"I'll help you all I can."
Young Ripley's better nature really was stirred for a moment.
"Of course I thank you, Prescott," he stammered. "It was a splendid
thing for you to do. I---I don't know as I had any right to expect
it, either, for I've been pretty mean to you."
"I know," replied Dick, with the same dry smile. "You put Tip
Scammon up to the High School locker thefts, to get me in disgrace,
and unlucky Tip had to go to jail for it."
Fred Ripley glared at the freshman with terror-stricken eyes.
Then, without warning, Fred made a leap for ward, to clutch Dick
by the throat.
CHAPTER XXII
THE ONLY FRESHMEN AT THE SENIOR BALL
Side-stepping, the freshman put up one arm to ward off further
attack.
"Come, don't start a fight here, Fred," Dick cautioned the other,
in a low tone. "For one thing, you couldn't win anyway. Besides,
your father would hear the racket and come in."
"How do you know I put Tip up to that job?" demanded young Ripley,
his face as white as chalk. "Did Tip tell you all about it?"
"Not a word."
"Then you don't know," cried Fred, in sudden triumph.
"If I didn't," grinned Dick, "you've just confessed it."
"You tricked me---I mean it's a lie."
"No; it isn't, either," asserted Dick, coolly. "Though the second
chap, in that mix-up in Stetson's alley one night, got away before
I had time to recognize his face in the black darkness there,
yet as I fell and grabbed for the chap's ankle, I noticed his
trousers with the lavender stripe.
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