"We must keep this to ourselves," suggested Phil that morning, as they started for chapel. "Only our own fellows must hear of it." "Sure," agreed Tom and Sid, but they soon found, from the greetings of the juniors, seniors and freshmen, that the story was all over the school. In fact, to this day the yarn is handed down in the annals of Randall College as an example of how a freshman, single-handed, played a joke on three sophomores; for it developed that Gerhart had done the trick alone. It was a day or two after this, when Tom and Phil were walking along the river after football practice, that, down near the bridge, they saw Gerhart just ahead of them. "There's a chance to take a fall out of him," suggested Tom, whose appetite for vengeance was still unappeased. "That's so," agreed Phil. "Let's catch up to him and toss him into the river." They quickened their steps, but a moment later they saw a young man come from the bushes at one end of the bridge and join Gerhart. The two walked briskly on, and, as Tom and Phil could see, they were engaged in earnest conversation. "We can't do anything now," spoke Tom. "That's a stranger. He's not of Randall College. Look at his cap." "He's from some college," declared Phil. "That cap seems familiar. I wonder who he is." "Give it up," spoke Tom. "We might as well go back now." They were about to turn when suddenly the lad with Gerhart swung about and made a violent gesture of dissent. Then Tom and Phil heard him say: "I'll have nothing to do with such a dirty trick, and you ought to be ashamed to make the offer!" "Oh, is that so?" asked Gerhart, and he did not seem nonplussed. "Well, maybe some other fellow will be glad to get what I have to offer." "I don't believe it!" exclaimed the other. "I'm done with you, and that settles it," and he crashed into the bushes and disappeared, leaving Gerhart alone on the road. "Did you see who that was?" asked Tom, looking at Phil. "No; I couldn't make out his face." "It was George Stoddard, captain of the Boxer Hall eleven." "That's right," agreed Phil. "I knew I'd seen him before. But he didn't look as he used to in a baseball uniform. I wonder what he and Gerhart had on the carpet." "Oh, probably Gerhart wanted him to go to some sporty gambling affair. I hear he plays quite a high game at cards." "Who?" "Gerhart. Lots of the freshmen of our college have found his pace too fast for them. He and Langridge are thicker than ever. Probably Gerhart wanted some new easy-marks to win from, and is trying to take up with the Boxer Hall boys." "Shouldn't wonder. But Stoddard turned him down cold." "Yes; didn't make any bones about it. Well, I s'pose we could catch up to Gerhart now. But what's the use?"