His arrival was greeted with shouts of delight from his followers, and of derision from Bart's.
"What do you want of me?" inquired the boy, ignoring the greetings and comments that were hurled at him.
"Why did you not come to the meeting when you knew it was the most important of this semester, being for the purpose of electing the captain of the Second football team?" demanded Sandow, assuming all the dignity his position, as leader of the First Form, gave him. For, though he was one of Fred's intimates, such was his conception of his duty to Baxter, that he never allowed his friendships to interfere with the good of the school.
"As my entrance for the Scholarship told you all, I have decided to give up football for this year," began the boy.
"You mustn't desert the team!" "Traitor!" "How much is Landon paying you?" were some of the cries that greeted this announcement.
Flushing at the charges, Fred squared his shoulders.
"Give me a chance to finish, will you?" he exclaimed hotly.
"Order!" demanded Sandow. "If any one else interrupts, he'll lose his vote!"
This drastic ruling had the effect of silencing the boys, and Fred resumed.
"When I found I could not play on the team, I—well, I decided I didn't want to be present," he explained.