"Very good; I'll pass the word and be there. Hullo, Neddy! The D.C.
meets to-night, at Minot's, seven sharp. Co-ed, &c.," added Gus,
losing no time, as a third boy came briskly round the corner, with a
little bag in his hand.

"I'll come. Got home an hour earlier to-night, and thought I'd look
you up as I went by," responded Ed Devlin, as he took possession
of the third post, with a glance toward the schoolhouse to see if a
seal-skin cap, with a long, yellow braid depending therefrom, was
anywhere in sight.

"Very good of you, I'm sure," said Gus, ironically, not a bit
deceived by this polite attention.

"The longest way round is sometimes the shortest way home, hey,
Ed?" and Frank gave him a playful poke that nearly sent him off
his perch.

Then they all laughed at some joke of their own, and Gus added,
"No girls coming to hear us to-night. Don't think it, my son.

"More's the pity," and Ed shook his head regretfully over the
downfall of his hopes.

"Can't help it; the other fellows say they spoil the fun, so we have
to give in, sometimes, for the sake of peace and quietness. Don't
mind having them a bit myself," said Frank, in such a tone of
cheerful resignation that they laughed again, for the "Triangle," as
the three chums were called, always made merry music.