Frank unfolded his manuscript and began to read:
"The problem of the hen is one of the most interesting subjects in ornithology."
"Hi! hi! hi!" yelled the seniors, rapping the floor with their clubs, umbrellas, brooms and so on.
"It seems to me very appropriate," continued Frank, reading from his paper, "that this subject should be discussed by a 'Pig'——"
This word was a signal for the most terrific uproar that the room had yet witnessed. All the seniors made a dash at Frank with their clubs, brooms, umbrellas and so forth, raised in the air.
They brought them down in great whacks upon the table; he stood as still as a statue. If he had attempted to dodge he would certainly have been hit.
"The idea of a neophyte using that word!" they cried. "Give him a black mark!"
Accordingly, the memorandum books came out and down went another black mark.
It then flashed upon Frank that it must be a rule of this order that no neophyte should refer to it as the "Pig," and unhappily in his essay he had done so a dozen times or more.
He quickly decided to pretend to read, but really to speak offhand and so avoid using the troublesome word, but there came another knock at the door.