"That book," indicating the photograph album, "contains the records of the society."

"May I look into it?"

"No," said Jones, hurriedly, laying his hand upon the book. "The time may come, but not yet."

"Just as you say," said Sam, submissively. "I'm in no hurry."

"Bandage his eyes once more," said Brown.

Robinson advanced, and tied a handkerchief over our hero's eyes.

"Now stand up."

Sam stood up.

Brown proceeded to read a chorus from Euripides, which impressed Sam as much as anything yet, for the Greek seemed but a strange and barbarous jargon to his unaccustomed ears.

"Do you understand what I have said?" asked Brown, at the close of his reading.

"Not entirely," said Sam,

"Then your education has been neglected. But it matters not. Raise him."

Jones and Robinson proceeded to lift Sam, one by the head, the other by the heels, rather to his alarm.

"What's your game?" he demanded, resisting.

"No harm is intended. It is one of the necessary formalities."

"Go ahead, then."

The two students bore Sam about the room, chanting discordantly as they went. At length they set him down again in a chair. Then Brown passed his hand several times over Sam's face, explaining that this was one of the necessary formalities also. Then the bandage was taken off, and a Greek book was handed to Sam.

"We will test your scholarship," said Brown. "Read."

Sam stared at the Greek page in bewilderment, turning the book upside down, but not finding it any more intelligible.

"I can't read this stuff," he said.

"You need not render it into English," said Brown. "Pronounce it in the original."

"I can't," said Sam, helplessly.

The three looked at each other.

"You can't read Greek?" said Brown.

"Of course I can't."

"Then how did you get into college?"

"I walked in."

"I mean, how could you be admitted without knowing Greek?"

"I wasn't admitted. I never was here in my life before."

"What! Are you not Barker, of the freshman class?" asked the three sophomores in chorus.

"My name is Barker--Sam Barker--but I don't belong to any class."

"What made you say you did?"

"Just for fun."

"Sold!" exclaimed the three in concert. "I guess this has gone far enough," said Brown. "Let's unmask."

Masks were removed, the curtains raised, Sam was invited to wash his face, which Brown, in his manipulations, had blacked, and there was a hearty laugh all round. Sam was invited to tell his story and did so.

The three students were wealthy, and took up a contribution for his benefit, amounting to ten dollars.

"I'll come round another day for half price," said Sam, humorously.

"The next time we initiate a freshman, it'll be the genuine article.

All the same, we've had some fun. Won't you stay and dine with us? We shall have dinner in an hour."

"Thank you," said Sam, "I'm agreeable."

"We'll take you round to see the college before dinner. We can't do less by a member of the Alpha Zeta Society."

Sam laughed. "I guess you'll have to put down the name on a piece of paper," he said, "or I'll forget what society I belong to."

Sam's good humor and droll observations made him a favorite with the three students. He learned, to his surprise, that Brown was a cousin of Julia Stockton, whose acquaintance he had made on the Fall River boat.

"I was in town yesterday, and Julia mentioned you--said you were very polite to her. It is very strange we should run across each other so soon after."

"That's so," said Sam, and, calling to mind the ten dollars in his pocket, he could not help adding to himself: "It's mighty lucky, too."

CHAPTER XXVIII.

BROWN'S PLAN.

Brown, Jones and Robinson roomed in one of the college dormitories, but took their meals at a private boarding-house not far from the college yard. Memorial Hall had not yet been erected, and there was no public dining-place, as now. They paid a high price and enjoyed in return a luxurious table. About twenty students boarded at the same place, but less than half that number were present when Sam and the three sophomores entered the house.

"Leave your hat on the rack," said Brown, "and follow me."