Sixteen-year-old Evan Kingsford arrives at Riverport School exhausted, overburdened, and instantly tested by the rough, teasing world of boarding-school life. A humiliating first clash with Frank Hopkins gives way to an unexpected rescue when Evan tumbles into room 32 and meets Rob Langton, a quick-witted, inventive boy who becomes his first ally and protector. Rob's easy humor, loyalty, and restless imagination soon define the friendship, from his homemade gadgets and failed patents to his frank opinions about school, teachers, and the future he hopes to build as a structural engineer. As Evan settles in, Riverport reveals itself as a lively mix of dormitory rivalries, noisy supper-table banter, and football politics. He learns that Hopkins is also the captain, making his own hopes of joining the team more complicated, and that favoritism and poor leadership shadow the sport. Through foggy outings, comic mishaps, and the everyday scramble of school routines, Evan begins to find his place—working hard, holding his own, and discovering that at Riverport, camaraderie and competition are never far apart. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.