Winning His W | Page 6

tightly in his grasp his precious carpet-bag. Will Phelps did not even laugh nor did he have any inclination to do so as he perceived how genuine was the suffering of the terrified boy.
"You needn't be afraid now, Peter John," he said soothingly. "You're all right."
"That was a close call."
"Call for what?" demanded Foster sharply. Will turned and looked in surprise at his room-mate, for the tone of his voice was very unlike that which he had used when he had insisted that they should go to the aid of their classmate.
"I tell you they were after me!" said Peter John, wiping his brow with a huge handkerchief as he spoke.
"Who were after you?" demanded Foster still more sharply.
"The sophomores."
"Don't you believe it!"
"Why, they'd have got me if I hadn't put in my prettiest."
"Nobody would have paid any attention to you if you hadn't run. You drew it all on yourself and have no one else to blame."
"Guess you weren't there when I landed! They gave such a yell when I started from the cars as I never heard before in all my born days."
"Did you think they were yelling for you?"
"Of course I did. I knew they'd be waiting for me."
"Peter John, you've made a fool of yourself. There wasn't a soul there except Will and me that knew there was such a fellow in all the world as Peter John Schenck. Everybody in college will know it now, though."
"What made 'em yell so, then?" demanded Peter John.
"They weren't yelling for you at all. They were cheering for Baker, the captain of the football team. He was just ahead of you."
"They were?"
"That's what I said." Foster smiled slightly as he spoke, for the expression upon the face of Peter John was a study. Consternation, incredulity, and partial unbelief in what Foster had said were all expressed there, and his entire attitude was so indescribably ludicrous as almost to be pathetic.
"Swan! I didn't know that," he said at last slowly.
"Well, you know it now."
"What shall I do?"
"'Do'? Do nothing. Just attend to your own business and let everything else go."
"I thought I was attending to my own business," said Peter John woefully.
"Oh, well, never mind, Peter John," broke in Will with a laugh. "It's all over now and no bones broken."
"I wish it was all over," said Foster in a low voice to Will.
"I wish it was too. He'll be the center of interest by to-morrow. And really, Foster, it did beat anything I ever saw."
Foster Bennett smiled but made no reply, and together the three boys began to retrace their way to the station. Peter John evidently was somewhat crestfallen and seldom spoke. At the station no students were seen, and the trio at once started up the street toward the college.
"I suppose my things are in my room," Peter John ventured to suggest.
"Yes, they're there all right. I went over this morning to see about them."
"Thank you. I'll be pretty busy for the rest of the days I take it."
"That won't do you any harm. You can come over and sleep on the couch in our room to-night if you would like to," suggested Foster.
"Are you all settled?"
"Pretty much. Enough so that we can make room for you. There's always room for one more, you know." Foster spoke pleasantly and Peter John was quick to respond. They were now near the college grounds, however, and the interest of Peter John was quickly taken up in his surroundings. Both Will and Foster were familiar with the name of every building by this time, and their residence of three days in the college town had already given to them a sense of part possession, and they glibly explained to their classmate the name and use of each building as they passed it until at last they halted before Leland Hall, where Peter John was to have his room.
"I'd like to know who's to be my room-mate," he said as all three turned into the low entry and began to mount the worn stairway.
"Probably he's thinking of the same thing too," laughed Will. "Here you are," he added as he stopped before the door of a room on the third floor. "Yours is twenty-six, isn't it?"
"Yes."
"Well, here it is."
"Come on in, fellows," urged Peter John, opening the door as he spoke, and all three found themselves in the presence of a young man of their own age, who glanced quickly up from the box which he was unpacking as they entered.
CHAPTER III
NEW FRIENDS AND NEW EXPERIENCES
"One of you, I fancy, is Schenck, who is to room here with me. I haven't the remotest idea which one of you is the man, but whichever it is I'm glad to see him."
The young man laughed heartily as he spoke, and all three of