Page:Dave Porter at Oak Hall.djvu/280

258 and give up toadying to that bully, I'm sure all the other fellows would like you a great deal more than they do now."

At this unexpected outburst Chip Macklin was silent for a moment.

"You're a good enough fellow, in general," went on Dave, earnestly. "You're pretty good at your lessons, and pretty good other ways, too, and I know some boys like you when you are not following after Plum. Another thing, to my mind, Plum is on the downward road, and if you keep on following him, sooner or later you'll get into some trouble that will bring you dismissal from the Hall. Your stepfather won't like that, and neither will your mother."

At these words Chip Macklin's head sank on his breast.

"If I were you, I'd cut Gus Plum dead after this, and I think I'd cut Nat Poole, too, although he isn't quite so bad as Plum, only foolish. Those fellows will never help you to make a man of yourself, and both of them will never help you in your studies, for each is near the bottom of his class."

"I know they don't study much—and they don't let me study as much as I wish. But what can I do—I'm in their dormitory. And Plum will half kill me now!" Macklin showed signs of breaking down again.

"We'll get Dr. Clay to put you in some other