Compulsory chapel every morning brought together the entire college, and had its effect in making everybody acquainted with everybody else.

A great fosterer of the democratic spirit was the old Yale fence, over the departure of which “old grads” are forever shedding bitter tears.  The student who had not known the old fence was inclined to smile wearily over the expressions of regret at its loss, but still the “old grad” continued to insist that the fence was one of the crowning beauties of Yale, and that nothing can ever replace it.

On the old fence men read the newspapers, crammed for recitation, gossiped, told stories, talked athletics, sung songs, flirted with passing girls, and got acquainted.  Oh, yes, it was a great fosterer of the democratic spirit.

In the promotion of this spirit the drinking places at Yale are important factors.  At Harvard the men drink in their clubs, the most of which are very expensive places, and in the Boston cafes.  The Yale men drink at Morey’s, and Traeger’s, and Billy’s.  Traeger’s, where from a score to fifty students may be seen any afternoon or evening, is furnished in exact imitation of German students’ drinking places.  In the back room is heavy furniture, quaint paintings, and woodwork and carvings.  It had a sort of subdued cathedral light, which fell softly on the mugs which decorated the shelves and mantel.

Frank had proven that it was not necessary for a man to drink at Yale in order to be esteemed as a good fellow.  Frank was a total abstainer, and his friends had found that nothing would induce him to drink or smoke.  At first they ridiculed him, but they came to secretly admire him, and it is certain that his example was productive of no small amount of good.

Frank’s acquaintances declared he had a mighty nerve, for he was able to travel with a crowd that drank and smoked, and still refrained from doing either.  That was something difficult for them to understand.

It was apparent to everybody that Merriwell’s popularity did not depend on his ability to absorb beer or his generosity in opening fizz.  It came from his sterling qualities, his ability as an athlete, his natural magnetism, and his genial, sunny nature.  Although he was refined and gentlemanly, there was not the least suggestion of anything soft or effeminate about him.

It is not strange that Merriwell could scarcely believe it possible that Paul Pierson had been in earnest.  Such a thing seemed altogether too good to be true.

“If it’s a jolly, he’ll not have the satisfaction of knowing that I spread it,” Frank decided.  “Mum is the word with me, and I’ll keep right on working for a place with the freshmen.  Oh, if we can win the race at Saltonstall!”

Frank knew that he stood well with Old Put, who was to manage the freshman team in the spring.  If the freshman crew could defeat the sophs, Put would have more confidence than ever in Merriwell.