“Don’t you know how to behave when a fellow’s sick, Kid?” Lanny demanded. “Get off there and sit in a chair.” Kid grinned unabashed and took the Morris chair. “I sneaked an apple for you, Bert; want it?” continued Lanny.
“You bet!” Bert hid it under his pillow for future reference.
“How are you feeling now?” asked Small.
“Fine and dandy,” said Bert.
“You’re going to get the mug for winning the race,” piped Kid jubilantly. “Mr. Crane asked Ben if he wanted to protest the race and Ben said no, he didn’t, and Mr. Crane said then he’d give you the mug and Ben said he hoped he would.”
“The Doctor said your behavior was a credit to the school,” said Lanny, with a grin. “You’d have thought to hear him that he’d told you just what to do.”
“Small says he thinks Ben meant you to win the race,” said Kid. “He says Ben didn’t finish on purpose. I guess he forgot about it.”
“No, he didn’t,” Lanny defended. “I saw him. He just meant that Bert was to cross and be the winner. You can say what you like about Ben, but he—he’s fair and square!”
“Treason! Treason!” exclaimed Kid, kicking his feet up. “Lanny’s deserted to the enemy!”
“No, I haven’t,” responded Lanny, “but—but I’ve got to tell you something.” He paused and glanced a bit shamefacedly at the others. “When—I came up to the room after we got back Waters said, ‘Lanny, I wish you’d pull these boots off,’ and I—I didn’t think anything about it—really I didn’t!—and so I—I pulled them off!” He ended a trifle defiantly. There was silence. Bert nodded thoughtfully, Small looked a little embarrassed and Kid began to whistle softly through his teeth. At last,