The rhyme is obviously of the licensed sort! But you get the idea, don’t you? Now, let’s select a name. Which shall we start with?” “Ford, sir. That’s easy,” someone suggested. “Very well. Three minutes is allowed. When the time is up I’ll call ‘Time’ and you will at once stop. Ready? Everyone supplied with pencil and paper?” “All set!” “Let ’er go, sir!” “Now!” said Mr. Matthews, his eyes on his watch. The laughter was stilled and fifteen pens or pencils were poised over as many sheets of paper. Then mutters arose and feet shuffled. “Say, what rhymes with ‘Ford’?” asked Timmins of Stanley in an audible whisper. Chuckles arose and De Vitt answered, “‘Flivver,’ Tim!” Dick was still struggling when the time was up and his second line was lacking a rhyme. “Now we will read the results in turn,” said Mr. Matthews. “Suppose you begin, Harris.” “Not prepared, sir,” answered “Tip” Harris. Three others answered to the same effect and it was Cashin who bashfully produced the first composition, as follows: “Apollo had nothing on Goody Ford. He’s cross-eyed and lantern-jawed.” “Ingenious,” commented Mr. Matthews, when the laughter had stopped, “but rather a libel on Ford. You’re next, Elders.” “I didn’t get mine done, sir. I think your watch was fast!” “How about you, Gard?” “Guess you might as well open that drawer, sir!” And Stanley read: “He seeks no prize, does Goody Ford, For virtue is its own reward.” That won much applause, for Ford, whose appellation of “Goody,” derived from his given name of Goodman, was no indication of his behaviour, had scorned to take part in the competition. Two other verses were read and then a second name was chosen. This time it was Cashin, and nearly everyone turned in something. The best of them, if applause was any indication, was Neal’s: “I sing the praise of our Beau Cashin, The latest cry in mode and fashion.” “That rhyme requires a license, too, Neal,” laughed Mr. Matthews. “I might say, fellows, that it isn’t absolutely necessary to ‘knock’!” “No, sir,” agreed De Vitt, “but it’s easier!” Which rejoinder brought De Vitt into the limelight, and his name was tried next. Gerald De Vitt was editor-in-chief of the school weekly, _The Leader_, a likable fellow who took himself a bit seriously, who wrote long, sensible and very dull editorials, and who mistakenly conducted a column of allegedly humorous matter that was the despair of his friends. Consequently when Stanley read his production the howl of laughter that arose held as much applause as amusement. “Here in our circle frowns the grave De Vitt, Revered as Mentor and deplored as Wit!” Later someone suggested trying “Matthews” and there were many dismal failures and just one quasi-success. The latter was Dick’s. “Though anger may assail our Matthews His cheek ne’er shows the sanguine wrath hues.”