CHAPTER VII
WHERE IS COLON?
"Oh! what d'ye think of that, now?" cried Bristles.
"How could Colon ever do it; and all Riverport depending on him so?" exclaimed the tall student, Henry Clifford by name, who was always deeply interested in the field sports of his mates, though too delicate himself to take any part in them.
"Why, what d'ye think he's done?" demanded Bristles, aggressively, turning on him.
"Perhaps he just got so nervous over this business that he couldn't stand the push, and thought he'd better skip out," replied the other, weakly.
"Rats! tell that to your grandmother, will you, Clifford!" burst out Semi-Colon, quick to rally to the defense of his cousin. "Nobody ever knew him to flinch when it came to the test; ain't that so, fellers?"
"Sure it is," cried Bristles, sturdily; "and when I saw him last night he was just feeling as if he had a walkover ahead. No, if Colon has disappeared there's some other reason besides a sudden fear of being beaten. He never went of his own account."
"Tell us some more about it, Corney," said Fred, himself considerably shaken by the stunning news brought by the runner.
Corney had by now succeeded in regaining his breath.