“Awfully,” agreed the third boy. “I’m so used to dropping in at Number 7, Tom, that you mustn’t be surprised if it takes me a while to get over the habit.” “Don’t get over it,” responded Tom Roeder heartily. “Make yourself at home. I suppose Loring and Dyer are feeling pretty big about now.” “Well, Yale got two mighty fine chaps when she got those fellows,” said Dan Vinton. “Alf’s one of the best there is; and so is Tom.” They turned into Clarke Hall and climbed the stairs, Tom Roeder consenting to “come on up and chin awhile.” “I ought not to, though,” he declared. “Wallace is waiting for me to help him hang pictures. I’ll get a hard look when I get back.” “How is he?” asked Dan. “Has he taken care of himself this summer?” “Looks pretty fit. Maybe a few pounds heavy, but it won’t take him long to drop that. He’s just back from a cruise in his brother’s boat, and you can’t help getting fat lying around on deck. You don’t seem to have put on much fat, Gerald.” “I haven’t,” was the reply. “I’ve been playing tennis most all summer, and doing a little running.” “He’s grown like the dickens, though,” said Dan. “Look at his shoulders. Remember him when he first came, Tom? Doesn’t look now much like he did then, eh? Oh, we’ll make a man of you yet, Gerald!” “Thank you,” laughed Gerald Pennimore. “That’s very kind of you.” The three turned to the left at the head of the stairs and Kendall, pushing open the door of Number 24, saw them enter the corner room at the front of the building. Kendall’s own room, which he shared with a classmate named Harold Towne, was Number 21, and was on the rear of the building, its two windows looking out past the back of Dudley to the edge of the grove. Towne was in the room when Kendall entered. He was arranging a row of books on the study table which, placed in the center of the room, equidistant between the two single beds, was common property. “I’ve taken this side of the room,” announced Towne. “I knew you wouldn’t care. Anyhow, as I was here first I had a right to change, you know.” “All right,” said Kendall. “I don’t care which side I have. I suppose there isn’t much difference.” “No. Only I was on that side last year and I thought I’d like a change,” replied the other. “Did you bring anything to fix up with, Burtis?” “N-no, I don’t think so.” Towne frowned and looked about the walls. “We’ll have to get some pictures, I guess. Cooke, who roomed with me last year, had a lot of stuff, but of course he took it off with him.” “Did he graduate?” asked Kendall. “No, he’s moved into Whitson. A chap named Guild wanted him to room with him. Cooke didn’t want to do it much, I guess, but Guild insisted. We’d ought to have about three good pictures over there around the windows. I’d have thought you’d have brought something along with you.” “Well, I didn’t think of it,” answered Kendall. “Besides, I don’t believe I had anything to bring.” “You live in the country, don’t you?” asked Towne.