But they will not win,
For we'll fight them like sin--"

"And bust 'em right plumb in the eye!"
finished Tom. "Oh, say, but will you all sew your neckties fast?"

"Sure!"

"And we'll tell the rest to do so, too," added another freshman who
was present.

The news soon circulated, and was kept from all but the first-year
students.

It must be confessed that many of the students found it hard to fix
their minds on their lessons that afternoon. One boy, Max Spangler,
brought on a great laugh when the following question was put to him:

"What great improvement in navigation did Fulton introduce?"

"Neckties," answered Max abstractedly.

"Neckties?" queried the instructor in astonishment.

"I--er--I don't mean neckties," stammered the German-American student,
"I mean steamboats."

When the afternoon session was over the students hurried to their
various rooms. The sophomores and the juniors who were to take part
in the contest talked matters over, and as far as possible laid out a