They were still freshmen, and would be until the close of the school year.
As freshmen were rather despised "cubs" Dick and his friends would be daring, indeed should they dare to do anything, in their freshman year, to make them very prominent.
According to a good many Gridley people Dick's father, Eben Prescott, was accounted the best educated man in town.

The elder Prescott had taken high honors at college; he had afterwards graduated in law, and, for a while, had tried to build up a practice.

Eben Prescott was not lazy, but he was a student, much given to dreaming.
He had finally been driven to opening a small bookstore.

Here, when not waiting on customers, he could read.

Dick's mother had proved the life of the little business.