“I guess that settles it, Clan,” exclaimed Billy, with a gloomy countenance. “He got a message, all right, but it didn’t come through the station agent.”
“Do you suppose that Colonel Carson or his son had a hand in it?”
“Sure I do! Only, what’s their reason? Do you think they tried to get Merry where they could beat him up?”
“From what I saw of the colonel,” said Clancy thoughtfully, “he wouldn’t go into anything so raw as that, old man. Bully tried it and got all that was coming to him last night. Granted that Chip was lured away, there are some folks who would have a decidedly good reason to keep him out of sight for a day or two.”
“Who?”
“Some of the Franklin Academy crowd. I may be doing him an injustice, but I’d be more apt to blame Bob Randall than the Carsons, Billy.”
Billy Mac stared in open disbelief.
“Randall? But why should he try to keep Chip away from Fardale?”
“Because he wants to pitch in Monday’s game against Franklin. It looks to me as if Randall was trying for the place Ted Crockett will leave vacant. If he won the Franklin game he’d be a popular hero——”
“Cut out this foolishness, Clan!”