To take up the story where Ralph and Ben Carver dropped out, we must return to the evening after the final examination.
They had come to their room early, as all the scholars had, to pack for their camp trip. Ben pulled out the valises from the closet, and began to stir up the contents of his trunk to make a selection of the thickest and oldest garments to take with him.
"There's a jacket in the sear and yellow leaf, but it's warm; in she goes. Those trousers, I don't know about them. There's a pretty big hole in them; but yes, they'll do to fish in. Come, Ralph, get your clothes together," exclaimed Ben, seeing that his room-mate had thrown himself down astride of a chair, and with his head supported by both hands, looked like a third-rate tragedy actor.
There was no answer, and Ben went on packing and talking.
"I'm going to take more things this time. I know I hadn't anything fit to wear last year. Camp-life is very hard on clothes and shoes."
There was no response from Ralph, and Ben, pausing in his packing, exclaimed,--
"What's the matter, Drayton? You look as glum as a catfish with a hook in his gills!"
"I feel just as I look, then."
"Come on, boy, we've got to start right after breakfast, and there'll be no time to pack then."
"I don't care."