"I mean just this," went on the lad who was perhaps the closest of all on the nine to Hiram save Luke. "I mean that Hiram Sh.e.l.l isn't here to defend himself, and you're saying all sorts of mean things against him."

"We intend to have him here--if he'll come," spoke Teeter significantly.

"Luke, too. We want them to hear what we say about them."

"You're trying to disrupt the team!" yelled Jake, who had lost his temper.

"I am not! I'm trying to do anything to better the team. We ought to have won that game to-day, and you know it."

"I know that I played my best!" shouted Jake, "and if you accuse me of----"

"n.o.body's accusing you," put in Peaches.

Several lads were on their feet, all seeking to be heard. Teeter was vainly rapping with his gavel. It looked for a few moments as if there would be several fights, for lads were shaking their fists in each other's faces.

"Why don't you give Hiram a show?" demanded Jake. "Let him know this meeting is being held."

"I sent word to him, but he didn't come," called Teeter, above the din.

"Well, he's here now!" interrupted a sudden voice, and Hiram Sh.e.l.l fairly jumped into the room, followed by Luke and a score of their particular friends. "I just heard of this snap session, and I want to know what it's about. How dare you fellows hold a meeting of the athletic committee when I didn't call it?"

"Say, you drop that kind of talk!" fairly yelled Teeter. "This isn't a meeting of the athletic committee!"

"Come on down off that platform!" demanded the bully striding toward the chairman _pro tem_. "What right have you got there?"

"Just as much right as you have, and I'm going to stick! This is just a meeting of the fellows of Excelsior Hall, and I've got just as much right to preside as you have."

Perhaps it was the gavel which Teeter clenched in his hand, perhaps it was the fearless manner in which he faced Hiram, or perhaps it was the way in which Joe, Tom, Peaches and several of the larger students crowded up around Teeter, like a bodyguard, that caused Hiram to pause in his progress toward the chairman.

Whatever it was, it proved effective and probably prevented a serious clash, for Hiram was in the mood to have struck Teeter, who surely would have retaliated.

"Well, what's it all about?" asked the bully, after a pause. "What do you fellows want, anyhow?"

"We want the ball team managed differently," retorted Teeter.

"That's right!" came from a score of ringing voices.

Hiram turned a bit pale. It was the first time he had ever witnessed an organized revolt against his authority.

"Aren't you fellows satisfied with the way I manage things?" the bully sneered.

"No, and not with the way Luke Fod.i.c.k captains the team," went on the now fully aroused Teeter. "There's got to be a change."

"Aw, you're sore because some of your friends can't play!" cut in Jake Weston.

"Not at all," spoke Teeter. "Everyone knows we should have won to-day, and what a miserable exhibition of baseball we gave! It was rotten, and we want to protest. We're willing to let you continue as manager, Hiram, and have Luke for captain, only we fellows want to have more of a say in how the team is run."

"Why, you fellows haven't any rights!" cried Hiram. "A lot of you are only probationary members, anyhow, and can't vote."

"They don't need to vote," declared Teeter. "It isn't a question of voting. We're students at Excelsior--all of us--and we have a right to say what we think. We think things ought to be done differently."

"That's right--we're with him," was shouted in such a volume of energy that it clearly showed to Hiram that, even though he held the balance of power in the committee proper, yet he did not in the whole school, and it was to the whole school that the team would have to look for support.

It was a crisis in the affairs of Excelsior Hall.

CHAPTER XVII

THE INITIATION

For a moment after the unexpected support of Teeter's ultimatum to Hiram there was a tense silence. The lads who had come in with the bully--his supporting army so to speak--remained grouped around him and Luke. On the other side stood Teeter, Peaches, Tom, Joe and their friends, and a number of the better players of the school nine. Included among them were a number of the subst.i.tutes.

Hiram Sh.e.l.l looked around him. He must have been aware that his power might slip very easily from him now, unless something was done. It was no time to pursue his usual tactics. He must temporize, but he made up his mind that those who had revolted from his authority would pay dearly for it sooner or later.

"Well, what do you fellows want?" he fairly growled.

"I'll tell you what we want," said Teeter firmly. "In the first place we want this business of shifting players all about, stopped. A fellow gets used to playing in one position and he's best there. Then you or Luke change him."

"Well, hasn't the captain the right to do that?" demanded Luke.

"Sure, yes," spoke Peaches, "but when you get a good lad in a good place keep him there."

"Is that all?" sneered Hiram.

"No, we think there ought to be better pitching," went on the self-const.i.tuted chairman.

"Ha! I guess that's where the whole trouble is!" cried Hiram quickly.

"This meeting is for the benefit of Joe Matson."

"Nothing of the sort!" exclaimed Joe quickly. "I knew nothing about it until Teeter told me. Of course I'd like to pitch; there's no use denying that, but I don't want any fellow to give way for me if he's making good."

"That's the trouble--he isn't," put in Teeter.

Hiram took a quick resolve. He could smooth matters over now, and later arrange them to suit himself and Luke. So he said:

"All right, I admit that we didn't make a very good showing to-day. But it was our first game, and Brown and Akers didn't do very well in the box. But don't be too hasty. Now I'll tell you what I'll do," and he acted as though it was a big favor. "I'll let you fellows have a voice when I make changes after this. We'll do some harder practice. I'll make Brown and Akers pitch better----"

"I don't believe he can," murmured Tom.

"We won't make any more shifts--right away," went on Hiram. "Maybe you fellows were right. I haven't given as much time to the team as I should. But wait--we'll win the Blue Banner yet."

"That's all we ask," said Teeter. "We just wanted you to know how we felt about it, and if things are better and our nine can win, we won't say another word."

"All right, let it go at that," and Hiram affected to laugh, but there was not much mirth in it. "Might as well quit now, I guess. Everybody out for hard practice next week. I want to see some better stick-work, and as for pitching--where are Brown and Akers?"

"Here!" cried the two boxmen.