"Prescott is nothing but a mucker, but he spoiled my coat, and
I'll make him smart for it!" uttered Fred, his face burning with
sullen rage.

"You'll only smirch yourself, Fred, by having anything more to do
with such a fellow," Clara warned him.

"When I'm even with the fellow, I won't have anything more to
do with him," snorted Ripley. "But I'll wait, watch and plan
for years, if I have to, to take all the conceit and meanness
out of that sneak. I'll never quit until I can look at myself
in the glass and tell myself that I've paid back the lowest trick
ever played on me!"




CHAPTER II

DICK & CO. GO AFTER THE SCHOOL BOARD'S SCALPS


In Gridley High School, sessions began at eight in the morning.
School let out for the day at one in the afternoon. The brighter
students, who could get most of their lessons in school, and
do the rest of the work during the evening, thus had the
afternoon for work or fun.

Often, though, it happened that there were parties, or school