Page:The Winning Touchdown.djvu/148

134 report at my office. Personally, I wish to thank you for the service you rendered to Randall College last night—or, rather, this morning," and he smiled grimly. "Had it not been for you, we should have had no chapel in which to worship to-day. I thank you most sincerely," and then Proctor Zane did an unheard-of thing. He shook hands with Tom and his chums.

"Well, what do you know about that?" gasped Phil, when the proctor had passed on.

"He didn't say a word about our being out late," came from Sid.

"Pinch me—I think I'm dreaming!" begged Tom, but they were all too interested in other matters to comply with his request.

Dr. Churchill refered to the fire in his remarks that morning, and the words of praise he bestowed on our heroes made them wish they were sitting over the hole in the floor, that they might sink through out of sight, and so hide their blushes.

Dutch Housenlager started to whistle, "See, the Conquering Hero Comes," when he saw the four approaching, but Tom upset him with a quick tackle, and Dutch subsided.

The fire and football furnished fruitful topics for conversation among the students for some days to come, so much so that our heroes had little time to think about their missing chair and