Don observed his host's countenance with some bewilderment. "Well," he said at last, "that may be so or not. What is it you want me to do?" "I'll tell you." Harry tried hard to look ingenuous, but only succeeded in grinning like a catfish. "It's this way. My folks are coming up for the Claflin game; father and mother and kid brother, you know. Well, naturally, I'd like to have them see me play. They think I'm going to, of course, because I've mentioned it once or twice in my letters. I'd feel pretty cheap if they came up here and watched me sitting on the bench all through the game. See what I mean, old man?" Don nodded and waited. "Well, so I thought that as your chance is pretty slim anyway maybe you wouldn't mind dropping out. I wouldn't ask you to if I really thought you had much chance, you know, Gilbert." "Oh! That's it? Well, I'm sorry if you're folks are going to be disappointed, Walton, but I don't feel quite like playing the goat on that account. You might just write them and sort of prepare them for the shock, mightn't you? Tell them there's a bare chance that you won't get into the fracas, you know. I would. It would soften the blow for them, Walton." Walton scowled. "Don't be funny," he said shortly. "I've given you the chance to drop out gracefully, Gilbert, and you're a fool not to take it." "But why should I drop out! Don't you suppose I want to play in the Claflin game just as much as you do?" "Perhaps you do, but you won't play in it any way you figure it. If you don't quit willingly you'll quit the other way. I'm giving you a fair chance, that's all. You've only got to make believe you're sick or play sort of rottenly a couple of times. That will do the trick for you and there won't be any other trouble." "Say, what are you hinting at?" demanded Don quietly. "What have you got up your sleeve?" "Plenty, Gilbert. I've got enough up my sleeve to get you fired from school." There was a moment of silence. Then Don nodded thoughtfully. "So that's it, is it?" he murmured. "That's it, old man." Harry grinned. "Think it over now." "What do you think you've got on me?" asked Don. "I don't think. I know that you and three other fellows helped put out that fire that night and that you didn't get back to hall until long after ten-thirty." Harry dropped his knee, thrust his hands into his pockets, leaned back in his chair and viewed Don triumphantly. "I don't want to go to faculty with it, Gilbert, although it's really my duty and I certainly shall if you force me." "Hm," mused Don. "But wouldn't faculty wonder why you'd been so long about it?" "Probably. I'd have to tell the truth and----" "I guess that would hurt," interpolated the other drily.