"I want to get the freshmen now," decided Tom, one afternoon, when the petition was nearly ready for presentation. "I'm making a class affair of it, each year's students by themselves, and I let the freshmen go until last. I'll see Bascome, who is the class president, ask him to call a meeting, and have his fellows sign." Tom sought out Bascome a little later, and explained what was wanted, asking the freshman to call a session of his classmates. "In other words you want me and my friends to help you out of a hole?" asked Bascome, and he was sneering. "That's about it," answered Tom, restraining a desire to punch the overbearing freshman. "We want to strengthen the nine, and we can do it if we can get Henderson back on it." "Then you'll never get him back with my signature nor that of my friends!" cried Bascome. "I'll get even with you fellows now, for the way you've treated me!" He was sneering openly. Tom looked him full in the face. "You sneaking little cad," was what he said, as he turned away. CHAPTER XXVI TOM STOPS A HOT ONE There was much excitement of a quiet sort when it was known what stand Bascome had taken. He was roundly condemned by the sophomores, juniors and seniors, and even by a number of the freshmen students. But Bascome remained firm, and he carried the class with him. Only a few freshmen put their names down on the petition, and they resigned from the exclusive freshman society to be able to do so. For there was, that year in Randall, a somewhat bitter feeling on the part of the whole freshman class against the sophomores, on account of some severe hazing in the fall. It had created trouble, had engendered a sense of injury, and there was lacking a proper spirit in the college. This had its effect, and the freshmen were almost a unit against the nine, which (and this was perhaps unusual) happened to be composed mainly of sophomores that season. "What do you think of the dirty sneak?" asked Tom of Phil, to whom he narrated the refusal of Bascome. "Think of it? I'd be ashamed to properly express myself, Tom. It's rotten, that's what it is. But I guess we've got enough names as it is." "Hope so, anyhow. I'm going to send it in, at any rate." The petition was duly delivered to Dr. Churchill, and a faculty meeting was called. A unanimous vote of the corps of instructors was needed to reinstate a student suspended from athletics for a violation of the rules, such as Sid had been accused of, this being one of the fundamental laws of the college since its inception. Now the absence of the names of the majority of the freshman class tended to operate against the petition being accorded an unprejudiced hearing, but what did more to keep Sid out was the vote of Professor Tines. The latter could not get over the destruction of his silk hat, though a new one had been purchased for him, and when the final vote was taken he barred Sid from getting back on the nine.