Recognizing the hopelessness of further words, we turned and went out. As we walked down the long gravel walk, Ray said slowly, as if talking to himself.
“It was a terribly high price to pay for a season of baseball. I hope the boys will appreciate that if we don’t win the Crimson Banner.”
“I can’t realize it yet,” I rejoined. “It seems too terrible. Just think of it! Five weeks from the college! We will have to live somewhere in town, and go to the baseball grounds by a roundabout way, for if we are caught on the campus during our suspension we will be expelled——”
“Little difference it would make to me,” said Ray bitterly. “I might just as well have been expelled for all the chance it leaves me.”
“There, old fellow, don’t take it hard,” I exclaimed, detecting in his voice the symptoms of breaking down. “I know it puts you in a terrible fix, but, somehow, it seems as if something must happen. I can’t make up my mind that it is true. There must be some way out of the hole.”
Ray shook his head sadly.
“I see none. We have refused the only chance offered us.”
“No, no,” I exclaimed eagerly, after a moment’s thought; “there is a chance left.”
“Where?” exclaimed Ray, looking at me eagerly.