"No one seems to have any rights in this school except themselves," growled Owen Lawrence. "I thought it would be a waste of time to talk to 'em." The boys became angry and belligerent. "They won't be dictated to by the school, eh?" sneered one. "Well, we're not going to lose a championship and a dandy ball field just for the sake of Bob Somers' pride. We've voted 'em out; and, by Jingo, they're going out! That's all there is to it." "And if they try to play Rockville on Saturday," exclaimed Aleck Parks, "there'll be a nice hot time on the old lot." "We ought to run them right off the field," added Luke Phelps. "Quit that kind of talk," commanded Earl Roycroft. "I know you'll try to stir up the biggest row you can. Say, Brown," he added, "I'm going over to see President Hopkins. Maybe he'll help us straighten out this tangle. Get him on our side and those fellows might come down from their perch." "Don't believe the prin'll do it," said "Crackers," "but try it if you want. Yes; we'll wait right here." During the absence of the big first baseman of the "Hopes," the boys discussed the situation in excited tones, some of the more impetuous often hurrahing lustily. When Earl returned, in about fifteen minutes, a rush was made for the door. "How about it?" demanded Parks. "President Hopkins says he can't interfere, boys," answered Roycroft, slowly. "It's mighty easy to see that he's sore on our crowd, too--good as told me so." "Of course that isn't any news to me," sniffed Owen Lawrence. "Didn't Brown get handed the same dose?" "There's been enough talk about this thing, fellows," broke in "Crackers." He looked over the rim of his glasses at the noisy crowd; then, raising his voice so that it penetrated to all parts of the big room, he added significantly: "What we want now is action." CHAPTER XXI ROCKVILLE IS PUZZLED Saturday! The inter-scholastic series! Rockville Academy! These were the thoughts uppermost in the boys' minds, for the great day so long anticipated had at last arrived. "We'll certainly need all our nerve, fellows," remarked "Jack Frost," as the squad left the gymnasium. "I think we're in plenty good enough shape to beat those chaps; I'm not worried about that. But you may be sure Dan Brown is ready to start something." Phil Brentall tossed the ball in the air and deftly caught it behind his back. "Looks like it," he admitted, glancing toward the field, where the "Hopes" were already busily engaged in practice. "We won't bother about them, boys," interposed Roger Steele. "To-day, our business is to trim the Rockville nine by the biggest score we can." He laughed dryly. "As Frost said: I think the 'Rambler Club's ball nine' is now in a position to hold its own." "Guess the whole town'll be on hand to-day," observed Charlie Blake. "I heard people talking about the game last night. Terry Guffin is actually going to take an afternoon away from his pies."