“You are large, but you might be fatter than you are. I know you can train down swiftly. A week of hard work will pull you down at an astonishing rate.” Bruce groaned. “It might; but I should not live through it,” he said, as he struck the match and prepared to light the cigarette. Frank blew out the match and took the cigarette from Browning’s fingers. “I am talking business to you now,” he said, almost sternly. “You are going to work systematically to-morrow to work off your flesh, for I may want you on the ’varsity nine. When you are in condition, you are a better man than Parker on first, while Parker is a better man than Faunce in the field. One trouble with the nine is that several of the men are not playing in their proper positions.” “But you are not going to have the nerve to switch them around! You will not have the crust to fire some of them and take on new men?” “Won’t I? Wait and see. You know I am manager, as well as captain. I considered everything before I told the directors what I would do. They wanted me to be captain, while they retained the management of the nine. I said ‘Nit!’ I told them that, if I became captain, I must be manager also, and that I must have absolute and thorough control of the team. I must have the authority to do just as I pleased, with nobody to forbid me.” “Good for you!” cried Hodge, while Rattleton brightened up and showed great interest. “It staggered them at first,” smiled Frank. “They thought I had a crust. They tried to induce me to agree to their terms, but I would not. Then they had a fight among themselves, for some were against giving me so much rope. I waited quietly till the smoke of battle cleared away, and then I found they were ready to accept my terms. So I am manager, as well as captain, and I am going to run things just as I please. If I make a fizzle of it, no one else will be to blame.” “That’s the stuff!” exclaimed the enthusiastic Hodge. Harry shook his head, but said nothing. Frank saw the movement, and quickly asked: “What’s the matter, Rattles? Come, come! You are off your trolley. Everything is all right.” “I’m afraid everything is all wrong,” said Rattleton, gravely; “but I warned you, and you went into it with your eyes open.” “Yes, but I went in on my own terms. I’ll make an overturning in the nine.” “It’s too late for that.” “I don’t think so.” “Besides, the material is not here to make a corking nine. You can’t make a first-class ball team out of second-class material.” “I believe the material is here,” said Merry, quietly; “but I do not think it is all on the nine. I got Hodge on, and now I am going to have Browning.” “Oh, come, Merry!” gasped Bruce. “I’ll do almost anything for you, but I can’t torture myself to work off flesh in a hurry. Besides, I could not get enough off to----”