Both Ditson and Wolfe seemed thunderstruck. At first Duncan was inclined to ridicule Lynch, but he quickly discovered that Mike would not endure ridicule on that point.
By the time Dagett returned with the valuables belonging to Duncan, Ditson was satisfied that some remarkable change had taken place in Lynch.
Mike paid the money due Dagett. With his own hands he destroyed the agreement held by Mel and signed by Ditson, by which Duncan was bound to meet the extortioner’s demands or suffer the penalty of having his valuables disposed of to raise the cash.
This done, Mike took Mel by the collar, led him to the door, and ejected him from the room.
CHAPTER XLVII.
A BITTER DOSE.
When the freshman team arrived in New Haven that night, Dick Merriwell was the only one who appeared at the station to meet them.
A sorry, downcast-looking bunch they were as they left the train, carrying their bat bags and satchels. Blessed Jones had a face nearly a yard long. Jack Spratt looked as if he had shed tears and had a reserve supply on tap and ready for delivery. Rob Claxton carried his head high, but could not disguise the fact that he was very much disgusted. The round face of Bouncer Bigelow wore a moonish expression of mingled regret and shame. Brad Buckhart looked ugly enough to eat railroad spikes. Even Tommy Tucker seemed upset and downcast.
Of them all, however, Sam Kates appeared to be the most wretched. He lingered behind, being the last one to reach the platform, and showed an inclination to slip away from the others if he could do so without being detected.
Although they saw Dick waiting for them, the most of the boys declined to meet his inquisitive eyes. Truly, it was with no small difficulty that Merriwell repressed a rising inclination to shout with laughter. In spite of himself, a faint smile crept over his face, and this he tried to conceal by covering his lips with his hand. Buckhart had observed it, however, and he stopped at Dick’s side, glaring at his friend as he muttered:
“If you laugh, you certain take your life in your hand, partner. You’ll have the whole blamed bunch on your back like a lot of catamounts. They are sure the ugliest crowd I ever traveled with. We’ve had three scraps on the way here, and if you’ll take a look at Otis Fitch, you’ll discover that he’s wearing a handsome black eye. He made some uncomplimentary remark about Spratt’s fielding, and Spratt punched him.”