Frank Racer made up a good-sized crowd to go to the lecture at Marsden. The boys went on trolley cars and had much fun. It was quite an event for them, and Frank and Andy, who had really been the moving spirits, were cheered again and again.
As the crowd of Riverview boys were piling into the hall Jack Sanderson pulled Frank by the sleeve.
"Look over there," he said.
"What's up?"
"There's a whole raft of fellows from Waterside Hall."
"Well, what of it? This is a free country. I suppose they want to hear the lecture as much as we do."
"Yes, I was only thinking there might be trouble."
"It won't be of my making. Go on in and sit down."
It happened that the students from the rival schools sat on opposite sides of the large hall, well apart, so there was not even an exchange of words in the time that elapsed before the lecture began. After it was started it proved of such interest that it is doubtful if any student gave thought to the unpleasant incident of the rowing challenge and its reply. The speaker, in fancy, took his hearers into many strange lands and showed pictures of life there.
As the crowd filed out, as might have been expected there was a mingling of the students from the two schools. At first the lads, some of whom knew each other, passed friendly greetings, and Frank, who had feared there might be unpleasantness, began to feel reassured.