“Where’s Bob Randall?” “Search me, Chip. He didn’t turn up for practice. Bet a dollar he’s still sore over not getting elected captain.”
“Nonsense, Clan! He came around finely, congratulated me——”
“Oh, I know all about that. But the galoot got hot all over again, when he got to thinking it over! I know his kind. He goes on impulse.”
Merry turned away. Despite his efforts to convince himself to the contrary, he knew that Clancy was right. Randall “went on impulse.”
“Well, I’ll do the best I can,” thought Merry anxiously. “Bob is too fine a fellow to do this. If I leave Fardale he ought to be captain, I think.”
The first and second teams were at practice on the Fardale ball field. There was an hour left before the drums would sound assembly for supper formation, and Merry was putting his men through their paces.
“I hear there’s no game for Saturday,” said Billy McQuade, joining Merry.
“Right. Had to be canceled. I’m sorry, because I may have to leave next week, and I’d like to play one more game——”
[214]
Frank broke off abruptly as the cadet orderly from Colonel Gunn’s office came up and saluted.
“Telegram, just arrived.”
“Thank you.”
Merry took the message and tore it open. A cry of amazement broke from him, followed by an incredulous laugh. Then he turned.
“Mr. Trayne! Clan! Come over here!”
Coach Trayne and Clancy joined him, and Merry proceeded to read the message aloud:
“Frank Merriwell, Junior, Captain Fardale Baseball Team: The Carsonville Clippers challenge you to a game next Saturday, at Fardale. Anxious to meet regular Fardale team. Wire my expense.
“Colonel Carson, Owner.”
Frank looked up, his eyes twinkling.
“Say, fellows, talk about nerve!”
“Nerve!” cried Clancy. “After you went over to Carsonville, picked up a team, and beat them! After Colonel Carson and his son tried to keep you out of the Franklin game last Saturday by kidnaping you! Nerve’s no name for it, Chip. Tell ’em to go to thunder.”
“That fellow’s a pirate!” cried Billy Mac excitedly. “Wire him a hundred words collect with a kick at the end, Chip!”
“There’s something crooked behind this,” declared Clancy hotly. “The Clippers are crooked clear through, Chip, and we’d better not mix up with them.”
[215]
“They’re an amateur team, though,” said Coach Trayne doubtfully. “It’d be a good game, boys.”
“Sure it would,” added Billy Mac scornfully. “Colonel Carson wants to recoup for his losses, Mr. Trayne. He has the reputation of being a dirty gambler, and there’s something behind the challenge, you can be sure of that!”
Frank smiled.
“His crooked work doesn’t seem to have won for him, just the same! Look here, fellows, there’s no game Saturday, so we might accept this. It will be lots of fun to pound Bully Carson out of the lot.”
“I guess Bully won’t pitch,” declared Clancy, with a grin. “It’d take him more than a week to get over what I did to him, Chip.
“That’s one thing that looks queer to me,” continued the red-haired chap. “You can bet a fistful that Colonel Carson isn’t out for sport, Chip. He’s out for revenge and boodle, and he doesn’t care how he gets either, so long as he gets it.”
“Let him come after it,” said Coach Trayne. “There’s no prospect of getting another game for Saturday, and the athletic as............