Observing these groups, sensitive Billy thought they often glanced his way; and he noticed that the active ones were all his friends. But none of them came to him. It was the first mark of disapproval they had shown him. Among the workers were Redtop, Sis Jones, Reginald, and Mumps, his four best friends except Hector.
He watched them pass and repass during the noon hour, always with a pleasant nod but too busy to stop. In the halls he met them as groups passed to the recitation rooms, and outside it was the same. And even Bess, who always had time for a word, now waved to him and actually hurried away.
At last he could endure inaction no longer. He wanted to be in the fight, to be doing things for Hector. The truth did not occur to him till he finally appealed to his cousin at the close of the session. “Say, Hec, what do the fellows mean, leaving me out of your fight? I’ve chewed the rag with myself all day, expecting I’d be asked to kick in for something; but they’ve passed me by as if I were a stone dog or a skunk cabbage.”
“Don’t get peeved, Billy. You don’t know the whole game. Our boys are secretly fixing the lie on the circular. We’ve found out the whole business, name of the printer, and how much he got for concealing the name of his press; but we’re not talking out loud, because that would queer things.”
“Gee! That’s great!”
“Every one in the school who holds club or society funds has been investigated and found to the good.”
“That—that—”
“Fixes you. Of course I’m not supposed to be busy on any of this, neither are you supposed to be interested. See?”
Billy looked down and scraped the floor absently with his toe. “I see I’m a heavy drag on you, Hec. I’ve about knocked you silly.”
Redtop, hurrying by, heard this. “Stop running off at the mouth, Billy To-morrow! We’ve got them shot all to pieces; only it’s on the q. t. till after the trick is turned. It’s your cue—ours, all of us—to look all in, meachin’ like. We’ll hit the cheers later.”