Tom Fairfield's Schooldays: or, The Chums of Elmwood Hall. Chapman Allen

but rather tiresome at times. Demy, we call him.”

      “He must be odd,” agreed Tom.

      “There! I guess I’ve told you all I know,” spoke Reddy, with a laugh. “The rest you’ll find out after you’ve been at the school a few days. Now tell me something about yourself.”

      Which Tom did, mentioning about his father and mother going to Australia.

      “That’s a trip I’d like to take,” said Reddy. “Cracky, what sport! I love travel.”

      The lads talked on various topics as the train sped along. They were nearing Elmwood Hall, which was located in the town of the same name, on the Ware river. Several other lads, whom Reddy pointed out to Tom as old or new students, had meanwhile boarded the train. A number greeted Tom’s seatmate as an old friend and our hero was introduced to them. They greeted him nicely enough, but talked to Reddy.

      Soon the latter was deep in conversation about the chances for a good football season, and Tom did not like to break in, but listened with all his might.

      “Here we are, Fairfield,” said Reddy Burke, at length. “Get your grip, and I’ll show you the way to the Hall. Oh, I forgot, you’ve been here before, though.”

      “Yes, I can find my way up well enough,” spoke Tom. “Don’t let me hold you back.”

      “All right then. I’ll see you later. There’s Hen Mattock up ahead. He was football captain last year. I want to talk to him, so I’ll just run on. See you again!” and with that Reddy rushed off, to clap on the shoulder a tall, well-built lad, who looked every inch an athlete. Tom gathered up his belongings, gave his trunk check to an expressman, and headed for Opus Manor.

      This residence, or dormitory, was one of the school buildings, located not far away from the main hall and was “within bounds,” so that the Freshmen, did they wish to spend an evening in town, had to get permission, or else “run the guard,” a proceeding fraught with some danger, carrying with detection a penalty more or less severe. It was the aim of the school proctor, Mr. Frederick Porter, to thus keep watch and ward over the first year students.

      The others were allowed more liberty, or at least they took it, for many of them lived in fraternity houses, and some Seniors boarded in private families in town. Most of the Seniors, however, dwelt in a house near the Hall. It was called Elmwood Castle, and Tom looked longingly at it as he passed on his way to his own more humble, and less distinctive, dormitory.

      As Tom was ascending the steps, intending to report to the monitor in charge, and also seek out the matron, he became aware of a student standing on the topmost platform, looking down at him. Beside him was another lad, and, as our hero came up, one shoved the other against Tom, jostling him severely.

      Instantly Tom flared up. He could see that it was done intentionally. His face flushed.

      “What do you mean?” he asked quickly.

      “Whatever you like to think,” was the reply of the student whom Tom had first noticed.

      “Well, I think I don’t like it,” retorted Tom quickly.

      “You’ll have to get used to it then; won’t he, Nick?” and the lad who had done the shoving appealed to his companion, with a sneering laugh.

      “That’s what he will, Sam.”

      “I won’t then!” exclaimed Tom, “and the sooner you realize that the better.”

      “Oh ho! So that’s the kind of talk, eh?” sneered the one called Sam. “What’s your name, Fresh?”

      “Fairfield – Tom Fairfield – Fresh!” retorted Tom, for he could see by the other’s cap that he, too, was a first year lad.

      “Well mine’s Heller – Sam Heller, Capital ‘S’ and capital ‘H,’ and don’t forget it. This must be the fellow who’s got my room, Nick,” he added.

      “Probably,” replied Sam Heller’s crony, who was Nick Johnson. “Yes, that was the name the monitor mentioned, come to think of it.”

      “How have I your room?” asked Tom.

      “Because you have. I had the room last year, and I told ’em to save it for me this term. But you came along and snatched it up, so – ”

      “I took it because it was assigned to me,” spoke Tom, and from the other’s talk he understood that the lad was a Freshman who had not passed, and who, in consequence, was obliged to spend another year in the same grade. Perhaps this made him bitter.

      “Well, you’ve got my room,” grumbled Sam, “and I’m going to get square with somebody.”

      “You can get square with me, if you like,” said Tom quietly, “though I told you I had nothing to do with it. One thing, though, if you do any more shoving I’ll shove back, and it won’t be a gentle shove, either.”

      “Is that a threat?” growled Sam.

      “You can take it so if you like.”

      “I will, and if you don’t look out – ”

      What Sam was going to say he did not finish, for, at that moment, the monitor in charge of Opus Manor came to the door, and the two who had sought to pick a quarrel with Tom slouched off across the campus.

      “New student here?” asked the monitor, who did not seem to remember Tom.

      “Yes. I’m Fairfield.”

      “Oh yes, I recall you now. Come, and I’ll introduce you to my wife. She’s matron here. Blackford is my name.”

      “I remember it,” spoke Tom, who had met the monitor when down for his examinations.

      As the two were about to enter the building Tom saw his new friend, Reddy Burke, hurrying along, beckoning to him to wait.

      He halted a moment, and the Junior ran up the steps.

      “I just saw you talking here to a couple of students,” began the athlete, “and as I passed them just now I heard Sam Heller say he was going to get even with you. What happened?”

      Tom told him and Reddy whistled.

      “Why, what’s up?” asked our hero.

      “Nothing, if you don’t mind it, only you’ve made an enemy right off the bat. That Heller is one of the few undesirables here. His crony, Nick Johnson, is another. Heller is down on you all right, though it isn’t your fault.”

      “I don’t mind in the least,” spoke Tom.

      “He’s one of the scrappers,” went on Reddy. “Look out!”

      “I can take care of myself,” replied Tom. “Thanks, just the same,” and, as he followed Monitor Blackford into the dormitory, he realized that he had made an enemy and a friend in the same day.

      CHAPTER V

      TOM FINDS A CHUM

      “This is the room assigned to you,” said the monitor, pausing in a long corridor, after he had introduced Tom to Mrs. Blackford. “It is one of the best in the Manor, though I don’t quite understand why you picked out a double apartment.”

      “Is it a double one?” asked Tom in some surprise. “I did not know it. As I was requested in the circular I received, I indicated the section of the building where I would like to be, and this room was assigned to me. I supposed it was a single one.”

      “No, it is intended for two students, and I suppose it was assigned to you by mistake. I’m sorry, as it is too late to change now, since all the reservations are taken, and – ”

      “Oh, I don’t want to change!” exclaimed Tom quickly, as he entered the apartment shown him by the monitor. He saw that there were two beds in it, and that it was large and airy. “I’ll keep this,” our hero added. “It’s fine.”

      “Have you a chum who might like to share it with you?” asked Blackford. “The expense may – ”

      “Oh,