Merriwell stepped forward, with a smile. At this instant there was a sudden interruption, however.
The door was flung open, and a panting cadet orderly appeared as the startled Randall swung round.
“Mr. Randall! Colonel Gunn wants to see you at once in his office.”
This summons could mean only one thing--trouble. Randall had already slipped into his clothes, and he seized his hat, instantly forgetting everything else. Was it possible that his visit to the village of the previous night had been discovered?
“Wait for me, Merry,” he said hastily. “I’ll probably be right back!”
“I’ll be here, old man,” Chip assured him, and Randall left hurriedly with the orderly.
“Too bad we didn’t drink that toast!” murmured Merriwell, as the echoing steps of the orderly and Randall died away down the corridor. “Still, I’m mighty glad that Bob saw fit to come around. It’ll clear things up wonderfully.”
He crossed the room and sank into a chair. Picking up a magazine, he began to turn over its pages. As he did so, his hand went out to the nearer of the two glasses, and he brought it to his lips, sipping slowly.
With a sigh, he emptied the glass and replaced it on the table. Five minutes passed, and Merry flung the magazine back to its place, rising.
“Wonder what kind of a row Randall has got himself into now?” he mused, going to the window and looking down on the campus, with a frown.
Colonel Gunn was the principal of Fardale, and if Randall had been in some kind of a scrape, it might injure his chances on the diamond. However, there was a chance that the Southerner had been guilty of some infraction of the military routine of the school which would merely get him a “call-down” and a few black marks.
Suddenly Chip turned, as a sharp knock sounded at the door.
The door opened. Merry gave a gasp of astonishment, for framed in the doorway, stood Bully Carson. The latter turned and shut the door, not observing him.
“You came over to see the game?” Merry asked pleasantly.
Bully whirled with a swift cry, his face black.
“You! Why--why--where’s Bob Randall? Isn’t this his room?”
The startled surprise of Colonel Carson’s son was quite evident. In fact, he was wildly disconcerted. He had expected to see his cousin, and instead he found Merriwell.