowd of the college boys to be seen on the
village street three times a day when they passed to or from their
boarding places.

On this particular evening Will chanced to be alone, and as he went on
he perceived Mott approaching. He had had but little to say to the
fellow s