“I guessed that you didn’t,” answered Barry. “Like Clyde, I mean. Would you mind telling me why?” “Not a bit, if I knew. But I don’t. Perhaps it’s more the gang he travels with than he. Oh, I could state objections to your friend, just as he could to me, but they wouldn’t be enough to explain it. We’ve never spoken to each other more than a couple of dozen times, probably; and then we just growled.” “Well,” said Barry, after a moment, “of course Clyde isn’t perfect. No one is――” “Thanks be!” said Jones, fervently. “But I’ve known him a good while, and so――” Barry broke off and his smile deepened. “You know it would be a lot nicer if you two fellows didn’t growl at each other, because I like Clyde and I――” He stopped abruptly this time, looking uncomfortably embarrassed. Jones grinned. “And you don’t think I’m so bad. Go ahead and say it. Never mind my blushes.” “I don’t believe you could blush!” laughed Barry. “Anyway, I give you fair warning that I’m going to get you and Clyde better acquainted, so――” “I know,” sighed the other. “You’re going to have a lingering illness and die with an angelic smile on your face, while Allen and I clasp hands across your bed.” “I am not!” denied Barry, vigorously. “I don’t intend to have even a toothache on your account. Neither of you is worth it. But I don’t intend, either, to have a couple of decent chaps whom I――like――act so silly. There’s no sense in it.” “Noble sentiments, me Lud! They does you credik. Just the same and notwithstanding――” and Jones yawned, stretched, and pulled himself out of the chair――“before you have Allen and me shaking hands, one of two things has got to happen: either he must change a lot or I must. I bid you good night.” CHAPTER VI “PEACHES” Barry settled down to school routine and in the course of a few days made several discoveries. One was that he would have to study a good deal harder than he had studied the previous year, for all the instructors whose classes he graced were believers in labor――for the students. Still, he didn’t have Doctor Clode this year, and that was something to be thankful for if he was to credit reports. The doctor, whose first name was Julius and was popularly known as “Julie,” besides attending to the duties of being principal, taught first- and second-year Latin. There were many who believed that he would have been even a greater success as a slave-driver. In spite of that, however, he was popular. Another discovery was that gymnasium work under Mr. Peterson was a bore. Jones pointed out to him that to escape it he had only to sign up for one of the major sports. That called for a confession, since, naturally, Jones suggested baseball. Barry explained rather awkwardly that he had decided, at Clyde’s suggestion, not to try for baseball until spring. Jones looked as though he wanted to ask a question, but he didn’t.