have said," observed Frank, halting and speaking grimly. "I have
regarded Burnham Putnam as my friend; but if he has done as you claim
for the reasons you give he has not shown himself to be very friendly.
There is likely to be an understanding between us."

Rattleton nodded.

"That's right," he said. "He may deny it, but I know I am not off my
trolley. He didn't want Piersan to see you work because he was afraid
you would show up so well that Pierson would nail you for the regular
team."

"And you think that is why I have been kept in the background so much
since the season opened?"

"I am dead sure of it."

"Putnam must have a grudge against me."

"No, Frank; but he has displayed selfishness in the matter. I believe
he has considered you a better man than Gordon all along, and he wanted
you on the team to use in case he got into a tight corner. That's why he
didn't want Pierson to see you work. He didn't want to lose you. But he
was forced to use you to-day, and you must have satisfied Pierson that
you know your business."

"Well, Harry, you have thrown light on dark places. To-morrow I will
have a little talk with Put about this matter."

"That's right," grinned Harry; "and Pierson is liable to have a little
talk with you. You'll be on the regular team inside of a week."

CHAPTER XXXI.

WHAT DITSON WANTED.

On the following day the great topic of conversation for the class of
'Umpty-eight was the recent ball game. Wherever the freshmen gathered
they discussed the game and the work of Gordon and Merriwell.

Gordon was a free-and-easy sort of fellow, and he had his friends and
admirers, some of whom were set in their belief that he was far superior
to Merriwell as a pitcher.

Roland Ditson attempted to argue on two or three occasions in favor of
Gordon, but nobody paid attention to what he said, for it was known that
he had tried by every possible means to injure Merriwell and had been
exposed in a contemptible piece of treachery, so that no one cared to be
known as his friend and associate.

Whenever Ditson would approach a group of lads and try to get in a few
words he would be listened to in stony silence for some moments, and
then the entire crowd would turn and walk away, without replying to his
remarks or speaking to him at all.

This would have driven a fellow less sensitive than Ditson to abandon
all hope of going through Yale. Of course it cut Ditson, but he would
grind his teeth a