“Well, I admire your taste!” But the tone in which he uttered the words indicated that he did not admire it.
“That’s all right. We can’t all think the same. I’m sincere, old man. Give me Elsie, and you may have Inza.”
The captain of the lacrosse team grasped his friend’s hand.
“My boy,” he breathed, “take her, with my blessing. Now we can work in unison and harmony. I’m delighted! Let’s get those chaps filled to the brim to-day. That will be a beginning. Then if we can just put it all over them when we meet them at lacrosse—well, we’ll be progressing. In the meantime, we may find still other ways of making them appear cheap in the eyes of their admiring ladies. Good luck to us! Disgrace to them!”
CHAPTER XXIII.
AT THE ROAD HOUSE.
Frank and Bart found their new acquaintances inclined to be a roistering set. This seemed quite unaccountable as far as Branch was concerned. To Merriwell the fellow from Connecticut seemed like almost anything other than a roisterer.
Frank talked with Branch about the game, and the Hopkins manager agreed that, unless something unexpected prevented, he would try to arrange it. He displayed a great amount of cordiality, but he chucklingly assured Merriwell that Hopkins would have a snap.
“We’ll take chances on that,” said Frank.