An incident had occurred the morning after their arrival that, outside of
Frank's friendly effort in behalf of Bob, had been the means of lifting the
farmer boy to a new level.

The fellows at Bellwood School were of the average class in such
institutions, a mixture of jolly and gruff, good and bad. Like attracts
like, and the very first morning stroll on the campus Frank found himself
attracted to some boys who took him into their ranks as naturally as if he
had come recommended to them by special testimonials. Of course Bob went
where Frank went, and loyally followed his leader.

Frank soon found out that there were two cliques in the so-called
"freshman" crowd. A boy named Dean Ritchie lead the coterie that had
accepted Frank and Bob as new recruits. Frank liked him from the first. He
was a keen-witted, sharp-tongued fellow, out for fun most of the time and
never still for a minute.

At any time the appearance of a lad named Nat Banbury or any of his cohorts
was a signal for repartee, challenges, sometimes a sortie. Advances were
made by Banbury toward the enlistment of the two new recruits in his ranks,
but Frank had already made his choice.

"Oh, come on, he isn't worth wasting breath on," spoke up a big, uncouth
fellow named Porter, when Frank had politely announced to Banbury that Dean
Ritchie was a friend of some old friends of his at Tipton. "Ta, ta, Bob-
up!" rallied Porter maliciously to Frank's chum. "Keep close to brother!"

Bob flushed and his eyes sparkled. His fists clenched.

"Easy, Bob," warned Frank in an undertone.