[CHAPTER VI]
THE HAZING
Evan tore the note into tiny bits and scattered them under the table, something undoubtedly in defiance of the rules. After supper, at which the foot-ball practice was the main subject of discussion, Evan and Rob, accompanied by Jelly, went back to Holden. Malcolm Warne had not returned, but that didn’t prevent Rob from taking possession of 36 and doing the honors. Jelly was properly impressed with so much magnificence and declared that next year he was going to make his folks furnish his room just like Malcolm’s. In a lull of the conversation Evan introduced the subject which since the receipt of Malcolm’s mysterious warning had occupied not a little of his thoughts.
“Do they haze here, Rob?” he asked.
There was a quick interchange of glances between Rob and Jelly. Then Rob smiled carelessly and shrugged his shoulders.
“You might call it that,” he said. “The new ones have to go through a few stunts, but they don’t amount to much. Faculty bars real hazing, which it ought. You’ll probably be requested to sing a song or do a dance some night, but you needn’t be worried about it.”
“I’m not at all worried,” answered Evan quietly. “I only wanted to know what to expect.”
“They made me recite ‘Curfew Shall Not Ring To-night,’” said Jelly, smiling foolishly at the recollection.
“It was funny, too,” laughed Rob. “Just picture Jelly in his little white nightie spouting that with inappropriate gestures!”