His face was dark, and there was an angry flash in his usually merry brown eyes; for he was a fellow who was loyal to the very core. Absolutely upright and honorable himself, it never occurred to him that there was the most remote possibility that a fellow he liked as much as he did Jarvis Blake was not entirely fair and square in every way. The idea to which his roommate had given voice was incredible. He refused to tolerate the thought for a single instant, and at once proceeded to thrust it from his mind with the greatest expedition. Townsend lapsed into a sullen silence. He had done his best to warn his chum, but, if Bob was so thick-headed as all that, he could go his own way without hindrance. This point of view lasted exactly ten minutes, however. By that time Jim had cooled down and was thinking over some other way by which Hollister could be brought to his senses. Fond as he was of his roommate, he could not bear the thought of his being dropped. There must be some way of making him realize the gravity of the situation. Not for an instant did Townsend waver in his fixed belief that Blake was deliberately working to bring about Bob’s downfall so that he could step into his place on the varsity; and when the blond chap presently appeared and the usual talk commenced Jim’s temper soon reached a boiling point. He knew that if he remained in the room much longer he would have to blow off steam, and, in the present condition of affairs, that was not at all to be desired. Consequently, some twenty minutes later, he slammed down his book, and, without a word of explanation, picked up his hat and went out. Blake glanced up with a curious smile. “Our friend seems to be somewhat pettish to-night,” he remarked, in a languid drawl. Hollister flushed a little. He knew quite well why Townsend had departed, and it irritated him to think that his roommate had such a small, narrow nature as to suspect this big, bluff, frank fellow of any sort of double dealing. “Oh, I suppose he thought of something he wanted to do,” he said, rather lamely. “But about that formation we were speaking of. I’ve doped it all out. Let me show you.” Reaching for a piece of paper, he drew a few swift lines on it. “See, it’s that way,” he said eagerly. Blake leaned over him, a swift gleam of triumph in his eyes. “Yes, that’s the idea,” he returned quietly. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER V THE QUARREL. By the time Jim Townsend reached the campus he was at a white heat. “Hang him!” he snapped viciously. “I know that’s what he’s up to, but how in the mischief can I make Bob understand? He’s such a softy he simply won’t believe a thing against Blake, just because he likes him. The double-faced skunk!”