“The Putnam hall football team,

“Per Fred Harrison, Secy and Treas.’

Dick had suggested giving the cup, and all of the senior class “chipped in” willingly, raising ten dollars, with which a very neat trophy was secured through a pupil whose father was a silversmith in New York.  I say all the senior class contributed.  I must correct this.  There was one exception, and that was Dan Baxter.

“I haven’t got anything for you or your brothers,” growled the bully when Dick spoke of the matter before the class.  “Let ’em furnish their own silver cups if they want ’em.”

“All right, Baxter; I guess Sam and Tom will be just as well satisfied if you don’t chip in,” had been Dick’s ready answer.  “I only wanted to give everyone a chance to own an equal share in the gift, if it was desired.”

“Our football team can’t play for a sour apple, Dick Rover.  They’ll be whipped out of their boots.”

“If I was a betting boy, I’d bet you a dollar on the result,” answered Dick coldly.

“I’ll bet you ten dollars we win!” put in Fred Garrison impulsively.

“I’ll cover that bet,” sneered Baxter, and drew from his pocket a roll of bills.

“Gracious, Baxter, where did you get that wad?” questioned several in chorus, for the supply of pocket money among most of the pupils was limited.

“Never mind —­ I have it, and that’s enough,” answered Baxter, but he lost no time in putting all of the money but the ten-dollar bill away.

It was all Fred Garrison could do to scrape up an equal sum, and even at that he had to borrow a dollar from Dick.  But he was “game,” and the money went to another pupil, who became stakeholder until the contest should be decided.

“It’s a shame!” cried Sam, when he heard of the transaction.  “To bet against his own school!  I’m like Dick —­ I don’t believe in betting, and yet I am glad Fred took him up.  If it is in my power, Baxter shall lose his wager.”

Thanksgiving was but a week off, so the football team had to work hard to get into proper condition.  Moreover, studies must not be neglected, for Captain Putnam was strict, and would have canceled the game had his cadets become unmindful of their school duties.  But the team got permission to get up an hour earlier than usual every morning, and this time was spent in the hardest kind of practice with the ball.

The report that Baxter had bet against his own school spread, and the bully became more unpopular than ever.  But this did not daunt him, and soon he had a dozen other bets on, aggregating fifty dollars or more.

“It’s a mystery to me where he gets so much money,” said Dick to Captain Blossom one day, “Is his father rich?”

“I can’t tell you,” answered the youthful commander of Company A.  “Fact of the matter is nobody knows much about Baxter —­ not even Mumps his chum.  Nobody ever comes to see him, and he seldom ever gets any letters, yet he always has all the spending money he wants.”