On the contrary, they rather liked Jerry Cox. He was a cheerful young fellow, so different from Stewart that they wondered what had brought them together. "Cute little sunshine, that Lent Stewart," chuckled Garry, as the cranky little motorboat widened the distance from the dock. "He ought to be a pal of Sandy Podder's. Probably each of them could give the other points on how to make himself a general nuisance." Rooster laughed. "I don't know about that," he said. "Sandy Podder's in a class by himself. I liked that Jerry Cox, though," he added. "He seems to be a good fellow." "Good fellow nothing!" grunted Bill, giving the wheel of the motorboat a savage twist that turned it half about. "He's nothing but a bum--that's what he is!" CHAPTER III THE MUDDY FOOTBALL Such an outburst from good-natured Bill Sherwood was startling. His companions looked at him with surprise. On the face of it, his wrath against Jerry Cox seemed unfounded. This then was the explanation of Bill's coldness and lack of hospitality. "What's the deep, dark secret, Bill?" asked Garry, voicing the desire to know that all were feeling. "The way you talk about Jerry Cox would make one think you were his best enemy." "I am," growled Bill. "What do you know against him?" queried Nick Danter. "I came to know about him through my brother Frank," replied Bill. "Jerry Cox is one of that fast poolroom bunch. He hangs about Mooney's place all the time with Sandy Podder, Lent Stewart and that gang. He used to be all right before he got in with that lot. Now he's as bad as the rest of them." "Well, I don't see that that's any of our funeral," put in Ted. "I'm mighty sure I'm not losing any sleep over that poolroom bunch. As long as we don't have to mix with 'em, why should we worry?" "It's all right for you fellows to talk," returned Bill moodily. "But this Jerry Cox--" He broke off and looked frowningly straight ahead, while his comrades regarded him curiously. "Well, he's a friend of my brother Frank's," Bill burst forth, "and he's doing his best to keep Frank in with that rotten poolroom crowd. Do you wonder that I'm sore at him?" "Not a bit, if that's the case," replied Garry promptly. "I'd feel the same way myself. I'm sorry if Frank has got into that gang. Let's see, Frank is a good deal older than you, isn't he?" "About five years," answered Bill. "He finished his course in the high school last year, and now he's had a year in college. He'll be in the sophomore class in the fall. He's planning, you know, to be a doctor." "I've heard it said he was a mighty smart scholar in the high," remarked Ted.