Frank Merriwell, however, had been depended on as the mainstay in the pitching department of the team.
Of course, Bart Hodge would fill his old position behind the bat, and there were one or two promising men who might serve as substitutes in case any accident happened to him.
But Bart did not go about the work with his usual spirit. In fact, it was hard to get him genuinely interested, and, somehow, he seemed sad and restless, appearing at times to be brooding over something. To the surprise of everybody he did not say much about Merry’s absence, save that he had not heard from Frank and did not know why he was remaining away so long.
The anxiety and restlessness caused by Frank’s unaccountable failure to return spread to the professors, who began to inquire about him day after day.
Merriwell’s enemies had been keeping pretty quiet, for they realized that it would not be best to say too much at first, as he was the pride of the college, and slurs against him would not be tolerated.
Honest men who had once been his enemies were silent now, or his pronounced friends. In fact, it seemed that no open enemies were to be found.
But the petty spite and meanness of the Chickering set was simply held in restraint. Although they were not particularly brilliant, they knew enough to realize that it would not be healthy to express themselves too freely in public.
As time went on and it began to seem that Merriwell might not return to college, these creatures grew bolder. At first they dared not speak outright, but they hinted and slurred and sneered. Without saying why at first, they suggested that there had been “a very good reason” for Merriwell’s sudden departure, and that it was not at all likely he would ever again be seen at Yale.
Thus it came about that one sunny afternoon these fellows were gathered at the fence along with other students, who were discussing the baseball situation.
“I tell you what,” said Lib Benson, “I’m afraid we’re going to get it in the neck all round this spring. It’s a dead sure thing that the men are not taking hold with the usual spirit, and I have it straight that the coaches are disgusted with the material for a nine.”