CHAPTER XXIII.
THE YALE SPIRIT.
Frank went to his room with his head in a whirl.

He had dreamed of working hard to secure a place on the freshman team, but he had not dreamed there was a possibility that he would be given a trial in the regular Yale nine during his first year in college.
Merriwell knew well enough that Phillips men were given the preference in everything at Yale as a rule, for they had friends to pull them through, while the fellows who had been prepared by private tutors lacked such an advantage.
But Frank had likewise discovered that in most cases a man was judged fairly at Yale, and he could become whatever he chose to make himself, in case he had the ability.
The Phillips man might have the advantage at the start, but he could not hold the advantage unless he proved himself worthy.

If the unknown student had nerve and determination he could win his way for all of the wire pulling of the friends of some rival who was not so capable.
Frank had heard the cry which had been raised at that time that the old spirit of democracy was dying out at Yale, and that great changes had taken place there.

He had heard that Yale was getting to be more like another college, where the swell set are strongly in evidence and the senior likely to be very exclusive, having but a small circle of speaking acquaintances.
It was said that in the old days the Yale junior or senior knew everybody worth knowing.

But this had changed.