"We can get along without Mr. Lawrence, if forced to do so," he said, quietly; "but I trust he will change his mind."
"I'm afraid you've made a big mistake," Cassie whispered in Merry's ear; "but I guess we'll all pull for you as hard as we can. I'm sure Ross and I will."
"Thank you, little girl," smiled Merry. "I didn't go into it without counting the possible cost."
Then he told them to come to his room, which he would engage right away, one at a time, that night, and he would make contracts with them, so everyone would be ready to start out under the new management in the morning.
They came, and it was nearly three o'clock before all the business was settled and Frank rolled his weary body into bed.
CHAPTER XVI. HISSED.
A week later the reorganized company, under Frank Merriwell's management, was billed to play in a little town called Bransfield.
Frank was a great believer in paper, and he had wired Collins to see that it was stuck up "regardless," so, when the players arrived in Bransfield, they found every billboard and every dead wall pasted over with lurid advertising. The windows were full of posters, and one could not look in any direction without seeing something to remind him that there was to be a show in town at the public hall that night.
Merriwell was satisfied, but Havener shook his head.