in the High School. Some of his pocket money he spent on his
closest intimates. Then, too, Fred had rather a shrewd idea as
to those on whom it was safe or best to vent his snobbishness.

From the start of the school year, Ripley had picked out young
Freshman Prescott as a boy he did not like. Dick's place in the
moneyed scale of life was so lowly that Fred did not hesitate
about treating the other boy in a disagreeable manner.

A week after the meeting between Fred and Dick the High School
atmosphere had suddenly become charged with intense excitement.
The school eleven had come out of training, had played almost
its last match with the "scrub" team and was now close to the
time for its first regular match. Oakdale H.S. was to be the
first opponent, and Oakdale was just good enough a team to make
the Gridley boys a bit uneasy over the outcome.

"My remarks this morning," announced Dr. Thornton, on opening
school on Monday, "are not so much directed at the young ladies.
But to the young gentlemen I will say that, when the football
season opens, we usually notice a great falling off in the recitation
marks. This year I hope will be an exception. It has always
been part of my policy to encourage school athletics, but I do
not mind telling you that some members of the Board of Education
notice that school percentages fall off in October and November.
This, I trust, will not be the case this year. If it is I fear
that the Board of Education may take some steps that will result
in making athletics less of a feature among our young men. I
hope that it is not necessary to add anything to this plain appeal
to your good judgment, young gentlemen."