“Hear, hear!” came in boisterous good-nature from a dozen throats. Rush gathered himself together from the pile of cushions, made an absurd bow, and indicated Mr. Stenton with a pompous wave of the hand. “Gentlemen, I yield the center of attention (and the center of gravity,” he added _sotto voce_) “to our beloved athletic director. Mr. Athletic Director, we are all ears.” “Good! You are all Third Formers, eh?” said Stenton, with a smile, as he looked them over good-naturedly. “I fancied that I might find you congregated in this den of iniquity. Well, I have come up here to tell you fellows how much I appreciate Kit Wilson’s spirit in cheerfully giving his best form players to the scrub. He has set an example to the other forms that is bound to be a fine thing for the athletics of the school. And I want to tell you also that the form, this time, is going to get something out of it—an honor that I don’t think has fallen to the Third Form previous to this in the history of Deal School. After due consideration Captain Maclaren and I have decided to play Deering at left end in to-morrow’s game.” For a moment there was silence, due to the overwhelming surprise, for they had hardly dared hope that Tony would be given a chance except as a substitute; and this meant that he had won out against Marsh who had played on the team last year. Deering himself looked in helpless amazement, first at Stenton, then at his form mates. Jimmie broke the stillness at last by exclaiming in a shrill voice, “Come to my arms, my frabjous boy,” and clasped Tony wildly about the waist. Then the cheers rang forth, despite Stenton’s protest, until Mr. Morris came running out of his study to find out what the racket was. “Come, come,” Mr. Stenton cried at last, “cut this now; and you, young ‘un, get to bed and don’t celebrate any more to-night. Hello, Mr. Morris, we have decided to put Deering in the game to-morrow—hence this bedlam.” “That’s fine!” exclaimed Morris heartily, as he shook Tony’s hand. “But you boys had better get out now and join the procession; they are meeting before the Chapel.” [Illustration: AFTER DUE CONSIDERATION CAPTAIN MACLAREN AND I HAVE DECIDED TO PLAY DEERING AT LEFT END IN TO-MORROW’S GAME.] At last they were gone, having wrung Tony’s hand two or three times each, and Deering and Lawrence were left alone. For a moment neither boy spoke, but stood looking at each other, their eyes glistening with friendliness that had been heightened by the excitement and the common joy. Jimmie was as unaffectedly glad as if the honor had come to him. Then Tony slipped into a chair by the window, and putting his head upon his hands stared out upon the campus, which was beginning to be covered with groups of boys, converging toward the Chapel. “I wish old Jack had let me go out and help celebrate,” he said, with a little laugh. “I can’t sleep if I do go to bed.”