After dinner they went for a long walk together, around the lake, a matter of six miles, reaching home just as the bell on Academy Hall was ringing for vespers. Hansel told Harry about it the next day and the latter was greatly astounded.
“I never heard of any fellow dining with Phin before,” he declared. “There’s a popular belief here that Phin doesn’t really eat, that he just lives on sawdust and shavings and other cereals.”
“We had a very nice dinner,” said Hansel. “Of course it was plain, and there wasn’t an awful lot of it, but it was cooked finely. Mrs. Freer started to apologize once but Phin wouldn’t let her. She’s a dear old lady--only, I guess she isn’t so very old, after all--and is mighty good to Phin; looks after him just as his own mother might. And he’s nice to her, too; just as thoughtful and--er--polite as anything! They’ve got a nice little house there, clean and cozy and homelike. We had chicken.”
“Phe-e-ew!” whistled Harry. “I’ll bet they won’t have it again in a year. You were a guest of honor, my boy. Anyone has only to look at Phin to know that he doesn’t get a square meal once a month. If Mrs. What’s-her-name is so fond of him she’d better feed him up a bit.”
“I guess he doesn’t pay very much,” Hansel reminded.
During the walk following the dinner at Mrs. Freer’s, Phin and Hansel, encouraged by success, had planned a vigorous campaign, and in the evening they called on Mr. Ames and spent nearly two hours in his study. In pursuance of their plans, Hansel, on Tuesday, four days prior to the Warren game, issued an ultimatum.
“Is Cameron going to play in Saturday’s game?” he asked Bert.
“Very well; then you’ll have to count me out.”
“Just what I say. From now on I will not play in any outside game in which Cameron takes part.”
“But--but--that’ll put us in a nasty hole!” cried the other in alarm. “What sort of a way is that to act?”
“Cameron has no business on the team, and as long as he’s there I’m out of it. If you like I’ll keep in training and play in practice, but I won’t go into the games if he is in the line-up.”
I’m not going to repeat everything that Bert said; much of it he was probably quite ashamed of later; and it didn’t do any good, anyway. Hansel refused to argue, refused to fight, refused to lose his temper. The matter was carried to Mr. Ames at once, but the latter decided that Hansel had a perfect right to say whether or not he would play football.