The medal of honor had been promised by Dr. Clay to the pupil who should stand highest in lessons and deportment at the end of the term. It was a beautiful medal of solid gold, and many students secretly hoped to win it. So far Polly Vane was in the lead, with Dave, Buster Beggs, Sam Day, Roger, and a student named Langdale close behind.
"Langdale says he is going to win or die in the attempt," went on the senator's son. "He is studying day and night, and so far his deportment has been about perfect."
"Well, mine hasn't been—at least, not according to Job Haskers," answered Dave. "He marks me down whenever he can."
"He does that to all of us," said Sam Day, who was near. "I wish he'd mark us up once."
"Which puts me in mind of a story," came from Shadow Hamilton, who was resting on the end of a bed. "A clothing dealer was going to have a fire sale. So he lit some damp paper in his stove and turned off the draught, so that his stock got all smoked up. Then he called his son Moses up. 'Make out new brice tickets,' says he to Moses. 'All right, fader,' says Moses, and goes to work, and the next day he put out suits of clothing labeled like this: 'Great Fire Sale! Suits marked down from $9.00 to $7.98.' Soon a man came along to buy a suit. 'Why,' says he, 'that suit was only $5.50 two days ago.' 'Yes,' says Moses. 'Vos it? Vell, ve haf der fire since, and now der suits vos all moth-broof!'"
"Phew! that's enough to drive all the lessons from a fellow's head!" cried Dave, after a short laugh. "Where did you get it, Shadow?"
"Maybe he picked it out of the Old Farmers' Almanack," said Buster Beggs.
"Which puts me in mind," began Shadow calmly. "A boy——"
"Not to-day!" interrupted Roger. "That's the fiftieth you've told this week. I'm going out for a spin, boys."