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188
THE RIVAL PITCHERS

he knew it he had fallen asleep over a half-formed resolution to undertake a different sort of gymnasium exercise for a few days.

Tom's first visit the next morning after chapel was, as the rules required in such cases, to Proctor Zane.

"Well?" inquired that functionary in no pleasant voice as Tom stood before him, for there had been some skylarking in the college the previous night and the proctor had been unable to catch the offenders. "What is it now, Parsons?"

He spoke as though Tom was an habitual offender when, as a matter of fact, though the lad had taken his part in pranks, it was only the second time he had been "on the grill," as the process was termed.

"I got in after hours last night, sir," reported Tom quietly, though he resented the man's manner.

"Ha ! So I was informed by the watchman." He looked at Tom antagonistically. "Well," he snapped, "why don't you continue? There's more, isn't there?"

"Not that I know of," replied Tom calmly. "I had permission to go to town, but I got in late, that's all."

"Oh, is it? What about the student who was with you? Wasn't there some one with you?"

"Yes, sir."