“It’s the worst I ever heard!” said Smith. “I knew that Gus was jealous of Dan, but I didn’t believe even he would stoop to such a low-lived trick as to try to keep him out of the game by feeding him on ipecac! How did you find out about it anyway, Ned?” “Somebody overheard the talk,” answered Ned glancing at Walter, who had remained with the boys. Not a word had Walter spoken since he entered the room. His face was colorless and his suffering was manifest to all, but the troubled boy, as he occasionally looked about him, saw only the expression of anger and disgust on every face. Dan too had been silent and his face betrayed an anxiety hardly less than that of Walter’s. In a brief time the boys were dressed and departed. As they came out of the building Carlton Hall, who had been waiting for Dan, rushed to the side of his friend and seizing his hand said in a low voice, “I’m afraid.” “What are you afraid of?” asked Dan with a smile. “Gus Kiggins. When he started for his room he saw me and I thought he was going to strike me.” “Why didn’t he?” “I don’t know. He stopped all at once and then went right on.” “He won’t touch you.” “Yes, he will! I know he will! He’ll kill me, because he thinks I was the one that heard him talking to Walter.” “Don’t be scared. If he sees you acting in this way, then he may think you had something to do with it. Run along now and don’t act as if you were frightened. He won’t hurt you.” Carlton obediently departed, and Dan’s heart, as he watched the little fellow, almost smote him. The boy had developed wonderfully during the school year, but he was a slight lad and not able as yet to fight his own battles. Then too, Dan had spoken more confidently than his real feelings had warranted. He was by no means certain that Gus would not wreak his vengeance upon the boy, who was unable to defend himself. And yet Gus had no knowledge that Carlton had been the informer, and the thought relieved his fear. “How is your arm, Dan?” inquired Hodge as he joined his friend. “Sore,” replied Dan lightly. “It’s a wonder it wasn’t broken. What a low-down, sneaking piece of business that was. Don’t you think Gus did it on purpose?” “No.” “You’re too easy. All the fellows know that he had made up his mind that you shouldn’t keep him out of the box. And he got the place too――worse luck! He made us lose the game.” “No one knows that.” “Everybody knows it!” retorted Hodge. “The low-lived sneak! I don’t envy him when the school finds out about it. This place will be too hot for Gus Kiggins! It isn’t the first time, either, that he has been up to his dirty tricks.” “What’s the use, Hodge? If it is all true, why, I’m the one that had the worst of it――――” “When we lost the game?” broke in Hodge. “Not much! If we had won, Gus might have put on a bold face and carried his bluff through, but now he’s a home boy as sure as you’re born. Believe me, he won’t stay around here long.”