“Tell him,” he answered, “that you tried to hand in your resignation, but the Major wouldn’t listen. That’s so near the truth that the difference needn’t worry you. Goodness knows you _did_ try, Barry!” “I’ll just have to tell him how it was,” said the other, resignedly. “And he’ll say I didn’t try at all.” “Tell him,” advised Peaches, impatiently, “to sit on a tack! You don’t owe him a blamed thing, Barry; only you can’t seem to get it into your bean. Why, in the name of common sense, _should_ you resign?” “Well, we’ve been friends a long time, Peaches, and――and I’ve always liked him. I know you don’t think much of him, but he’s really not half as――as bad as you make out. It’s only since he came here that he’s been acting so silly. It’s going to be a frightful disappointment to him if he doesn’t make good on the team, and I hate like anything to be the――the cause of it. I dare say that sounds foolish, but that’s the way it is.” “No, it doesn’t sound foolish,” replied Peaches, a grave, warm note in his voice. “It sounds pretty fine, Barry. Only I rather wish Allen would show himself half as white as you are. I’ll take your word for it about him. I haven’t had a chance to know him very well. Anyway, I’ll lay off him.” “That part’s all right,” Barry responded. “I guess you haven’t said anything about him that isn’t true. Anyway, when I like people, what other people say about them doesn’t――doesn’t seem to make much difference.” “Are you feeling perfectly well?” asked Peaches, anxiously. “Why?” “Nothing, except that the good and noble usually die quite young, Barry.” * * * * * Barry found that interview with Clyde extremely unpleasant. Clyde showed incredulity and Hal Stearns expressed it. “Tell it to Sweeney!” jeered Hal. “I’ll bet you haven’t been near the Major!” “If you don’t believe me,” answered Barry, warmly, “ask Crawford Jones. He was with me!” “Oh, he was, eh?” exclaimed Clyde. “He’d be a big help――I don’t think! How’d you happen to lug him along?” “Well, I just didn’t have the pluck to go there alone, Clyde. You know Major Loring. He’s a corker, of course, but――but he can look awfully fierce sometimes. And I knew I oughtn’t to ask what I was going to――” “Yes, I guess you didn’t have much idea of asking, at any time,” interrupted Clyde. “After all I’ve done for you, Barry, you might have gone through with this, I’ll say!” “I tried my best to,” said Barry. “Honest, I did, Clyde! He wouldn’t have let me off, anyway. I’m sure of it.” “Of course not,” agreed Hal, ironically. “Why, you’re the mainstay of the team, Locke! Without you where’d we be, eh?” “All right,” said Clyde, angrily. “But I’ll tell you one thing, Barry. You aren’t going to double-cross me and get away with it. I’ll see that you don’t last very long, kid. I’ll fix it somehow so you’ll wish you’d kept out of this. You’ve got about as much chance to get into the Hoskins game as――as――”