Hartwick tried to talk to Bruce, but the latter would say very little, and it was not long before he left the room.
Browning stepped out briskly, and a stranger who saw him could not have believed that he had the reputation of being the laziest lad in college.
In one line Bruce was thoroughly aroused, but he was neglecting his studies in a shameful manner, and more than once a warning voice told him that while he was putting himself in condition to dispose of Merriwell he was getting into trouble in another quarter.
He did not heed that warning, however. His one thought was to retain his position as king of the sophomores, and in order to do that he must not let any freshman triumph over him.
In town he went directly to a certain saloon and stopped at the bar, although he did not order a drink.
"Is the professor in?" he asked.
"I think he is," replied the barkeeper.
Then Browning passed through into a back room and climbed some dirty stairs, finally rapping at a door.
"Come in!" called a harsh voice.
Bruce pushed open the door and entered. The room was quite large, but was not very clean. The walls were pasted over with sporting pictures taken from illustrated papers. There was a bed, some old chairs, one of which had a broken back, a center table, a cracked mirror, and two cuspidors. A door opened into another room beyond.