“you what!” gasped randall, staring. “you’re joking with me!”

“not a bit of it,” said merry. “i suppose bully persuaded you to dope me?”

“well, he had a little to do with it,” admitted randall, too proud to cast the blame where it rightly lay. “i can only apologize, chip, and you——”

“why, old man, forget all about it!” exclaimed merry, catching the other about the shoulders and turning toward the door. “there was nobody damaged in any way except bully.”

he broke off suddenly, and laughed.

“look here, bob! he tried to make you the goat to put me out of the way, see? he probably figured that southpaw diggs could handle either one of us, but without the double shoot fardale would get pounded. then he got hold of that stuff by accident and it laid him out. except for that, you might still be under suspicion of stealing hostetter’s money! it was only his being doped that really saved you!”

“that’s right, merry!” and randall’s eyes flashed. “i believe he’d have let me suffer for it, too, the cowardly cur! look here, old man, will you take my hand and accept my apologies?”

[312]

“great scott, how often do you want me to tell you so?” returned chip, with mock despair. he wrung the southerner’s hand heartily.

“now let’s get out into the open air. i’m about ready for something to eat, if you want to know it!”

they left the building behind and started across the campus for the barracks. it still being some time before assembly and mess. as they neared the barracks, they were approached by a tall figure neatly clad in a dark-blue suit. he gave them a keen glance, then stopped them quietly.

“this is mr. merriwell, isn’t it?”

merry flung him a look, and started.

“hello! it’s green—or i should say diggs!”

“yes, southpaw diggs,” and the other smiled as he held out his hand. “i just want to congratulate you on winning a remarkably fine game, merriwell—one of the best i ever saw, in fact. if you’d only consider big-league work and——”

“no, thanks,” said merry. “i’ve had a sample of professional ethics this afternoon, when you and your friends masqueraded as amateurs. that’s one reason, though i don’t blame you as i do colonel carson.”

“what can a fellow do when he needs the money?” and diggs shrugged his shoulders good-naturedly.

[313]

“he can get busy and make it cleanly,” retorted chip, watching the other. with a quick impulse he added: “and if he’d cut out the booze, diggs.”

diggs flushed and his eyes kindled. then he smiled again and nodded.

“right you are, merriwell, and i know you mean me. well, i’m only twenty-four, and if i brace up i’d have a few years ahead of me of baseball. i’ve been thinking it over, and, to tell you the truth, i’ve not had a drink for a good while. i was testing my nerves out on you fellows to-day, for one thing.”

“i hope they suited you?” said merry.

“oh, mine were all right until you pulled that last bag of tricks. well, so long, son, and good luck go with you!”

“and the same to you, diggs,” said merry earnestly.

he walked on with randall, neither speaking. at the door of the barracks they came upon clancy and billy mac, who immediately met them with wide grins.

“buried the hatchet, you two?” queried clan.

“i think so,” said chip. “by the way, i’d like to ask a special favor of you fellows, sight unseen. will you grant it?”

“surest thing you know,” returned clancy.

“anything you want, old man,” said billy mac.

[314]

“well, i’m thinking of proposing bob for captain in my place, and i want you two fellows to second it. how does it strike you?”

clancy looked at randall, and grinned.

“sure,” he said. “only i’ll give you a run for your money, bob, because i’m going after that job myself. i’ll second you, just the same.”

“same here,” said billy. “but i guess i can see right now where carrot-top clancy gets snowed under about two miles! shake, cap randall!”

merry smiled.