“Hold on, everybody! I think that Billy Mac ought to be your captain. I’m an outsider, and I’m only butting in here, anyhow----” “Not on your life!” yelled Billy. “Yeh! You’re it, Merriwell!” chirped Chub Newton. “I’l-l-l bank on you every time! L-l-let’s make it unanimous, fel-l-lows!” Merry’s protests were voted down amid wild enthusiasm, and he was elected captain of the pick-ups. Spaulding suggested that they call themselves the Carsonville Clippings. “That’s it!” cried Chub. “The Cl-l-lippers and the Cl-l-lippings--wow! Won’t Bul-l-ly Carson be mad, though!” The name was adopted with a yell of delight. The meeting was just breaking up when there was a ring at the doorbell, and Billy returned with a telegram for Chip. “It’s from Clancy,” cried Merry, tearing open the envelope. “Hello! Listen to this, fellows!” And, holding up the message, he read as follows: Coming on the jump. Ankle fine. Bringing your uniform and some balls. Arrive to-morrow noon via _Hornet_. OWEN CLANCY. “What’s the _Hornet_?” inquired Billy, in wonder. “There’s no noon train in!” “That’s Clancy’s car,” laughed Merry. “It’s an old auto that he took off the scrap heap and made into a racer, though it doesn’t look up to much. He brought it with him from the West.” “I’d like to put him up,” volunteered Spaulding. “We’ve got lots of room at our place, and he’d be welcome to stay a month.” Billy protested, for he wanted Clancy as a guest himself, but Merriwell knew that two guests would sorely tax good Mrs. McQuade’s resources, so he accepted Spaulding’s offer gratefully. The meeting broke up with the first practice set for the following morning, Chub Newton stating that he would get off work easily enough, as his employer had no love for the Carsons. Merriwell rather expected that he would get a letter from his father in the morning’s mail, but none came. Though he said nothing of it, this worried him slightly. He had explained to Billy that he had written his father, asking for the thousand dollars, and he began to wonder if his letter had miscarried. He soon forgot his worry, when the Clippings assembled on an old diamond used by the high school. It was in a meadow beside the river. Three or four old balls were produced, and Merry at once set to work to get an idea of what his team could do. The results were both encouraging and discouraging. The diamond was rough and uncared for, so that the infield had a tough time judging balls, but the base throws were excellent, and they showed good form. Merry handed up slow ones, and the batting practice proved that in this quarter his team was lamentably weak. Chub Newton would bite at anything. McCarthy faced the plate wickedly, but his eye was poor on slow ones, and it was said that Bully Carson did his best work with a fadeaway ball.