Center Rush Rowland

's this sch

ckled face, who was engaged in lowering an awning in front of a grocery store, paused and viewed the inquirer with a

wkwardly, as though conscious of being a bit too large for his seventeen years. Under the straw hat the hair was warmly brown and a pair of calm dark-grey eyes looked out with level gaze. He was good-lo

lm-shaded cemetery filled with slate headstones, mossy and ancient, and beyond it was a wooden church with a square, stunted steeple. Burying ground and churchyard continued for th

nough and not greatly different from Cheney Falls, which was the little Maine town from which he had departed yesterday evening. Of course, one should scarcely expect to find much difference between towns barely four hundred miles apart, b

ut of position-and all were of red brick with grey slate roofs save the big and more pretentious one in the centre. This was, as the boy knew from familiarity with the school catalogue, the Recitation Building, Parkinson Hall. It was built of light-hued sandstone, in shape a rotunda flanked by wings. It was two stories in height, with an imposing dome in the centre. Two curving steps led to the big doors and the entrance was guarded by copper columns holding big ground-glass globes. There were, the observer decided, more windows than he had ever seen in one building. On the whole, Parkinson Hall was really beautiful, and one didn't have to be

d a gate opened and closed with a click and a man passed through and approached the corner. He was a tall, spare gentleman and wore, in spite of the weather, a long, black frock coat and a broad-brimmed, black felt hat. As he drew near the boy observed a lean, clean-shaven face, kindly, nearsighted eyes

ll you tell me where I

s arm and with gentle pressure turned him about. "That is the Administration Building and you will see the office of the secretary on your right as you enter. I am not certain, however, that yo

k you

ou and present you to Mr. Hoyt if it were not that I have an en

owland

cks, of the Greek and Latin Department. We shall doubt

y, with a smile, "but where your advanta

asses, "I shall have the pleasure of your society for several hours each week, an

along Maple Street, and as he proceeded his smile contin

Over the door was a small sign which bore the words, "Parkinson School-Administration Building." Two worn granite steps led

eg y

e other seemed to have got over his hurry and was observing Ira with an interest that he

you Parkins

his head. "My

I meant were you

looking for the

ped aside and held the door open. "You've

y at the door looked after him until he had passed into the secretary's office, still holding the screen open. The

e. A railing divided the room approximately in half, and the secretary's desk was set close to it. Two boys finished their business as Ira entered and turned to g

before the second hand on the face of the big clock between the windows had moved sixty times Ira had answered all questions and was moving away in posse

d by the mystifying letters "R" or "R & B." Fortunately the catalogue contained a map of the town in the vicinity of the school, and by referring to that he found that most if not all of the addresses were within a few blocks of the campus. Instead of returning by Maple Street, he entered a gate and went along the gravel walk leading in front of the row of school buildings. Being very intent on the matter of

anger! Are you loo

ion he crossed the few yards to the gymnasium steps. "Yes," he replied, addressi

until you come to a gate. Open the gate-it isn'

ite of the serious countenance, the reference to the gate had sounde

, that m

"means 'Rats,' and 'R & B' means 'Rats and Bugs.' You see, the faculty is very careful about our com

laimed Ira. "You're

e other almost indignantly.

nt-"I'm not particularly stuck on either of 'em. A

ugs are scarcer, though. You'll notice that only

et they all looked so serious, so kind and eager to help him. He shook his head as he r

f. I've heard, though, that the rats at Baker's are bigger.

red a chunky, broad-shouldered boy in tenni

orking big rats you'd better try Baker's. That's on Apple Street. Or, if you pref

ou," he said gratefully. "But I guess I'd rather go where the rats aren't so big. Of course

held a pair of running shoes on his knees. "I didn't quite get

ardon?" said

oy sweetly, "the meaning of your cryptic utterance. Why, Mr

e is Ro

en, Mr. Rowland,

hat you want," said Ira

ember of the group. "He didn't mean an

oing into the t

the boy with the running shoes. "How wer

y name's Rowland.

about it. You can't h

ere I come from. Cheney F

e dark-haired youth. "

p?" as

ogs up your way h

. "The bumps grow on 'em, tho

did. Well, what did you do i

on your fingers, though." He observed a hand refle

d the boy with the running sho

u take a pine or a spruce log and it's got k

at was yo

d the knots," re

most of the audience chuckled. But t

You're one of those 'country wits' we read about, eh? Dressed for

e dark-haired fellow. "Run alon

e. "Say, those clothes must have cost you as much as six dollars, e

responded Ira calmly. "And t

slips off

that?" demanded Gene,

begged one of the fel

ng arm and thrust an angry countenance in fron

asked Ira, viewing the other undi

e's blow, and at the same time shot his own right fist around. It was only a half-arm jab, but there was enough behind it when it landed on Gene's chin to send him staggering back into the arms of one of

dark-haired fellow, regarding Ira uncertainly. "Y

nt to go on," sug

you? You, Rowland, or whatever your name is, you get along. If the faculty sees this they

said Ira. "Wh

loe.

re he can find me. Jus