A NEW COMPACT.
They were forced to agree to the terms, though Snodgrass did so with
such bitterness in his heart as he had never before known. Merry saw the
fellow look at him with a glance of unspeakable hatred, and he knew
Snodgrass would be his enemy from that day.
“I know you are bound the freshmen shall win,” muttered Ben, “and that’s
one reason why you are going to force me to leave the sophomore crew.
With me in the boat there was less chance for your crew to come in
ahead.”
“Conceit is not lacking in your make-up, Snodgrass,” said Merry, unable
to repress his amusement. “You seem to fancy yourself the biggest part
of the crew.”
“You can’t deny that I’ve told you the truth!” hissed the sophomore,
showing his teeth.
“I wouldn’t take the trouble to deny anything so ridiculous. Arnold, if
he’d let cigarettes and drink alone, might be a better man than you
to-day, yet he has to get out of the freshman boat.”
“To let in some friend of yours.”
“I have two friends among the freshmen—two particular friends, I mean.
They are Starbright and Dashleigh, and both of them are already in the
boat. I demand that you fellows get out because you are both crooked and
unworthy to battle for the honor of your classes. That’s what I think of
you.”
“I’m not going to say what I think of you,” muttered Ben.
“Perhaps it is just as well for you that you do not,” came meaningly
from Merry’s lips. “As I stood behind that door listening to your talk
here, I felt like jumping in and giving you both the thrashing you
deserved; but I decided not to put my hands on you, and I do not wish to
go back on that resolution. However, Snodgrass, if you were to become
too insulting, I might forget myself and give you a little jolting.”
“You’re a bully!”
“Is that so? As a rule, I believe bullies seek to have the odds in their
favor. I didn’t count on that when I entered here.”
“You entered because Arnold had discovered you were behind the door.”
“In a certain degree that is true. Yet I was ready to come in just then,
having heard enough to put me onto your game. With Arnold out of the
freshman boat, there will be no chance for such a fluke as was planned.
With you out of the sophomore boat, you will win no unmerited glory.”
Snodgrass ground his teeth in fury. For the time his ambition to make
the varsity was dished. But, thank goodness! Merriwell would not be in
Yale next year, and then he would have his chance once more. With
Merriwell away he would make the crew—he was confident of it. Surely he
had reason enough to hate Merriwell, for had not Frank kept him from
forging to the front?
But Merry, who had so many friends, was not afraid of making an enemy.
The man who fears to make an enemy is not worthy to have friends. The
man who fears to make an enemy seldom has friends who are stanch and
true.
In a just cause Merry had never failed to make enemies, and he had made
many of them in the past; but about him there was a particular something
that finally won those enemies over to friends, even when he seemed
careless, or undesirous of such a result.
“Now, as you both understand the terms on which I remain silent
concerning this business,” said Frank, “I’ll bid you good night. I shall
expect you to hand in your resignations by noon to-morrow.”
With clenched teeth, Snodgrass half-started, as if to leap at Frank’s
back, Merry having turned carelessly away. But Frank, without so much as
turning his head to glance back, said:
“Don’t try it, Snodgrass! I shall do you harm if you do!”
Then the muscles of the sophomore relaxed, and he settled back on his
chair, glaring till the door had closed behind Frank.
For some moments the detected rascals were silent. Then Arnold ventured
to look at the chin of his companion. That chin frightened him.
Snodgrass was a tempest of fury. He raved at Arnold and reviled him. He
raved at himself. Then he fell to expressing himself concerning Frank
Merriwell, and his words were lurid in the extreme.
Arnold, to tell the truth, felt glad to escape thus easily. One thing he
dreaded was exposure and disgrace, and he had feared that was to follow
Merriwell’s discovery. Snodgrass seemed to understand the relief of his
companion, and he snarled:
“Well, you can pay up now, and pay up in a hurry! I want my money, and
you’ll have to fork over.”
“But I can’t, and you know it!”
“I’ve got your paper, and your grandmother will have to pay.”
Arnold was frightened.
“Don’t force me to the wall, Snodgrass!” he implored. “She’ll take me
out of college! I don’t believe she’ll pay you, anyhow. Give me time,
and I’ll find a way to pay you. You must give me time, old man!”
“Time! time! time! You can’t pay if I do give you time, and you know it!
I know it! I’ve known it all along!”
“You’ve known it?”
“Of course I have!”
“Yet you let me have the money! You did it to get me in a trap!”
“Well, perhaps I did. I wanted to make use of you. Now you are no
earthly use to me, and I want my money.”
“Wait,” urged Arnold shakingly. “Don’t say I’m no use to you. You can’t
tell yet.”
“What do you mean?”
“Are you going to give up? Are you going to let Merriwell triumph over
you?”
“No; by thunder, no!”
“I thought not. But we’ve both got to obey his command, or get it in the
neck. I’m a freshman, but he is coaching the freshmen, and I hate him.
Therefore, I don’t want them to win.”
“It would hit him hard if they failed!” panted Snodgrass.
“Sure thing,” nodded Arnold, lowering his voice to a whisper. “We can’t
make any plans here, old man, but I believe in getting back at him, and
I’ll help you do it.”
“How can it be done?”
“Don’t know yet; but we ought to be able to find a way. We must keep the
freshmen from winning, somehow.”
The face of Snodgrass took on a look of vindictive resolve.
“That’s right!” he grated. “The freshmen shall not win now! It will hurt
Merriwell if they fail! We will prevent them, Arnold.”
“If I help you, will you cancel the account against me?”
“In case we succeed—yes.”
“Then shake on it!”
They shook hands over the table.