“Oh, that’s all right,” said Jerry, sincerely. “I’m glad I saw you in time, and I remembered you said you couldn’t swim. You’d better learn this summer.”
“I’m going to!” was the fervent response.
No ill effects, save slight colds for Ned and Bart, followed the immersion. The ice-boat was recovered and put away for the season, as the ice broke up the next day and a long spring thaw set in.
Ned, Bob and Jerry buckled down to hard work, or at least fancied they did, and occasionally they played some trick or joke, but were not caught again.
Ned kept on the “typewriter trail,” as he called it, but with no success, and he was not able to fasten any guilt on Frank. After the ice-boat accident Bart and Bill were more than ever friendly with the three chums, Bart especially, and when Frank remonstrated, Bart said:
“What would you do to the fellow who saved your life, or the life of some one you cared for?”
Frank could not answer, and turned aside. But he did not make friends.
The winter, not necessarily of discontent, passed and spring came. There had been practice of a sort in the indoor baseball cage when one day a notice was posted on the gymnasium bulletin board to this effect:
_Candidates for the varsity nine will report on the field this afternoon for spring practice._
“Hurrah! That’s the ticket!” cried Jerry.
“It’ll feel good to get a bat in your hands out in the open,” commented Ned.
There were days of hard practice, and Ned, Bob and Jerry were assured by several of their chums that they stood a good chance to make the first team.
“How about it, Frank?” asked Jerry one day, after sharp work, in which the team on which our heroes played won from the tentative varsity, mainly by the skillful playing of the three motor chums. Jerry resolved to take the bull by the horns. “How about it? Have we a chance on the varsity?”
“Not in a hundred years while I’m captain!” was the cutting reply.
Ned Slade, who stood near Jerry, heard what was said. He took a step forward, but the tall lad put out a restraining hand. And, as Ned looked at his chum, Jerry shook his head in negation.
“What’s the matter with you?” demanded Ned, when Frank had walked out of hearing distance. “Why don’t you let me soak him a good one?”