The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1938-01-28

"What l don't understand" said
Hanscomb, avoiding a direct an
swer, 'is how that lad can be a
football gutter. A fellow who has
got the nerve to face mad dogs and
snatch girl off runaway horse
two or three seconds before she'd
have been killed yasn't any right
to turn yellow ju I because he's
been knocked cold in line buck.
There's something wrong about it."
Now Kane did smile little. ut
does sound a bit balmy," he al
lowed, and said no more.
Outwardly calm, Frank was in
wardly almost unanimously happy
that night. Maybe Hodge was right
in thinking he, like Bart, had been
buried in the Fardale graveyard Of
football hopes, but he had feeling
that the scrub could be used as
springboard from which to leap to
a more lively field.
He felt a thrill Of pleasure when
he sat down that night in the small
er dining room with the other foot
ball men. He hadn't got to training
table, but maybe he was on his
way. He thought of Barney, who
never muffed chance to cheer him
on, and missed him for the time
being. Barney was all wool and
yard wide. Some pal!
Those fellows were agreeable fell
lows who were still a little curious
about him, still little doubtful and
suspicious. He could feel that I'M
certainty behind their evident will
ingness to take him for what he
might prove to be worth. Physically
they were a healthy herman lot,
packed to capacity with leashed Wig
or.
He noticed, quickly, that Bascomb
was not there. That was odd. He
didn't understand it until the rea-
son came out in the remarks of
two fellows on the opposite side of
the table.
Said one: "Well, maybe we're 60
ing to be a backfield man shy
after today"
Said the other: "You mean Bas-
comb? What's the report?"
The first one answered: ''The doc
tor says he may have cracked rib.
They're taking an X-ray."
That gave Merriwell queer sem
sation. He said impulsively: ooh,
that'H be fought It'll weaken the
team. I'm sorry"
Then it seemed that everybody
was staring at him. He was en-
barrassed, but his face was sober
and honest. He was really con-
cerned for the welfare of the team.
Dick Springall said: eve have to
take practice injuries as they come
at this stage of the season. We
can stand them better now than
later on"
Somehow Springall did not appear
as much worried over losing big
shot as Frank had expected.
Mulloy was waiting for Frank and
they walked back to Union hall to-
gether. The Irish boy was bubbling
over with chuckles.
"When they try to stop you they
60 to the hospital, me lad" said
Barney. maybe that'll ooze
through Bascomb's thick head while
his rib is mending. You busted it,
all right. That's the latest intelli-
gence."
"And that makes Fardale that
much weaker" said Merry.
"Who says so? Let me tell you
something. It's just been poured
into my ear that the Grand Canyon
was pushed on Fardale by some
rich old grad with more influence
than sense. It's done nowadays,
you know. And he hasn't PANIED
out. It's suspected that the coach
was looking for a good excuse to
bench him. Now he won't have to
look any more, and he really ought
to give you loving cup"
There was long period Of skull
practice the following afternoon.
State Second, the strong team Far
dale would meet Saturday, had been
secuted in its first game, and Kane
spent the best part Of an hour DEM
onstrating States scoring plays