"Greek and Latin the same," cried Lefty.
"I'll give mathematics," announced Taffy.
"Wow! What a cinch!" cried Buttons, Soda and Shorty in chorus. "We'll each take the three of you. No more worry about baseball and lessons. Hooray!"
The eagerness with which the wagers were accepted rather surprised Bart and his chums. But they had made the odds tempting on purpose, and so confident were they of Alice's ability, that they bound the agreements—according to Baxter tradition—by shaking hands.
At breakfast the next morning, Mrs. Montgomery announced to the rich bully that Alice was ill in bed.
Instantly Bart rushed to her room and urged her to get up and take the examination.
"But we've no end of wagers on you," he growled when she turned a deaf ear to his entreaties.
"You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Bart," exclaimed Mrs. Montgomery, who had followed him. "The idea of you're caring more about your wagers than your sister's health. Now go away, and mind you do not bother Alice any more."
When Bart reported the indisposition of his sister at school, his chums were in consternation.
"Serves you right," chuckled Shorty. "No one with sense would have wagered such periods."