Page:Boys of Columbia High on the River.djvu/134

122 belong to a young fellow of established bad tendencies. It's an accident I suppose, but I couldn't help noticing it. There's Leffert Seller, always in the lead when mischief is done; William Klemm; Asa Barnes, and Watkins Kline. H'm! rather a doubtful honor if any one out of that set wins the cup," remarked the music-master, frowning.

"You do not appear to fancy them very much, sir?" remarked the other; "you see I am a newcomer to Columbia, arriving only a few months back, and hence I do not happen to be posted concerning the boys here."

"Oh! for that matter all towns of this size are pretty much alike. There are many clever and bright young chaps, and a few whose minds seem to be devoted exclusively toward what they term having fun, which means pranks. Now, I can sympathize with the average lad in such things, for I was once a boy myself, and concerned in many such; but a line must be drawn sharply between innocent fun and malicious destruction of property."

He waved his hand as he spoke toward the boat-house with its half charred side, a mute witness as to the truth of his words.

"Do you really think then that some of our boys could have been guilty of that criminal thing?" asked the other, in dismay.

"Well, I hardly go that far; and yet from the way