"I think he will!" sputtered Rattleton. "He will see it just as we do,
after Merry talks with him. Of course, we don't any of us love Badger,
but what's the difference?"

"Let 'er go!" cried Bink, holding up his hands as if they gripped a bat.
"Of course, we'll play ball!"

"Of course!" said Dismal. "We'll pitch Bart out of the camp if he makes
a kick. The fellow that balks on that, when he understands it, is 'fit
for treason, stratagem, and spoil!'"

Shortly after, Merriwell met Hodge on the campus, coming from the fence.
He saw at once that Bart was "steaming."

"Look here, Merriwell," said Hodge, bristling with indignation. "It
surely can't be true that you're going to put Badger into the pitcher's
box next Saturday?"

Frank took him by the arm and turned with him away from the crowd.

"Yes," he answered, "I have promised to do that."

Hodge's face grew black with wrath.

"You've made a fool of yourself!" he roughly declared. "I wouldn't
believe it. I said it was a lie, and I threatened to thump the face off
of Donald Pike because he told it. Say, Merry, you don't really mean
it?"

Frank had dropped Bart's arm, but they still walked on together. It was
easy to see that he did not like Hodge's tone and manner.

"I must say you are outspoken and far from complimentary," he observed.

"I know I don't talk like this to you often."

"That's right. If you did, I'm afraid we might not be such good
friends."

"But I must talk straight now, Merry!"

"I'm willing that you shall drive ahead, but I want you to hold in your
temper. Don't let it run away with you."

"Great Scott! how can I hold in my temper under such provocation?"

"Simply by holding it in."

"But you know how I hate Badger? You know that we're bitter enemies! You
know what I think of him!"

"I think I've heard you express some sentiments along that line."

"You know that he was drunk when he went aboard that excursion steamer!
And he can't pitch!"

"You are wrong there!" Frank declared positively. "He can pitch."

"Why, Merry, those Hartford fellows will just put it all over us. I tell
you it won't do! You must give it up!"

"I suppose you know why I promised to let him pitch?"

"Well, I haven't heard, but I can guess. After you'd saved him from
drowning himself, and he came to realize what everything meant, he came
licking round you, professing gratitude and friendship, and all that
sort of stuff. And you----"

"See here, Hodge!