The group of students around Frank nodded assent. The boys were, as has been said, sophomores, and most of them were on the baseball nine.
“I wonder if they’ll go out for football?” asked Ted Newton, captain of the eleven. “We need some good material.”
“You wouldn’t have new fellows--butters-in like these three--on the team; would you?” asked Frank.
“Well, they’d be eligible for the varsity under the rules here, which are different from those of most colleges. I wouldn’t turn any fellow down just because he’d had some adventures. Cracky! I’d like a taste of them myself!”
“I tell you these motor boys will be impossible!” cried Frank. “You’ll see! They’ll think they’re the whole show, and that we don’t amount to anything. We can haze them and then we can sit on ’em good and proper, and that’s what I say let’s do!”
“I s’pose they are,” admitted Frank, “or they couldn’t afford to do all they have done. But that won’t make any difference to me. I’m going to snub ’em and sit on ’em, for they’ll be sure to try to run things.”
“That’s right!” agreed some of his cronies. “We’ll show these motor boys a thing or two at Boxwood!”
Thus, without having seen our heroes, the coterie led by Frank Watson decided on a verdict against them--a verdict that was destined to cause no end of trouble.
Ned, Bob and Jerry were not able to enter Boxwood Hall the first week of the fall term. They had expected to, and had begun to prepare for that. But some minor difficulties cropped up in regard to their entrance examinations, and they were obliged to pass certain tests which were arranged for by President Cole with the principal of the Cresville Academy, where the boys had been in attendance.
Finally, their previous work in their studies was found to be satisfactory, and, as Frank Watson informed his chums, the three chums were to enter the freshman class.
While the boys were busy with their examinations, their parents--the mothers especially--were busy preparing their sons’ outfits.
“It’s worse than when we went overland,” complained Ned, when he had been obliged to pass judgment on suits, caps, underwear and other wearing apparel--the outfit he was to take to college with him.
“Oh, well, it’ll soon be over,” was Jerry’s consoling suggestion.