“Oh, moved into town, have you?” asked Frank, shaking the hand of the fat boy.

“Yes.”

“We’re glad of it,” said Bob. “Where are you going?”

“I’m going with you,” was the reply. “My father saw the teacher last evening, and I’m to start at school this morning.”

“Hurrah!” shouted Sammy, waving his cap in the air.

[64]

[64]

CHAPTER VII THE SPELLING CONTEST

THE SPELLING CONTEST

Tom Chubb was smiling all over his face at getting such a warm welcome from Bob and his friends.

Tom Chubb

“Say, fellows,” he spoke, “I don’t pretend to know much, but I stick to a chum.”

“Good for you!” cried Sammy.

“There’s a fellow you don’t want to let stick to you,” spoke Bob.

He pointed to Jed Burr, who was up to his usual trick of meddling with the affairs of others. Two little fellows were tossing a croquet ball to each other. Jed stood about half way between them, jumping up in the air, and trying to stop the ball.

“No, I don’t like his looks one bit,” said Tom.

Jed looked at Tom. He always had fun, as he called it, with green scholars. He made no move towards Tom, however, for he thought that Bob and the others had warned the fat boy against him. Besides that, Tom did not look as if he would mind one of Jed’s smart slaps on the back any more than he would a fly. Then again, it looked to Jed as if it would not be easy to pull the fat boy over with his famous hand-shake trick.

“I guess he’ll leave me alone,” grinned Tom.

“Well, look out for him, anyway,” warned 

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