The train was waiting by the time that the pair arrived. Bert and Bayliss hastily purchased tickets, then boarded the handiest car. The train proved to contain few people except the Gridley student body and boosters from that town. "Here, what are you fellows doing in here?" angrily demanded Purcell, as the cronies entered one of the cars. "We're going to ride to Gridley, if you've no objections," replied Bert, with sulky defiance. "No, sir; not in this car!" declared Purcell promptly. "Too many decent people here. The cattle car for yours!" "Oh, shut up!" retorted Dodge, trying to shove into a vacant seat. But Purcell gripped him and pushed him back. "No, siree! Not in here! The cattle car is your number." "You-----" "We'll pitch you off the train if you have the cheek to try to ride in this ear," insisted Purcell. High School boys, when off on a junket of this kind, are likely to be as wild as college boys. A score of the Gridley youths now jumped up. It looked as though there were going to be a riot. "Oh, come on," snarled Bayliss, plucking his crony's sleeve. "We don't want to ride with this truck, anyway." Into the next car stamped the two young men, their faces red with anger and shame. "Sneaks!" piped up some one. CHAPTER XVII FACING THE "SCHOOL CUT" At the instant of their entrance into the car the air had been full of merry chatter. There were many High School girls in this car, and not many vacant seats. As the word "sneaks" sounded through the car everyone turned around. Bert and Bayliss found themselves uncomfortably conspicuous. At once all the talk and laughter ceased. Stony silence followed. One of the girls was sitting alone in a seat. Bayliss, unable to endure the situation any longer, glided forward, dropping into the vacant place. "That seat is engaged," the girl coolly informed him. So Bayliss, redder than ever, hurriedly rose. Bert had already started for the next car. Bayliss slunk along after him. "Sneaks!" cried some one, as they showed their faces in still the next car forward. Here, too, all the chatter stormed at once. Bert, pulling his hat down over his eyes, went hurriedly past the boys and girls of Gridley, and into the next car. Bayliss followed with the fidelity and closeness of a little dog. Now, the next car ahead proved to be the smoking car. Here, at any rate, the despised pair could find safe harborage. But one of the men of Gridley, who had followed the football team this day, and who had got an inkling of the story of the arrest, removed a cigar from between his lips and pointed an accusing finger at the boys. "See here, you fellows!" he shouted. "This car is exclusively for men. Can you take a hint?" "But we've got to sit somewhere," flashed Bert defiantly. "I don't know as that's necessary, either," retorted the Gridley man. "At least, I don't care if it is. After your dirty little trick, today, we don't want you in here among men. Do we, neighbors?"