Merry’s friendship for Lenning had been dead against the sentiments and the judgment of Clancy and Ballard. That Merry’s insight into the fellow’s nature had been more keen and more correct than their own, Clancy and Ballard were forced to admit. Nevertheless, they still felt that Lenning was more or less of a crook, and it surprised them to have Merry mention his name at all in connection with the prospective nine.
“What’s biting you?” asked Frank, meeting the stare of his chums good-naturedly.
“Can’t you find enough players without taking on Lenning?” queried Ballard.
“Possibly, Pink, but I want him.”
“The rest won’t stand for it, Chip,” blurted out Clancy.
“Why won’t they?”
“Well, it’s—it’s—— Oh, hang it, you know why they won’t, Chip, without my going into details.”
“Whom do you mean by ‘they,’ Red?”
“The Ophir fellows—and the Gold Hillers, too. Lenning has proved that he isn’t square. I guess that’s enough to make every one give him the cold shoulder.”
“If you’re going to dig into a fellow’s past, Clan, and judge him by what he was rather than by what he is now, of course I haven’t got anything to say. But I don’t call that being square, either.”
“We were off a bit when we accused Lenning of helping Shoup run away with the bullion,” put in Ballard, “but we haven’t had much proof, as yet, that Lenning
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 has squared away and intends to do the right thing from now on.”
“We’re going to give him a chance, fellows,” Merry cried, “and we’ll begin by selecting him for this pick-up nine.”
“There’ll be objections——”
“All right,” cut in Merry impatiently, “if the objections come I’ll try and meet them. Put down Jode Lenning’s name first, Red.”
Clancy secured pencil and paper and, not without some reluctance, wrote as his chum directed.
“Where will Lenning play?” queried Ballard, striving to make the most of what he considered an unwise selection.
“Don’t know about that yet,” was the answer. “For the next man put down Mexican Joe for backstop.”
Again Clancy and Ballard displayed astonishment, but this time it was of another sort.
“Who the mischief is Mexican Joe?” Ballard inquired. “Never heard of him before.”
“He works in the blacksmith shop at the mine,” said Merriwell, “and Mr. Bradlaugh was telling me about him only the other day. He used to catch for a Mexican team, and they say he has the prettiest throw to second of any amateur in Arizona. We’ve got to have Mexican Joe.”
“I wonder,” grinned Clancy, “if he’ll do his signalling in the greaser lingo? If he does, Chip, you’re liable to get balled up.”
“I’ll chance that part of it, old man,” said Merry. “Put down Owen Clancy for the first bag and Billy Ballard for center field.”
“Got that,” reported Clancy, writing rapidly, “and also Chip Merriwell for pitcher.”
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“Bradlaugh, junior, for short.”
“Check.”
“Barzy Blunt, second base.”
“He’s a pitcher, isn’t he?” struck in Ballard.
“He is, and a good one, but I’m told he’s equally good as a baseman. If I have to be relieved, Barzy can be shifted to the pitcher’s box. Mose Handy will cover the third sack, and Jerry Spink will take care of left field.”
“You’ve got your nine, Chip,” reported Clancy, totting up, “and Lenning is left for right field. Want any substitutes?”
“Got to have. Benaway, Shaw, and Reckless will sit on the benches and be prepared to fill in. I hear they are good all-around ball players.”
“It’s a good team,” commented Clancy, after studying the list for a few moments, “with possibly one or two exceptions.”
“Strikes me, fellows,” said Merry, “it’s a mighty fine line-up. I’ll go over to Mr. Bradlaugh’s office and speak for Mexican Joe, Lenning, and Brad. I wish you two fellows would hunt u............