It'll take all the afternoon to find what they know." Getting acquainted is apt to be a slow process in cases of that sort, unless it is taken hold of with vigor; and Ford was the very fellow to hurry it up.

Before the afternoon was over, every boy on that green knew who he was, and where he came from; and a good share of them had tried their hands at "chaffing" him and his friends.

Of these latter it may safely be said that not a single one could afterwards remember that he had seemed to himself to get the best of it.
"First day" at school is pretty safe to be a peace-day also; and none of the wordy collisions went too far, although it was plain that the new-comers had not yet attained any high degree of popularity.
After supper Dick Lee set off for Dr.Brandegee's, and his friends attended him nearly to the gate.
They would have been glad to have had a report of his visit from him, on his return; but he had his "chores" to do then, and any amount of careful instruction concerning them to receive from Mrs.Myers and Almira.
The other three were more thoroughly tired out than they had at all expected, and were all quite ready to agree with Frank Harley,-- "We'd better get to bed, boys.

I want to see if this is a good house to sleep in." "Sleep ?" said Ford.

"I could go to sleep in an omnibus." Early to bed meant early to rise, necessarily; and they were all up and dressed the next morning, when Dick Lee slipped in on them.