For, at every chance he got, and at times when there was no opportunity but such as he made, Ford would quote his aforesaid uncle, upon any and all subjects, to the no small disapproval of his college mates. So they had gotten into the habit of "rigging" him every time he mentioned his relative. "I don't care," Ford said, when the chorus of exclamations had ceased. "My uncle----" But he got no further, for the students made a rush for him and buried him out of sight in a pile of wriggling arms and legs. "First down; ten yards to gain!" yelled some one. "Come on, now's our chance," said Tom. "First thing we know they'll do that to our sofa, and then it will be all up with the poor old thing. Let's move on." Once more the chums took up their burden, and walked toward the west dormitory. By this time the throng had done with punishing poor Fenton, and once more turned its attention to the movers. "Going to split it up for firewood?" called Ed Kerr. "No; it's full of germs, and they're going to dig 'em out and use 'em in the biology class," suggested Dan Woodhouse, who was more commonly called Kindlings. "Maybe they're going to make a folding bed of it," came from Bricktop Molloy. "Come on, fellows, let's investigate." The crowd of fun-loving students hurried after the three lads carrying the sofa. "They're coming!" exclaimed Tom. "Let's drop the sofa and cut for it?" proposed Sid. "They'll make a rough house if they catch us." "I'm not going to desert the sofa!" exclaimed Tom. "Nor I. I'll stick by you--'I will stand at thy right hand, and guard the bridge with thee,'" quoted Phil. "But if we put a little more speed on we can get to the dormitory, and that will be sanctuary, I guess. Come on; run, fellows!" It was awkward work, running and carrying a clumsy sofa, but they managed it. Holly Cross caught up to them as they were at the door of the building. "Ah, let's have the old ark," he pleaded. "We'll make a bonfire of it, and circle about it to-night, after we haze some freshies. Give us the old relic, Tom." "Not on your life!" exclaimed the crack pitcher of the 'varsity nine. "This is our choicest possession, Holly. It goes wherever we go." "Well, it won't go much longer," observed Holly. "One of its legs is coming off." Almost as he spoke one of the sofa legs, probably jarred loose by the unaccustomed rapid rate of progress, fell to the dormitory steps. "Oh, dear! Oh, dear!" exclaimed Phil. "It's beginning to fall apart, Tom." "Never mind, you can nail it on. Sid, you carry the leg. The stairs are so narrow that only two of us can manage the sofa. Phil and I will do that, and you come in back to catch me, in case I fall."