"Oh, you mustn't think I meant what I said seriously, Sandow, but now that Mr. Markham has gone away, I am a bit nervous." The leader of the First Form was about to comment upon this announcement, when a significant glance from Fred warned him not to, and instead he said: "Ready for school, Cotton-Top? I thought I'd call and walk along with you. I want to talk about organizing the Second Form football team." "Yes, I'm ready," Fred replied, accepting the remark at its face value, although he was well aware it was about his affair with Bart that Sandow meant. "Wait until I get my cap." And going into the hall, he quickly returned, his face aglow with pleasure, in his hand a dark blue cap with the letters "S. F." worked in gold braid on the front. "Thank you, Momsy," he cried, putting his arm around her waist and kissing her affectionately. "It's a beauty. I was going to ask you to make one and here you've given it to me as a surprise. Isn't it swell, Sandow?" "It sure is," asserted the leader of the Firsts, thus appealed to. "I wish you'd make me one, Mrs. Markham, with the First's colors, crimson with white initials." "I shall be pleased to, Sandow. I believe I have some cloth of the exact shade, so I can do it this very afternoon." "That will be fine, Mrs. Markham, and it will help me out of a bad hole. Several of the girls have offered to make my cap and I don't want to decide between them. But I'd be delighted to wear one you made." Smiling at the boy's ingenuous frankness, Mrs. Markham renewed her promise to make his Form cap, adding: "Sandow, won't you come to supper to-night? And Fred, you may bring your new Form mate. I'll ask Sallie Ayres, Margie Newcomb and Dorothy Manning." At any other time, the boys would have hailed with delight the prospect of an evening with the girls, for Sandow was very fond of Sallie Ayres and Dorothy Manning, while Fred thought there was no one quite so attractive as Margie Newcomb. But under the circumstances, the suggestion filled them with consternation and they looked at one another in blank dismay, which was no whit allayed by Mrs. Markham's saying: "So you're planning some mischief for to-night, are you? I thought there was something in the wind when you called for Fred, Sandow. Of course, if you prefer your pranks, why I will tell the girls not to come." "Then you've asked them?" blurted Sandow. "Yes, this morning." "But how did you happen to ask three?" inquired Fred, suspecting that his mother, who looked upon the opening day of school with dread because of the hazing that was usually indulged in, had proposed the supper party in the hope that she could keep him at home. "You didn't know about Bronson." "Oh, yes, I did," returned Mrs. Markham, with a smile, "and I've already invited him." "When did you meet him?"