Ida
Brierley, who was with the girls.

"I hope you don't want to see them, Ida," returned Ruth, promptly.

"Indeed, I do not!" answered the other girl. "I was only wondering what
had become of them."

"Jack told me they had both left the Hall for the term. They shot those
cows, you know, and they had some other trouble which was hushed up."

"Oh, that was the trouble over that lumber raft," put in Jennie Mason.

"Right you are!" answered Andy, bending over and speaking in a low tone
so that no outsider might hear. "Their folks had to pony up a pretty
penny, too, for the lumber and for the cows."

"Oh, well, let's forget Martell and Brown," broke in May. "I want to
enjoy this game."

"And that's what we all want to do," said Alice Strobell.

What had been said concerning Slugger Brown and Nappy Martell was true.
Questioned by Colonel Colby, the two misguided cadets had finally
broken down utterly and confessed everything, telling how they had once
gotten into a quarrel with Captain Larkins on the lake and how they had
sought to get square by tampering with the fastenings of the lumber
raft and the towline; and they had also related the particulars of how
they had watched Jack and Fred go out shooting and had then purloined
the two shotguns from the gun rack and hurried over to the Lacy farm to
shoot the cows. Mr. Brown and Mr. Martell had been called upon to pay
both the lake captain and the old farmer heavy damages; and thereupon
they had withdrawn their sons from the Hall for the time being.

"And I'm glad they're gone," had been Fred's comment. "I hope they
never come back here again."

"Yes, we could do without Brown and Martell very well," had been Jack's
answer.

Both of the cousins were particularly happy on this day. Jack occupied
his former position on the eleven, and Fred had been drafted from the
scrub team and put on the substitutes' bench in place of Brown.

"Maybe I'll get a chance to play!" cried the youngest Rover eagerly,
when the football captain brought him the news.

"Perhaps so, Fred," answered Gif. "Although, of course, I hope none of
our players get hurt."

As the Colby Hall eleven marched out on the gridiron, Jack glanced
towards the grandstand and caught Ruth's eye. The girl gaily waved a
Colby Hall banner at him. Then May caught sight of Fred on the side
lines, and shook her hand at him.

Spectators from the town were almost as much interested in the contest
as were the two s