“Yes,” Irving answered. “In Geometry.”

“That means you’ll have to take the upper hand and hold it, right from
the start. If you have one crowd in dormitory to look after and another
crowd in class, you can afford to relax a little now and then; but when
it’s the same boys in both—they watch for any sign of weakening.”

“There will be only two of them at your table, any way, Mr. Upton,” said
Randolph. He passed over a list. “The others are all Fourth and Fifth
Formers—only Westby and Carroll from the Sixth!”

“Westby!” Wythe sighed. “Maybe we were premature in congratulating you.
I’d forgotten about Westby.”

“What is the matter with him?” asked Irving.

“His cleverness, and his attractiveness. He smiles and smiles and is a
villain still. He was in my dormitory year before last and kept it in a
constant turmoil. And yet if you have any sense of humor at all you
can’t help being amused by him—even sympathizing with him—though it’s
apt to be at your own expense.”

“He’s perfectly conscienceless,” declared Marcy.

“And yet there’s no real harm in him,” said Randolph.

“He seems to be something of a puzzle.” Irving spoke uneasily. “And he’s
to be at my table—I’m to have a table?”

“Oh, yes. In fact, one or two of the Sixth Formers—Scarborough, for