"I have private advices that Merriwell's father is a poor dentist." "A poor dentist, eh ?" "Yes, rather poor, but he manages to pull out." Tad Horner fell off the back of his chair and struck sprawling on the floor.
"Water!" he gasped.
"You wouldn't know it if you saw it," grinned Parker.
"Without a doubt and without any fooling, Merriwell's father is dead," said Hod Chadwick.
"Do you know this for a fact ?" asked Swallows.
"Yes.

It is said that he died on the field." "Then he was a soldier ?" "No; a baseball umpire." "This is a very dry crowd," laughed Browning.
"I should think you would say something," hinted Chadwick.
"It isn't in the house.

We'll go down to Morey's after supper settles and I'll blow." "To fizz ?" "Not this evening.

Ale is good enough for this crowd." "Oh, I don't suppose we can kick at that.

But we were speaking about Merriwell and the freshman crew.