For one thing, neither Dick nor any of his partners came of families
of any wealth. Yet it was inevitable that some of the boys and
girls of Gridley H.S. should come from families of more or less
wealth.

It is but fair to say that most of these scions of the wealthier
families were agreeable, affable and democratic---in a word, Americans
without any regard to the size of the family purse.

A few of the wealthier young people, however, made no secret of
their dislike for smiling, happy, capable Dick & Co. One of the
leaders in this feeling was Fred Ripley, son of a wealthy, retired
lawyer.

During the skating events of the preceding winter, Dick Prescott,
aided by his chums, had saved the life of Ripley, who had gone
through thin ice. However, so haughty a young man as Fred Ripley,
though he had been slightly affected by the brave generosity,
could not quite bring himself to regard Dick as other than an
interloper in High School life.

Ripley had even gone so far as to bribe Tip Scammon, worthless,
profligate son of the honest old janitor of the High School, to
commit a series of robberies from the locker rooms in the school
basement while Dick carried the key as monitor there. The "plunder"
had been found in Dick's own room at home, and the young man had
been suspended from the High School for a while. Thanks, however,
to Laura Bentley and Belle Meade, two girls then freshmen and
now sophs, Tip had been run down. Then the police made Tip confess,