“Oh cats!” exclaimed Bill. “I look like sin; don’t I?” “I’ve seen you cleaner,” answered Whistle-Breeches, as he noted Bill’s torn jacket and dusty trousers. “But what’s the odds?” “There’s Miss Morton,” murmured the pitcher. “Oh!” cried the girl, with whom he had once rode at such top speed to play in the Freshman game. “Oh, I want to shake hands with all you boys! Wasn’t it perfectly splendid?” “Glad you think so!” mumbled Bill, trying to hide behind Cap. But Miss Morton would have none of that. She held out her hand to Bill especially. “I’ll spoil your gloves!” he protested. “As if I cared for them!” and she only laughed at the grimy stains which Bill made on the white kids. Then, in turn she and the other young ladies greeted our friends, and repeated, over and over again, in more or less emphatic words, what they thought of the victory. “And may I add a word,” spoke a voice, as the girls moved off. The boys turned to behold Professor Clatter. “It was fine!” he declared. “Not even by the use if my Rapid Robust Resolute Resolvent, my Peerless, Permanent Pain Preventive or my Spotless Saponifier could a more noble victory have been won. I congratulate you. Pactolus congratulates you, and when we find the golden river we’ll make a crown of victory for you. But what I want to add most especially is, that our mutual friend Tithonus Somnus has just arrived. His wagon is over near mine, and he and I entreat you to come and see us, and partake of such humble fare as we may afford.” “Do you mean all of us?” asked Cap. “The entire nine!” cried the medicine man warmly. “We will dine out of doors, and Mercurio will serve the viands.” “What say, fellows; shall we go?” asked Cap, for the members of the Varsity team were gathered about the Smith boys. “Go? Of course,” answered Graydon. “We can break training now, and we’ll eat golden rivers or Resolute Resolvent or even Spotless Saponifiers! Lead on!” “You say Tithy has arrived?” asked Bill, as the little throng moved over the campus, it having been arranged that as soon as they got off their uniforms they would go to the professor’s wagon. “Yes, he heard that I was headed here, and followed.” “What business is he in now?” inquired Pete. “Oh, he is selling a wonderful instrument. It is a pocket knife, a glass cutter, a can opener, hammer, screw driver, and twenty-six other tools, more or less, combined into one. Tithy is enthusiastic over it. Well, I’ll go to tell him you are coming, and then I will bid Mercurio set the table.” The professor, with a low bow, turned away, and hastened off. “Queer chap,” commented Graydon. “But as good as gold,” added Bill, and his brothers agreed with him. “To think of him finding my glasses. I wonder how they got there?” No one answered him, and Mersfeld and North did not hear the question. Perhaps they would not have replied had they listened to it.