and he clenched his fingers into the bench, vowing he would hang there
until hauled away.

"Fresh on fifth!" shouted a Soph in ringing voice. He stood up in
the pit and stepped to the back of the second bench. "Fresh on fifth!
Watch me throw him out!"

He was a sturdily built young fellow and balanced himself gracefully on
the backs of the benches, stepping up from one to the other. There was
a bold gleam in his eyes and a smile on his face. He showed good-natured
contempt for a freshman and an assurance that was close to authority.

Ken sat glued to his seat in mingled fear and wrath. Was he to be the
butt of those overbearing sophomores? He thought he could do nothing but
hang on with all his might. The ascending student jumped upon the fourth
bench and, reaching up, laid hold of Ken with no gentle hands. His grip
was so hard that Ken had difficulty in stifling a cry of pain. This,
however, served to dispel his panic and make him angry clear through.

The sophomore pulled and tugged with all his strength, yet he could not
dislodge Ken. The freshmen howled gleefully for him to "Hang! hang!"

Then two more sophomores leaped up to help the leader. A blank silence
followed this move, and all the freshmen leaned forward breathlessly.
There was a sharp ripping of cloth. Half of Ken's coat appeared in the
hands of one of his assailants.

Suddenly Ken let go his hold, pushed one fellow violently, then swung
his fists. It might have been unfair, for the sophomores were beneath
him and balancing themselves on the steep benches, but Ken was too
angry to think of that. The fellow he pushed fell into the arms of
the students below, the second slid out of sight, and the third, who
had started the fray, plunged with a crash into the pit.

The freshmen greeted this with a wild yell; the sophomores answered
likewise. Like climbing, tumbling apes the two classes spilled
themselves up and down the benches, and those nearest Ken laid hold
of him, pulling him in opposite directions.

Then began a fierce fight for possession of luckless Ken. Both sides
were linked together by gripping hands. Ken was absolutely powerless.
His clothes were torn to tatters in a twinkling; they were soon torn
completely off, leaving only his shoes and socks. Not only was he in
danger of being seriously injured, but students of both sides were
handled as fiercely. A heavy trampling roar shook the amphitheatre.
As they surged up and down the steep room b