So Merry smiled and waited. Every one present displayed inspiring eagerness to work. There was one thing, however, which troubled Merriwell. This was the ill feeling which they displayed.
“You’ve got to watch that, fellows,” he said. “I noticed to-day that you weren’t a bit anxious to avoid trouble. Now, if we start in to win that game, it’s going to make the other crowd sore. They’ll try to get us into a fight and break up things. I want you to promise me that whatever they say or do, you’ll keep your heads and let the scrapping wait till later. We can’t afford to get rattled, you know.”
All save McCarthy recognized this fact and readily extended their promise. The lanky third baseman held back, however.
“If that feller Squint Fletcher gets gay, I’m goin’ to paste him,” he declared stubbornly. “I won’t take any talk or any dirty work from him.”
“All right,” said Merry quietly. “We’ll have to find another man to cover third, I’m afraid. We can’t take any chances that way, fellows.”
McCarthy was taken all aback by this. When he found that Merriwell was in earnest, he scratched his head and reconsidered.
“All right,” he said, “I’ll promise not to start anything like a scrap, no matter what Squint does. But I’m goin’ to file my spikes, jest the same. I reckon we’d better make Merriwell captain, fellers.”
There was an instant shout of agreement. Chip held up his hand.
“Hold on, everybody! I think that Billy Mac ought to be your captain. I’m an outsider, and I’m only butting in here, anyhow----”
“Yeh! You’re it, Merriwell!” chirped Chub Newton. “I’l-l-l bank on you every time! L-l-let’s make it unanimous, fel-l-lows!”
Merry’s protests were voted down amid wild enthusiasm, and he was elected captain of the pick-ups. Spaulding suggested that they call themselves the Carsonville Clippings.
“That’s it!” cried Chub. “The Cl-l-lippers and the Cl-l-lippings--wow! Won’t Bul-l-ly Carson be mad, though!”
The name was adopted with a yell of delight. The meeting was just breaking up when there was a ring at the doorbell, and Billy returned with a telegram for Chip.
“It’s from Clancy,” cried Merry, tearing open the envelope. “Hello! Listen to this, fellows!”
And, holding up the message, he read as follows: