"Even the vilest sinner may repent and be forgiven," came solemnly from Dismal Jones. "There's a faint ray of hope for Griswold." "But it's mighty dim," declared Robinson. Once more attention was given to Jack's dog, and Diamond pointed out the animal's fine features. "When are dogs at their best?" asked Halliday, seriously. "In winter," Griswold instantly put in. "There are no flies on them then." "Smother him!" howled Robinson, wildly. "Smother time," cackled Danny, as he slipped off the table and dodged around a chair to get out of reach. Halliday caught up a pair of scissors and pretended to sharpen them, looking at Griswold as if he meant to shed his gore. "What are you going to do?" asked Danny. "Going into the scissors-grinding business? It's great when things are dull." It was plain that Danny could not be suppressed, and so the boys tried to ignore him. Prince was admired some more, and then Halliday picked up a banjo, put it in tune, and sang a song. "Your voice is somewhat off color to-night, old man," observed Robinson, "and I think you skipped a bar." "You don't know him," cried Griswold, instantly. "I was out with him last night and he didn't skip any." Then almost every other fellow in the room grabbed up something and threw it at Danny, who could do nothing but shield his face and take the pelting he received. "Diamond is a dog crank, and Merriwell is a horse crank," said Robinson. "By the way, I hear you think of racing your horse this spring, Merriwell?" "Who told you that?" asked Frank. "Who told me? Oh, I don't know. Is it a secret? I think I have heard several fellows speak of it." "Oh, I don't know as it is a secret," said Frank. "I may try him in some small country race, if I get a good opportunity; but I am not likely to have much of a chance, between baseball, rowing, and my studies. I'm kept pretty busy." "The only wonder to me is that you get time to study at all," declared Halliday. "I never before saw a fellow who could carry on so many things at the same time and make successes of them all." "I hear two more men have been dropped a class," said Diamond. "That's right," sighed Jones. "Dorman and Street have departed hence. May peace go with them." "Poor old Easy!" exclaimed Robinson. "He was a fine fellow, but he was altogether too easy. He wouldn't skin, and he couldn't keep up with the push." "There are some other fellows who are bound to go sooner or later," observed Rattleton. "I can name several." "Both Harris and Ditson are bound to get it in the neck," said Griswold. "They are skinners of the worst kind." "That's right," agreed Halliday. "Ditson is an expert at it. He spends more time and ingenuity in concocting schemes to fool the examining tutor or professor than it would take to learn his subjects ten times over."