"They were rough-housing all over the place," growled the big fellow. "If you can stand it I can, though. Only"—and he turned a wrathful gaze on Steve—"if you ever get fresh with me again you'll get the licking that's coming to you, kid." He turned away toward the locker room. "Say, Danny, got a key to my locker? I've lost mine and I want to get into it a minute."
"I have not," replied Danny cheerfully. "You'll have to have one fitted, me boy."
"Hasn't anyone a master-key?" demanded the other.
"They have not. Find Patsy; he'll fit one for you in ten minutes."
"That's a funny state of things," grumbled the big fellow. "They ought to have duplicates on hand. Somebody's always losing a key, and——"
The rest was lost as the youth disappeared into the further room. Danny winked gravely at the two boys.
"Who is he?" asked Steve curiously.
"Him? His name's Sawyer, Eric Sawyer. He is sufferin' from a terrible complaint, boys, an' it makes him that cross a bear would run away from him, I'm thinkin'!"
"What's the trouble with him?"
"He has what the doctors do be callin' an ingrowin' grouch," replied Danny soberly. "'Tis due to over-exposure of the ego, they tell me, resultin' in an inflamed condition of the amoor proper, that same bein' French an' maybe beyond your comprehension."