“I don’t want to. Since the steamboat company was formed, Waddie has put on so many airs that some of us can’t stand it. In fact, our president does not treat us much better than he did you.”
“That is unfortunate for you, and still more so for him.”
“They say the Toppletonians are down upon Tommy; but I am inclined to think the feeling is worse on our side than on yours. Waddie is the most unpopular fellow on our side of the lake.”
“I have often wondered how you fellows, whose fathers are rich men, could let Waddie lord it over you as he does. My father is a poor man, but I can’t stand it.”
“They won’t stand it much longer,” replied Dick, shaking his head. “Our fellows have had about enough of it.”
“What are you going to do?” I inquired.
“Well, I don’t exactly know, and, if I did, I suppose it would not be prudent to tell you,” laughed Dick. “They are going to turn him out of office, for one thing.”
“I think that would do him good. That same thing will happen to Tommy Toppleton at the next election.”
“Waddie got into a row the other day with a lot of fellows that don’t belong to the institute. He undertook to drive them off the ground where they were playing, near the town school. They wouldn’t go, and one of them, a plucky little fellow, spoke his mind pretty freely to him. Waddie and one of his cronies caught him the next day and gave him a cowhiding. The town fellows mean to pay him off, and I know they will.”
“They will only get into trouble. Waddie’s father will stand by him,” I added.