CHAPTER XXVI. CAPTAIN OF THE NINE.

 “Hey, Chip! We got him!”

The players grouped about Coach Trayne in the clubhouse turned. They had been waiting for the arrival of Clancy and Billy Mac, who was still to vote on the new captain, as the coach had demanded a written ballot².

“By gracious!”

The exclamation³ burst from Merry. Between Clancy and Billy was a drooping⁴ figure which he recognized as that of Colonel Carson. The man’s clothes were torn, and by the fierce glances he cast around it was clear that he had not been captured without a struggle.

“We knew he was somewhere,” explained the panting Clancy. “So we went to the gate and grabbed him. Let’s tar⁵ and feather him, fellows!”

“Stop!”

Merry stepped out as the yell went up. He flung Billy and Clancy aside, and faced the frightened Colonel Carson.

“Colonel,” he said quietly, “I think you’d better get out of town at once. You tried dirty work, and I fancy that you’ve paid up for it, since you intended betting on Franklin. Fade away, and do it lively.”

[211]

Colonel Carson faded.

“He plunged⁶ pretty heavily, I hear,” said Trayne, holding back the indignant Fardale men. “Let him go, boys. Merry’s right. Get in here with your ballots⁷, you fellows, and quit delaying things!”

“Hold on a minute, please,” said Chip. “I only want to say that the fellow to be elected is Owen Clancy——”

“Pho! Shut up, you rube!”

“Yah! Listen to der peesness! Go vay und talk mit yourselluf, Frankie!”

“Clan¹ didn’t knock the home run!”

Coach Trayne quieted down the yelling mob, and roared for ballots. When he had written out his, Merry turned to the silent and unhappy figure of Bob Randall and held out his hand.

“Bob,” he said, smiling, “I want to congratulate you on your game to-day! That Franklin chap, Peters, seems to have been a general surprise, and with a smashed-up infield behind you, I think you did remarkably⁹ well to keep them down!”

Randall hesitated, then accepted Frank’s hand. There was a quick glitter in his dark eyes as he searched Merry’s face.

“Do you mean it?” he faltered¹⁰. “You—you’re not sarcastic¹¹?”

“Well, I should say not!” cried Merry warmly. “Old man, if you’d had Clan and Billy in their[212] regular positions to steady things down, you’d have won in a hand down!”

“Thanks,” said Randall, and turned away. “It’s—it’s mighty¹² good of you, Chip.”

There were fifteen men present, counting the substitutes, who, of course, each had a vote. When the last ballot had been handed in, Coach Trayne read them one by one. Then he held up his hand.

“Men,” he said, “I received fifteen ballots in the vote for a captain of the regular team to succeed Captain Ted⁸ Crockett, who leaves Fardale to-night. The results are as follows: One vote for Randall, the other fourteen votes are all for Merriwell, so I guess we can claim that the new captain has been unanimously elected.”

A shouting mob surrounded Chip, who had, in truth, been surprised. His thoughts had all been with Colonel Carson, and he had failed utterly¹³ to consider the captaincy. Through the crowd pushed Randall, his eyes shining.

“And I want to congratulate you, Merry,” he said simply, holding out his hand to Frank. “You’re the man for the job!”

“Thank you, old man,” said Merry, as he met Randall’s eyes. “I’m proud to have you behind me!”

And their hands met, amid a renewed storm of cheers.

1 clan   

n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派

参考例句：

• She ranks as my junior in the clan.她的辈分比我小。
• The Chinese Christians,therefore,practically excommunicate themselves from their own clan.所以，中国的基督徒简直是被逐出了自己的家族了。

2 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

3 exclamation   

n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词

参考例句：

• He could not restrain an exclamation of approval.他禁不住喝一声采。
• The author used three exclamation marks at the end of the last sentence to wake up the readers.作者在文章的最后一句连用了三个惊叹号，以引起读者的注意。

4 drooping   

adj. 下垂的，无力的 动词droop的现在分词

参考例句：

• The drooping willows are waving gently in the morning breeze. 晨风中垂柳袅袅。
• The branches of the drooping willows were swaying lightly. 垂柳轻飘飘地摆动。

5 tar   

n.柏油，焦油；vt.涂或浇柏油/焦油于

参考例句：

• The roof was covered with tar.屋顶涂抹了一层沥青。
• We use tar to make roads.我们用沥青铺路。

6 plunged   

v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火车脱轨栽进了河里。
• She lost her balance and plunged 100 feet to her death. 她没有站稳，从100英尺的高处跌下摔死了。

7 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 ted   

vt.翻晒，撒，撒开

参考例句：

• The invaders gut ted the village.侵略者把村中财物洗劫一空。
• She often teds the corn when it's sunny.天好的时候她就翻晒玉米。

9 remarkably   

ad.不同寻常地，相当地

参考例句：

• I thought she was remarkably restrained in the circumstances. 我认为她在那种情况下非常克制。
• He made a remarkably swift recovery. 他康复得相当快。

10 faltered   

（嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃

参考例句：

• He faltered out a few words. 他支吾地说出了几句。
• "Er - but he has such a longhead!" the man faltered. 他不好意思似的嚅嗫着：“这孩子脑袋真长。”

11 sarcastic   

adj.讥讽的，讽刺的，嘲弄的

参考例句：

• I squashed him with a sarcastic remark.我说了一句讽刺的话把他给镇住了。
• She poked fun at people's shortcomings with sarcastic remarks.她冷嘲热讽地拿别人的缺点开玩笑。

12 mighty   

adj.强有力的；巨大的

参考例句：

• A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。
• The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。

13 utterly   

adv.完全地，绝对地

参考例句：

• Utterly devoted to the people,he gave his life in saving his patients.他忠于人民，把毕生精力用于挽救患者的生命。
• I was utterly ravished by the way she smiled.她的微笑使我完全陶醉了。