“Well,” replied Billy, “he’s more polite than any of you, for one thing.”
Pee Wee began to look interested, though a little puzzled. Although his manners were fairly good, as boys go, he had never thought that politeness was one of his outstanding virtues, nor had any one else called this fact to his attention.
“How do you make that out?” asked Howell Purdy.
“Prove it,” challenged Mouser.
“All right,” responded Billy. “Here’s the proof. When any of you are seated in a crowded car where there are ladies standing, what do you do?”
“Stand up and let a lady sit down,” replied Mouser, while the rest nodded approval.
“Exactly,” replied Billy. “You stand up and let a lady sit down. And that’s where Pee Wee has it all over you in politeness. He stands up and lets three ladies sit down.”
There was a moment of silence while this sank in, and then the boys broke into a roar of laughter, while Pee Wee looked around for something to throw at his tormentor, who adroitly skipped behind a tree.
Just at this moment, Mr. Carrier, one of the teachers, came along. He greeted the boys pleasantly and they responded heartily, for he was a prime favorite with all of them. The athletic games of the school came under his special supervision, and he had the gift of imparting his own vim and enthusiasm to the players. He had been a star himself both in football and baseball in his college days, and his thorough knowledge of both great games made him a first-class coach for the Rockledge boys. Under his tutelage, winning teams had been turned out in the previous year, and he was eager that his teams should repeat their triumph this season.
“Practicing up, I see,” he said, with a smile, as he nodded to Bobby.