"Come now, Mr. Steele, why not play the 'Hopes'?" said Earl Roycroft, mildly. "I don't think there ought to be any row or ill-feeling. Two or three games couldn't do any harm, and——"
"I should like to oblige you, Roycroft, but I can't encourage the idea."
"Well, I should rather say not!" howled Tom, whose pent-up wrath had once more gotten the better of him. "I never heard of such nerve in my life. Get out, 'Crackers'! Go back to Terry Guffin's and hatch up some new plot!"
"'Vanitas' heard from again!" sneered Aleck Parks.
"Don't get too gay, Parks," warned Tom. "I shouldn't be a bit surprised if you're the chap who made that mean remark about the corn field."
"No such thing," answered Aleck, tartly.
"Cut out all quarreling on the side lines, boys," interposed Brown. "Now, Mr. Steele, I'll answer the question I asked you. Frankly, brutally, and to the point: you won't play us because you and every member of the nine is afraid. I dare you to come out on the field and cross bats with us this afternoon. If you don't, what will the school think?" He raised his voice. "The boys have no use for a team with a yellow streak."
"Brown, you're going a little too far," interposed Bob Somers. "Talk like that won't make us budge. If you really are for the good of the school you'll stop all this rumpus."
"Really are for the good of the school!" echoed "Crackers." His mild tone suddenly departed. "Do you mean to insinuate, Bob Somers, that I'm doing this just for the sake of a row?"
"I didn't insinuate anything."