Frank pretended not to notice, but he saw Lanky suddenly stiffen up, and turn his head toward a certain point where a rather handsome, though proud-looking, young fellow was sauntering with a very pretty girl, who had just come to high school that year. Of course this latter was the fickle Dora, about whom so much had been said, and who was surely pretty enough to turn the head of even a plain, sensible fellow like Lanky Wallace. And the boy could be no other than the “city fellow,” Walter Ackerman, toward whom half the maids in Columbia were friendly disposed, since he certainly was the best-looking boy in town. Just then was heard a great shouting from the basement and a crowd of boys came trooping forth, laughing uproariously. “There’s Bill Klemm and his bunch, with a few decent fellows in the bargain,” remarked Frank. “Soggy is having a fierce time with them right now. He threatens to complain to Professor Tyson Parke if they keep going on as they are; and you know, when good, old Soggy says that, he must be pretty well rattled, because he does hate to see the boys punished.” “There he comes out, Frank, and he looks as mad as a wet hen,” remarked Lanky, glad to have his attention turned from the sight of Dora walking with the good-looking newcomer in Columbia; perhaps Lanky may have begun to fear that it had been partly his fault that unlucky quarrel had come about; but he would never admit it now, since she had taken to teasing him by openly encouraging the attentions of a fellow he was jealous about. “I wouldn’t be surprised if that Bill Klemm had been smoking again in the basement,” Frank suggested. “You know it’s against the rules; but little he cares for that. Some fine day they’ll be setting the school afire.” “Yes,” went on Lanky, “and then good-bye to Bill Klemm, just the same as we got rid of Lef Sellers. It’ll have to be a skip-out for Bill, though, because his folks haven’t got the cash to send him to a military academy to get the training he needs.” “Here comes Minnie Cuthbert and my sister, Helen; and they look like they wanted to speak to us, Lanky,” remarked Frank. Two very attractive girls hurried up. One was Frank’s only sister, of whom his chums, Ralph Langworthy and Paul Bird, were both very fond. The other was a lively girl, whom Frank himself had taken to all the class dances, singing schools, as well as church choir meetings, for a long time. The deposed town bully, Lef Sellers, had once hoped to be Minnie Cuthbert’s first choice, and the fact that Frank had stepped in between had been the main cause of his enmity toward our hero. “It isn’t true; is it, Lanky?” demanded Minnie, as they came up. “He didn’t throw you over a tree, and then pound you with his hoofs as you lay on the ground?” “Whatever are you talking about?” demanded Frank; but at the same time he smiled and thus betrayed his knowledge.