Page 13 - The Adventures of a Freshman

Sophomores, but this blatant, confident cheer away off somewhere in the distant, indefinite darkness, gave
him a start; just for a moment he felt frightened. He was not the only one.

"Oh, we'll do 'em," said the man next to Young.

"Dead easy!" said Young, this time.

They had passed the first gate by the Dean's house and were marching in good order down the broad old
street.

"Column right--wheel!" said the Junior in front, and they turned in at the carriage entrance.

Before he quite realized it Young found himself walking on the soft, green turf of the campus itself.

The singing had ceased. The talking stopped now. Nothing could be heard but the "tr'm, tr'm, tr'm," of many
feet taking many steps at the same instant.

"Halt!" said one of the Juniors in a whisper. "Form close ranks--lock step." The long line began to
concentrate.

Another of the Juniors went down the line saying, in a low voice, "Put your caps in your pockets, fellows--put
your caps in your pockets, fellows." Many of them had already done so. Some only pulled theirs on tighter.

"Are you ready back there, Tommy?" asked one of the Juniors.

"Yes, Jack."

The man hugging Young's arm whispered, "That's Jack Stehman, the great tackle."

"Oh," said Young, looking admiringly at the powerful-looking football hero.

"Now then, fellows," Stehman was saying to the Freshmen, "the Sophomores are lined up and waiting for you
over by West College; one of our men has just come from there. You fellows are nearly fifty men stronger
than they are. Stick together and you'll rush them dead easy."

At this four or five excited Freshmen started a faint cheer but it was crushed down by several vigorous
"sishes!" "Keep your mouths shut," said one of the other Juniors.

"Now, follow me and, mind, stick together, whatever you do. Stick together!" This was big Jack Stehman
again. Young admired him; hoped to become well acquainted with him some day.

The compact mass moved forward, their bodies close together and their legs and feet beneath taking quick
short steps as best they could. It was like a huge dark centipede, except that centipedes probably do not step
on so many of their heels at once.

On either side walked upper-classmen, some calmly smoking pipes as if there was nothing to be excited
about, laughing lightly and making remarks. The way they looked at Young and his companions reminded
him of his father and the other farmers judging live stock at the county fair.

"Pretty good looking Freshman class, Harry," said one fellow whose face Young couldn't see in the dark.

"Um," said the one addressed, nodding. "There's a fellow, looks----" Young lost the rest of it.