"Thought you were going to catch it, I suppose?" grinned Owen.
"Certainly did. But the principal switched off on a line of talk that filled the fellows with so much astonishment that it's a wonder they could do any studying for the rest of the week."
"I know a few that didn't," came from Benny Wilkins.
Nat silenced him with a gesture, and went on to explain that the eccentric old gentleman who occupied the house on the hill did not go to the school to register a "kick," but had actually offered to present them the field and a grand stand in case they should have a winning ball team the following year.
When Bob Somers, Dave Brandon and Tom Clifton returned from a trip to the East they had started things moving with a vengeance. Assisted by Dick Travers and Sam Randall, two other members of the Rambler Club, they got the student body to vote on the proposition to form a regular athletic association. The boys, much impressed by the various exploits of the Rambler Club, responded with an enthusiasm that not only brought the project to a successful issue but placed in office all those who were champions of Bob Somers and his crowd. Sam Randall became president, Harry Spearman, vice president, Dick Travers, secretary, and Jack Carr, treasurer. And all the representatives from the various classes were hot "rooters" for the Ramblers.
Of course many candidates for the ball team appeared, the most prominent being the big guard of the football eleven, Earl Roycroft. Certain very strong rumors floating about, however, seemed to suggest that while Earl wouldn't be given a chance, Charlie Blake, a lad who had made a failure on the school team when Nat Wingate captained it, was almost certain of being assigned a position by the coach, Roger Steele.
With so much at stake, some of the boys began to feel that the Ramblers were having altogether too much say in the matter. Tom Clifton's calm assumption that he would be a member of the nine was particularly annoying to some of his schoolmates.
"Crackers" insisted that a storm was brewing. In fact, his agitation had already resulted in the formation of an opposition, whose murmuring discontent, if things didn't go right, seemed liable to break out later into a fierce roar of disapproval.
The great prize for which the school was about to strive had the effect of putting this small minority into a belligerent state of mind even before the make-up of the team was actually known.
When his various informers at length came to a stop, Owen Lawrence drawled: