"Oh, yes," and it was with rather an obvious effort that the crony made reply. "Come on, Porter, or the best billiard tables will all be occupied." "Well, I'm glad that's over," remarked Dick to Paul, as they turned away. "I was afraid this would crop up, and it's just as well to settle it. I only hope it does settle it, and that no other fellows will think as Porter and Weston did." "Oh, some of them are bound to think it anyhow," said Paul easily. "Don't mind it, for it will wear away sooner or later. I'm afraid, though, that the team will be known as yours." "I don't want that, Paul." "Can't be helped, old man. After all it's a high honor. I wish I could afford a football team, and a steam yacht." "Maybe you will some day. And, come to think of it I may not have a steam yacht much longer." "Why, are you going to sell it?" "No, but dad's finances are in a bad way, and may become worse." "You don't mean to say he's lost all his money?" and Paul gave Dick a startled glance. "Oh, we have enough to keep the wolf from howling under the parlor windows, and I don't expect to have to go to work in Uncle Ezra's woolen mill right away, but dad is involved in some trolley deal, and it's 'crimping' him, as he says. He's got most of his money tied up in it now, and some men, of whom Porter's father is one are trying to get the road away from dad." "Does Porter know this?" "He doesn't know it's my father whom his father is fighting, and I'd just as soon he wouldn't. But I've got to do something to help out, and one thing is to locate a Mr. Duncaster," and Dick told of his encounters with the eccentric man, and how he held a large block of stock in the trolley line. "I'll help if I can," agreed Paul. Then they got their ice cream sodas, and strolled back to the academy. That night Dick wrote his father a long letter, explaining about the football team, and also detailing his meetings with Mr. Duncaster. * * * * * "He lives in a place called Hardvale," wrote Dick, "and he seems to be as hard as the place is named. However, I'll try to see him, and get him to sell you the stock. You had better write me some specific instructions, and say how high I can go in bidding for it. If Mr. Porter, whose son is here at Kentfield, learns that Duncaster has the stock, he may have a try for it, so I'll have to go at it quietly. But I'll do my best." * * * * * Then, having done as much as he could in his father's business matters, our hero resumed his interrupted studies. There was more football practice the next day, and the coaches now put the Varsity team through some rigorous work. The cadets were a little inclined to find fault at the strenuous tasks assigned to them, but the experts were exacting, and said that if Kentfield expected to be in the championship class she must work for it.