A movement in the crowd indicated the approach of Brown and Lawrence. The chief "outlaws" seemed entirely unabashed. "I believe you sent for me, sir," began "Crackers" Brown, bowing politely to the millionaire. He braved unflinchingly the hard, cold glare which Mr. Barry turned upon him. His attitude seemed to irritate the would-be donor of the ball park. "What have you to say for yourself?" he demanded, harshly. "I know you're the ringleader in all this business." "Yes, sir; he was the whole show in the circus," chirped Benny Wilkins, who had squeezed his way to the front. "Owen Lawrence was only the clown. He did what the ringmaster told him to do, and then a bit more." "Be quiet, Wilkins," admonished Professor Ivins, startled into speech. "I'm positively amazed at you." "Now, Brown, speak up," commanded Mr. Rupert Barry. "I've just been waiting for a chance," said "Crackers," calmly. "First of all, Mr. Barry, I'd like to ask you a question: when you made the school the offer of a ball park didn't you say positively that only a winning team would secure the prize?" "I did!" "Well, the nine first chosen to represent the school doesn't represent it, because it isn't a winning team. Unusual conditions require unusual treatment. The school finally woke up and chose a team that is winning games and does represent it. And certain fellows who think more of their jobs than they do for the good of the school insist upon defying the wishes of the majority." "Crackers" proceeded to explain matters from the very beginning. He asserted emphatically that none of the boys had the slightest wish to make trouble. "I'll admit we did go a bit too far to-day. But, when you consider all the circumstances, can you blame us?" "Yes, we can, and do," spoke up Bob Somers. "But for the spirit of discontent you stirred up among the boys, and their unwillingness to give us a fair show, things by this time would have been mighty different. How can you expect a team to do its best with the school fighting against it? Don't you know that the effect on the players is bad--it puts a tremendous strain on them." "It certainly does!" exclaimed President Hopkins. "We've held out against you in this affair, Brown, because every member of the team knew it was only a question of our being given enough time to round into shape." "There is the whole story," put in Coach Steele. "To have yielded to your demands would have meant an outrageous piece of injustice." "Indeed!" jeered Brown. "How much more time do you want?" "We don't want any. The nine has been hard at work every day until I can now safely say the players are in top-notch condition." "Let 'an eccentric old creature' settle this dispute," said Mr. Barry, with appalling distinctness.