“They are. Last summer when we shut up shop we all felt as if we had lost our best friend when Red left us. He certainly was a wonder! But if you can measure up to him or come anywhere near, you’ll wear diamonds here till you graduate――and forever after, for that matter.” “And if I don’t?” “Why――you’ll be all right. Sometimes you know a fellow gets a name for doing wonders in the place he comes from, but he finds out after he has been here a spell that――well, that the conditions aren’t just exactly the same. See, don’t you?” “Yes,” said Dan quietly. “It’s just this way――you’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain. If you can make good――――” “I’m afraid Walter has talked me up more than I deserve,” broke in Dan. “He’s a good friend――――” “How long have you known him?” “Ever since we were little fellows. He has been spending his summers on his grandfather’s farm, and our farm was close by, so Walter and I naturally were together a good deal. This summer he hired me to take him fishing.” Ned’s keen glance of surprise was not lost upon his companion, but as he did not speak Dan too became silent as the two boys followed Walter and Chesty, who were not far in advance. In the silence suddenly the words of the latter to Walter became plain to Dan and Ned. “Where did you pick up your bucolic?” Chesty was saying. “Picked him up in the hayfield,” Walter laughingly replied. “His hair is full of hayseed.” “Well, what of it?” “Oh, nothing. If that is the sort of thing you like, then you like just the sort of thing you’ve got, that’s all.” “He can pitch like a fiend.” “What of it?” “He’ll own the whole school pretty soon if he can measure up to Red Chandler!” “Red Chandler!” retorted Chesty scornfully. “He was just another such fellow as your friend from the hayfield. He didn’t know how to act like a gentleman. He was just a great, rough――――” “He’s the best pitcher the Tait School nine ever had!” “What of that? He used to say, ‘I done it.’ He never had a suit of clothes that fitted him. He was not and never could be a gentleman.” It was too dark to permit Ned to see Dan’s face and yet he was aware that his companion must have heard Chesty’s words. Impulsively he turned to Dan and said, “Don’t pay any attention to what that Chesty has been saying. He doesn’t know anything except what a tailor can tell him. He doesn’t know what he is here for. He thinks his money can buy anything. You don’t mind his chaff, do you?” “I haven’t had much time to find out yet,” replied Dan quietly. “Well, don’t you mind it! I’ll tell Chesty what I think of him.” “No, don’t say a word. Don’t let him know that we heard what he said. I don’t want Walter to know.” “Just as you say,” said Ned lightly. “If I can arrange with Samson I’ll get the fellows out for a little baseball to-morrow. You aren’t going in for football are you?” “I don’t expect to.”