The door had instantly been closed and bolted behind him, but Will was
hardly aware of that so interested was he in the sight upon which he
gazed in the room which was filled with a noisy group of students.




CHAPTER V

UNSOUGHT ATTENTIONS


One glance about him had been sufficient to convince Will Phelps that
his classmates were suffering from a visit of the sophomores, a dozen or
more of whom he recognized as being in the room. He looked quickly
behind him at the door, but this already had been closed and three of
the stalwart sophomores were standing with their backs against it, the
others being stationed at different points about the room. In the center
stood Mott, a lusty sophomore whom he had frequently seen and whose
general bearing he had intensely disliked, for his face bore the
unmistakable traces of dissipation and his bearing was that of a rowdy.
The fact that Mott had secured a high position among the college
athletes had in a measure made amends for his low tendencies of life in
the eyes of his thoughtless mates, but though he was by nature somewhat
of a leader still his personal popularity was low, and it was only his
physical prowess that gave him any standing.

Seated upon one end of his study table was Hawley, his face beaming with
good nature and smiling broadly as he faced the assembly in the room. In
one corner Peter John was standing, his back against the wall and in his