Читать книгу Dick Merriwell's Fighting Chance; Or, The Split in the Varsity онлайн

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Dick Merriwell was quick to see that something unusual had happened, and long before the meal was over he was sure that Hollister and Hildebrand had fallen out in some way. Knowing that there was nothing worse for the discipline of the team or more productive of poor work than internal dissensions, he resolved to find out what the trouble was; and, as they walked back to the campus through “Grub Alley,” he slipped his hand through Hollister’s arm.

“Say, Bob, what’s the trouble between you and Blair?” he asked, in a low tone.

Hollister hesitated.

“Oh, we had a run-in this afternoon about Blake,” he said, in a rather pettish tone. “He told me that Jarv had been caught cheating at poker, and I as much as said he was a liar. I reckon I shouldn’t have been so strong, but he made me mad. He had no business to say such a thing about a friend of mine.”

“I see,” Merriwell returned thoughtfully. “Do you mind telling me what his object was in giving you that information?”

“It’s all come about through Jim!” Hollister burst out. “He needs to have his head punched. He’s got the insane idea that Jarv wants to see me dropped so he can cinch my place in the line. He came out with that silly story last night. Said Blake comes around on purpose to keep me from boning so that I’ll flunk in the classes and be thrown out. Of course, I shut him up quick, and I suppose he went to Blair with his fool story.”