"Oh, she may come in," said Percy, bursting into a laugh, "then you'd be in a fine fix; and I wouldn't give a rush for the good opinion she'd have of you."
Van hung his head, took two or three steps to the door, then came back hurriedly.
"I cry 'Quits,' Percy," he said, and held out his hand.
"All right," said Percy, smoothing down his ruffled feelings, and putting out his hand too.
Van seized it, wrung it in good brotherly fashion, then raced over the stairs at a breakneck pace.
"Polly", he said, meeting her in the hall where she had just come from Mr. King's room, "I've been blackguarding Percy, and you ought to know it."
"Oh, Van!" cried Polly, stopping short in a sorry little way; "why, you've been so good ever since you both promised years ago that you wouldn't say bad things to each other."
"Oh, that was different," said Van recklessly; "but since he went to college, Percy has been a perfect snob Polly."
Polly said nothing, only looked at him in a way that cut him to the heart, as she moved off slowly.
"Aren't you going to say anything?" asked Van at last.