"Well, how does it strike you, Spike,---this idea of a summer
school?" inquired Cooper Fennimore the next morning as the Foxes
came back from their early dip in the lake.

"Um,---well," replied Spike slowly, rubbing his chin as he had seen
old men do when in deep thought, "how does it strike you?"

"Ex-actly right, now that I've thought it all over," responded
Cooper. "At first I was enthusiastic because the Lieutenant was
and because the rest took it up like wild-fire.

"Then, last night after the camp was quiet, I began to think it
looked like all work and no play; like a pretty strenuous vacation
after months of hard study, you know!" Cooper looked at spike and
gravely winked.

"Oh, yes, you old fraud!" jeered spike, poking his chum in the ribs.
"We all know that you are almost worn out with mental application!"

"But, finally," continued Cooper, doubling up slightly at the
friendly nudge but giving no further attention to the interruption,
"finally, I concluded that if my health could stand the strain, I
would like nothing better than this nice stiff little course in
ground work."

"'Ground work,' eh? Look here, Cooper, it is too early in the day
to attempt a pun."

"Pun? Not at all," Cooper retorted. "Don't you know my present