“It is possible you do not understand how matters stood,” he said. “I had no contract with Hodge.”
“Didn’t?” cried Dunton.
“Really?” exclaimed Garland.
“That’s queer!” ejaculated Vance, in disappointment.
“No,” said Frank, “I had no contract with him, and so he has broken no pledge to me in leaving in this manner.”
“Still,” said Dunton, “there must have been some sort of understanding between you, and Hodge was pretty cheap to skip out without giving any sort of notice.”
“Not exactly the act of a friend of whom one can be proud,” broke from Garland. “I think you’ll have to acknowledge that, Mr. Merriwell.”
Frank was determined to defend Bart as far as possible.
“You do not know all that happened at the theater to-day,” he said. “Hodge and I had some words.”
It was galling for him to make that confession, but he felt that something must be said to explain the sudden desertion of Bart.