"I think he will!" sputtered Rattleton. "He will see it just as we do, after Merry talks with him. Of course, we don't any of us love Badger, but what's the difference?"
"Let 'er go!" cried Bink, holding up his hands as if they gripped a bat. "Of course, we'll play ball!"
"Of course!" said Dismal. "We'll pitch Bart out of the camp if he makes a kick. The fellow that balks on that, when he understands it, is 'fit for treason, stratagem, and spoil!'"
Shortly after, Merriwell met Hodge on the campus, coming from the fence. He saw at once that Bart was "steaming."
"Look here, Merriwell," said Hodge, bristling with indignation. "It surely can't be true that you're going to put Badger into the pitcher's box next Saturday?"
Frank took him by the arm and turned with him away from the crowd.
"Yes," he answered, "I have promised to do that."
Hodge's face grew black with wrath.
"You've made a fool of yourself!" he roughly declared. "I wouldn't believe it. I said it was a lie, and I threatened to thump the face off of Donald Pike because he told it. Say, Merry, you don't really mean it?"
Frank had dropped Bart's arm, but they still walked on together. It was easy to see that he did not like Hodge's tone and manner.