CHAPTER IX 

THE FOOTBALL MEETING 

In a few days Dave felt as much at home as ever. Nearly all of his old friends had returned to Oak Hall, and dormitories Nos. 11 and 12 were filled with as bright a crowd of lads as could well be found anywhere. In the number were Gus Plum and Chip Macklin, but the former was no longer the bully as of old, and the latter had lost his toadying manner, and was quite manly, and the other students treated them as if all had always been the best of friends. 

It did Dave's heart good to see the change in Plum, and he was likewise pleased over the different way in which Macklin acted. 

"I never thought it was in Gus and Chip," he said, privately, to Roger. "It shows what a fellow can do if he sets his mind to it." 

"It's to your credit as much as to their own," declared the senator's son. "I don't believe Gus would have reformed if you hadn't braced him up." 

"I wish I could reform Nat Poole." 

"You'll never do it, Dave--but you may scare him into behaving himself." 

"Have you met Guy Frapley, Roger--I mean to talk to?" 

"Yes, in the gym., where Phil and I were practicing with the Indian clubs." 

"What do you think of him?" 

"I think he is fairly aching to become the leader of the school. He was leader at Laverport, and it breaks his heart to play second fiddle to anybody here. He and Nat are as thick as two peas. They tell me he is a great football player, so I suppose he will try to run the eleven--if the fellows will let him." 
Who was he with then?
Phi