“More to make a hit with the colonel than anything else?”
“I suppose that was his real motive at that time. Since then, though, everything has changed.”
“Well, admitting all that this game might mean to Lenning, how are we to get him into it?”
“That’s what I came over here to talk with you about. By all means, Jode must play. Couldn’t you make a decided stand in his favor? If you threatened to quit, yourself, unless Jode was given a chance on your team, I think all the objections would melt away. Don’t you?”
“I don’t want to get any player into the game by making threats,” demurred Merry. “That’s not my style, anyhow, Curly. And, even if I took such a stand, Lenning himself wouldn’t put up with it. There’s such a feeling against him that he’s made up his mind to stay out of the game. Up to now, I’ve given him a whole lot of credit for that.”
“Somehow,” insisted Darrel, “we’ve got to have Lenning play. Can’t you think of some plan, Chip?”
Frank walked back and forth the length of the shadowy veranda, racking his brain to evolve some expedient or other that would fit the case. Suddenly the message from Burke occurred to him, and he whirled on Darrel and thrust the crumpled note into his hand.
“Read that, Curly,” said he. “Maybe it opens up a situation which can be used to help Lenning. I’m giving you a lot of information about our troubles, but I guess it won’t hurt our chances much. The whole thing is a mighty delicate matter, and will have to be handled with gloves.”
“I’ll handle it,” returned Darrel, “if you give me a tip as to what to do.”
He stepped over to the lighted window and slowly read the message which had caused Frank so much chagrin and disappointment. Darrel turned from the window with a puzzled face.