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20 heard. It was confirmed a little later by an announcement on the bulletin board, calling for a meeting of the athletic committee, within a few days, to consider the matter.

"Say, this is going to be great!" cried Holly Cross, one of the football squad. "Rowing is something Randall always needed."

"And she needs rowers, too, don't forget that, Holly, me lad!" exclaimed Bricktop Molloy, a genial Irish lad who was taking a post-graduate course, after an absence of some time at Columbia and with a mining concern. Some said he came back to Randall merely because he loved her athletics so, but Bricktop, with a ruffling up of his red hair would say, half-savagely:

"I deny the allegation, sir, and I defy the alligator!" an old joke but a good one.

"Oh, we'll get the rowers," was the confident declaration of many, and then the lads, gathering in the gymnasium, or in the rooms of one and another, talked over the coming rowing contests.

It rained all night, and part of the next day, and then seemed to clear off for good.

"What about another spin on the river?" asked Tom, after his last lecture. "I'm ready for it."

"So am I," declared Sid, and the remaining two fell into line. Several other lads agreed to accompany the four inseparables, and soon quite a group was headed for the river.