Page:The spirit of the leader (IA spiritofleader00heyl).pdf/24

 ged march, and Perry lounged out with the tide. In the hall a hand caught his arm.

"Clam-bakes!" a voice said witheringly. "What were you doing, having a good time with us, you match stick?"

"Did you take that stuff seriously?" Perry asked with an air of innocence. He smiled at them raptly. "If the Board of Health had not decided that typhoid germs are sometimes found in clams and oysters"

Somebody gave a laugh of resignation. "There's no stopping you, Perry, is there? Put it over on us again. Our fault for paying any attention to you. Come on, fellows; let's get at that home room list."

There was a movement toward the stairs. Perry, grinning, suddenly found himself beside George Praska. The football guard's face was grave.

"You shouldn't have done that, Perry."

Perry bristled at the criticism. "Why not? What harm did it do?"

"I—I don't know as I can put it into words," Praska said hesitatingly. "This home room plan is good. When you make fun of it, you weaken it. Sometimes, in politics, good men are beaten because unscrupulous opponents turn a laugh on them and then keep pounding away at that until