“Oh, no, they haven’t forgotten; but what if he were not available--what if he should refuse? How long would his glory last! Another would arise to fill his place, and he would be forgotten. Glory! It is the dream of fools. Give me plenty to wear, plenty to eat and lots of time to rest, and the world may have its glory.” Frank laughed. “The same old Browning,” he said. “And yet you are as much of a football and baseball enthusiast as any man at Yale. It breaks your heart when Harvard or Princeton wins from Old Eli. You go into mourning and don’t recover for a week. Oh, you put up a good bluff, old man, but I can read you like an open book.” Bruce grunted derisively. “Very astute,” he commented, and then relapsed into silence, as if it were a great effort to speak, and he had already exerted himself too much. “And think of the pretty girls Merry wins by his popularity,” said Jack. “He has opportunities to kiss lots of them.” “If a fellow has an opportunity to kiss a pretty girl he should improve it,” declared Hodge. “Ah!” cried Rattleton; “such an opportunity could not be improved.” To this all agreed, laughing, with the exception of Browning, who had closed his eyes and seemed to have fallen asleep instantly. The boys talked of Yale’s prospects on the diamond, and Harry said: “It strikes me that we are going to be weak behind the bat this year. What do you think, Merry?” “There are several fellows who will try for the position.” “Yes; but what do you know about them?” “I don’t like to say.” “Oh, come! You are with friends, and you may talk freely. What do you think of Ned Noon?” “He is, in my estimation, one of the most promising men, but he can’t run, and bats weakly. Behind the bat he might work very well, but he would be weak in other directions.” “That’s string as a straight--I mean, straight as a string,” cried Harry. “If Ned Noon stands a show to get on the ’varsity nine, there is hope for me.” “Well, there’s Roger Stone,” put in Diamond. “What about him?” “He can bat like a fiend,” said Frank, “but he is weak on his throwing. He’ll stop anything he can reach, but it takes him so long to get a ball to second base that a good runner can steal down from first every time. That is a big fault. Stone will not do.” “Right again,” nodded Rattleton. “And those two men are the strongest of the new candidates.” “Some man may show up who is not talked of at all now,” said Jack. Harry gave Hodge a quick glance. “Old man,” he cried, “why don’t you make a try for the nine?” An embarrassed flush showed in Bart’s dark cheeks. “That would be pretty fresh for a freshman, wouldn’t it?” he asked. “Not so confounded fresh. Merry got on the first year he was in Yale.” “That’s different.” “How?” “I am not Frank Merriwell, and there are not many fellows his equal.” Frank laughed merrily.