“Ha! the name’ll queer you, Tuck!” laughed Don, behind his chum’s back, but the older boys hushed Don.
The clerk rapped upon the office door and a voice said, “Come in.”
“Reuben Stevens to see you, sir. He has an appointment.”
“Show him in,” said the voice which Ruth recognized as a disguised bass of Ned’s.
Tuck walked to the office and then turned about and asked the other boys: “Now, what shall I say—I’ve forgotten.”
Immediately there was a loud chorus of laughter, and a scuffle and Tuck was ousted in the same manner that Don had been.
“Didn’t I say that name would spoil you?” teased Don.
“Next!” called one of the boys who had a list of names which he marked down “good, indifferent, bad.”
The boy whose turn came next carried off the rehearsal as if he had been a solicitor all of his short life. The other boys cheered his efforts and even the Blue Birds were tempted to clap their hands.
“Well, Bobolinks, I think this will do for to-day; we have drilled three of the boys after the manner shown us last night, but Don and Tuck seem to be hopeless cases,” said Ned.