“Why not? That’s what we’re here for!”
“Yes, but—but what about studying and—and learning things?”
“Oh, don’t worry,” Gerald laughed. “We study, Burtis. But we try to have a good time even doing that. I guess it’s a sort of pose here at Yardley to seem careless and happy-go-lucky and keep on smiling. Life isn’t always a joke, not by any means; but we don’t believe in drawing long faces, Burtis. They say over at Broadwood that a Yardley man never knows when he’s beaten; and there’s something in that, too. I said a minute ago that it was a pose. It isn’t, though; it’s a habit. Oh, you’ll like us better when you learn our ways.”
“I like you now,” replied Kendall with a smile. “Only I didn’t quite understand. I’m glad you’ve told me.”
“I suppose you don’t know many fellows yet?”
“No, none to speak of.”
“Well, you will in a day or two if you keep on with football. And you must come over here now and then. Fellows drop in here a good deal, you know. How do you like Towne?”
“I—it’s pretty soon to judge yet,” replied Kendall evasively. Gerald laughed.
“Well, don’t judge us all by him,” he begged.