“Why, yes; but——”
“When I took hold of the nine it was in a very bad way. Yale was desperate. I had an understanding with you and the board of directors. You know what followed. I was given full power. I turned out a host of new men to practise, and out of them I found some good timber for the nine, filling the very gaps that were open. I confess that many of the players are my personal friends, but they have been trained to play ball under me, not only here but last summer and the summer before during vacation. I knew the kind of stuff to be found in Browning, Gamp, and Ready.
“Parker, who tried to make the team, and who played with us last summer, did not succeed because I found a better man. That man is Mason. He has in him the making of a remarkable outfielder. He has played well so far, with the exception of that last game. He is not popular, and just because he lost that game for us there has risen a general outcry, and an attempt is being made to push him off the team. Some of my own friends are helping, or trying to help, get rid of him. But let me tell you this, Filkins: Until I have further evidence of Mason’s incapacity, he remains on the team. When I am satisfied that I have made a mistake, I’ll drop him, but not a minute before. That’s business, and you may report it to the board.”
Then Frank left Filkins, and the fellow felt that he hadn’t a leg to stand on.
“Great gash!” he gurgled, glaring after Merry. “Think of it! Think of the captain of a ball-team daring to talk to the manager like that! Oh, jiminy! Never was another man at Yale could do it and hold his job a minute. Merriwell knows he has us in a hole. Just as he says, the team is made up mainly of his friends, and they’d quit quicker than a wink if anything were done to him. That would leave us in the soup.”
It was true that never before had any man at Yale possessed such complete authority and power. No man but Merriwell could have obtained such a hold; but he had it, and he felt that he was doing right in standing by the position he had assumed.
So those who had gathered at the field expecting Mason would be shelved if he appeared to practise were greatly disappointed. Hock filled the middle field, and the practise he put up that day was gilt-edged.