?"

"I think he is fairly aching to become the leader of the school. He was
leader at Laverport, and it breaks his heart to play second fiddle to
anybody here. He and Nat are as thick as two peas. They tell me he is a
great football player, so I suppose he will try to run the eleven--if
the fellows will let him."

"I don't think the old players will let a new crowd run our team."

"The trouble is, some of the old players are gone, and the new crowd may
count up the largest number of votes. In that case they'll be able to
run things to suit themselves."

Dave had settled down to his studies in earnest, for that winter he
wished to make an extra good record for himself. He loved sports, but as
he grew older he realized that he was at Oak Hall more for a mental than
a physical training.

"When my time comes, I shall have a good many business interests to look
after," was the way he expressed himself to Phil, who joked him about
"boning like a cart horse," "and I know if I haven't the education I'll
be at the mercy of anybody who wishes to take advantage of my
ignorance."

"Well, you are not going to give up football, are you, Dave?" questioned
the shipowner's son.

"Not if they want me on the eleven."

"Well, that depends. We have a meeting Monday afternoon, in the gym."

Dave had noticed a good many whispered conversations taking place
between some of the old students and all of the new ones, and he had
wondered what was going on. A hint was dropped that the football meeting
would "wake things up," whatever that might mean.

"I think I know what is in the wind," said Gus Plum to Dave during a
recess on Monday. "Nat Poole and Guy Frapley came to me last night and
they wanted me to pledge myself to support Frapley for captain of the
eleven."

"Well, they had a right to do that, Gus."

"I told them I wouldn't do it. They said if I didn't I'd get left. I
told 'em that wouldn't hurt me very much, because I didn't care for
playing anyway."

"I see," answered Dave, thoughtfully.

He at once sought out Roger, Phil, and Sam Day,--those who had loved to
play football in the past, and who had hoped to be on the eleven the
present season--and talked the matter over with them. Then the
shipowner's son made a quiet canvass among all those interested in
football.

"Plum is right," he declared later. "Frapley, aided by Nat Poole and his
cronies, is going to carry matters with a high hand."

"It's an outrage!" cried