Ned Noon swore when he learned of this.
“Beastly luck!” he grated. “Thought I had fixed it so Hodge would get snapped. That cop must be a fool!”
Others were taken before O’Farrel, Browning among them, but he failed to say that he recognized one of them.
The town lads who had been engaged in the affair kept still, fearing they would get into trouble if they came forward and told what they knew.
All were astonished when O’Farrel failed to recognize Hodge, for it was not known that Bart had been saved by the hand of a friend.
It was a great relief for Hodge, who had feared the outcome of his passionate act.
As often as possible the regular nine and the “scrub” got out for practice.
Hodge had not been given a trial on the regulars, for all of his good work on the scrub team.
“We’ll fix that, old man,” said Frank Merriwell. “Haggerty and Walbert are going to be tried in the box next time, while I am to pitch against the regulars. Haggerty, you know, is the little chap who came here from Williams. He pitched against Yale year before last, and held Old Eli down to seven singles. Without doubt he is a good man. Walbert is an Andover man, who may show up well, although he is rather new.”
“How are you going to fix the regulars?” asked Bart, eagerly.