Page:Dave Porter at Oak Hall.djvu/90

76 the depot, and hither the pair made their way. As they entered, a shout went up from four boys seated at a table in the rear.

"Here are two more of our crowd! Roger Morr and—who's the other chap?"

"How are you, fellows?" cried the senator's son, rushing forward and shaking hands. "Thought some of you would be around. Let me introduce a new student, Dave Porter, from Crumville. Dave, this is Phil Lawrence, whom we all look up to and adore. He's——"

"Cut it short, Roger," interrupted the boy who was considered the head of the school. "Glad to know you,"—the latter to Dave.

"This is Mr. Maurice Hamilton," went on the senator's son, nodding towards a tall, thin youth, who had his mouth full of pie. "But don't ever disgrace him by using his real name, as he wants everybody to call him Shadow, because he's so very hefty, and——"

"There you go again, Cheery!" spluttered the youth mentioned. "Can't you drop it?"

"This is our own particular pride, Buster Beggs, whose real name, I believe was, in babyhood, Joseph. Am I right, Buster, dear?" And Roger looked expectantly at a round-faced, fat boy, who was squeezed into a corner.

"Glad to know Mr. Porter," came from Beggs, with a squint. "But say, old man," he said, in a