"Let them fight it out," he said.

"It may do them good." The next day it was soon evident to Steve that Eric Sawyer's story of the purloined blue-book was school property.

Fellows whom he knew but slightly or not at all observed him doubtfully, others greeted him more stiffly--or so Steve thought--while even in the manners of such close friends as Roy and Harry and one or two more he fancied that he could detect a difference.

Much of this was probably only imagination on Steve's part, but on the other hand there were doubtless many fellows who for one reason or another chose to believe the story true.

Steve was popular amongst a small circle of acquaintances and well enough liked by others who knew him only to speak to, but, naturally enough, there were fellows in school who envied him for his success at football or took exception to a certain self-sufficient air that Steve was often enough guilty of.