“All right, but I’ll get you yet,” said Hansel cheerfully. Harry looked across at him thoughtfully. Then:
“Hanged if I don’t believe you will, confound you!” he answered. Then he laughed. “Why don’t you give it up until next year, Dana?” he asked.
“So as not to interfere with Cameron?”
“No, honestly I wasn’t thinking of him. But look here, old fellow, to speak plainly now, if you go ahead with it, the first thing you know they’ll set you down as a crank and—and that isn’t pleasant in a school like this. Give a fellow a name for—for peculiarity here and it’s all up with him.”
“All up with him how?”
“Well, in a social sense, I mean. The fellows fight shy of you and you get left out of things, societies and offices, you know. I don’t want to seem cheeky, Dana, but really there’s a good deal in what I say. And—and you’re the sort of a chap that can have a pretty good time here and do a whole lot if—if you don’t get—peculiar.”
“I dare say you’re right, Folsom——”
“Cut it out; no one ever calls me that.”
“All right, then I won’t either. I’ve been thinking myself that very likely the fellows would put me down for several kinds of a crank, but—really, I don’t know why I should feel so—so strongly about this thing; but I do; and there you are. And I guess if I am in for getting a reputation for peculiarity, as you call it, why, I’m in for it, that’s all. Anyhow, I haven’t any idea of backing down.”
“No, I didn’t suppose you had,” said Harry with conviction. “I only thought it was my duty in a way to—er—mention the matter to you.”