“Wal, darn my punkins!” he muttered. “I’d like ter know who they be talkin’ abaout. You don’t s’pose it’s Frank!”
He was startled by the possibility, but quickly decided that such a thing could not be.
Early on the morning of the previous day, after the Yale Combine had been organized, Frank had hastened to order some suits for the club, which they were to wear while taking part in certain contests. These suits were short, light trousers, scarcely coming to the knees of the wearers, and close fitting dark-blue shirts, each having a large white Y on the breast.
By paying well for it, Merry was able to get several suits rushed through, so the boys who were to take part in the sports requiring great exertion each could have a suit.
The first contest was putting the shot.
There were six contestants, and Browning came fourth on the list.
The big fellow looked fine, and said he felt well, although he growled a bit, as usual, because he had to do something besides be a spectator.
The Santa Barbara athletic club also had a big lad who was an expert shot-putter and hammer thrower. His name was Benson.
Benson was the sixth man on the list, that position having come to him by lot.
A slender chap by the name of Cummings, from Salinas, started the ball rolling by making a distance of thirty-three feet and four inches.