"Gentleman," said Merriwell, "death is a grave subject to jest upon. You'd better bury it."
"That's all right," put in Robinson. "If he catches cold any of us may go to coffin."
"I'll not undertaker pun," murmured Rattleton.
Then there was a deathlike silence, and the lads all looked at one another reproachfully.
"Let's change the subject," cried Diamond. "Speaking of Ditson, I believe he claims to have blue blood in his veins. Says his ancestors came over on the Mayflower, and were among the first to settle in this country."
"They may have settled," said Griswold, "but none of his family has ever settled since that time. They owe everybody that will trust them."
"Ditson has stuck his friends right and left since coming to Yale, till he has not a friend left," said Robinson.
"Why, he owed Hartwick several hundred dollars when Hartwick left," declared Diamond.
"Just the same, Hartwick is back in New Haven and in is chummy with Ditson again," asserted Jones.