Asking the boys to follow her she led them to another apartment farther down the corridor. Andy was glad she did not ask for particulars about how he came to "come down sort of heavy" on the bed.
"There, I think these beds are better," she said, as she left them. Andy approached one.
"Here, what are you going to do?" asked Frank quickly. "No more monkey-shine business."
"I wasn't going to," answered Andy indignantly. "I just wanted to lay my finger on one and see if it would stand up."
"Which—the bed or your finger?" asked Frank.
"Both. Yes, it's all right," spoke the younger lad as he gently, and with an exercise of studious and elaborate care, pressed on the middle of the bed. "I think we can sleep in it. Let's get out some of our older togs and go outside to see what some of the fellows look like. I'm afraid we're not going to like this place."
They donned garments in which they felt more at home, and soon were strolling over the overgrown neglected campus. They met a number of lads and soon struck up an acquaintance with them. To one in particular, Jack Sanderson, they took quite a notion. He was an athletic looking lad, and they learned that he was as fond of water sports as they were.
"You say you've been here two years," remarked Frank to Jack, after a while, during which they had been strolling about, "then what ails this place, anyhow? Why isn't the baseball diamond and the football gridiron kept in better shape? What's the matter with the boathouse? Why isn't the campus kept better?"
"That's a heap of questions," said Jack. "I guess Flopps, the gardener, is so busy that he hasn't had time to cut the grass, but, as for the others, there are two reasons. One is that the fellows don't seem to take any interest in sports, and the other is that Dr. Doolittle has about all he can do to make both of his money ends meet. He hasn't any to spare on diamonds or gridirons. That's why."
"But why don't the fellows get together and do something?" Andy wanted to know.