“Come whenever you want to,” said Dan as he smiled and at once departed from the hall. As he walked to his room he was thinking of what the little fellow had said. He wanted to run away from his troubles. “That’s just like me,” said Dan to himself. “I haven’t learned to do what a lot of the fellows here have, and just because it’s hard for me to learn I wanted to play the baby act too. Well, I guess Carlton and I are in the same boat. We’ll have to learn how to paddle or just be carried down stream. That’s all there is to it.” “Where have you been?” asked Walter as Dan entered the room. “Oh, I went over to his room with that Carlton Hall. He’s a little fellow and a new boy――green in some ways as I am,” Dan added. “What’s the matter with him?” “He’s having his troubles. The boys upset his room, pour water in his bed――and――――” “That’s enough, isn’t it!” laughed Walter. “Oh well, it’s a hard row to hoe, but it’ll do him good. He’ll learn pretty soon how to pitch into the fellows and drive them out. It’s the only way. Dan, you did yourself proud to-day.” “Did I?” “Yes, sir, you did! The fellows are wild about you. When you struck out Hodge and Smith and Gus Kiggins, our three heaviest hitters, twice in succession they all said you were surely the real thing.” “Did Gus Kiggins say so?” “Not exactly,” laughed Walter. “His nose is out of joint. You wouldn’t exactly expect him to be happy over such a thing.” “No,” assented Dan. “He’ll be all right though, he’ll have to be. He isn’t very popular with the fellows anyhow.” “He can play ball.” “Yes, he’s a good player all right enough, but he’s a dirty player. He was center on the football team last fall, but Samson wouldn’t let him hold down the place.” “Why not?” “Oh, Gus had a way when the ball was snapped back of grabbing dirt in each hand and then rubbing it into the eyes of the center of the other team. Then he had a trick of grabbing the other center right by the leg and pinching his muscles so hard that the fellow was limp as a rag. Of course it wasn’t so bad when it came to his putting up a game like that with the Military Academy. They’re a lot of muckers themselves and any trick is fair in war, you know.” “Gus Kiggins said I was a mucker.” “Yes, I know he did, but you mustn’t mind a little thing like that. Gus is sore.” “Sore?” “Why, yes,” laughed Walter. “He’d counted upon being the pitcher of the school nine next spring. Naturally he doesn’t enjoy having you take his place. You wouldn’t like it yourself.” “I haven’t taken his place yet.” “You’re dead sure of it, Dan, if you can keep up such work as you were doing this afternoon. All the fellows say so. They’re warm for forming the new league too. I think myself it’s a sure thing. We’ll have the pennant in baseball too, if you pitch your game. Dan, you’ll be the king!”