It was there plebes generally received their first hazing, and there most of the fights between the cadets took place.
To the boathouse they went, and this night luck ran against Frank, for he lost heavily.
"There," he said, as he and Bart were returning together, "I can stay away from the game now, and no one will have a right to accuse me of meanness, for I have dropped more than I made at both of the other games I have been in." "That's right," assured Bart, "you may do as you like now, and I'll fight the fellow that dares open his trap about it." But Frank had taken the false step that leads to others, and he was to find it no easy thing to keep away from the game that fascinated him so.

For a little time he succeeded, but he was uneasy and in a bad way so long as he knew a game was going on.

Night after night he heard Bart dress and slip out, and the longing to accompany him grew and grew till it was unbearable.
"What's the matter with Merriwell ?" one of his classmates asked of another.

"He was making right along at one time, and we all thought he would head the class, but now he is making an average of less than 2.5." "Oh, he is flighty," replied the other.

"Do you notice that he doesn't seem to be as jolly and full of fun as he was once." "I believe he is in some kind of trouble," declared the first.