Page:Stanwood Pier--Harding of St Timothys.djvu/35

Rh outsider, no matter how much he may like him."

"I think that's true," Rupert admitted. "But you'd better not feel badly about that."

"Well," said Stoddard, "I suppose a fellow can't help being a little more lonely."

"Oh, I refuse to be lonely," declared Rupert.

"It's different. You're in so many things. I don't see why you're not in the Crown," said Stoddard innocently. "Of course you're never lonely."

"I tell you what we'll do!" Rupert exclaimed, after they had walked on a little while. They were making a circuit back toward the school. "We'll get up a burlesque society of our own, just you and I. We two will be the charter members, and it will be very secret and exclusive, and it won't do a thing—except have a name and a burlesque society pin that we'll be very mysterious about. We'll elect other members, perhaps, and you'll soon find you won't be feeling lonely. Of course if we find our burlesque is making any