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" gave him as good as he sent," remarked Phil, as he and Dave walked down towards the river. "That last blow was a real eye-closer."

He looked at Dave keenly, but the other youth turned his face away. To tell the truth, Dave was not thinking of the fight—the words of Plum and Macklin, and some others, were ringing in his ears: "A poorhouse nobody! A poorhouse nobody!"

"Don't you mind what they said, Dave," resumed Phil, after a pause. "It was mean, very mean, indeed!"

"I know it, Phil, but—but——"

"You are not to blame for having been taken to such an institution when you were little."

"Yes, that's true, but some of the fellows won't look at it that way. They'll do as Plum has done,—and give me the cold shoulder."

"Not our crowd. If any fellow of our crowd does it, I'll give him a piece of my mind—and the cold shoulder in the bargain," answered Phil Lawrence. He spoke in a low tone but with decision. Rh