“If Dan, Randy and Wilkes were here, I’d be perfectly happy,” said Bert. “But I suppose it’s impossible for all of us to be together the whole year round.”
“And I wouldn’t mind in the least if Truem Wright were here,” said Chot, which remark occasioned some surprise among his comrades.
“Well, I’ve forgotten the mean things he did,” said Tom. “But I haven’t taken him to my heart sufficiently to wish he was here at this moment.”
“I look at it this way,” said Chot. “Truem was a cad of the first water, as many boys are who have well-to-do parents, and have wanted for nothing during the time they are growing up to go to college. Unless such a boy has a strong grip on himself he’ll grow supercilious, and may be led into doing spiteful things just as Truem was. We gave Truem what he deserved when we were in Bayville on our vacation that summer, and he took a strong dislike to us from that moment. But after he came to Winton his eyes gradually opened, and he saw that we were trying to act squarely with everyone. Then a longing for real companionship came into his heart, as it will sooner or later come to every boy who goes to the bad, and he finally mustered up the courage to tell us that he wanted us to be his friends. And I tell you, fellows, it takes a lot of courage to ask a thing like that of the boys who have been always on the other side, and whom you have been fighting for months. But Truem did it, and now, I say we should have enough interest in his future welfare to lead him along the right path, take him into our set, if need be, and show him that we are glad from the bottom of our hearts to help him. Those are my sentiments.”
There had been not the slightest interruption while Chot was speaking. Each listener had a serious look on his face, for he saw that Chot was in deadly earnest, and when he had finished, each boy felt that their chum was right. Truem had earned the right to their friendship and they should see that he never regretted it.
Bert was the first to speak.
“You are right, Chot, and Truem will have no warmer friend than I next term,” he said.
The others hastened to assure Chot that they felt the same way, and the matter was dropped.
“By the way, Chot,” said Bert, suddenly, winking at the other boys, “what ever became of Lucy Pendleton?”
“Why do you ask me?” queried Chot.