A little later they were shaking hands with the venerable Dr. Burton, who made them genially welcome, but looked all the while as if he didn’t quite know what to do with them, and wished they would take themselves off, or go away so that he could get back to a volume of Chinese proverbs on which he was working, making a translation of it into modern Hebrew. “I’m very glad to see you young gentlemen,” he said, “and I hope you will like it here at Westfield. The students will—ahem—arrive shortly.” That was all the reference he made to the fact that our heroes were sent on ahead of the time as a sort of punishment, and the boys were duly grateful. “I have arranged for you to have rooms, temporarily, in the senior dormitory,” went on Dr. Burton. “Professor Landmore, the science instructor is there, and he—er—he will, ahem—look after you,” and the good doctor seemed a trifle embarrassed. “I guess he thinks we sure do need looking after,” murmured Pete, when he and his brothers had settled down in a big room containing three beds, which apartment was to be their home until the term opened. “Shall we decorate?” asked Bill. “What, put up all our trophies? Not much!” exclaimed Pete. “Wait until we get into our own flat, and see what sort of neighbors we have. This will do for now. I’m going to get unharnessed,” and he proceeded to don some more comfortable clothes than those in which he had traveled. A little later the brothers were out on the deserted diamond, tossing balls back and forth, and batting them. In vain they looked for some one with whom to organize even half a nine, and finally they gave it up, and strolled about, looking at the college buildings, walking over the football gridiron, and speculating as to what sort of fellows they would get chummy with when the students arrived. For two weeks our heroes lived rather a dull life, though Professor Landmore made friends with them, and took them on long walks collecting science specimens. Once he went fishing with them, but he paid little attention to the sport after he had captured a new species of frog, notes concerning which he proceeded to enter at great length in a book, while the Smith boys pulled out some fine specimens of the finny tribe. That night, the final one before the opening of the term, our friends were given their regular rooms in the Freshman dormitory—three connecting apartments, not very large, but just suitable for the boys. And straightway the brothers began to decorate the walls, each in his own peculiar way. With their choice possessions and trophies hung up, the brothers gathered in Pete’s room that night for a talk before turning in. “Well, the crowd will be here to-morrow,” observed Bill. “Yes, and then for some lively times,” added Pete. “How do you mean?” asked Bill. “Initiations, and hazing and all that. But we’ll have to stand it.”