Page:Dave Porter at Oak Hall.djvu/109

Rh "He is. As soon as he hears of anything he carries it to Plum, or to the teachers."

"Well, if he plays the sneak on me, I'll give him a lesson he won't forget in a hurry."

A moment later came a tramping on the stairs and Buster Beggs came in, followed by Phil Lawrence.

"We stopped below for another bite," said Beggs. "Quite a crowd in the dining room. Gus Plum came in looking like a thunder-cloud. Wonder what was up with him."

"He got into a row with Dave the first thing," answered Roger, and described the meeting in the hallway. Phil Lawrence gave a low whistle.

"That's bad, Dave. Hope it doesn't amount to anything. Plum ought to have some consideration for a new boy."

Phil Lawrence belonged in the dormitory, while Beggs roomed in No. 11, next door. Between the two dormitories was a door which had a bolt upon each side of it, but which was usually left open.

It was not long before other pupils came up, and Dave was introduced to several, including Luke Watson, a lad who was a good deal of a musician, and who had brought with him a banjo and a guitar, and Bertram Vane, a delicate-looking youth, who went by the nickname of Polly, because of his girlish ways. The pupils were all whole-souled fellows, and Dave was surprised to