Back in the parlor the three girls stood for a moment. "I like your cousin very much, Madge, dear," said Ruth. "I shouldn't wonder!" exclaimed Madge shortly, and she turned and hurried from the room. Ruth looked at her in some surprise. "Whatever has come over Madge?" asked Sarah Warden. "I can't imagine," replied Ruth, and then, with a thoughtful look on her face, she went to her room. "Humph! I guess I know," murmured Miss Warden, as she followed. CHAPTER X A BOTTLE OF LINIMENT Tom thought of many things as he walked up the silent campus at Randall, and prepared to go to his room. He went over again every happening from the time Miss Philock had grudgingly admitted him at Fairview, until he had bidden Ruth Clinton good-by. Tom had a very distinct mental picture of two girls' faces now, whereas, up to that evening, he had had but one. They were the faces of Ruth and Madge. "Hang it all!" he burst out, as he was on the steps of the west dormitory. "I must be falling in love! This will never do, with the football season about to open. Better cut it out, Tom Parsons!" His musing was suddenly interrupted by the appearance of a figure coming quickly from the teachers' residence, which was directly in front of the dormitory building. The figure exclaimed: "Wait a minute, please." "Proctor Zane!" whispered Tom to himself. "He thinks he's caught me. Probably he doesn't know I've got a permit. I'll have some fun with him." A moment later the proctor stood beside Tom. "Are you aware of the hour?" asked Mr. Zane, in what he meant to be a sarcastic tone. "I--I believe it's nearly two o'clock," replied Tom. "I will tell you exactly in a moment, as soon as I look at my watch," and with a flourish he drew his timepiece from his pocket. "It lacks just eight minutes of two," he added. "I didn't ask you the time!" exclaimed the proctor. "I beg your pardon, sir; I thought you did," spoke Tom. "Aren't you getting in rather late?" asked the official, as he drew out his book and prepared to enter Tom's name. "Well, it might be called late," admitted Tom, as if there was some doubt about it. "That is, unless you choose to look at it from another standpoint, and call it early morning. On the whole, I think I prefer the latter method. It is more comforting, Mr. Zane." "None of your impertinence, Parsons!" exclaimed the proctor. "You are out after hours, and you will report to my office directly after chapel. This matter of students staying out must be broken up." "I agree with you," went on Tom easily, "but I'm afraid I can't report to you after chapel to-morrow, or, rather, to-day, Mr. Zane." "You can't? What do you mean, Parsons?" "Why, you see, I have to attend a lecture by Moses--I beg your pardon--Dr. Churchill--at that hour."