Page:Dave Porter at Oak Hall.djvu/240

218 "His backbone shows remarkable signs of disintegrating," came from another—Polly Vane.

"His knees are too toggle-jointed," added Sam Day.

Nat Poole gazed around, and saw that all present had been making fun of him.

"I don't want anything to do with your old society!" he growled, backing away. "I—I wouldn't join it for a hundred dollars."

"What! do you give up the desire to become a member?" demanded one of the students who had helped to found the Gee Eyes. "If you do that, you can never join later."

"I don't care—I don't want to join," answered Nat Poole, hotly, and then turning, he ran away as fast as his legs could carry him.

"What a pill!" was Buster Beggs's comment, and a great many of the others agreed with him.

The initiation at an end, Dave and the others who had passed were instructed in the grips, signs, and passwords, and then told of the rules and regulations. The initiation fee was two dollars, used principally in the purchase of a red robe and a cap. During the week following each new member had some ridiculous thing to do. Dave had to learn the alphabet backwards, Roger had to ask three shopkeepers of Oakdale if they had any lobster oil to sell, and Ben had to stand in the middle of the road outside of the Hall and ask the first person