All that sort of thing was quickly forgotten, however; for there were a
dozen groups of boys scattered here and there over the broad expanse of
the "green," and Ford Foster at once exclaimed,--

"Boys, let's examine that crowd. It'll take all the afternoon to find
what they know."

Getting acquainted is apt to be a slow process in cases of that sort,
unless it is taken hold of with vigor; and Ford was the very fellow to
hurry it up. Before the afternoon was over, every boy on that green knew
who he was, and where he came from; and a good share of them had tried
their hands at "chaffing" him and his friends. Of these latter it may
safely be said that not a single one could afterwards remember that he
had seemed to himself to get the best of it.

"First day" at school is pretty safe to be a peace-day also; and none of
the wordy collisions went too far, although it was plain that the
new-comers had not yet attained any high degree of popularity.

After supper Dick Lee set off for Dr. Brandegee's, and his friends
attended him nearly to the gate.

They would have been glad to have had a report of his visit from him, on
his return; but he had his "chores" to do then, and any amount of
careful instruction concerning them to receive from Mrs. Myers and
Almira.

The other three were more thoroughly tired out than they had at all
expected, and were all quite ready to agree with Frank Harley,--