Dan didn’t hurry back to his room after supper, nor, for that matter, did he hurry through the meal. He and Lawrence were the last ones at the training table. Dan always found the third baseman’s conversation rather boresome, but this evening, in his desire to kill time, he stood Lawrence with equanimity, even egged him on to a further elaboration of his subject, which might have been entitled, “How I Would Train a Baseball Team if I had the Chance.” Lawrence wasn’t a bad sort of fellow; only a trifle self-assertive when it came to opinions and lamentably prosy in the presentation of them. To-night, though, Dan was ready to forgive him much. He had gone through five years at Yardley, each Spring passing with honors, and in a few days would receive his diploma. It was something of a feat, when you came to think of it, Dan reflected, and perhaps by the time he was ready to graduate he might be a much bigger bore than Lawrence.

But presently the waiters were turning out the[272] lights over the tables here and there, and there was no excuse for further loitering. Gerald’s supper had gone over to him long before. Dan pushed back his chair, and Lawrence, still rambling on, followed him. Out in the corridor Lawrence suggested that Dan should come up to his room for a few minutes; he lived on the floor above. Dan hesitated, and then, because he was very anxious to give Mr. Pennimore plenty of time to finish his visit with Gerald and go home, he accepted the invitation. He had never visited Lawrence before and the comfort, even luxury of the big square room surprised him. Lawrence made him take the biggest and easiest chair, and then went on with his views. Dan nodded now and then, now and then pretended to question an assertion, and all the time was wondering whether it was safe to go back to his own room. After a while some other fellows came in, and Dan seized the opportunity to leave. Lawrence informed the newcomers warmly that “that chap Vinton is a mighty brainy youngster.”

Dan looked at his watch as he climbed the stairs in Clarke, and found that the time was a quarter to nine. That was comforting. Gerald’s father must have returned to Sound View before this. It was a relief not to have to face Mr. Pennimore just now. Dan felt very culpable regarding the[273] canoe episode. He owed a good deal to Mr. Pennimore, and he had promised to look after Gerald. Just how to reconcile that promise with the fact that Gerald had been canoeing for a month past without his father’s permission was somewhat of a puzzle. When Dan reached the door of Number 28 his heart sank. He had returned too early, after all!

Gerald was still in bed, and it was not difficult to see that he had been crying. But at present he was looking quite happy, as was Mr. Pennimore, seated beside him. However severe the storm had been, reflected Dan, it had cleared away now. He greeted Mr. Pennimore and shook hands without discerning any signs of reproach nor condemnation in the other’s regard. Mr. Pennimore referred briefly and smilingly to the accident, asked for news of Harry Merrow, and expressed his pleasure when Dan assured him that Harry was practically recovered after his narrow escape.

“He heard me at the door,” said Dan, “and asked to see me. But the matron thought I’d better not go in. He sent word that you were to come and see him in the morning, Gerald.”

“Of course,” said Mr. Pennimore. “And I’ll send Higgins over after breakfast with some fruit, Gerald. He will probably like it. You can take it around to him.”

[274]

“And please have him bring me my stamp books, all three of them. They’re in my room. Elizabeth knows where they are. I’m going to give them to Harry.”

Mr. Pennimore raised his brows slightly.

“Just as you like, son, but you mustn’t forget that you’ve got a thousand dollars or so worth of stamps there. Rather an expensive present, isn’t it?”

“I don’t care for them any more,” replied Gerald. “And Harry does. I’d rather some one would have them who can enjoy them.”

“I dare say you’re right, son. I’ll send them over. And now shall we ask Dan about Friday?”

Gerald nodded eagerly.

“Well,” said Mr. Pennimore, “Gerald tells me that on Friday the Baseball Team doesn’t have any practice, and that he understands it to be the custom to give them a sort of a good time to keep their minds off the next day’s game. How about that, Dan?”

“Yes, sir, they usually take them for a walk into the country or load them onto a trolley car in Greenburg and give them a ride. I haven’t heard what they are going to do with us this year.”

“Well, now, Gerald proposes that I put the Princess at their disposal Friday afternoon, and[275] let them have a nice, long sail. How do you think that would do?”

“Bully!” cried Dan. “They’d enjoy that, I know, sir.”

“I tried to persuade Gerald to look after the matter, but he doesn’t seem to think he ought to. Says, too, that he won’t go along, because he’s not on the nine. I tell him he ought to go and act as host, but he doesn’t see it.”

“Dan will understand,” said Gerald confidently. “I couldn’t exactly explain to father, Dan, but I know I’m right.” Dan nodded.

“Yes, I think you are. It’s rather difficult to explain, sir, but Gerald has the right idea.” Mr. Pennimore smiled and spread his hands.

“I suppose it’s a matter of school ethics, eh?” he asked. “Well, have your own way. Now, can you see the coach or the captain and tell him about this, Dan?”

“Yes, sir, I’ll see Millener, and say you’ve made the offer and that he’s to talk with you about it.”

“He can call me up on the telephone, if he likes, any time to-morrow before eight or after six. I shall be glad to have them use the yacht. I’d like to go along—if it wouldn’t infringe some mysterious law—but I shall have to be in the city Friday if I’m to take a holiday on Saturday.”

“Then you’ll want the yacht, sir,” said Dan.

[276]

“Oh, no, I’ll use the train for once. Well, I’ll leave the matter in your hands for the present. And see that this boy stays in bed the rest of the evening, Dan. Now, I must be getting back.” At the door he laid a hand on Dan’s shoulder. “Gerald and I, by the way, have been discussing canoes, Dan, and we’ve decided that they’re a bit too dangerous for young boys. Good night, good night! You’re to come over to dinner Sunday, Dan. Or—” Mr. Pennimore paused, smiled, and turned back into the room. “Look here, Gerald, how would you like to entertain the Baseball Team at dinner Sunday, eh?”

Gerald sat up eagerly.

“I couldn’t do it, sir, but you could! Will you? That would be just dandy, wouldn’t it, Dan?”

“Fine!” said Dan enthusiastically. “But there’s an awful lot of them, sir.”

“How many?”

“Pretty near twenty.”

“Pshaw, we can handle thirty if we can find them! The more the merrier, boys! I guess after the sort of training table food you told me about the other day, Dan, they’ll relish a change, eh? I’ll tell the cook to plan all the sweet, indigestible things he can think of—and pile on the whipped cream! We won’t say anything about this yet. I’ll see Doctor Hewitt and talk it over with[277] him first. Good night, son. Get a good long sleep. Good night, Dan.”

Dan went with Mr. Pennimore to the stairs, and then returned to Gerald, and an excited discussion of the sailing party and the Sunday banquet.

The next morning Gerald was up bright and early, feeling no ill effects from the previous day’s misadventure. He soon found that he was looked on as something of a hero, and had he responded to all the requests for his story of the incident, he would never have reached commons in time for breakfast. When he did give his account of the upset, as he was forced to do at table, he gave most of the credit to Thompson.

“Shucks!” said one of his audience, “you and Thompson make me tired. He says you did it all and you say he did. I’ll bet a dollar Merrow crawled out of the water himself, while you two fellows were wrangling about who was to be the hero!”

To-day was the last day of examinations, and Gerald’s work was over early. At half-past ten he set out for Merle Hall with his arms full. He carried a big basket of fruit from the Sound View hot houses, and the three big stamp books. He found Harry stil............