Dan glanced at Walter as if he was somehow puzzled, but his dark eyes and bronzed face did not change their expression. “If you don’t get into the country very often of course you have forgotten some things,” he said to Sinclair. “I remember only last summer there was a family that came to Rodman to spend a few days. I didn’t know them, but it seems their father was raised in our town; he went down to the city and made a lot of money. This man Silas you asked me about knew them all, though, and he explained everything to them, told them how he had helped take their grandfather to the town poorhouse and got up a donation party for the children. He described the first mule their father bought――for it seems he made his first money as a horse-trader before he began to buy hogs.” “No wonder they forgot,” said Sinclair a little foolishly as he arose. “So long, Walter,” he added lightly. “I’ll see you again,” he said to Dan and at once departed from the room. “You were enough for him, Dan,” laughed Walter. “‘Enough for him’? I don’t know that I understand.” “Yes, you do.” “Walter, what does this fellow Sinclair’s father do for a living?” “I understand that he is a brewer,” replied Walter a trifle uneasily. “Is he?” “So I hear. Why?” “Oh, nothing in particular. How shall I get my trunk up here? Can I borrow a wheelbarrow somewhere about the school?” “Not on your life!” “I don’t know what you mean.” “The expressman will bring it up for you. Didn’t you give your trunk check to the man at the station?” “What man? There were a good many men there.” “The expressman.” “I didn’t see any. I can bring it up myself.” “Let me have your check,” said Walter harshly. Dan handed his roommate his baggage check and as he did so two boys noisily entered the room and greeted Walter with a shout. “Hello, old man!” exclaimed one of them as he seized Walter’s hand and shook it. The other followed his companion’s example, Dan meanwhile quietly observing the two boys and feeling drawn at once to the one who had first greeted his roommate. Even before he was introduced Dan became aware that the boy was known as “Priz,” though what the name implied he did not know. The boy was a sturdy fellow, manifestly possessed of great physical strength, and his actions were so quick that they were almost catlike. The other boy was tall and slender and much more refined in his bearing. His name, or at least his nickname, Dan learned was “Chesty,” though why such a slender delicate fellow should receive such a cognomen he could not at the time conjecture. “This is my new roommate,” said Walter after a brief delay, as he presented Dan. “‘Priz’ is the name that Ned Davis goes by,” he explained with a laugh. “You want to keep on good terms with him.” “I am sure I want to,” said Dan with a smile.