ge
him, but it had no permanent effect. He braced up for a little while,
and then slumped again."

"At heart, Badger is very proud!" Frank explained. "He wouldn't admit
it, perhaps, even to himself. He craves popularity, too, though he
affects not to care at all for the opinions of others. It has been his
misfortune not to be popular. His disposition is against it. This has
made him very sore at times, though he has tried to conceal the fact.
Now you can see that to a man of his disposition the things that
happened on the _Crested Foam_ would be tremendously depressing."

The captain of the ball-team would have seen even more clearly how
depressing they were if he had known all that Merriwell knew.

"Somehow, he seems to me like a man who is under the impression that he
has lost all of his friends," said Kirk. "He needs to be assured that
such is not the case--that his friends and acquaintances have no desire
to cut him. I think if that could be done he would come out of the
slough of despond and be worth something. We may need him this summer;
or a man who has his pitching ability ought to develop into something
worth while."

Frank saw that Dunstan Kirk was edging toward some kind of a request.

"If there is anything I can do!" he invited.

"Well, as your picked nine is to play Abernathy's nine, of Hartford, on
the ball-grounds here next Saturday, I wondered if you would be willing
to let Badger pitch. It is an unheard-of sort of request to make, I
know, and it leaves me under the suspicion of wanting to see you beaten
by the Hartford fellows. But I hope you know me well enough to
understand that such cannot be the case."

"Sure! I'd never thought of it, if you hadn't!"

"I've thought of asking this of you for a day or two. You see, if you,
who are not particularly Badger's friend, show such a disposition to
recognize and honor his pitching abilities, it ought to brace him up!"

Merriwell drummed thoughtfully on the table.

"Perhaps it can be done! If it will brace him up any and put him on his
feet, I shall be glad to show Badger all the consideration I can."

"I was almost afraid to mention it," explained Kirk, "for I know that he
has not felt just right toward you. But if you will?"

"I intended to pitch that game myself, for Abernathy's men are not the
easiest things on the planet. Of course, if Badger falls down, I should
be compelled to go into the box and do my best to save the day. And with
a fel