Then she suddenly kissed him again. CHAPTER XXX. "FALSE TO HIS COLORS." As the hour to start for the park that afternoon approached Halliday came hurrying into Merriwell's room, and found Frank digging away at his Greek again. "Hey, there!" cried Ben. "Have you forgotten, old man?" "Hello!" said Frank, looking up with an uncertain smile. "Forgotten what?" "Practice." "No." "But you're not ready." "No." "Forrest wants us there on the dot. Come, Frank, get into your old suit, and we'll make a rush for the car." Frank put down his book, saying: "I'm not going, Ben." "Hey?" cried Halliday, staggering. "Come again." "I'm not going." "Not? Come off! What are you giving us? Don't try any funny business with me, Merry!" "There is no funny business about this. I have decided not to go." "You can't afford to miss an afternoon if you are going to get in shape for the same with the Cambridge fellows." "I am not going to try to get into shape." That was another staggerer for Halliday. He gasped for breath and stared at Merriwell. "Not going to try?" he slowly repeated. "Why--why, it can't be that----" "Yes it can, Hally; I'm out of it. I have decided to stick to my studies and let football alone." Ben groped for a chair, upon which he weakly dropped. "Is this a dream?" he muttered; "or did my ears deceive me? It can't be that I heard aright!" "There is no joking about this," said Frank, getting up and standing before his visitor. "I have decided at last, and my mind is made up." Ben was silent, but he stared and stared and stared at Frank. He seemed trying to comprehend it. "I wouldn't have believed it," he muttered--"I won't believe it now! It isn't Frank Merriwell! He wouldn't do a thing like that. He has a mind of his own, and he does not change his mind with every change of the wind." Frank flushed painfully, but said: "Only fools never change their minds, Hally. Men of reason and good sense are forced to change their minds occasionally." As soon as he seemed able to comprehend it fully, Ben got up and approached Merriwell. "Look here, Merry," he said, entreatingly, "don't be a fool! I'm going to talk plain with you! By Jove! Somebody should talk plain to you! I don't care if you kick me out of your room! If you whiffle around again you'll be the butt of ridicule for everybody. You'll never again have any standing in Yale. Man, you are throwing away your reputation! Can't you see it?" Frank paled somewhat, but a firm look settled about his mouth, and he was unmoved. "Surely, I have a mind of my own, and I have a right to do as I please in this matter," he said, his voice cold and steady. "I am my own master."