So, when Larry left the big house in Chestnut Street, he was walking upon thin air, and the crisp, starlit, late-in-March night seemed to sing for him as he strode along. And at the western portal of the campus he did not go aside to take the short cut across to Mrs. Grant’s. Instead, he broke another precedent and turned his steps toward Main Street and the house of the Zeta Omegas. VIII HOW LARRY CHANGED HIS MIND When an “outer barbarian” goes to a college fraternity house the first time, he is quite likely to be rehashing a lot of weird ideas about the secrecies, grips, passwords, gauntlets to be run at the door, and things of that sort. So Larry Donovan, ringing the bell at the door of the Zeta Omegas, had made up his mind that he wouldn’t try to break in; he’d just ask whoever might open the door to send Dick out to him. But things didn’t break that way at all. It was Wally Dixon who did the door-opening, and when he saw who it was standing on the step he stuck out a ham-like hand. “Donnie, you old knock-’em-out, put ’er there!” he bellowed. “Had to sneak around and get into a little good company, after all, didn’t you? Tumble in and be at home: fellows’ll all be glad to see you.” “I want to see Dick Maxwell,” Larry began, when he was once safely within the sacred precincts. “Private and personal?” Dixon queried; adding: “I suppose you know poor old Dickie’s in mourning just now?” “I know all about it,” said Larry. “That’s why I’m butting in. I’ve grabbed off a bit of good news for him.” “What’s it like?” Dixon asked. “The house is all broke up about Dick.” “I’ve just been to see Prexy. Dick’s going to have another chance.” “Why, you bully old stick-in-the-mud!” roared Dixon. “We sent a delegation to Prexy this morning, but it didn’t get anywhere, just because we’re Dick’s frat brothers, and it was expected that we’d leg for him as a matter of course. What did Prexy say?” “Said the faculty would review Dick’s case――with a recommendation to mercy.” “Glory be! that means that he won’t have to go home. Come on and I’ll chase you up to his room. He’s packing up, right now.” Dixon was right. When Larry was pushed into an upstairs room of the fine old country-town mansion that had been remodeled into a fraternity house he found Dick on his knees before an open trunk. Dixon merely shoved Larry into the room and then backed out and disappeared. Dick squatted back on his heels and said, “So you broke in, did you? I thought maybe you’d come around to see me disappear over the horizon.” “Hold up a minute,” gasped Larry breathlessly. “Have you wired your father?” Dick shook his head. “Not yet; I’ve been putting it off――like a coward. Wally Dixon has staked me to enough to get home on. I thought I’d rather tell Dad face to face, but I can’t do that, either. The faculty letter’ll get there before I do.”