CHAPTER XXVII.

FRANK’S ADVICE.

The satisfaction of Hal Darrell was great as he walked away with Doris. He felt that he had shown Dick Merriwell up in style and convinced the girl that the fellow was unfair and selfish. How could he know that Doris had welcomed the opportunity to hurt Dick because she had been piqued by his cold greeting? Little did he understand the workings of her mind, but he was to learn that the ways of a girl are strange. As they walked away, he said:

"Now you are getting your eyes open, Doris. Now you begin to understand just how it is. You see I have no real show, because this selfish fellow Merriwell is bound that I shall not have one. I’m glad you spoke up and told him what you thought."

She was silent. When he looked at her she turned her face away.

"You saw how he took pains to spoil my plays," he went on. "He singled me out, and he did everything he could to show me up, just as his brother did. I was getting along too well with Burrows, and so Frank Merriwell himself went in against me. Then Dick Merriwell got hot when I tackled him and kept him from making a touch-down. He wanted to fight."

She looked at him suddenly, and there was a peculiar expression in her eyes. He went on:

“He’s a mean, selfish chap, and he wants to be the whole thing in a game. You saw how he acted, Doris, and——”

"How you acted, Hal!" she interrupted. "Don’t talk to me! I’ve seen enough football to know something about it, and he was not to blame for being angry when you tackled him."

"Doris!"

"When he rolled over you threw yourself on him again and hit him. I saw you."

"Why, Doris——"

"I saw you!" she repeated. "You were to blame Hal! You talk about his selfishness; you are selfish yourself. You seem to think he should have let you alone—should have permitted you to make a touch-down. Why do you think anything so ridiculous?"

"Doris, I——"

"And you were angry because he spoiled your kick. He had a right to do that if he could. You accused him of telling his brother to show you up. I don’t believe it! You said he was crooked and low. It is not true!"

"But—but you told him you agreed with me!" panted the amazed fellow. "Why—why did you do that?"

"Because I was silly—that’s why! I’m ashamed of it. Oh, where is Zona! I wish I was away from here!"

She felt like bursting into tears, and her fear that she would do so made her anxious to get away. She turned to look back for Zona, but there was a mist before her eyes and she could not see.

As for Hal, he was bewildered and dazed. All the satisfaction and pleasure he had felt was gone now. But he was angry.

"I don’t understand you at all, Doris!" he exclaimed.

"I know you don’t," she choked. "I don’t understand myself. You may go now. I’m going to walk alone."

"But I will not leave you like this. I——"

"I tell you I wish to walk alone!" she said. "Let me do so!"

"No, Doris. I must——"

"If you’re a gentleman, you’ll do as I ask! Do you pretend to be a gentleman?"

"I hope I do."

"Then go!"

She would not be denied, and he was compelled to obey. When he had left her, she hurried away till she heard Zona calling behind her. She had not been able to keep back the tears entirely, and the sound of Zona’s voice led her to hurry still more. But Zona overtook her, filled with amazement by her remarkable manner. However, girls quickly understand each other, and it did not take Zona long to fathom the feelings of Doris.

In the meantime, Dick Merriwell, after leaving Zona, had sought his brother.

"See here, Frank," he said, as he drew him aside, "I want you to know just what that cheap dog has been saying about you."

"Eh?" said Merry. "What cheap dog?"

"Darrell."

"You mean the new man who played with the scrub?"

"Yes."

"Why, that fellow’s promising. He ought to make the eleven within a week. I was surprised to see such a good man come out at this late day."

"He’s cheap!" said Dick warmly. "I’ve known it a long time, but he proved it to-day. If you let him get onto the team you are foolish, Frank! You mustn’t let him do it."

"Why, Dick," said Merry gravely, "would you think of objecting to any man, no matter who, in case you knew he’d be a valuable addition to the team? You must not let personal feelings influence you in the least when it comes to football. If you have an enemy on the team, it is your duty to interfere for him if he carries the ball, to help him make gains, to do everything in your power to win. Personal likes and dislikes cannot enter into the game of football. The moment they do a team begins to get disorganized. You may play with a man you would not accept as a friend or associate, but you do that for the good of the team."

"Oh, you’ve told me all this before, Frank; but it’s different in this case."

"Different—how?"

"Why, this chap has been lying about me and about you to some girls I know."

"What did he tell them?"

"Oh, he said I told you not to give him a show, and then he said you called him out and played against him just to show him up. You saw him slug me the first time he tackled me, didn’t you? That’s the sort of fellow he is, Frank, and you know a chap like that is not fit for any team."

"Evidently he lost his temper then, but he did not repeat the trick."

"Because he didn’t get another chance at me. He did try to kick me when I tackled him, but he was shaken up so that he didn’t seem to kick in the right direction."

"What have you ever done to him, Dick?"

"Nothing."

"Why does he dislike you?"

"Oh, why do lots of fellows here dislike me, Frank? They just do, that’s all."

"And this one has no particular reason for it?"

"No; no real reason."

Still Dick thought of his first meeting with Doris Templeton in Farmer Snodd’s beech-grove, and of the evident jealousy he had awakened in the breast of Darrell by his attentions to the blue-eyed girl, and he knew why Hal disliked him.

"Look here, Dick," said Merry, "when I first came to Fardale I made many enemies here. One of my most bitter enemies was Bart Hodge. He fought me tooth and nail every time he could, and I confess that he was a fighter. But he was not satisfied in those days to fight on the square. In order to get the best of me he resorted to every expedient, some of them decidedly shady. But I fought him openly, and I never sought to take an underhand advantage of him. I might have exposed him and made it pretty hot for him here, but I didn’t do that.

"I didn’t like him then, but there came a time when he got into a bad scrape, being accused of something of which he was entirely innocent. It looked dark for him, but I discovered the truth and saved him. Was he grateful? Perhaps so, but his pride did not let him show it. Chance made him my roommate. I can’t say just how it came round, but in time that fellow changed and became my friend. You know him, Dick, and you know how much I think of him now. He is a true friend—one to be proud of. He has told me a hundred times that he owes it to me that he is not a bad fellow to-day. He says I made him ashamed of himself at last, and then he quit trying to hurt me.

"But that was not all. He had made himself unpopular, but he started to do what was right, and be just to those who disliked him. It was a hard thing for him to do, and often he failed in his efforts, but he kept on fighting until to-day there is not a finer fellow anywhere than Bart Hodge. He is square, manly, straightforward. I believe he will make a successful man. Dick, you must know that I feel satisfaction when I hear him tell me that I—my example and influence—have made him what he is. You must understand that I am glad I did not push him down when I had a chance, and when I might have done so with apparent justice. Think this over, Dick. If you have an enemy play fair with him, no matter what he does. He may become ashamed in time. I do not advise you not to stand up for your rights, but I do advise not to mind petty things, and, when possible, to give a fellow another show. I do not believe Darrell is so very bad, and some time he may become your friend."

"Never!" exclaimed Dick. "Never! I’m not like you, Frank. I can’t forget so easy. Under no circumstances will I ever accept Darrell as my friend."