"Not a bit of it. That has just been a great treat to me. I reckon Bill Baxter is about the happiest fellow in the county to-night. And just think of what will happen when he shows up there to-morrow! I'm glad you gave him another dollar besides what I had along with me. He wants to go to town and get spruced up a bit, have his beard taken off, and get a few duds. And Bill declares he'll pay every cent of the loan back out of that three hundred coming to him," replied Frank.
"I was just trying to imagine how Dora would feel when she knows that I had a hand in bringing the wandering Willie home," mused Lanky.
"Oh!" laughed Frank, "I guess you've feathered your nest there, my boy!"
CHAPTER XXII
SURPRISING CLIFFORD
"There comes the Clifford team, fellows!"
"Give 'em a cheer to warm up their hearts, and let 'em know we look to winding up the best year the old school ever had with a victory over Clifford. Now, every one with a hearty will!"
Herman Hooker, the "greatest yeller Columbia High had ever known," waved his big megaphone as a drum major might his baton, and from more than five-score throats there rolled forth in concert the stirring school slogan:
"Ho! ho! ho! hi! hi! hi! veni! vidi! vici! we came, we saw, we conquered! Columbia! Rah!"
The fine weather still hung on, though indications pointed to snow before another night. And the ice above Rattail Island was in good shape for the battle of hockey sticks that had been scheduled for this, the second morning after Christmas.