"Do so; but I have found out about it already. I have certain means of obtaining information."
"So have the sophs, and they have obtained a great deal," Putnam shot at Walter as he turned away.
Putnam collared Merriwell at the first opportunity and demanded to know the truth about Rattleton's smoking.
"I know you will tell me the truth, Merry," said Burnham, "and it is important that you should."
"Some one has been telling you he is smoking?"
"Yes."
"Well, he is not smoking now. I had a talk with him and he swore off. He is not touching tobacco in any form, and I give you my word on that."
"That's all I want," said Putnam, quite satisfied.
After this the freshman crew took to practicing nights, and it was said that they worked as no crew of freshies every worked before. One night they ran up against the regular 'Varsity crew, and gave it a hot pull, but finally seemed to be beaten.
The report of this brush spread abroad, and the men on the regular crew were rather complimentary toward the freshmen. They said the youngsters worked together in a most surprising way, and it was predicted that they would give their rivals a hard pull.