"It always seems worse after a vacation," agreed Bob, tilting back in his chair. "You'll get back into the harness, though, in a day or two; you know you always yap just about so much when you first get back to school." "I don't yap, as you call it, any worse than most fellows do. I hate being tied up like a pup on a leash. It seems as if I'd just have to get out and play ball--and if you were a human being you'd want to, too," growled Van. "Hang it all, don't you suppose I want to?" Bob retorted. "What do you think I'm made of, anyway?" "I don't know, Bobbie. Sometimes you're so resigned I begin to fear you are a mummy," was Van's laughing retort. "Now, I'm not like that. It is one big grind for me to study. The minute spring comes it seems as if I never could translate another line of Cicero as long as I lived, and I don't care a hurray what X equals. What will it matter a hundred years hence whether we plug away here at this stuff, or get out and play ball?" "I guess you'd find it would matter to you right now without waiting for the end of a century," was the laconic answer. "But speaking of ball, what wouldn't you give to see the first League game of the season in town, Saturday? That will be some playing!" "I clean forgot the season opened this week," exclaimed Van. "Since I got back here I've been all mixed up on dates. I thought it was next week. Are you sure it's Saturday?" Bob nodded. "Positive." "It'll be a cracker-jack game," mused Van. "I'd give something to be there. You don't suppose we could get off at noon and go, do you?" "Not on your life! Right now, after vacation? What do you take this school faculty for--an entertainment committee? You seem to forget we'd have to cut algebra, and English, and gym." "I shouldn't care." "I should. I'm working this trip, and can't afford to miss recitations," was Bob's sharp reply. "As for you, you can afford to miss them even less than I can--you know that. Put it out of your head. When you can't do a thing there is no use thinking about it and wishing you could." "I see no earthly harm in talking about it." "I do. It just keeps you stirred up." "Then what did you mention it for in the beginning?" "I don't know. I wish to goodness I hadn't," Bob declared. "Well, in spite of your opinions I repeat I'd give a fiver to see that game Saturday." "You can't, so cut it out and let me finish this theme. Every time I've started to write you've broken in and driven every blooming idea out of my head. Now quit it. You better pitch into your own work for to-morrow. Dig out all the Cicero you can, and later I'll help you with the rest." With finality Bob wheeled his chair around and proceeded to submerge himself in his task.