CHAPTER VII
THE SPELLING CONTEST
Tom Chubb was smiling all over his face at getting such a warm welcome from Bob and his friends.
"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 Frank.
"See that, now!" cried Sammy.
Benny Lane sat on the grass near by, watching some girls skipping rope. The little crippled lad placed his crutch by
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