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+The Project Gutenberg EBook of Left End Edwards, by Ralph Henry Barbour
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: Left End Edwards
+
+Author: Ralph Henry Barbour
+
+Illustrator: Charles M. Relyea
+
+Release Date: February 24, 2007 [EBook #20650]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LEFT END EDWARDS ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Suzanne Shell, Emmy and the Online Distributed
+Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+LEFT END EDWARDS
+
+[Illustration: The "Forward Pass"]
+
+
+
+
+LEFT END EDWARDS
+
+BY
+
+RALPH HENRY BARBOUR
+
+AUTHOR OF
+
+THE HALF-BACK, ETC.
+
+WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY
+
+CHARLES M. RELYEA
+
+[Illustration]
+
+NEW YORK
+
+GROSSET & DUNLAP
+
+PUBLISHERS
+
+Made in the United States of America
+
+          COPYRIGHT, 1914, BY
+          DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY
+
+
+
+
+CONTENTS
+
+
+          CHAPTER                                  PAGE
+
+               I FATHERS AND SONS                    3
+
+              II OFF TO SCHOOL                      13
+
+             III STOP THIEF!                        24
+
+              IV OUT FOR BRIMFIELD!                 40
+
+               V NUMBER 12 BILLINGS                 51
+
+              VI CLUES!                             62
+
+             VII THE CONFIDENCE-MAN                 73
+
+            VIII IN THE RUBBING ROOK                86
+
+              IX BACK IN TOGS                       98
+
+               X "CHEAP FOR CASH"                  112
+
+              XI "HOLD 'EM, THIRD!"                125
+
+             XII CANTERBURY ROMPS ON--AND OFF      142
+
+            XIII SAWYER VOWS VENGEANCE             157
+
+             XIV A LESSON IN TACKLING              170
+
+              XV STEVE WINNOWS SOME CHAFF          182
+
+             XVI MR. DALEY IS OUT                  202
+
+            XVII THE BLUE-BOOK                     212
+
+           XVIII B PLUS AND D MINUS                225
+
+             XIX THE SECOND PUTS IT OVER           235
+
+              XX BLOWS ARE STRUCK                  251
+
+             XXI FRIENDS FALL OUT                  267
+
+            XXII STEVE GETS A SURPRISE             285
+
+           XXIII DURKIN SHEDS LIGHT                297
+
+            XXIV THE DAY BEFORE THE BATTLE         309
+
+             XXV TOM TO THE RESCUE                 323
+
+            XXVI AT THE END OF THE FIRST HALF      334
+
+           XXVII STEVE SMILES                      346
+
+          XXVIII THE CHUMS READ A TELEGRAM         360
+
+
+
+
+ILLUSTRATIONS
+
+
+  The "Forward Pass"                                _Frontispiece_
+
+                                                         FACING PAGE
+
+  Steve slipped on the tiling and fell sidewise into the water
+    (page 166)                                                     80
+
+  "Lift!" instructed the quarter-back. "Lift me up and yank my
+    feet out from under me! Use your weight and throw me back!"   178
+
+  It was Steve, Steve on his back, with only his head and
+    shoulders above the water                                     324
+
+
+
+
+LEFT END EDWARDS
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I
+
+FATHERS AND SONS
+
+
+"Dad, what does 'Mens sana in corpore sano' mean?"
+
+Mr. Edwards slightly lowered his Sunday paper and over the top of it
+frowned abstractedly at the boy on the window-seat. "Eh?" he asked.
+"What was that?"
+
+"'Mens sana in corpore sano,' sir."
+
+"Oh!" Mr. Edwards blinked through his reading glasses and rustled the
+paper. Finally, "For a boy who has studied as much Latin as you have,"
+he said disapprovingly, "the question is extraordinary, to say the
+least. I'd advise you to--hm--find your dictionary, Steve." And Mr.
+Edwards again retired from sight.
+
+Steve, cross-legged on the broad seat that filled the library bay, a
+seat which commanded an uninterrupted view up and down the street,
+smiled into the open pamphlet he held.
+
+"He doesn't know," he said to himself with a chuckle. "It's something
+about your mind and your body, though. Never mind." He idly fluttered
+the leaves of the pamphlet and glanced out into the street to see if any
+friends were in sight. But it was Sunday afternoon, and rainy, and the
+wide, maple-bordered street, its neat artificial stone sidewalks
+shimmering with moisture, was quite deserted. With a sigh Steve went
+back to the pamphlet. It bore the inscription on the outer cover:
+"Brimfield Academy," and, below, in parenthesis, "William Torrence
+Foundation."
+
+"What does 'William Torrence Foundation' mean, dad?" asked the boy.
+
+Again Mr. Edwards lowered his paper, with a sigh. "It means, as you will
+discover for yourself if you will take the trouble to read the
+catalogue, that a man named William Torrence gave the money to establish
+the school. Now, for goodness sake, Steve, let me read in peace for a
+minute!"
+
+"Yes, sir. Thank you." Steve turned the pages, glanced again at the
+"View of Main Building from the Lawn" and began to read. "In 1878
+William Torrence, Esq., of New York City, visited his native town of
+Brimfield and interested the citizens in a plan to establish a school on
+a large tract of land at the edge of the town which had been in the
+Torrence family for many generations. Two years later the school was
+built and, under the title of Torrence Seminary, began a successful
+career which has lasted for thirty-two years. Under the principalship of
+Dr. Andrew Morey, the institution increased rapidly in usefulness, and
+in 1892 it was found necessary to add two wings to the original
+structure at a cost of $34,000, also the gift of the founder. Dr.
+Morey's connection with the school ended four years later, when the
+services of the present head, Mr. Joshua Fernald, A.M., were secured.
+The death of Mr. Torrence in 1897, after a long and honoured career,
+removed the school's greatest friend and benefactor, but, by the terms
+of his will, placed it beyond the reach of want for many years. With new
+buildings and improvements made possible by the generous provisions of
+the testament the school soon took its place amongst the foremost
+institutions of its kind. In 1908 the charter name was changed to
+Brimfield Academy--William Torrence Foundation, the course was
+lengthened from four years to six and the present era of well-deserved
+prosperity was entered on. Brimfield Academy now has accommodations for
+260 boys, its faculty consists of 19 members and its buildings number 8.
+Situated as it is----"
+
+Steve yawned frankly, viewed again the somnolent street and idly turned
+the pages. There were several pictures, but he had seen them all many
+times and only the one labelled "'Varsity Athletic Field--Gymnasium
+Beyond" claimed his interest for a moment. At last,
+
+"They've got a peach of an athletic field, dad," he observed
+approvingly. "I can see six goals, and that means three gridirons. And
+there's a baseball field besides. The catalogue says that 'provision is
+also made for tennis, boating and swimming,' but I don't see any tennis
+courts in the picture."
+
+"All right," grunted his father from behind the paper.
+
+"I wonder," continued Steve musingly, "where you get your boating and
+swimming. It says that Long Island Sound is two and a half miles
+distant. That's a long old ways to go for a swim, isn't it?"
+
+Mr. Edwards laid the paper across his knees and regarded the boy
+severely. "Steve," he said, "about the only thing I've heard from you
+since that catalogue arrived is the athletic field and the gymnasium.
+I'd like to refresh your mind on one point, my son."
+
+"Yes, sir?" said Steve without much eagerness.
+
+"I'd like to remind you that you are not going to Brimfield Academy to
+play football or baseball, or to swim. You're going there to study and
+learn! I don't propose to spend four hundred and fifty dollars a year,
+besides a whole lot for extras, to have you taught how to kick a
+football or make a home-hit. And----"
+
+"A home-run, sir," corrected Steve humbly.
+
+"Or whatever it is, then. I expect you to buckle down when you get there
+and learn. Remember that you've got just two years in which to prepare
+yourself for college. If you aren't ready then, you don't go. That's
+flat, my boy, and I want you to understand it. So, if you have any idea
+of football and tennis as your--er--principal courses you want to get it
+right out of your head. Now, for a change, suppose you have a look at
+the studies in front of you, and don't let me hear anything more about
+the gymnasium or the--the what-do-you-call-it field."
+
+"All right, sir." Steve obediently turned the pages back. "Just the
+same," he said to himself, "he didn't know what 'mens sana in corpore
+sano' meant any better than I did! Bet you _he_ didn't kill himself
+studying when _he_ went to school!" With a sigh he found the "Courses of
+Study" and read: "Form IV. Classical. Latin: Vergil's Aeneid, IV--XII,
+Cicero and Ovid at sight, Composition (5). Greek: Xenophon's Hellenica,
+Selections, Iliad and Odyssey, Selections, Sight Reading, Reviews,
+Composition (5). German (optional) (4). French: Advanced Grammar and
+Composition, Le Siege de Paris, Le Barbier de Saville----"
+
+At that moment a shrill whistle sounded outside the library window and
+Steve's eyes fled from the pamphlet to the grinning face of Tom Hall set
+between two of the fence pickets. The Catalogue of Brimfield Academy was
+tossed to the further end of the seat, and Steve, nodding vigorously
+through the window, jumped to his feet.
+
+"I'm going for a walk with Tom, sir," he announced half-way to the hall
+door. Mr. Edwards, smothering a sigh of relief, glanced at the weather.
+
+"Very well," he said. "Don't get your feet wet. And--er--be back before
+it's dark."
+
+Steve disappeared into the dim hallway and Mr. Edwards gave honest
+expression to his sense of relief by elevating his feet to the seat of a
+neighbouring chair, dropping the newspaper and, with a luxurious sigh,
+composing himself for his Sunday afternoon nap. But peace was not yet
+his, for a minute or two later Steve came hurrying in again. Mr. Edwards
+opened his eyes with a frown.
+
+"Sorry, sir," said Steve, "but Tom wants to see the catalogue."
+
+His father nodded drowsily and Steve, securing the pamphlet, stole out
+again with creaking Sunday shoes. Very quietly the front door went shut
+and peace at last pervaded the house. In the library, Mr. Edwards,
+dropping into slumber, was dimly conscious of a last disturbing thought.
+It was that he was going to miss that boy of his a whole lot after next
+week!
+
+"It's all right," declared Tom Hall as he took the catalogue from Steve
+with eager fingers. "At least, I'm pretty sure it is. He said at dinner
+that he'd think it over, and when he says that it means--that it's all
+right. What do you say, eh?"
+
+"_Bully!_" That was what Steve said. And he said it not only once but
+several times and with varying degrees of enthusiasm and volume. And, as
+though fearing his chum would doubt his satisfaction, he accompanied
+each "_Bully!_" with an emphatic thump on Tom's back. Tom, choking and
+coughing, squirmed out of the way.
+
+"Here! Ho-ho-hold on, you silly chump! You don't have to kill a fellow!"
+
+"Won't it be dandy!" exclaimed Steve, beaming. "We can room together!
+And--and----"
+
+"You bet! And we can have a bully time on the train, too. Gee, I never
+travelled as far as that alone!"
+
+"I have! It's lots of fun! You eat your meals in a dining-car and
+there's a smoking-room where you can sit and chin as late as you want to
+and you get off at the stations and walk up and down the platform and
+you tip the negro porters and----"
+
+"Wouldn't it be great if we both made the football team, Steve? Of
+course, you'll make it anyway, and I might if I had a little luck.
+Townsend said last year I didn't do so badly, you know, and if----"
+
+"Of course you'll make it! We both will; next year anyway. I'll bet
+they've got lots of fellows on the team no better than you are, Tom.
+Wait till I show you the athletic field. It's a corker!" And Steve's
+fingers turned the pages of the school catalogue eagerly. "How's that?"
+he demanded at last in triumph.
+
+They paused under a dripping tree while Tom viewed the picture, Steve
+looking over his shoulder.
+
+"It's fine!" sighed Tom at last. "Gee, I hope--I hope he lets me!"
+
+"Let's go over there now so you can show him this," suggested Steve.
+But Tom shook his head wisely.
+
+"Not now," he said. "He don't like to be disturbed Sunday afternoons.
+He--he sort of has a nap, you see."
+
+"Just like dad," replied Steve. "Bet you when I get as old as that I
+won't stick around the house and go to sleep. Say, Tom, what does 'Mens
+sana in corpore sano' mean?"
+
+"A sound mind in a sound body," replied Tom promptly. "Why?"
+
+"It's in here and I asked dad and he didn't know." Steve chuckled. "He
+made believe he was peevish with me, so's he wouldn't have to fess up.
+Dad's foxy, all right!"
+
+"Well, you ought to have known, Steve," said Tom severely.
+
+"Sure," agreed Steve untroubledly. "That's what he said. Let's take that
+a minute. I want to show you the picture of the campus."
+
+"Let's sit down somewhere and look it over," said Tom. "I told father
+that it was a school where they were terribly strict with the fellows
+and you had to study awfully hard all the time. I wonder if it is."
+
+"I don't believe so," answered Steve. "They say so much about football
+and baseball and things like that you can tell they aren't cranky about
+studying. And look at the pictures of the different teams in here.
+There's the baseball nine, see? Pretty husky looking bunch, aren't they?
+And--turn over--there you are--there's the football team. Some of those
+chaps aren't any bigger than I am, or you, either. Good looking
+uniforms, aren't they? Say, dad gave me a lecture on not thinking I was
+going there to just play football. Fathers are awfully funny sometimes!"
+
+"You bet! I wonder--I wonder--would you mind if we tore out a couple of
+these pictures before he sees it? I'm afraid he might think there was
+too much in it about athletics."
+
+"No, tear away! Here, I'll do it. We'll take the pictures of the teams
+out. How about the athletic field? Better tear that out too, do you
+think?"
+
+"Well, maybe, just to be on the safe side, you know. Don't throw 'em
+away, though. We might want to look at them again. Let's go over to the
+library where we can talk, Steve."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II
+
+OFF TO SCHOOL
+
+
+Possibly you are wondering why two boys, each of whom was possessed of a
+perfectly good home of his own, should select the Tannersville Public
+Library as a place in which to converse. The answer is that Steve's
+father and Tom's father were in the same line of trade, wholesale
+lumber, and had a few years before fallen out over some business matter.
+Since that time the two men had been at daggers drawn during office
+hours and only coldly civil at other times. Steve was forbidden to set
+foot in Tom's house and Tom was as strictly prohibited from entering
+Steve's. Had the fathers had their way at the beginning of the quarrel
+the boys would have ceased then and there to have anything to do with
+each other. But they had been close friends ever since primary school
+days and, while they reluctantly respected the dictum as to visiting at
+each other's residences, they had firmly refused to give up the
+friendship, and their fathers had finally been forced to sanction what
+they could not prevent.
+
+At the time this story opens, the quarrel between the two men, each a
+prominent and well-to-do member of the community, still continued, but
+its edge had been dulled by time. Both Mr. Edwards and Mr. Hall took
+active parts in municipal affairs and so were forced to meet often and
+to even serve together on various committees. They almost invariably
+took opposite sides on every question, but they did not allow their
+personal quarrel to interfere with their public duties.
+
+The boys had at first found the condition of affairs very irksome, but
+had eventually got used to it. It was hard not to be able to run in and
+out of each other's houses as they had done when they had first known
+each other, but there were plenty of opportunities to be together away
+from home and they made the most of them and were well-nigh inseparable.
+Mr. Edwards had declared, when announcing the fact in the preceding
+spring, that Steve was to go to boarding school, that he was sending the
+boy away to remove him from the questionable association of Tom Hall.
+But Steve gave little credence to that statement, for he knew that
+secretly his father thought very well of Tom. The real reason was that
+Steve had not been making good progress at high school, owing
+principally to the fact that he gave too much time to athletics and not
+enough to study. Mr. Edwards concluded that at a boarding school Steve
+would be under a stricter discipline and would profit by it. Steve's
+mother had died many years before, and his father, while perfectly able
+to command a large army of employees, was rather helpless when it came
+to exercising a proper authority over one sixteen-year-old boy!
+
+Naturally enough, Tom, when he had learned of his chum's impending
+departure in the fall for boarding school, began a vigorous campaign to
+secure parental permission to accompany him. Mrs. Hall had soon yielded,
+but Mr. Hall had held out stubbornly until almost the last moment. "I
+guess," he had said more than once, "you see enough of that Edwards boy
+without going off to the same boarding school with him! If you want to
+go to some other school I'll consider it, Tom, but I'm blessed if I'll
+have you tagging after Steve Edwards the way you propose!" But in the
+end he, too, capitulated, though with ill-grace, and for a week there
+were not two busier persons in all Tannersville than Steve and Tom.
+Steve had taken time by the forelock and had accumulated most of the
+necessary outfit, but Tom had to attend to all his wants in six
+weekdays, and there was much scurrying around the shops by the two
+lads, much hurry and worry and bustle in the Hall mansion. You had to
+take with you such a lot of silly truck, you see! Or, at least, that is
+the way Tom put it. The catalogue informed them that they must provide
+their own sheets, pillow-cases, spreads, towels, napkins and laundry
+bags, as well as take with them a knife, fork and spoon each. Steve
+sarcastically wondered if the school gave them beds to sleep in! The
+situation was further complicated by the eleventh-hour discovery on the
+part of Mrs. Hall that Tom's clothing, while quite good enough for
+Tannersville, would never do for Brimfield Academy, and poor Tom had to
+be fitted to new suits of clothes and shoes and hats and various other
+articles of apparel.
+
+They were to leave early Monday morning, for in that way they could
+reach Brimfield before dark. Both boys, who had set their hearts on a
+night in a sleeping-car, with all its exciting possibilities, begged to
+be allowed to make their start Monday evening, which would allow them to
+arrive at school Tuesday forenoon in plenty of time. But neither Steve's
+father nor Tom's would listen to the suggestion.
+
+"Then I'll get there a whole day before school opens," grumbled Tom,
+"and have to stay there all alone Monday night."
+
+"It won't hurt you a bit," replied Mr. Hall. "And the catalogue says
+that students will be received any time after Monday noon. I'm not going
+to have you two reckless youngsters travelling around the country
+together at night."
+
+Tom, recognising the inevitable, said no more.
+
+There was a somewhat awkward ten minutes at the station, for both Mr.
+Edwards and Mr. Hall, the latter accompanied by his wife, went down to
+see the boys off. The men nodded coldly to each other and then the odd
+situation of two boys who were to travel together side by side taking
+leave of their parents at opposite ends of the same car developed.
+Tannersville is not a large town and those who were on the platform that
+morning when the New York express pulled in understood the dilemma and
+smiled over it. Steve and Tom were both rather relieved when the
+good-byes were over and the train was pulling out of the station.
+
+"Blamed foolishness," muttered Steve as he met Tom where their bags were
+piled on one of the seats.
+
+"Yes, don't they make you tired?" agreed the other. "Say, how much did
+you get?"
+
+Steve thrust his fingers into a waistcoat pocket and drew out a
+carefully folded and very crisp ten-dollar bill, and Tom whistled.
+
+"I only got seven," he said; "five from father and two from mother. I
+guess that will do, though. The only things we have to pay for are
+dinner and getting across New York. Got your ticket safe?"
+
+Ensued then a breathless, panicky minute while Steve searched pocket
+after pocket for the envelope which contained his transportation to
+Brimfield, New York. The perspiration began to stand out on his
+forehead, his eyes grew large and round and his gaze set, Tom fidgetted
+mightily and persons in nearby seats, sensing the tragedy, grinned in
+heartless amusement. Then, at last, the precious envelope came to light
+from the depths of the very first pocket in which he had searched and,
+with sighs of vast relief, the two boys subsided into the seat. By that
+time Tannersville was left behind and the great adventure had begun!
+
+There are lots of worse things in life than starting off to school for
+the first time when you have someone with you to share your pleasant
+anticipations and direful forebodings. It is an exciting experience, I
+can tell you! The feeling of being cast on your own resources is at once
+blissfully uplifting and breathtakingly fearsome. Suppose they lost
+their way in New York? Suppose they were robbed of their tickets or
+their pocket money? You were always hearing about folks being robbed on
+trains, while, as for New York, why, every fellow knew that it was
+simply a den of iniquity! Or suppose the train was wrecked? It was Tom
+who supplied most of these direful contingencies and Steve who
+carelessly--or so it seemed--disposed of them.
+
+"If we lost our way we'd ask a policeman," he said. "And if anyone
+pinched our money or our tickets we'd just telegraph home to the folks
+and wait until we heard from them."
+
+"Where'd we wait?" asked Tom with great interest.
+
+"Hotel."
+
+"They wouldn't let us in unless we had money, would they?" Tom objected.
+"Maybe we could find the United States consul."
+
+"That's only when you're abroad," corrected Steve scathingly. "There
+aren't any United States consuls in the United States, you silly chump!"
+
+"I should think there ought to be," Tom replied uneasily. "What time do
+we get to New York?"
+
+"Two thirty-five, if we're on time. We ought to be. This is a peach of a
+train; one of the best on the road. Bet you she's making a mile a minute
+right now."
+
+"Bet you she isn't!"
+
+"Bet you she is! I'll ask the conductor."
+
+That gentleman was approaching, and as they yielded their tickets to be
+punched Steve put the question. The conductor leaned down and took a
+glance at the flying landscape. "About forty-five miles an hour, I
+guess. That fast enough for you, boys?"
+
+"Sure," replied Tom. "But he said we were going a mile a minute."
+
+"No, we don't make better than fifty anywhere. You in a hurry, are you?"
+
+"Only for dinner," laughed Steve. "Where do we get dinner, sir?"
+
+"There's a dining-car on now," was the reply. "Or you can get out at
+Phillipsburg at twelve-twenty-three and get something at the lunch
+counter. We stop there five minutes."
+
+"Me for the dining-car," declared Steve when the conductor had moved on.
+"What time is it now, I wonder."
+
+It was only a very few minutes after eight, the discovery of which fact
+occasioned both surprise and dismay. "Seems as though it ought to be
+pretty nearly noon, doesn't it?" asked Tom.
+
+"Yes. What time did you have breakfast? I had mine at half-past six."
+
+"Me too. Let's go through the train and see if we can find some apples
+or popcorn or something."
+
+The trainboy was discovered in a corner of the smoking-car and they
+purchased apples, chocolate caramels and salted peanuts, as well as two
+humorous weeklies, and found a seat in the car and settled down to
+business. They were both frightfully hungry, since excitement had
+prevented full justice to breakfasts. It was horribly smoky in that car,
+but Steve declared that he liked it, and Tom, although his eyes were
+soon smarting painfully, pretended that he did too.
+
+"I suppose we'll have to smoke at school," said Tom without enthusiasm.
+
+Steve considered the question a moment. "I don't believe we will unless
+we want to," he replied at last. "We can say it's because we're in
+training, you know. They don't allow you to smoke when you're trying for
+the football team or anything like that."
+
+Tom sighed his relief. "It makes me horribly squirmy," he said. "I
+thought, though, that if all the fellows did it, you know, I'd better,
+too. In all the stories about boarding schools I've ever read, the
+fellows smoke on the sly and get found out. Don't see much fun in that,
+though, do you?"
+
+"No." Steve devoured the last of his apple and started on the peanuts.
+"I don't believe those stories very well, anyway. There's always a
+goody-goody hero that gets suspected of something he didn't do and knows
+who really did it all the time and won't tell. And then he saves another
+fellow from drowning or something and it turns out that it was that
+fellow who did it, you know, and he goes and fesses up to the principal
+and the principal asks the hero's pardon in class and the captain of the
+football team comes to him and begs him to play quarter-back or
+something, which he does, and the school wins its big game because the
+hero gets the ball and runs the length of the field with it and scores a
+touchdown. I guess boarding school isn't really very much like that,
+Tom. I guess there's a heap more hard work to it than those fellows who
+write the stories tell you about. Anyway, we'll soon find out."
+
+"Still, I guess some of those things do happen sometimes," said Tom a
+trifle wistfully, unwilling to relinquish the story-book romance.
+"Fellows do get wrongly accused of--of things, and they do rescue other
+fellows from drowning--sometimes, and fellows do win football games. I'd
+like to do that and be a hero!"
+
+"Sure! So would I. Bet you, though, there won't be any of that kind of
+stuff at Brimfield. I dare say we'll wish ourselves out of it long
+before Christmas! If anyone wrongly accuses me of anything you can bet
+I'll make a kick. You won't see me getting punished for what some other
+fellow's done. That's all right in stories, but not for yours truly! Not
+a bit of it, Tom!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III
+
+STOP THIEF!
+
+
+They descended on the dining-car at twelve o'clock promptly, being
+unable to remain away any longer, and gave an excellent imitation of a
+visitation of locusts performing their well-known devastating act. If
+any two travellers by land or sea ever received their money's worth in
+food it was Steve and Tom. They took the menu card and briskly demanded
+everything in order, and when, having finished their dessert, they made
+the discovery that a criminally careless waiter had deprived them of
+pineapple sherbert, they immediately and indignantly saw to it that the
+omission was corrected. Afterwards, groaning with happiness and
+repletion, they dragged themselves back to their own car and subsided on
+the seat in beatific silence.
+
+An hour later they came out of their stupor to stare eagerly, excitedly
+out at the indications of the approaching metropolis. Meadows strung
+with enormous and glaring signboards gave place to towns and presently
+there came a pause at a station where other trains whisked in and out
+with amazing frequency. Then on again, and they were suddenly dipping
+into a tunnel, conscious of an unpleasant pressure against their
+eardrums. Tom's expression of bewildered alarm moved a kind-hearted
+neighbour across the car aisle to lean over and explain smilingly that
+the train was now running under the river, a piece of information but
+little calculated to remove Tom's fears had he given the slightest
+credence to it, which he didn't.
+
+"I guess," he muttered resentfully close to Steve's ear, "he thinks
+we're a couple of 'greenies' for fair! Going under a river!"
+
+And then, almost before Tom's indignation had given way again to alarm,
+the tunnel was left behind and they were in New York at last, a
+dimly-lighted, subterranean New York filled with hurrying crowds,
+bustle, noise, confusion and importunate porters. Even though the two
+boys emerged to the platform in a somewhat dazed condition, they had no
+intention of wasting perfectly good pocket money having their bags
+carried for them, and so started out to find the office of the baggage
+transfer company quite bravely. For a minute they had only to follow the
+hurrying throng of fellow-passengers, but soon this throng divided and
+went separate ways and Steve and Tom, resting their arms by depositing
+their hand luggage on the lower step of an apparently interminable
+flight of broad stairs, looked about for someone to question. But
+everyone seemed in a terrible hurry, and when, at last, Steve ventured
+to put a query to a benevolent-looking elderly gentleman who clutched a
+tightly-rolled umbrella in one hand and an afternoon paper in the other,
+he almost had his head bitten off! In the end, they proceeded up the
+stairway and at last came upon a returning porter who gave them their
+direction. By the time they had reached the transfer company's office
+they had walked so far that Tom wondered whether most of the city was
+not contained inside the station!
+
+Presently, though, he saw that it wasn't. For they found themselves
+standing outside the terminal on a street that stretched, apparently,
+for millions of miles in each direction! They had received detailed
+advice from the man in the transfer company's office as to the best
+method of reaching the Grand Central Station, and the directions had
+sounded quite easy to follow. But now the feat didn't look so simple,
+for the man had told them to take a car going in a certain direction and
+there wasn't a car in sight! Moreover, when Tom came to look for
+car-tracks there weren't any! He pointed out the fact to Steve, and
+Steve, at first a bit dismayed, at last shrugged his shoulders and
+observed his chum pityingly.
+
+"You don't suppose all the cars in this town run on tracks, do you?" he
+asked.
+
+"What do they run on then?"
+
+"Why--er--you wait and see!"
+
+"That's all right, but it's almost three o'clock and our train goes from
+the other station at a quarter-past, and----"
+
+"Well, we'll ask someone," said Steve. But, oddly enough, there was no
+one to ask. For a town as large as New York that block of street was
+strangely deserted. A team or two passed and an elderly woman crept by
+on the opposite sidewalk, but no one came near them. Finally Steve
+muttered:
+
+"Looks to me as if we were on the wrong street. Maybe there are two
+doors to this old station, Tom."
+
+"Of course there are! Let's walk down to that corner. There goes a car
+now!" And Tom, as though his future happiness depended on catching that
+particular car, seized his bag and started down the street at a run.
+Steve followed more leisurely, and when he reached the corner Tom was
+talking to a policeman. It was all very simple. They had made the
+mistake of leaving the terminal by a wrong exit and had emerged on to a
+cross-town street. After that it was easy. A car lumbered up, the
+policeman stopped it for them, they climbed aboard, were hurled half the
+length of the aisle and fell into seats. A few minutes later they
+transferred to a cross-town line without misadventure.
+
+"They certainly make you step lively in this town," panted Tom,
+clutching a strap and narrowly avoiding a seat in the lap of a very
+stout lady. "Glad I don't have to live here!"
+
+Steve, however, whose eyes were darting hither and thither in a
+desperate effort to lose none of the sights, was more favourably
+disposed toward the city. Even when, owing to a blockade at one of the
+street intersections, it became evident that they could not possibly
+make the three-fifteen train to Brimfield, Steve refused to be troubled.
+"Maybe," he said, "we'll have time to walk around a bit and see
+something. Say we do it, anyway, Tom?"
+
+"No, sir, this place is too blamed big! First thing we'd know we'd be
+lost for fair and never would get to Brimfield. When I get to that
+station I'm going to sit down and stay there!"
+
+When they did reach it the three-fifteen train had been gone nearly ten
+minutes, and inquiry at a window labelled "Information" elicited the
+announcement that the next train available for them would not leave
+until three-fifty-eight, since Brimfield, it seemed, was not a
+sufficiently important station to be served by all the trains.
+
+"That gives us half an hour," said Steve eagerly. "Let's check our bags
+somewhere and go out and look around."
+
+"Yes, and get lost! No, sir, not for mine!"
+
+"Oh, don't be such a scarecrow! Come on!"
+
+But Tom was obdurate. "You go if you want to," he said, "but I'm going
+to sit down right here and wait. You can leave your bag and I'll look
+after it. Only, if you don't get back by a quarter to four I'm going to
+the train, and I'll take your bag with me."
+
+"All right. I just want to go out front awhile. I'll be back in ten
+minutes. You stay here. And keep your eye on the bags, Tom. I guess
+there's a lot of sneak-thieves around here." And Steve looked about him
+suspiciously, his glance finally falling on Tom's left-hand neighbour, a
+youth of perhaps nineteen years upon whose good-looking face rested an
+amused smile. Instantly, however, the paper he was holding was raised to
+hide his face, and Steve frowned. The fellow was, thought Steve,
+altogether too well-dressed and slick-looking to be honest, and that
+smile disturbed him. He leaned down and whispered in Tom's ear:
+
+"Look out for the fellow next to you! I think he's a crook!"
+
+Tom turned an alarmed glance to his left and a disturbed one on Steve.
+"I--I guess," he said with elaborate carelessness, "I'll sit over there
+where it's lighter." Whereupon he gathered the bags up and literally
+fled across the waiting-room, Steve at his heels. In his new location,
+out of sight of the suspected youth, he said hoarsely: "I reckon he was
+a pickpocket, don't you?"
+
+"You can't tell," responded Steve, shaking his head knowingly. "Anyway,
+you want to keep an eye on those bags every minute. I'll be right back,
+though. Want to see my paper?" And Steve handed an _Evening Sun_,
+purchased on the car, to his chum and wound his way through the throng
+toward the entrance.
+
+Left to himself, Tom looked at the clock and saw that the hour was
+three-thirty-two, glanced apprehensively about him in search of possible
+malefactors, dragged the bags closer to his feet and unfolded the paper.
+But he couldn't find much to interest him in it. Besides, he had to look
+at the clock every few minutes, and whenever a man in a uniform
+appeared with a megaphone and announced the impending departure of a
+train Tom had heart disease, seized both bags and crouched ready for
+instant flight until he was assured that the word "Brimfield" was not
+among the list of stations enunciated through the trumpet. It was after
+he had sunk back with a sigh of relief on finding that a train for
+"Pittsburgh, Chicago and the West" was not his that he discovered that
+an empty seat at his right had been occupied during his strained
+interest in the announcer. Glancing around he saw that the occupant was
+the well-dressed, good-looking youth who had been seated next to him
+before. The youth seemed very interested in the paper he was reading,
+his gaze being apparently fixed on a column headed "Tiger's Football
+Players Report," but Tom refused to be deceived. Only the fact that a
+grey-coated station policeman was standing within hail kept him from a
+second flight. Steve, he reflected nervously while he wound both feet
+around the bags, would return in a minute or two and then they could go
+to the train. Tom devoutly wished himself and the bags there now. Once
+he was conscious of the fact that the youth beside him was glancing his
+way, but he pretended not to be aware of it. Then his neighbour spoke.
+
+"Princeton ought to have a pretty good team this year," he observed
+genially. Tom, his heart in his mouth, nodded.
+
+"Y-yes," he said.
+
+"Interested in football?" went on the other. Tom dared a quick glance at
+the smiling face and shook his head.
+
+"No, thank you. I mean--yes, a little." He didn't want to talk because
+he had read that confidence men always engaged their victims in
+conversation before selling them counterfeit money or leading them to
+gamble away their savings. Tom's eyes darted anxiously about in search
+of Steve and he wondered how soon the smooth-voiced stranger would call
+him by name or ask after the folks in Tannersville. He hadn't long to
+wait!
+
+"It's a great game," pursued the other. Then, after a short pause: "Say,
+I've met you before, haven't I? Your face looks familiar."
+
+"No," answered Tom shortly, digging his feet convulsively against the
+bulging sides of the bags on the floor.
+
+"My mistake, then. I thought perhaps you were from Tannersville,
+Pennsylvania."
+
+Tom almost jumped, although he had been expecting some such remark. It
+was, he reflected agitatedly, absolutely marvellous the way these
+fellows learned things! In a moment the fellow would tell him his name!
+
+The fellow didn't, though. He only said:
+
+"Tannersville is a fine town. Ever been there?"
+
+Tom shook his head energetically. "Never!" he fibbed.
+
+"Oh!" The confidence-man--for Tom had fully decided that such he
+was--seemed disappointed. But he wasn't discouraged. "Which way are you
+travelling?" he asked.
+
+Tom did a lot of thinking then in a fragment of a minute.
+
+"Philadelphia," he blurted.
+
+"Philadelphia! Why, say, you're in the wrong station. You ought to go to
+the Pennsylvania Terminal. I guess you're a stranger here, eh? Tell you
+what I'll do. You come with me and I'll put you on a car that'll take
+you right there."
+
+"I--I've got to wait for a friend," muttered Tom desperately, sending an
+appealing glance toward the policeman who had now begun to saunter
+slowly away.
+
+"That so? Well----" The other got up with a glance at the clock and
+reached down for his suit-case. Tom's gaze followed the direction of
+that hand closely. It was, he thought, odd that a confidence-man should
+carry a suit-case, but that might be only an attempt to avert suspicion.
+The bag held the inscription "A. L. M., Orange, N. J." Probably the bag
+had been stolen. Tom fixed that inscription firmly in his mind. "I'll
+have to be going," said "A. L. M." "Sorry I can't be of assistance to
+you, kid. I thought that maybe if you were going my way, out to
+Brimfield, I could give you a hand with your bags."
+
+Tom gasped! How did he know about Brimfield?
+
+"Thanks," he muttered. "I--I'll get on all right." Standing there in
+front of him "A. L. M." looked very youthful to be such a deep-dyed
+villain and Tom felt a bit sorry for him. But the villain was smiling
+broadly and, as it seemed to Tom, a trifle mockingly.
+
+"Better keep a sharp lookout for crooks," advised the other. "There are
+lots of 'em about here. See that old chap over there with the basket of
+fruit in his lap?" The stranger moderated his voice and leaned toward
+Tom. Tom, turning his head a trifle to follow the other's gaze, felt one
+of the bags between his feet move and made a grab toward it. But the
+stranger had not, apparently, touched it, unless with a foot. "That," he
+was saying, "is Four-Fingered Phillips, one of the cleverest
+confidence-men in New York. Well, so long!"
+
+The other moved away, walking nonchalantly past the station policeman
+who had now wandered back to his post. Tom held his breath. But the
+policeman, although he undoubtedly followed the youth with his gaze for
+a moment, failed to act, and Tom was not a little relieved. Even if the
+fellow was a crook he seemed an awfully decent sort and Tom was glad he
+hadn't been arrested.
+
+It was getting perilously near a quarter to four now and still Steve had
+not returned. Tom watched the long hand crawl toward the figure IX, saw
+it reach it and pass. He would, he decided then, give Steve another five
+minutes. His gaze fell on "Four-Fingered Phillips" and he viewed that
+gentleman perplexedly. He didn't look in the least like a
+confidence-man. He appeared to be about sixty years of age, eminently
+respectable and slightly infirm. He clutched a basket of fruit and an
+ivory-headed cane and seemed quite oblivious to everything about him.
+New York, reflected Tom, with something like a shudder, must be a
+terribly wicked place! And then, while he was still striving to discern
+signs of depravity under the gentle and kindly exterior of the elderly
+confidence-man, a young woman, leading a little boy of some three or
+four years of age and bearing many bundles, hurried up to "Four-Fingered
+Phillips," spoke, helped him to his feet and guided him away toward the
+train-shed. Tom sighed. It was too much for him! Of course he had read
+of female accomplices, but it didn't seem that a four-year-old child
+could be a part of the game! For the first time he wondered whether "A.
+L. M.," perhaps chagrined at his failure to decoy Tom to some secret
+lair, had deceived him about "Four-Fingered Phillips"!
+
+Then it was ten minutes to four, good measure, and Tom, in a sudden
+panic, seized his bags, gazed about him despairingly and made for the
+train-shed. He had given Steve fair warning, he told himself, and now he
+could just fend for himself. But his steps got slower and slower as he
+approached the gate and when he reached it he set the bags down, got his
+ticket out and waited. After all, it would be a pretty mean trick to
+leave Steve. At least, he'd wait there until the last moment. The
+minutes passed and the hands on the clock further along the barrier
+crept nearer and nearer to the time set for the departure of the
+Brimfield accommodation. Tom wondered when the next train after this one
+would leave.
+
+"Going on this train, son?" asked the gateman.
+
+"Yes," answered Tom, and took a step toward the gate. Then he stopped
+and shook his head. "No, I guess not," he muttered. "When does the next
+one go, sir?"
+
+"Where to?" asked the gateman, punching the ticket of a late arrival.
+
+"Brimfield."
+
+"Four-twelve." The gate closed and the matter was irrevocably settled.
+Tom took his bags and hurried back to the waiting-room and found his
+place again. No Steve was in sight!
+
+"I'll give him ten minutes," said Tom savagely. "Then I'll go. And--and
+I won't come back the next time!"
+
+And then, just as the clock announced the hour Steve appeared, a little
+flushed and breathless, but smiling broadly.
+
+"Gee, you ought to have been with me, Tom!" he said excitedly. "There
+was a peach of a fire just around in the next street! Seven engines and
+a hook-and-ladder and hundreds of hose-carts and one of those
+water-towers! And most of the engines were automobiles, Tom! It was
+corking!"
+
+"Maybe it was," replied Tom coldly. "I'm going to Brimfield on the
+four-twelve. What you going to do? Find another fire?"
+
+"Why, no. When I saw I'd lost that other train I thought I might as
+well wait and see the fire out. There's lots of time, anyway. We'll have
+plenty of school before we get through with it, Tom."
+
+"That's all right," responded Tom bitterly, "but you're way off if you
+think it's any fun for me sitting around here and waiting for you while
+you have a good time going to fires!"
+
+"You said you didn't want to go----"
+
+"Well, what if I did?" demanded Tom, working himself into a very
+respectable fit of anger. "I _didn't_ want to go. But that's no reason
+why you should leave me alone for the rest of the day to--to stave off
+robbers and thieves and confidence-men and--and all!"
+
+"Oh, well, come on," said Steve. "We haven't done anything but lose a
+train----"
+
+"We've lost two trains!"
+
+"And the man says there's another at twelve minutes after."
+
+"And we'll lose that if you stand here talking much longer," declared
+Tom peevishly. "Take up your bag and come along. There's only six or
+seven minutes."
+
+"Where is it? Haven't you got it?"
+
+"Got what?"
+
+"My bag," said Steve crossly.
+
+"Isn't it staring you in the face?" asked Tom disgustedly, indicating
+the suit-case against the seat. "Are you blind?"
+
+"That? That isn't mine. Where----" Steve looked at the bag in Tom's hand
+and then around the floor. "_Where's mine?_"
+
+"What!" Tom was gazing in stupefied amazement at the bag between them.
+
+On the end appeared the legend: "A. L. M., Orange, N. J."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV
+
+OUT FOR BRIMFIELD!
+
+
+Just as the conductor, snapping his watch shut, waved his hand to the
+engineer of the four-twelve two boys hurried down the platform and, with
+the assistance of a negro porter, climbed to the last platform of the
+moving train. From there, much out of breath, they entered the car,
+pushed aside a curtain and sank on to the seats of the smoking
+compartment. And as he did so each set a suit-case between his legs and
+the front of the seat in a way that suggested that only over his dead
+body could that bag be removed!
+
+The first of the two, the one with his back to the engine, was a
+nice-looking youth of fifteen--almost sixteen, to be quite
+accurate--with a broad-shouldered, slim-hipped body that spoke of the
+best of physical condition. He had a pair of light-brown eyes, a short
+straight nose, a nice mouth and a rather sharp chin. His face was
+tanned, and slightly freckled as well, and he was tall for his age. His
+full name was Stephen Dana Edwards.
+
+His companion was an inch shorter, a little heavier in build, although
+quite as well-conditioned physically, and was lighter in colouring. His
+hair was several shades less dark than his friend's, although it, too,
+was brown, his eyes were grey and under the sunburn his skin was quite
+fair. His full name was Thomas Perrin Hall.
+
+Good, healthy, frank-looking youths both of them under normal
+conditions, but at this present moment very far from appearing at their
+best. Each face held an expression of gloom and resentment; on Mr.
+Stephen Edwards' countenance sat what might well be termed a scowl. And,
+after a minute, by which time the train had plunged into the tunnel and
+the travellers had somewhat recovered their breaths, the latter young
+gentleman gave voice to a remark which went well with his expression.
+
+"I like the way you looked after it," he said with deep sarcasm. Mr.
+Thomas Hall, returning the other's scowl, drummed with his heels on the
+suit-case.
+
+"Why didn't you stay and look after it yourself?" he asked angrily. "It
+isn't my fault that you went off chasing after fire-engines."
+
+"I didn't chase after fire-engines. You said you'd watch my bag and----"
+
+"I did watch it!"
+
+"Oh, yes, fine! Let someone pinch it right under your eyes! I notice you
+managed to keep your own bag all right!"
+
+"Oh, dry up!" growled Tom.
+
+Silence ensued until a conductor appeared and demanded tickets. Yielding
+their transportation, the boys were informed that they were in a parlour
+car and must pay twenty-five cents apiece to ride to Brimfield. Tom laid
+hold of his bag with a sigh, but Steve unemotionally produced a quarter
+and so Tom followed suit. When the conductor had disappeared again
+through the curtain Steve said:
+
+"Why didn't they tell us this was a parlour car? How were we to know?"
+
+"They just wanted our money, I suppose," replied Tom bitterly.
+"Everybody in this place is after your money. I wish I was home!"
+
+"So do I," agreed Steve gloomily. More silence then, until,
+
+"I don't see how he ever did it," remarked Tom. "I had both bags between
+my feet. He was certainly slick. I suppose when he told me to look at
+'Four-Fingered Phillips' I sort of turned around and switched my legs
+away from the bags. But he must have been mighty quick."
+
+"Of course he was quick," said Steve contemptuously. "I warned you
+against that fellow."
+
+"That's all right, but I'll bet he'd have played the same trick if it
+had been you instead of me," replied Tom warmly.
+
+"I'll bet he wouldn't!"
+
+"All right!" Tom shrugged his shoulders and looked out the window. They
+had the compartment to themselves, which, in view of the remarks which
+were passed, was fortunate.
+
+"It isn't all right, though," pursued Steve. "That bag had all my things
+in it: pajamas, brushes and comb and collars and handkerchiefs and--and
+everything! I'd like to know what I'm going to sleep in!"
+
+"I dare say we'll get our trunks to-night," said Tom soothingly. "If we
+don't you can have my pajamas."
+
+"What'll you wear?" asked Steve more graciously.
+
+"Anything. I don't mind. I say, Steve, let's see what's in the bag he
+left!"
+
+"Would you?" asked Steve doubtfully.
+
+"Why not? He's got yours, hasn't he?"
+
+Steve lifted the suit-case to the seat beside him and tried the catch.
+It was not locked and opened readily. There wasn't a great deal in it: a
+pair of lavender pajamas at which Steve sniffed sarcastically, a
+travelling case fitted with inexpensive brushes and things and marked
+"A. L. M.," a pair of slippers, a magazine, a soiled collar, one clean
+handkerchief and a grey flannel cap with a red B sewed on the front
+above the visor.
+
+"Wonder whose they are," mused Tom, as Steve spread the trousers of the
+pajamas out and viewed them dubiously. They were several sizes two large
+for Steve, but they might do if his trunk didn't come in time. "I
+suppose that fellow swiped this bag, found there wasn't anything
+valuable in it and thought he'd swap it for another."
+
+"Maybe there was something valuable in it when he got it," said Steve.
+He tossed the things back and closed it again. "It's a pretty good
+suit-case; better than mine. Do you suppose it would do any good to
+advertise?"
+
+"I don't suppose so. Besides, that cop said that he'd have them search
+the pawnshops. If the police don't find it I guess an advertisement
+wouldn't do any good, Steve."
+
+"Well, I suppose there's no use crying over spilled milk," replied the
+other, setting the suit-case back in its place. "After all I can buy new
+things for five dollars or so and I guess father will send me the money
+when I tell him about it."
+
+Tom frowned thoughtfully. Finally, "Say, Steve, if you won't tell him
+how it happened I'll pay for what you lost myself."
+
+"What for?"
+
+"I--I'd rather he didn't know, that's all."
+
+"Oh! Well, I won't tell him you had anything to do with it, Tom. You
+didn't, either," he added after a moment. "It wasn't your fault, Tom.
+It--it would have happened to me just the same way, I'll bet."
+
+"You could just say that the bag was stolen, couldn't you?" asked Tom
+more cheerfully. "I mean you needn't go into particulars, you know. It
+doesn't really matter _how_ it happened as long as it _did_ happen."
+
+"No, of course not. I'll just say it was stolen while we were waiting
+for the train. I guess five dollars will be enough. Let's see. Pajamas
+cost two and a half, brushes----"
+
+"You getting off at Brimfield, gentlemen?" asked the porter, putting his
+head through the curtains and waving a brush at them.
+
+"Yes. Are we there?" asked Tom startledly.
+
+"Pretty near, sir. Want me to brush you off, sir?"
+
+"I guess so." By the time that ceremony had been impressively performed
+and two dimes had changed places from the boys' pockets to the porter's,
+the train was slowing down for the station. A moment later they had
+alighted and were looking about them.
+
+The station was small and attractive, being of stone and almost covered
+with vines, and beyond it, across the platform, several carriages were
+receiving passengers. A man in a long and shabby coat accosted them.
+
+"Carriage, boys? Going up to the school?"
+
+"Yes," replied Steve. "How much?"
+
+"Twenty-five cents apiece. Any trunks?"
+
+"Two. Can you take them up with us?"
+
+"I'll have 'em up there in half an hour. Just you give me the checks."
+
+"The checks," murmured Steve, a look of uneasiness coming to his face.
+
+"Haven't you got them?" asked Tom anxiously.
+
+Steve nodded. "I've got them all right," he said grimly, "but these are
+the transfer company's checks. We--we forgot to get new ones at the
+station!"
+
+"Thunder!" said Tom disgustedly. "Now what'll we do?"
+
+"I'll look after it, gentlemen," said the driver comfortingly. "I'll
+have the agent telegraph the numbers back and they'll send 'em right
+along. It'll cost about half a dollar."
+
+"Will we get them to-night?" asked Steve.
+
+"You might. I wouldn't like to promise, though. Anyway, they'll be along
+first thing in the morning. Thank you, sir. Right this way to the
+carriage. I'll look after the bags."
+
+"Not mine, you won't," replied Tom grimly, tightening his clasp on it.
+"I wouldn't trust the President of the United States with this bag.
+Anyway," he added as he followed Steve and the driver across the
+platform to a ricketty conveyance, "not if he lived in New York!"
+
+By that time all the other carriages had rolled away, and while they
+waited for their driver to arrange with the station agent about the
+trunks they examined their surroundings. There wasn't much to see. The
+station was at the end of a well-shaded street, and beyond, across the
+right of way, the country seemed to begin. There were one or two houses
+within sight, set back amidst trees, and at the summit of a low hill the
+wheel of a windmill was clattering merrily. There were many hills in
+sight, all prettily wooded, and, on the whole, Brimfield looked
+attractive. They searched vainly for a glimpse of the school buildings,
+and the driver, returning just then, explained in reply to their
+inquiry, that the school was nearly a mile away.
+
+"You could have seen it from the train if you'd been looking," he added.
+"It's about a quarter of a mile from the track on the further side
+there. Get-ap, Abe Lincoln!"
+
+Their way led down the straight and shaded street which presently began
+to show houses on either side, houses set in small gardens still aflame
+with autumn flowers and divided from the road by neat hedges or
+vine-clad fences. Then there were a few stores clustering about the
+intersection of the present street and one running at right angles with
+it, and a post-office and a fire-house and a diminutive town hall. The
+old horse turned to the right here and ambled westward.
+
+"You boys are sort of late," observed the driver conversationally.
+
+"Why, school doesn't begin until to-morrow, does it?" asked Tom.
+
+"No. I meant you was late for to-day. About twenty boys came this
+afternoon, most of 'em on the train before this one. There was Prouty
+and Newhall and Miller and a lot of 'em. You're new boys, though, ain't
+you?"
+
+They acknowledged it and the driver nodded.
+
+"Thought I didn't remember your faces. I got a good memory for faces, I
+have. Well, you're coming to a fine school, boys, a fine school! I guess
+there ain't another like it in the country. I been driving back and
+forth for nigh on twelve years and I know it pretty well now. Know lots
+o' the boys, too. Nice fellers, they be. Always have a good word for me.
+Generous, they be, too. Always handin' me a tip and thinkin' nothing of
+it."
+
+Steve nudged Tom with his elbow. "That's fine," he said. "You must be
+pretty rich by now."
+
+"Rich? Me rich?" The driver shook his head sorrowfully. "No, sir, there
+ain't much chance o' gettin' rich at this business, what with the high
+cost of feed and all. No, gentlemen, I'm a poor man and I don't never
+expect to be aught else. Get-ap, Abe Lincoln!"
+
+The village, or what there was of it, had been left behind now and the
+road was winding slightly uphill through woodland. The sun was slanting
+into their faces, casting long shadows. Now and then a gate and the
+beginning of a well-kept driveway suggested houses set out of sight on
+the wooded knolls about them. The carriage crossed the railroad track
+and the driver pointed ahead of him with his whip.
+
+"There's the school," he said; and the boys craned forward to see.
+
+"Gee, but ain't it big!" muttered Steve.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V
+
+NUMBER 12 BILLINGS
+
+
+The woods had given way to open fields, and they could follow with their
+eyes the course of the road ahead as it turned to the left and ran,
+almost parallel to the railroad, past where a pair of stone gate-posts
+guarded the entrance to the Academy. From the gate a drive went winding
+upward, hidden now and then by trees and shrubs, to where, at the crest
+of a hill, a half-dozen buildings looked down upon them with numberless
+windows.
+
+"That's Main Hall," said Tom, "the big one in the centre. I remember it
+in the catalogue."
+
+"And that's the gym at this end," added Steve. "It's a pretty good
+looking place, isn't it? What's the building where the tall chimney is,
+driver?"
+
+"Torrence. There's rooms upstairs and a dining-room on the first floor.
+That chimney's from the kitchen at the back. Then the building in the
+middle's Main Hall, as they call it. That was the original building. I
+remember when there wasn't any others. The one to the left of it's
+Hensey Hall. The fellows that lives there are called 'Chickens,'"
+chuckled the man. "Then there's Billings beyond Hensey, and The Cottage,
+where Mr. Fernald lives, is just around the corner, like. You can see
+the porch of it if you look."
+
+But they couldn't, for at that moment the carriage turned to enter the
+gate and their view was cut off by a group of yellowing beeches.
+
+Presently the carriage stopped in front of a broad flight of stone steps
+and the boys climbed out.
+
+"Fifty cents, gentlemen," said the driver as he lifted the bags out.
+"Thank you, sir. Thank _you_, sir! I'll have your trunks up first thing
+in the morning. Just walk right in through the door and you'll find the
+office on your right. They'll look after you there. Much obliged,
+gentlemen. Any time you want a rig or anything you telephone to Jimmy
+Hoskins. That's me. Good-night, gentlemen, and good luck to you!"
+
+Steve had contributed an extra quarter, which doubtless accounted for
+Mr. Hoskins' extreme affability. Bags in hand they climbed the well-worn
+granite steps and entered a dim, unlighted corridor. An open door on the
+right revealed a room divided by a railing, in front of which were a
+half-dozen wooden chairs and beyond which were two desks, some filing
+cabinets, a book-case, a letter-press, some chairs and one small,
+middle-aged man with a shining bald head which was raised inquiringly as
+Steve led the way to the railing.
+
+"How do you do, boys," greeted the sole occupant of the office in a
+thin, high voice. "What are the names, please?" As he spoke he took a
+card from a pile in front of him and dipped a pen in the ink-well.
+
+"Stephen D. Edwards, sir."
+
+"Full name, please."
+
+"Stephen Dana."
+
+"Very good. Place of residence?"
+
+"Tannersville, Pennsylvania."
+
+"A wonderful state, Pennsylvania. Parents' names, please."
+
+"Charles L. Edwards. My mother isn't living."
+
+"Tut, tut, tut!" said the school secretary regretfully and
+sympathetically. "A great misfortune, Edwards. Now, you are entering by
+certificate?"
+
+"Yes, sir, from the Tannersville High School."
+
+"And your age?"
+
+"Fifteen; sixteen in----"
+
+"Fifteen will do, thank you." He drew out a drawer in a small cabinet
+set at the left of the broad-topped desk and ran his fingers over the
+indexed cards within it, finally extracting one and laying it very
+exactly above the one on which he had been setting down the information
+supplied by Steve. For a moment he silently compared the two. Then he
+nodded with much satisfaction. "Quite so, quite so," he said. "You will
+room in Billings Hall, Number 12, Edwards. You are provided with linen
+and other articles required?"
+
+"Yes, sir, but my trunk hasn't got here yet."
+
+"Quite so. One moment." He drew a telephone toward him, pressed a button
+on a little black board set at one end of the desk, glanced at the clock
+between the two broad windows and spoke into the transmitter: "Mrs.
+Calder? Edwards, 12 Billings, hasn't his trunk yet. Will you have his
+room made up, please? Eh? Quite so! Yes, 12 Billings. Just a moment." He
+turned to Steve. "May I ask whether the young gentleman with you is your
+room-mate, Hall?"
+
+"Yes, sir."
+
+"And his trunk, too, is missing?"
+
+"Yes, sir."
+
+"Quite so. Yes, Mrs. Calder, both beds, please. Thank you." He hung up
+the receiver and pushed the instrument aside. "That is all, Edwards. I
+trust you will like the school. Should you want anything you may come
+to me here or you will find your Hall Master, Mr. Daley, in Number 8
+Billings. Now, if you please, Hall."
+
+Tom, in turn, answered the little man's interrogations and at last they
+were free to seek their room.
+
+"Billings is the last dormitory to your right as you leave this
+building," said the secretary, "and you will find Number 12 on the
+second floor at the further end. Supper is served at six o'clock in the
+dining-room in Wendell, which is the last building in the other
+direction. As we have very few students with us yet, the supper hour is
+shortened and it will greatly assist if you will be prompt."
+
+The boys thanked him and sought their room. A broad flagstone walk ran
+the length of the row of six buildings and along this they strode past
+the first building, which was Hensey, to the one beyond. The dormitories
+were uniform in material and style of architecture, each being three
+stories in height, the first story of stone and the others of red brick.
+The entrance was reached by a single stone step, above which hung an
+electric light just beginning to glow wanly in the early twilight.
+Inside, two slate steps led to the first floor level and here a
+fireproof door divided the staircase well from the corridor. A flight of
+stone stairs took them to the second floor. "Rooms 11 to 20" was
+inscribed on the door and Steve pushed it open and led the way down to a
+very clean, well-lighted corridor to Number 12. There could be no
+mistake about it, for the figures were very plainly printed on the white
+door. Under the room number was a little metal frame which they
+afterwards discovered was for the purpose of holding a card bearing the
+names of the occupants. Steve pushed the door open and, followed by Tom,
+entered.
+
+There was still enough light from the one broad window to see by, but
+Steve found a switch near the doorway and turned on the electricity. It
+was a pretty forlorn looking place at first glance, but doubtless the
+fact that the two beds were unmade, that the window-seat was empty of
+cushions and that the two slim chiffoniers and the desk-table were bare
+had a good deal to do with that first impression. The boys set their
+bags down and looked about them rather dejectedly. Finally,
+
+"I suppose when we get our things around it'll look different," murmured
+Tom.
+
+Steve grunted and tried a bed. "That feels pretty good," he said. "I
+hope Mrs. Thingamabob won't forget to make it. Which side do you want?"
+
+"I don't care," replied Tom. "There isn't any difference, I guess."
+
+There didn't appear to be. The door was at the right as you entered, and
+beside it was a good-sized closet. The room was about fifteen feet long,
+from closet to window, by some twelve feet wide. A brown grass rug
+filled most of the floor space. The wainscoting, of clean white pine,
+ascended four feet and ended in a narrow ledge or shelf, devised, as
+they afterwards discovered, to hold photographs or small pictures which
+the rules prohibited them from placing on the walls. The walls were
+painted a light buff. The furniture consisted of two single-width beds,
+two chiffoniers, a study table and two straight-backed chairs. The beds
+were against the opposite walls, the table in the geometrical centre of
+the rug, the chiffoniers occupied a portion of the remaining wall space
+on each side and the two chairs were set between beds and bureaus. The
+window was in a slight bay and there was a six-foot seat below it. The
+room was lighted by a two-lamp electrolier above the table, but from one
+socket depended a green cord, suggesting that a previous occupant had
+used a drop light.
+
+"I wonder," said Steve, "where we are supposed to wash."
+
+"Let's look for the bathroom," suggested Tom. So they returned to the
+silent corridor and presently discovered a commodious bath and wash-room
+at the farther end. There were six set bowls and four tubs there, and
+Tom thought it was pretty fine. Steve, however, was in a mood to find
+fault and he objected to the bathroom on several different counts. For
+one thing, it was too far away. Then, too, he didn't see how twenty
+fellows were going to wash at six bowls. Tom, however, promptly
+demonstrated how one fellow could do it by returning to Number 12 and
+bringing back his wash-cloth. In his absence Steve had been
+experimenting with the liquid soap apparatus with which each bowl was
+supplied, and by the time Tom got back was able to tell him why he
+didn't approve of them! By the time they had both cleaned up it was time
+to find the dining-hall, and so, leaving the light burning in brazen
+disregard of a notice under the switch, they clattered downstairs again
+and set off for the other end of the Row, as the line of buildings was
+called.
+
+Two or three boys were standing on the steps of Wendell when they
+reached it and they were aware of their frankly curious gaze as they
+passed them. The dining-hall wasn't hard to find, for its double doors
+faced them as they entered the building. They left their caps on one of
+the big racks outside and rather consciously stepped inside the doorway.
+It was a huge room, seemingly occupying the entire first floor of the
+building, and held what appeared to be hundreds of tables. Only four of
+them were occupied now, two across the hall from the door and two at one
+end. A boy of about seventeen or eighteen, wearing an apron and carrying
+a tray of dishes, saw them, and, setting down his burden, conducted them
+to one of the tables nearby. There were already five boys at the board
+and they each and all stared silently while Steve and Tom slid into
+their chairs. The newcomers surmised that they, too, were new boys, for,
+unlike the fellows at the next table beyond, who were laughing and
+chatting quite light-heartedly, they applied themselves grimly and
+silently to their food and seemed to view each other with deep distrust.
+
+Steve and Tom, striving against the embarrassment that held them,
+conversed together in whispers. "It's a whaling big room," said Steve.
+"Just like a hotel, isn't it? Wonder what we get to eat."
+
+"Bet you I'll eat it, whatever it is," replied Tom. "I'm as hungry as a
+bear!"
+
+They weren't left long in doubt, for a second waiter appeared very
+promptly and set their repast before them. There was cold roast beef, a
+baked potato apiece, toasted muffins, milk and cocoa, preserves and
+cookies. By the time they were half through their supper most of the
+others had finished and hurried away, removing much of the embarrassment
+of the situation. Steve ventured to stretch his legs comfortably under
+the table and turn his head to regard the occupants of the tables at the
+far end of the hall.
+
+"I guess some of those are teachers," he said. "Gee, but I'd like some
+more meat. Would you ask for it?"
+
+"I don't know. No one else did. These muffins are bully, only there
+aren't enough of them. I wonder if we'll sit here regularly."
+
+"I don't suppose so. We'll probably be shoved to one of those tables
+over there by the wall. What time do you suppose they have breakfast?
+We'll have to ask someone, I guess. Didn't he say something about a Hall
+Master?"
+
+"Yes, in Number 8. We'll stop and ask him when we go back." There was a
+scraping of chairs at the end of the room and several older boys and
+two or three men came down the room toward the door. Steve and Tom
+turned to look and suddenly Tom seized his companion's arm.
+
+"It's him!" he exclaimed.
+
+"Who?" asked Steve.
+
+"Or--anyway it looks lots like him," continued Tom breathlessly.
+
+"Who looks like what?" demanded the other impatiently.
+
+"Why, the tall fellow just going out now! See him? He--he looks just
+like the fellow in the station, the fellow who took your bag! The
+confidence-man!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI
+
+CLUES!
+
+
+"The confidence-man?" asked Steve incredulously. "Oh, you run away and
+play, Tom! What would he be doing here? Don't be a silly goat!"
+
+"Well, I suppose it isn't he, but--but he certainly looked just like
+him."
+
+"Pshaw, I saw him too, didn't I? Well, that chap doesn't look anything
+like him."
+
+"Then you didn't look at the fellow I meant," returned Tom doggedly.
+"I--I believe it was he, Steve!"
+
+"Oh, sure," said Steve sarcastically, "and the fellow behind him is a
+famous second-story burglar and the man with the flannel trousers on,
+who looks like a teacher, is a popular murderer. He escaped from Sing
+Sing this morning. And the little man with the grey moustache----"
+
+"That's all right," replied Tom earnestly, "but you'll find I'm right.
+It--it was he, I tell you! There couldn't be two people as much alike!"
+
+"You'd better follow him then," laughed Steve, "and ask him for my
+suit-case. Tell him I want my pajamas, will you?"
+
+But Tom refused to treat the matter so lightly. He was evidently quite
+convinced that he was really on the trail of the thief, and all Steve's
+ridicule failed to move him from that conviction. He was too anxious to
+begin the search for the "confidence-man" to do justice to the rest of
+his supper, and when, at last, they were once more outside the building
+he gazed up and down the Row eagerly and was disappointed to find that
+neither his quarry nor anyone else was visible in the half-darkness. As
+they passed Torrence Hall, however, an open window on the first floor
+sent a flood of light across the walk, and Tom, crossing the narrow
+strip of turf that divided building from pavement, raised himself on his
+tiptoes and looked into the room. The next instant a face appeared with
+disconcerting suddenness within a foot of his own and the occupant of
+the room, who had been reclining on the window-seat, enquiring abruptly:
+
+"Well, fresh, what do you want?"
+
+"N-Nothing, thanks," stammered Tom, withdrawing quickly.
+
+"Keep your head out of my window then," was the indignant response, "or
+I'll come out there and teach you manners!"
+
+Tom hurried away into the friendly darkness and joined Steve, who was
+chuckling audibly.
+
+"Did you find him, Tom?"
+
+"No." And then, as Steve continued to be amused, Tom said with spirit;
+"I should think you'd be enough interested to help a fellow instead of
+giggling like a silly goat!"
+
+"Oh, I'm not a Sherlock Holmes," replied Steve airily. "Detecting isn't
+in my line."
+
+"I should think you'd want to get your bag back, though. I tell you that
+was really the fellow, Steve. Don't you believe me?"
+
+"Oh, yes!"
+
+"You don't, though," said Tom bitterly. "All right, then. You find your
+own bag. I'm through."
+
+"Oh, don't say that!" begged Steve. "You were doing so nicely. Look,
+there's a lighted window up there, Tom. If you get a ladder now----"
+
+"Aw, cut it!" growled Tom.
+
+Mr. Daley was in when they rapped at the door of Number 8, on the first
+floor of Billings, and, accepting his invitation to enter, they found
+themselves in a very cosy, lamp-lighted, nicely furnished study, from
+which a smaller room, evidently a bedroom, opened. Mr. Horace Daley was
+a young man with an embarrassed manner and a desire to appear quite at
+ease. He shook hands heartily, stumbled through a few words of welcome
+and arranged chairs for them. He asked a good many questions, invariably
+remarking "Fine!" with deep enthusiasm after every answer and smiled
+jovially at all times. But the boys saw that he was much more
+embarrassed than they were and were secretly pleased and amused. When at
+last the instructor had finished the usual questions and was searching
+around in his mind for more, Steve began asking for information.
+Breakfast, responded Mr. Daley, was at seven-thirty and ran half an
+hour. Chapel was at eight-fifteen usually, although there would be none
+to-morrow, as school did not officially begin until noon. The first
+recitation hour was nine o'clock. Dinner ran from twelve-thirty to
+one-thirty. Recitations began again at two and lasted until half-past
+three. Supper was at six. Between seven and eight the students were
+required to remain in their rooms and study, although on permission of
+the House Master one could study in the library instead. All lights were
+supposed to be out at ten-thirty. And Mr. Daley hoped the boys would
+get on swimmingly and become very fond of Brimfield.
+
+"I--ah--I want you to feel that I am ready and anxious to help you at
+any time, fellows. I--ah--want you to look on me as--ah--as a big
+brother and come to me in your--ah--perplexities and troubles, should
+you have any, and of course there are bound to be--ah--little worries at
+first. One has to accustom oneself to any--ah--new environment. Don't
+hesitate to call on me for advice or assistance. Sometimes an older
+head--ah--you see what I mean?"
+
+Steve replied that they did and thanked him and, with Tom crowding at
+his heels, withdrew.
+
+"He's a funny dub," confided Steve, as they made their way up to the
+next floor. "Guess he must be new here. What does he teach, Tom?"
+
+"Modern languages, I think the catalogue said. His first name is
+Horace."
+
+"Horace!" Steve chuckled. "It ought to be Percy. Hello, they've fixed
+the beds up."
+
+The room looked far more habitable when Steve had switched the light on.
+Tom sighed luxuriously as he stretched himself out on one of the beds.
+"Bet you I'm going to do a tall line of sleeping to-night, Steve," he
+said. "This bed isn't half bad, either."
+
+"Well, don't put your feet all over the spread," replied Steve. "Get up
+out of that and unpack your bag, you lazy duffer."
+
+"I will in a minute. I'm tired. Say, what do you think of this place,
+anyway, Steve?"
+
+"The school? Oh, I guess it'll do. You can't tell much about it yet, I
+suppose. I'm going to snoop around to-morrow after breakfast and see the
+sights. I suppose things will be a lot different when the crowd comes. I
+guess we're the only fellows in this dormitory to-night."
+
+"Scared?" asked Tom, with a grin. "Remember Horace is downstairs to
+protect you."
+
+"Huh! Bet you he'd crawl under the bed if he saw a burglar! I wonder if
+the rest of the faculty is like him."
+
+"Oh, I dare say he's all right when you get to know him," said Tom, with
+a yawn. "Say, pull down that window, Steve. It's getting chilly in
+here."
+
+"Get up and move around and you won't feel chilly," replied Steve
+unsympathetically. "Gee, I wish I had my pajamas and things."
+
+"You might have had them by this time if you'd helped me look for that
+fellow," said Tom. "I'm just as certain as I am that I'm lying here
+that the fellow we saw in the dining-hall was the fellow who swiped your
+suit-case!"
+
+"Oh, forget that," said Steve disgustedly. "Common-sense ought to tell
+you that a sneak thief you saw in New York wouldn't be having his supper
+here at Brimfield!"
+
+"He was, though," replied the other stubbornly.
+
+"Oh, run away! Don't you suppose there are two people who look alike in
+this world?"
+
+"Not as much alike as those two."
+
+"Why, you didn't even get a good look at the fellow in the dining-hall.
+He had his back turned to you."
+
+"Not when I saw him first, he didn't," answered Tom with a vigorous
+shake of his head. "I saw his face before he turned at the doorway and
+_it was him_!"
+
+"You mean it was he, you ignoramus. All right, Tom, have your own way
+about it. Only someone ought to warn the principal about him. Why, he
+might run off with a couple of the buildings some night!"
+
+"Enjoy yourself," murmured Tom. "But you'll find I was right some day,
+you old pig-headed chump!"
+
+"When I do I--I'll make you a present," answered Steve, with a grin.
+
+"Any present you'd give me wouldn't cut much figure, I guess," said the
+boy on the bed contemptuously.
+
+"Is that so? Say, what'll I do with this bag?" Steve laid the suit-case
+in question on his bed and threw open the lid. "The pajamas look clean,
+anyway," he continued as he viewed them. "I suppose I'll have to wear
+them." He drew the cap out and set it on his head. "Wonder what the B
+stands for, Tom."
+
+"What bee?" asked Tom lazily.
+
+"The B on this cap," replied the other, studying it.
+
+Tom suddenly sat up on the bed. "Why, Brimfield, of course!" he
+exclaimed in triumph. "There now! Was I right or wasn't I?"
+
+"Shucks! It might stand for anything: Brown, Brooklyn, beans,
+brownbread, basketball----"
+
+"Yes, and Brimfield! And aren't the Brimfield colours maroon-and-grey,
+and isn't that cap grey, and isn't that B maroon?"
+
+"It's red."
+
+"So is maroon, a brownish-red." Tom had deserted his bed and was turning
+the cap about eagerly. "This belongs to some fellow here who has won
+his letter, Steve," he said with deep conviction.
+
+"Some fellow who has _lost_ his letter, you mean," replied Steve with a
+laugh. "All right; it will save me from buying a cap when I make the
+football team. How does it look on me?"
+
+"It's too big," said Tom. "It's about a seven, I guess. That's what that
+fellow would wear, I think." Tom frowned thoughtfully. "Are there any
+more clues?" he asked, dropping the cap and seizing the pajamas
+excitedly.
+
+"Sure! There are brushes in the case and they mean that the fellow has
+hair on his head, Tom. So there's no use looking for a bald-headed man,
+eh? That's what they call 'the process of elimination,' isn't it? Say,
+what are you trying to do with those things? Ruin them? Please remember
+that I've got to wear them to-night."
+
+"Looking for laundry marks," replied Tom. "But there aren't any. I guess
+they're new ones." He dropped the pajamas regretfully and turned his
+attention to the other objects in the bag. "A magazine," he muttered.
+
+"'Fine'!--as Horace would say. The man can read. Therefore he is not
+blind. Elimination again! At this rate we'll know all about him in a
+minute, Tom. Gee, but you're a wise guy. Have a look at the collar and
+tell me the fellow's name. Go on!"
+
+"It begins with an M, anyway," muttered Tom, studying the object in
+question.
+
+"Ha!" exclaimed Steve melodramatically. "The net is closing! He has hair
+on his head, is not blind, wears purple pajamas and spells his name with
+an M! The rest is easy, Tom. Put your hat on and we'll go out and get
+him."
+
+"Oh, shut up, you silly goat!" Tom had the magazine in his hands again
+and was glancing through it. Suddenly, with an exclamation, he thrust it
+into Steve's hands. "There! Hold it up and let it fall open itself,
+Steve!"
+
+"All right. What about it?"
+
+"Look where it opened!"
+
+"Page 64."
+
+"Yes, but what's there?"
+
+"'Men Who Have Made Football History, by----'"
+
+"There you are! Don't you see! That's what he was reading. He's a
+football man and that B is his football letter!"
+
+"Oh! But, say, Tom, you're forgetting that this suit-case is supposed to
+have been stolen from someone else. Then what?"
+
+"We don't know that it was. We just thought so. It looks now as if it
+really belonged to the fellow."
+
+"And he went and swapped it for mine? What would he do that for?"
+
+"Maybe he thought yours might have something valuable in it," faltered
+Tom. "Maybe--say, Steve, perhaps he got yours by mistake!"
+
+"Sure!" replied the other sarcastically. "Reached down and dragged it
+from under your feet, thinking all the while it was his. Sounds very
+probable--I don't think!"
+
+"Well, you can see for yourself----"
+
+"What was that?" interrupted Steve.
+
+"What was what?"
+
+"I thought I heard a knock at the door." They listened. It sounded
+again. Steve hustled the things back into the bag and slammed the lid
+shut in a twinkling. Then, "Come in!" he called.
+
+The door opened and a tall youth stepped inside. He carried a suit-case
+in one hand. Tom gasped. It was the "confidence-man"!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII
+
+THE CONFIDENCE-MAN
+
+
+"Hi," greeted the visitor, with a smile, as he slid the suit-case across
+the floor and faced the two boys. "Want to swap bags?"
+
+"That--that's mine!" exploded Steve. "Where'd you get it?"
+
+The visitor pulled a chair out from the wall and seated himself
+nonchalantly. "And that," he responded, nodding at the bag on the bed,
+"is mine. I didn't think the pajamas would fit you and I was mighty sure
+yours wouldn't fit me. So I dropped around to make an exchange."
+
+"You're the fellow in the station!" exclaimed Tom accusingly.
+
+"Right-o! I'm the 'sneak-thief.'"
+
+"I knew it!" declared Tom triumphantly. "I saw you in the dining-hall
+and told Steve it was you and he wouldn't believe it!"
+
+"Wouldn't he?" laughed the visitor.
+
+"I suppose it's some sort of a silly joke," said Steve bewilderedly.
+"Would you mind telling me why you--why you took my bag?"
+
+"Glad to, Edwards. You _are_ Edwards, aren't you? I thought so. And this
+chap's Hall? Well, my name's Miller. So now we know each other. Would
+you mind sitting down, you fellows?"
+
+Steve sank on to the bed and Tom retreated to the unoccupied chair, from
+where he viewed Miller with fascinated attention.
+
+"It was this way, you fellows," explained Miller. "I may be a bit
+thin-skinned, but I don't like being called a sneak-thief. Edwards here
+told you, Hall, to look after your bags because there were sneak-thieves
+around. And then he looked at me very impolitely. After he went away I
+saw that you really did suspect me of being something of the sort and it
+occurred to me that it might be amusing to teach you chaps not to pass
+compliments."
+
+"I didn't mean you to hear me," said Steve confusedly.
+
+"I couldn't help it, as you spoke right out," replied Miller drily.
+"Well, so when Hall changed his seat I went along and tried to talk to
+him. But he was foxy, Hall was. He wasn't going to be fooled! When it
+got to be train time I spun him a yarn about a harmless old man across
+the room and got him to look at him. Then I changed the bags. I thought
+you fellows would take the same train and I meant to give you back your
+bag then. But you weren't on it and so I suppose you were looking around
+the station for me. Was that it?"
+
+"I didn't get back in time," said Steve. "We didn't find out about the
+bags until the train had gone. Then we did look around, and we told a
+policeman, and----"
+
+Miller put his head back and laughed delightedly. "Bully!" he cried.
+"You chaps are wonders!"
+
+"Well, what would you have done?" asked Tom indignantly. "How were we to
+know that it was a joke?"
+
+"Oh, I'd have done the same thing, of course," answered the other
+soothingly. "Only the idea of the New York police department being on
+the lookout for me struck me as a bit humorous."
+
+"Tom says you asked him about Tannersville," said Steve. "How did you
+know he was from there?"
+
+"Not difficult," chuckled Miller. "It's on the end of his bag. And I
+knew he was coming to Brimfield because there was a tag on the handle. I
+couldn't make out your names, but I could see 'Brimfield, N. Y.' all
+right."
+
+Steve and Tom smiled foolishly. "I never thought of that," murmured
+Tom. "We--we thought you were a confidence-man!"
+
+"So I thought you thought," laughed Miller. "Well, here's your property,
+Edwards. I dare say it was rather a mean joke to play on you, but you
+sort of invited it, you see."
+
+"I don't care now that I've got it back," responded Steve
+philosophically. "Tom was certain you were the fellow who took my bag
+when he saw you in dining-hall and he was all heated up about it. Wanted
+to arrest you at once, I guess."
+
+"Well, I was right, though, wasn't I?" demanded Tom. "You said it
+couldn't be the same chap. But I _knew_!"
+
+"Yes, you're some sleuth," agreed Steve. "You were right and I was
+wrong, as you always are."
+
+"How about that present you were to give me?" inquired Tom.
+
+"You'll get it, all right; just before Christmas." Then, to Miller:
+"We--I had your things out of your bag," he said apologetically. "I
+thought I'd have to wear those pajamas."
+
+"They'd have been a bit large, I guess," laughed Miller. "Still, they
+are brand-clean and you could have wrapped them around you a few times
+and turned them up at the feet and hands. Well, how have you chaps
+found everything? All right?"
+
+"Yes, thanks," said Steve. "We forgot to check our trunks at the Grand
+Central Station, though, and so we're sort of hard-up for things to
+wear."
+
+"Too bad." Miller smiled. "I guess you chaps haven't travelled around
+much, eh?"
+
+"Not much. This is the first time we've ever been so far east."
+
+"Well, I don't blame you for getting a bit confused in New York. It's a
+tough old place to get around in unless you know the ropes. If you need
+collars or anything maybe I can help you out. I suppose, though, mine
+wouldn't fit."
+
+"We'll get on all right, thanks," replied Steve. "Our trunks will surely
+be along in the morning. The man who drove us up here had the agent
+telegraph back for them and said he'd fetch them as soon as they came."
+
+"Jimmy Horse? He will if he doesn't forget."
+
+"This fellow said his name was Hoskins, I think," said Tom.
+
+"Yes, we call him Jimmy Horse. He will probably be along with them
+before noon. Just depends on whether he remembers them and how busy he
+is. Still, not many fellows get here before the eleven o'clock train
+and so he ought to find time to bring the trunks. If he doesn't show up
+soon after breakfast you'd better telephone to him. The booth's in Main
+Hall, around the corner from the office. I suppose you saw old 'Quite
+So'?"
+
+"Who?" asked Steve.
+
+"Mr. Brooke, the secretary. We call him 'Quite So' because he's always
+saying that. Didn't you notice?"
+
+"I did," said Tom. "I thought maybe he was Mr. Fernald, though."
+
+"No, you won't see Josh much. He lives around the corner there in The
+Cottage. You'll be lucky if you don't see him, too. When you call on
+Josh it's usually because you've been and gone and done something. He
+will be at Faculty Reception to-morrow evening, though. That's in Upper
+Hall at eight o'clock. Better go, fellows; everyone does. Have you met
+your Hall Master, Mr. Daley?"
+
+"Yes, we stopped in at his room after supper," answered Steve. "Is
+he----" He hesitated.
+
+Miller laughed. "Go on and say it, Edwards! Is he what?"
+
+"I was going to ask if he was liked."
+
+"Oh, yes, Daley's all right. Rather shy, but he's young yet. This is
+only his second year. You'll like him better when you've known him
+awhile. What form are you fellows in?"
+
+"Fourth. At least, we hope we are."
+
+"Oh, you'll make it. They'll put you in, anyway, and then drop you back
+if you don't keep up. That's a pleasant little trick of theirs here.
+You'll have Daley in French and German. Take my advice and don't have
+fun with him just because you can. Most of the new fellows try to make
+life a burden to him because he gets kind of rattled and tries to
+swallow his tongue when he talks. But they're generally sorry for it
+later. He stands about so much and then--bing! Off you go to Josh! And
+here's another tip, fellows. Always be dead serious with 'Uncle Sim.'
+That's Mr. Simkins, Greek instructor. If you can look as if you'd lost
+all your friends and bitten your tongue you'll make a big hit with him.
+He doesn't know a joke even when it's labelled and can't stand any
+flippancy. I made a pun in class once; I've forgotten what it was, but
+it was a bright and scintillant little effort; and Uncle Sim told me I'd
+end on the gallows. He's never forgotten that and still views me with
+deep suspicion."
+
+"We will try to remember," laughed Steve. "I suppose you are in the
+Sixth Form?"
+
+"Yes, this is my last year here. I ought to have been out last year, but
+I slipped a cog when I first came and got dropped a form. You see, I
+made the mistake of thinking that the principal branches were Football,
+Baseball and Hockey. When I'd woke up to the fact that a little
+attention to mathematics and languages and such foolishness was required
+it was too late, and--plop!--sound of falling!"
+
+Steve recalled a similar warning of his father's and silently made up
+his mind then and there to not make Miller's mistake.
+
+"Do you play football?" asked Tom. "I mean, are you on the team?"
+
+"Yes, I--I'm on the team." Miller's smile had an odd quality that
+puzzled Tom at the moment. "You chaps know the game?"
+
+"Steve has played more than I have," replied Tom. "He was on our high
+school team at left end last year. He's pretty good, Steve is. I didn't
+make the 'Varsity, but I played a couple of years with the scrubs."
+
+"Tom plays a good game," said Steve. "I suppose it's pretty hard to get
+on the team here."
+
+"About the same as anywhere," answered Miller. "If you show the goods
+you're all right." He viewed Steve speculatively and then turned an
+appraising gaze on Tom. "You chaps look pretty fit for this time of
+year. What do you weigh, Edwards?"
+
+[Illustration: Steve slipped on the tiling and fell sidewise into the
+water]
+
+"About a hundred and thirty-eight."
+
+"You look solid, too," said Miller approvingly. "You chaps show up in
+togs day after to-morrow at four. Look me up and I'll see that you get a
+good chance to show what you can do. Where have you played, Hall?"
+
+"At tackle, mostly. I played half a little last fall."
+
+"You look rather likely, I think. Don't be disappointed if you don't
+make the first or second this year, fellows. Keep going. There's your
+hall team. Try for that. You'll get lots of good fun and experience. I
+tell you this not to discourage you but because we've kept a lot of last
+year's fellows and it's going to be harder than usual to break into the
+first team, I guess. And that means that a good many of the second team
+fellows will be disappointed and will have to stay where they are. Hard
+on them, but lucky for the school. I don't know whether you chaps
+understand the football situation with us?"
+
+"I don't believe so," replied Steve.
+
+"Well, it's like this. When I came here four years ago there wasn't any
+team. Before that, five or six years before, they'd played, but about
+that time football got into disfavour and the faculty stopped it. I
+believe they allowed the hall teams to play, but that didn't last long.
+My second year here they lifted the ban and we started a team. Of course
+it didn't amount to much that first year and we got licked right and
+left. The next year, though, we did a good deal better, and last year we
+turned out a mighty good team. We lost only two games out of nine and
+tied one. Unfortunately, though, one of the games we lost was the game
+with Claflin, which is our big game of the year. Claflin has beaten us
+three years running now and this year we're out for revenge with a
+rolling R. Considering that we've played only three seasons, we've got a
+pretty good start. Our coach is a dandy, a chap named Robey; played with
+Brown the year they downed Pennsy; and he's been building up this year's
+team ever since he started in. At first we didn't have more than forty
+candidates to choose from. Last year about sixty fellows turned out and
+this fall I guess we'll have nearer eighty. Robey started the hall teams
+up again year before last and that helped a lot. The best of the hall
+team chaps went into the second last year, and now, this year, we've got
+fellows with three years' experience behind them. So, you see, Edwards,
+we haven't got much football history at Brimfield and our system is
+still pretty new, but we're getting on! And this fall if we don't lick
+Claflin--well, if we don't, I'll have missed my guess."
+
+Miller's lean, good-looking face had lighted up with enthusiasm during
+his recital, and, when he had ended, as though impatient to begin the
+campaign which was to end in the rout of the enemy, he got up and took a
+turn the length of the room. He didn't look the least bit in the world
+like a confidence-man to-night and the two boys marvelled at their
+earlier suspicions. Miller was tall, lean with the leanness of muscles
+unhampered by useless flesh, and lithe. He had very clear brown eyes, a
+straight nose and high cheek bones that somehow reminded Steve of the
+engraved portrait of John C. Calhoun that hung in the library at home.
+Altogether, from the top of his well-shaped head to the soles of his
+rubber-shod feet, he was good to look at, clean-cut, well-groomed,
+healthy and very much alive. Steve found himself wishing that some day
+he might find himself playing shoulder to shoulder with Miller. He hated
+to think what would happen to the enemy in such a case!
+
+Miller paused at the table, thrust his hands into his pockets and
+smiled a trifle apologetically. "Well, that's the way it is, you chaps,"
+he went on. "So, whether you make the first or the second or neither,
+you keep on playing and trying. There's another year coming for you
+fellows; two of them, in fact. Keep that in mind, and if you don't get
+what you want this year keep plugging. And don't fail to come out
+Wednesday and do your best. You'll get a fair show and if you can play
+the game well enough you'll get places. Now I must run along with my
+bag. I'm glad to have met you chaps. If I can help you in any way don't
+fail to call on me. You'll find me in 7 Hensey. Come and see me anyway.
+Miller's the name. And, by the way, I'm glad you chaps took my little
+joke so decently and didn't get waxy about it. If you had, I'd probably
+have told it around and you'd have got a lot of joshing. As it is, no
+one knows it and no one will. Good-night."
+
+And Miller, his suit-case in hand, smiled, nodded and went out. They
+could hear him whistling merrily until the landing door had closed
+behind him.
+
+"I meant to ask him what position he played," said Steve regretfully.
+"I'll bet he's a corker, though!"
+
+"I'll bet you he is," agreed Tom warmly.
+
+"And he seemed a rattling good sort, too, didn't he?"
+
+"Yes. And I'm glad I lost my bag. If I hadn't we mightn't have known
+him, seeing that he's a Sixth Form fellow."
+
+"I guess he's sort of prominent," mused Tom. "He gives you the idea of
+being someone, doesn't he?"
+
+"Oh, he's someone, all right! Do you think he really wants us to call on
+him, Tom? Or--or was he just being polite?"
+
+"Both, I guess. I don't suppose we'd better call unless he asks us
+again. We don't want to act fresh, you know. Besides," and Tom smiled
+mischievously, "I'm not sure we ought to associate with him."
+
+"Why not?" asked Steve incredulously.
+
+"Well, seeing that he's a confidence-man----"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII
+
+IN THE RUBBING ROOM
+
+
+After breakfast the next morning, a breakfast eaten with excellent
+appetites, the two boys set out on a sightseeing tour about the school.
+They went first to the gymnasium. The big front door was locked, but
+Steve was not to be denied and eventually gained entrance through a
+little door at the rear which led into the boiler-room and from there
+found their way into the main basement where were situated the big
+swimming tank, a commodious baseball cage and a bowling alley. On the
+floor above they found themselves in a square hall, entered from the
+front door, from which other doors led to the gymnasium, the locker and
+bathrooms and a small office bearing the sign "Physical Director." From
+the hall a fireproof stairway ascended with a turn to the running-track
+and a large room which was evidently used as a meeting hall. Settees
+were neatly arranged in front of a platform, a row of low windows
+admitted a flood of morning sunshine and against the walls hung many
+photographs of athletic teams. Most of them showed groups of track and
+field men, although a few were of hockey sevens and there were three
+football teams in evidence. The explorers paid more attention to these
+photographs than the others, and Steve, whose patriotism was already
+strong, read the inscriptions on the lower margins with disfavour.
+
+"Huh!" he grumbled. "'Brimfield 0; Claflin 12'; 'Brimfield 3; Claflin
+11'; 'Brimfield 6; Claflin 9.' Bet you next time it'll be some
+different, Tom!"
+
+"Rather!" said Tom stoutly. "Let's go on down and see the gym."
+
+They tried the chest-weights and tested the bars and experimented with
+about everything they found down there, and then went into the adjoining
+compartment and peered into the shower-baths and passed on the merits of
+the steel lockers.
+
+"The fellow who built this gym knew what he was doing," declared Steve
+approvingly. "Some of these lockers have got things in them," he
+continued, peeping into one. "There's a bat in here, and a towel and
+some clothes."
+
+Tom had wandered through a doorway at the end of the locker compartment
+and now summoned Steve to join him. There was a high table in the centre
+of the small room and a set of metal shelves alongside which held
+numerous bottles and boxes. "It's the rubbing room," said Steve. "Here,
+get busy, Tom!" And he hoisted himself to the table and stretched out on
+his back.
+
+"Yes, sir," said Tom. "Where's it hurt you? This the spot?"
+
+And Tom began such an enthusiastic manipulation of Steve's ribs that the
+latter set up a howl and precipitately tumbled off the table. It was at
+that moment that an unpleasant voice startled them.
+
+"Beat it, you fresh kids! You've got no business in here!"
+
+The speaker was a heavy-set youth of perhaps nineteen years of age. He
+had closely-cropped ashy-brown hair over a round face from which a pair
+of pale-blue eyes glowered upon them. He was standing in the doorway and
+his hands were thrust into the pockets of a pair of very wide-hipped
+knickerbockers. Somehow, standing there with his sturdy, golf-stockinged
+legs well apart and his loose trousers pulled out at the sides, he
+reminded Tom of a clown at a circus, and Tom made the mistake of
+grinning. The big youth caught sight of the grin and stepped into the
+rubbing room with a deepening scowl on his face.
+
+"Wipe it off!" he said threateningly.
+
+Steve and Tom looked at the table.
+
+"Wipe what off?" asked Tom, at a loss.
+
+"Wipe that grin off your ugly face," answered the other. "And get out of
+here, both of you, and stay out. If you don't, I'll throw you out!"
+
+This somewhat astounding threat caused an exchange of surprised glances
+between the culprits. Neither Steve nor Tom were quarrelsome, nor had
+they had more than a boy's usual share of fist battles, but the bullying
+speech and attitude of the round-faced youth was so uncalled for and
+exasperating that Steve's temper got the better of him for the moment.
+
+"We weren't doing any harm here," he declared indignantly. "And we'll
+get out, but we're not afraid of you, even if you have got piano legs!"
+
+The big fellow pulled his hands from his pockets with an angry growl
+and, clenching his fists, strode toward the boys. But at that instant
+footsteps sounded in the locker room, and the bully's hands dropped and
+he turned his head toward the door just as a small, red-haired and
+freckle-faced little Irishman came into sight.
+
+"Hello, Eric the Red," he said jovially. "An' what might you be doin'
+down here, me boy?"
+
+"I'm telling these fresh kids to get out of here," replied the youth.
+"Any objections?"
+
+The little Irishman seemed surprised, and he smiled, but the boys noted
+that his small and rather greenish eyes narrowed.
+
+"None at all, at all, me boy. If I had I'd very soon tell you, d'ye see?
+But what harm are they doin'? Sure, if I don't mind them bein' here, why
+would you?"
+
+"They haven't any business in this room, and you know it, Danny. They're
+too fresh, anyway."
+
+"Well, that's what we all are at some time. Let the boys be. Was you
+wantin' anything, boys?"
+
+"No, we were just looking around the place. This door was open and we
+came in. We didn't know there was any harm in it," concluded Steve.
+
+"No more there was," said Danny soothingly.
+
+"They were rough-housing all over the place," growled the big fellow.
+"If you can stand it I can, though. Only"--and he turned a wrathful gaze
+on Steve--"if you ever get fresh with me again you'll get the licking
+that's coming to you, kid." He turned away toward the locker room. "Say,
+Danny, got a key to my locker? I've lost mine and I want to get into it
+a minute."
+
+"I have not," replied Danny cheerfully. "You'll have to have one fitted,
+me boy."
+
+"Hasn't anyone a master-key?" demanded the other.
+
+"They have not. Find Patsy; he'll fit one for you in ten minutes."
+
+"That's a funny state of things," grumbled the big fellow. "They ought
+to have duplicates on hand. Somebody's always losing a key, and----"
+
+The rest was lost as the youth disappeared into the further room. Danny
+winked gravely at the two boys.
+
+"Who is he?" asked Steve curiously.
+
+"Him? His name's Sawyer, Eric Sawyer. He is sufferin' from a terrible
+complaint, boys, an' it makes him that cross a bear would run away from
+him, I'm thinkin'!"
+
+"What's the trouble with him?"
+
+"He has what the doctors do be callin' an ingrowin' grouch," replied
+Danny soberly. "'Tis due to over-exposure of the ego, they tell me,
+resultin' in an inflamed condition of the amoor proper, that same bein'
+French an' maybe beyond your comprehension."
+
+The boys laughed and Danny swung himself to the table and patted it
+invitingly. "Sit down, boys, an' tell me all about it," he said. "Who
+may you be, now?"
+
+"His name is Hall and mine is Edwards," replied Steve, as he and Tom
+followed Danny's example and swung their feet from the table. "We're new
+boys."
+
+"I suspected as much," replied Danny drily. "An' where might be your
+place of residence?"
+
+"Tannersville, Pennsylvania."
+
+"Think o' that now!" marvelled Danny. "Sure, you're a long ways from
+home. Is this place you say anywhere near Philadelphia?"
+
+"Oh, no, it's a long ways from there. It's out in the western part of
+the state."
+
+"I was in Philadelphia once to see the games at the college over there,"
+pursued Danny. "It's a fine town."
+
+"Would you mind--telling us who you are?" asked Tom.
+
+"I would not. I have no unseemly pride. My name is Mister Daniel Parnell
+Moore, and I have the extraordinary honour of bein' the trainer at this
+institution o' learnin' and Fine Arts, the Fine Arts bein' athletics,
+football, baseball, hockey _an'_ tinnis. An' now you know!"
+
+"Thank you," said Tom politely. "I hope you didn't mind my asking you."
+
+"Not a bit! You may ask me anything you like, Jim."
+
+"My name isn't Jim," replied Tom, with a smile.
+
+"It ain't?" The trainer seemed surprised. "Sure, he said your last name
+was Hall, didn't he? An' I never seen a Hall whose front name wasn't
+Jim."
+
+"I'm sorry," laughed Tom, "but mine isn't; it's Tom."
+
+Danny Moore shook his head sadly. "An' you," he said, turning to Steve,
+"maybe you'll be tellin' me next your name ain't Sam?"
+
+"It's Steve."
+
+"It might be," agreed Danny doubtfully. "But all the Edwardses I ever
+knew was Sams. But I'm not disputin' your word, d'ye mind! 'Tis likely
+you know, me boy. An' what do you think o' this rural paradise o'
+knowledge?"
+
+"I guess we like it pretty well, what we've seen of it," answered Steve.
+"Have you been here long?"
+
+"Two years; this is my third. It's a nice schools, as schools go. I
+never had much use for them, though. In the Old Country we never held
+with them much when I was a lad. I dare say you boys'll be tryin' to
+play football like all the rest of them?"
+
+"We're going out for the team," said Steve, "although I guess, from what
+a fellow told us last night, we don't stand much show. He said that most
+of the last year's players were back this fall."
+
+"That's so. We lost but four by graduation. They were some o' the best
+in the bunch, though. 'Tis queer how the ones that is gone is always the
+best, ain't it? Who was this feller you was talkin' to?"
+
+"His name is Miller. Do you know him? I suppose you must, though."
+
+"Miller? Do you mean Andy Miller?"
+
+"I don't know. He didn't tell us his other name."
+
+"The initials were A. L. M., though," reminded Tom.
+
+"That's right. Is he a pretty good player?"
+
+"He does fairly well," answered Danny Moore carelessly. "Not that I pay
+much heed to him, though. I see him around sometimes. I wouldn't think
+much of what he tells you, though. I don't. If you see him I'd be
+obliged if you'd tell him that."
+
+But there was a twinkle in Danny's eye and Steve resolved to tell Miller
+no such thing. "What position does he play?" he asked.
+
+Danny frowned thoughtfully. "It might be end, right or left. I forget. I
+pay no heed to the likes o' him. He's only the captain, d'ye see?"
+
+"Captain!" exclaimed the two boys startledly, eyeing each other in
+amazement.
+
+"Sure," said Danny. "An' why not?"
+
+"Er--there's no reason," replied Steve, "only--he didn't say anything
+about being captain."
+
+"And why would he be after incriminating himself?" Danny demanded.
+
+The boys digested this news in silence for a moment. Then,
+
+"Does that fellow who was just in here play?" asked Tom.
+
+"He does. He plays right guard, and he plays it well. I'll say that for
+him. Well, it's catchin' no fish I am sittin' here gassin' with you
+fellers. Make yourselves to home. I must be gettin' on."
+
+"I guess we'll go, too," said Steve.
+
+They followed the trainer up the stairway to the hall above. There he
+pulled a bunch of keys from his pocket and unlocked the big front door
+for them. "Now, look at that, will you?" he exclaimed in amazement as he
+turned a small key over between his fingers. "I wouldn't be surprised if
+that key would fit them lockers down there. Ain't that a pity, an' him
+wantin' it all the time?"
+
+The boys smiled and agreed gravely that it was. Danny sighed, shook his
+head and dropped the keys back into his pocket. "If you have trouble
+with him," he said to Steve, "hit for his head, boy, for you'll make no
+impression on the body of him."
+
+"Thanks, but I don't expect he will bother me again."
+
+"I know. I'm only tellin' you. A word to the wise, d'ye mind? Good luck
+to you, boys."
+
+"Thanks. We're much obliged to you, Mr. Moore."
+
+"Mr. Moore! Help! Listen." And Danny bent confidentially. "I won't be
+mindin' if you call me Mister Moore when we're by ourselves, d'ye see;
+but don't be doin' it in the presence of others. Them as didn't know
+might think I was one of the faculty, d'ye see. Call me Danny an' save
+me self-respect!"
+
+When the door had closed behind them on the grinning countenance of
+Danny, Steve looked at his watch and exclaimed startledly.
+
+"Nearly ten o'clock!" he said. "And we promised to telegraph to the
+folks this morning. Let's see if the trunks have come and then hustle to
+the telegraph office."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX
+
+BACK IN TOGS
+
+
+Brimfield Academy was in full swing. The term was a day old and one
+hundred and fifty-three youths of various ages from twelve to twenty had
+settled down, more or less earnestly, to the school routine. In 12
+Billings trunks had been unpacked and the room had taken on a look of
+comfort and coziness, although several things were yet lacking to
+complete its livableness. For instance, an easy-chair of some sort was a
+crying necessity, a drop-light would help a lot, and a cushion and some
+pillows on the window-seat were much needed. Tom argued that if the
+window-seat was furnished they would not require an easy-chair, but
+Steve held out for the added luxury.
+
+Both boys, Steve by a narrower margin than he suspected, had made the
+Fourth Form, and this afternoon, as they expeditiously changed into
+football togs, their glances more than once stole to the imposing piles
+of books on the study table, books which hinted at many future hours of
+hard work. Steve, pulling on a pair of much worn and discoloured canvas
+trousers, sighed as his eye measured again the discouraging height of
+his pile. It was almost enough to spoil in advance the pleasure he
+looked forward to on the gridiron!
+
+The athletic field lay behind the school buildings and was a fine level
+expanse of green turf some twelve acres in extent. There were three
+gridirons, a baseball diamond, a quarter-mile running-track and a round
+dozen of tennis courts there. A well-built iron-framed stand, erected in
+sections, and mounted on small wide-tread wheels could be moved about as
+occasion required, and at present was standing in the middle of the
+south side of the football field. On the whole Brimfield had reason to
+be proud of her athletic equipment, field and gymnasium, as well as of
+her other advantages.
+
+The scene along the Row as the two friends clattered out of Billings was
+vastly different from that presented the afternoon of their arrival. Now
+the walk was alive with boys, heads protruded from open casements and
+wandering couples could be seen lounging along the gate drive or over
+the sloping lawn that descended to the road. First practice had been
+called for four o'clock and the big dial in the ivy-draped tower of Main
+Hall pointed its hands to three-forty when Steve and Tom turned into
+the path between Torrence and Wendell leading to the gymnasium and the
+field beyond. Already, however, the fellows were turning their steps
+that way, some in playing togs but more in ordinary attire, the latter,
+yielding to the lure of a warm September afternoon, bent on finding an
+hour's entertainment stretched comfortably at ease along a side line or
+perched on the stand.
+
+"That's pretty, isn't it?" asked Tom, as they looked across the nearer
+turf to where the broad expanse of playing ground, bordered on its
+further side by a wooded slope, stretched before them. The early frosts
+had already slightly touched the trees over there, and hints of
+russet-yellow and brick-red showed amongst the green. Nearer than that,
+more colour was supplied by an occasional dark red sweater amongst the
+groups loitering about the edge of the gridiron.
+
+"It surely is pretty," agreed Steve. "I wonder if Miller's there yet. He
+told us to look him up, you know."
+
+"Maybe he will give us a send-off to the coach," suggested Tom. "He
+could, you know, since he is captain. I guess it won't do us any
+harm--me, anyway--to have someone speak a word for us, eh?"
+
+"Wonder what the coach is like," said Steve, nodding agreement. "Miller
+seemed to think he was pretty good. That's a dandy turf there, Tom;
+level as a table. They haven't marked the gridiron out yet, though."
+
+"I suppose they don't need it for a day or two," replied the other,
+trying not to feel self-conscious as he neared the crowd already on
+hand. "I don't see Miller, do you?"
+
+Steve shook his head, after a glance about him, and, rolling his hands
+in the folds of his sweater, not because the weather was cold but
+because that was a habit of his, seated himself at the bottom of the
+stand. Tom followed him and they looked about them and conversed in low
+voices while the throng grew with every minute. So far neither had made
+any acquaintances save that of Andy Miller--unless Eric Sawyer could be
+called such!--and they felt a little bit out of it as they saw other
+boys joyously hailing each other, stopping to shake hands or exchange
+affectionate blows, or waving greetings from a distance. They had made
+the discovery, by the way, that the proper word of salutation at
+Brimfield was "Hi"! It was invariably "Hi, Billy"! "Hi, Joe"! and the
+usual "Hello" was never heard. Eventually Steve and Tom became properly
+addicted to the "Hi"! habit, but it was some time before they were able
+to keep from showing their newness by "Helloing" each other.
+
+The stand became sprinkled with youths and the turf along the edge of
+the gridiron held many more. A man of apparently thirty years of age,
+wearing a grey Norfolk suit and a cap to match, appeared at the corner
+of the stand just as the bell in Main Hall struck four sonorous peals.
+He was accompanied by three boys in togs, one of them Captain Miller.
+The coach was a clean-cut chap with a nice face and a medium-sized, wiry
+figure. He had sandy hair and eyebrows that were almost white, and his
+sharp blue eyes sparkled from a deeply tanned face upon which, at the
+moment, a very pleasant smile played. But even as Steve and Tom watched
+him the smile died abruptly and he pulled a black leather memorandum
+book from a pocket and fluttered its leaves in a businesslike way.
+
+Miller had predicted that this fall some eighty candidates would appear,
+but he had evidently been over-sanguine. Sixty seemed nearer the correct
+number than eighty. But even sixty-odd looked a good many as they
+gradually gathered nearer the coach. Steve and Tom slipped from their
+places and joined the throng.
+
+"Last year's first and second team players take the east end of the
+field," directed Mr. Robey. "All others remain here. I'm going to tell
+you right now, fellows, that there's going to be a whole lot of hard
+work this fall, and any of you who don't like hard work had better keep
+away. This is a good time to quit. You'll save your time and mine too.
+All right now! Take some balls with you, Milton, and warm up until I get
+down there. Now, then, you new men, give me your names. Where's
+Lawrence? Not here yet? All right. What's your name and what experience
+have you had, my boy?"
+
+One by one the candidates answered the coach's questions and then
+trotted into the field where Eric Sawyer was in command. Andy Miller and
+Danny Moore stood at the coach's elbow during this ceremony, and when,
+toward the last, Steve and Tom edged up, they were greeted by both.
+
+"Here's the fine lad," said Danny, who caught sight of Steve before
+Miller did. "Mr. Sam Edwards, Coach, a particular friend of mine."
+
+Steve, rather embarrassed, started to say that his name was not Sam, but
+Miller interrupted him.
+
+"So here you are, Edwards? Glad to see you again. I've been looking for
+you and Hall to drop in on me. How are you, Hall? Robey, these two have
+had some experience on their high school team and I think they'll bear
+watching. Shake hands with Mr. Robey, Edwards."
+
+"Glad to know you," said the coach. "What's your position, Edwards?"
+
+"I've been playing end, sir."
+
+"End, eh? You look fast, too. We'll see what you can do, my boy. And
+you,--er----"
+
+"Jim Hall," supplied Danny. "Another close friend o' me boyhood, sir,
+an' a fine lad, too, be-dad!"
+
+"Tackle, sir, mostly," replied Tom.
+
+"It's a relief to find a couple who aren't bent on being backs," said
+the coach with a smile to Miller. "All right, fellows. We'll give you
+all the chance in the world. Report to Sawyer now."
+
+Steve and Tom, with the parting benediction of a portentious wink from
+Danny Moore, joined the thirty-odd candidates of many ages and sizes
+who, formed in two rings, were passing footballs under the stern and
+frowning regard of Eric Sawyer. They edged their way into one of the
+circles and were soon earnestly catching and tossing with the rest. If
+Sawyer recognised them as the boys who had aroused his ire in the
+rubbing room the day before, he showed no sign of it. It is probable,
+though, that their football attire served as a sufficient disguise.
+Sawyer apparently took his temporary position as assistant coach very
+seriously and bore himself with frowning dignity. But it was not at all
+beneath his dignity to call erring candidates to order or to indulge in
+a good deal of heavy satire at the expense of those whose inexperience
+made them awkward. Neither Steve nor Tom, however, fell under the ban of
+his displeasure.
+
+Falling on the ball followed the passing, and, in turn, gave place to
+starting and sprinting. For this they were formed in line and Sawyer,
+leaning over a ball at one end of the line, snapped it away as a signal
+for them to leap forward. By that time the warmth of the day and the
+exertion had tuckered a good many of them out and Sawyer found much
+fault with the performances.
+
+"Oh, get moving, you chap in the black shirt there! Watch the ball and
+dig when I snap it! That's it! Go it! _Hard!_ All right for you, but
+about a dozen of you other chaps got left entirely. Now get down there
+and throw your weight forward. Haven't any of you ever practised starts
+before? Anyone would think your feet were glued down! Get in line again.
+Ready now! Go, you flock of ice-wagons!"
+
+Fortunately for the softer members of the awkward squad, practice was
+soon over to-day, and Steve and Tom somewhat wearily tramped back with
+the rest across to the gymnasium, determined to have the luxury of a
+shower-bath even if they would have to get back into their togs again
+after it.
+
+"We'd better see about getting lockers," said Steve. "I wonder where you
+go."
+
+"They cost a dollar a year," answered Tom, who knew the contents of the
+school catalogue by heart, "and if we don't make the team we won't need
+the lockers."
+
+"Sure we will. If we use the swimming pool we'll need a place to keep
+our clothes. And even if we don't make the big teams we'll play with the
+Hall, probably. Wish we had them now and didn't have to go back to the
+room to change. I'm tired, if you care to know it!"
+
+"So am I," panted Tom. "Sawyer worked us hard for a warm day."
+
+"Yes, and did you notice that fat fellow? There he is ahead there, with
+the striped stockings. He was just about all in and puffing like a
+locomotive."
+
+"He was probably tender," said Tom.
+
+"Yes, he--Tender! That'll do for you!" said Steve indignantly, aiming a
+blow at Tom's ribs which was skilfully evaded. "Let's stop at the
+office in here and see if we can get lockers."
+
+They could. Moreover, Mr. Conklin, the physical director, informed them,
+to their deep satisfaction, that the charge of one dollar each would be
+placed on their term bill if they wished. They wished with instant
+enthusiasm and departed, keys in hand, to find their lockers. They found
+the room thronged with fellows in various stages of undressing, while
+from the baths came deep groans and shrill shrieks and the hiss and
+splash of water. Their lockers were side by side at the farther end of
+the last aisle; and, after making certain that the keys fitted them,
+they began to get out of their clothes, only to make the discovery when
+partly disrobed that they had no towels.
+
+"I'm going to ask someone to lend me one," said Steve. "You can use an
+end of it if I get it. I'm going to have that shower or bust."
+
+A cheerful-faced youth draped in a frayed bathrobe came up at that
+moment and Steve sought counsel of him.
+
+"Towel? I'd lend you one in a minute, but mine are all soiled. You can
+see for yourself." He nodded toward the open door of his locker on the
+floor of which lay a pile of what were evidently bath towels. "I forgot
+to send them to the wash before I went away in the spring. If you ask
+Danny he might let you have one. I guess he's around somewhere."
+
+Steve found the trainer leaning against the doorway of the rubbing room.
+"'Tis Sam Edwards!" greeted Danny. "An' how did it go to-day, me boy?"
+
+"Pretty good, thanks. Could you lend me a couple of towels,
+Mister--er--Danny?"
+
+"I doubt have I got any, but I'll look an' see," and Danny disappeared
+into the room behind him.
+
+"Here you are, Sam," he said in a moment. "They're small but select.
+Fetch 'em back when you're through with 'em, if you please. They're
+school property, d'ye mind, and it's me that's answerable for them."
+
+Steve promised faithfully to restore them and bore them back in triumph
+to where Tom had paused in his undressing to await the result of the
+errand. A minute later they were puffing and blowing in adjoining baths,
+with the icy-cold water raining down on their glowing bodies. A brisk
+drying with the borrowed towels, a return to their uninviting togs and
+they were ready to be off. Steve couldn't find Danny, but he left the
+towels on the table in the rubbing room and he and Tom climbed the
+stairs again. In the hall above there was a large notice board and Tom
+stopped to glance at some of the announcements pinned against it.
+
+"Here a minute, Steve," he said. "Look at this." He laid a finger on a
+square of paper which bore in almost illegible writing this remarkable
+notice: "What Will You Give? Dirt Cheap! Terms Cash! One fine oak Morris
+chair, good as new. Three cushions, very pretty. One pair of skates.
+Eight phonograph records. Large assortment of bric-a-brac. Any fair
+offer takes them! Call early and avoid disappointment. Durkin, 13
+Torrence."
+
+"Is it a joke?" asked Steve doubtfully.
+
+"No, there are lots of them, see." Sure enough, the board held fully a
+dozen similar announcements, although the others were not couched in
+such breezy language. There were chairs, cushions, tables, pictures,
+golf clubs, rugs and all sorts of things advertised for sale, while one
+chap sought a purchaser for "a stuffed white owl, mounted on a branch,
+slightly moth-eaten. Cash or exchange for books."
+
+Steve laughed. "What do you know about that?" he asked. "Say, why don't
+we look at some of the things, Tom? Maybe we could save money. Let's
+call on Mr. Durkin and look at his Morris chair, eh?"
+
+"All right. Come ahead. Anything else we want?"
+
+"I don't suppose we could pick up a cushion that would fit our
+window-seat, but we might. I'll write down some of the names and rooms."
+
+"We might buy the white owl, Steve. Ever think you'd like a white owl?"
+
+"Not with moths in it, thanks," replied Steve. There was pen and ink on
+the ledge outside the window of the physical director's office and Steve
+secured paper by tearing a corner from one of the notices. When he had
+scribbled down the addresses that sounded promising they set off for
+Torrence Hall. Number 13 was on the second floor, and as they drew near
+it their ears were afflicted by most dismal sounds.
+
+"Wha-what's that?" asked Tom in alarm.
+
+"Fiddle," laughed Steve. "Wonder if it's Mr. Durkin."
+
+The wailing sounds ceased as Steve knocked and a voice called "Come in!"
+When they entered they saw a tall, lank youth standing in front of a
+music-rack close to the window. He held a violin to his chin and waved
+his bow in greeting.
+
+"Hi!" he said. "Sit down and I'll be right with you. I've got one bit
+here that's been bothering me for an hour." He turned back to his music,
+waved his bow in the air, laid it across the strings and drew forth
+sounds that made the visitors squirm in the chairs they had taken. One
+excruciating wail after another came from the tortured instrument, the
+lank youth bending absorbedly over the notes in the failing light and
+apparently quite oblivious to the presence of the others. Finally, with
+a sigh of satisfaction, he laid his bow on the ledge of the stand, stood
+his violin in a corner of the window-seat and turned to the visitors.
+
+He was an odd-looking chap, tall and thin, with a long, lean face under
+a mop of black hair that was badly in need of trimming. His near-sighted
+eyes blinked from behind the round lenses of a pair of rubber-rimmed
+spectacles and his rather nondescript clothes seemed on the point of
+falling off of him.
+
+"Sorry to keep you waiting," he said politely, "but it's getting dark
+and I did want to get that thing before I quit. Want to buy something?"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X
+
+"CHEAP FOR CASH"
+
+
+"Yes, we saw that you had a Morris chair," replied Steve. He glanced
+perplexedly around the room. There was no Morris chair in sight, nor
+were any of the other articles advertised to be seen. "That is, if
+you're Durkin."
+
+"That's me. The chair is downstairs in the storeroom. It's a corking
+chair, all right, and you're sure to want it. I'm sorry, though, you
+didn't get around before it got so dark, because the light down there
+isn't very good."
+
+"Well, we could come again in the morning," said Steve. "There's no
+hurry."
+
+"I think you'd better see it now," said Durkin with decision. "It is a
+bargain and if you waited someone might get ahead of you. We'll go
+down."
+
+"Er--well, how much is it?"
+
+"All cash?"
+
+"Why, yes, I suppose so."
+
+"It makes a difference. Sometimes fellows want to pay part cash and part
+promise, and sometimes they want to trade. If you pay cash you get it
+cheaper, of course."
+
+"All right. How much for it?"
+
+Durkin looked the customers over appraisingly. "Let's have a look at it
+before we talk about the price," he said. "If I said five dollars now,
+when you haven't seen it, you might think I was asking too much."
+
+"I surely would," replied Steve firmly. "If that's what you want for it
+I guess there's no use going down to see it."
+
+"I didn't say that was the price," answered Durkin. "I'll make the price
+all right. You fellows come and see it." And he led the way out into the
+corridor. Steve glanced questioningly at Tom, and Tom smiled and
+shrugged his shoulders.
+
+"Well, all right," said Steve. "Let's see it."
+
+Durkin led the way to the lower hall and then down a pair of dark and
+very steep stairs to the basement. "You wait there," he instructed,
+"until I switch the light on. Now then, this way."
+
+Durkin took a key from a nail and unlocked the door of a room
+partitioned off in a corner of the basement. The boys waited, and
+Durkin, having disappeared into the gloom of the storeroom, presently
+reappeared, dragging after him a very dusty brown-oak chair with a slat
+back, broad arms and a much-worn leather seat.
+
+"There you are," he said triumphantly, pushing the object into the faint
+gleam of light which reached them from the foot of the stairs. "There's
+a chair that'll last for years."
+
+"But you said it was a Morris chair," exclaimed Tom. "That's no Morris
+chair!"
+
+"Oh, yes, it is," Durkin assured them earnestly. "I bought it from him
+myself last June."
+
+"Bought it from whom?" asked Steve derisively.
+
+"From Spencer Morris, of course. Paid a lot for it, too. Have a look at
+it. It's just as good as it ever was. The leather's a little bit worn at
+the edges, but you can fix that all right. It wouldn't cost more than
+half a dollar, I suppose, to put a new piece on there."
+
+"Look here," said Steve disgustedly, "you're a fakir! What do you
+suppose we want with a relic like that? You said you had a Morris chair
+and now you pull this thing out to show us. Is that all you've got?"
+
+"Oh, no, I've got a lot of good things in there," answered Durkin
+cheerfully, peering into the gloomy recesses of the storeroom. "How
+about some pictures, or a pair of fine vases, or----"
+
+"Have you another arm-chair?" asked Steve impatiently.
+
+"No, this is the only one. I've got some dandy cushions, though, for a
+window-seat. Let me show you those." And Durkin was back again before
+Steve could stop him. Tom was grinning when Steve turned an indignant
+look upon him.
+
+"Morris chair!" growled Steve. "Silly chump!"
+
+"Here you are!" Durkin came proudly forth, heralded by a cloud of
+pungent dust, and tossed three cushions into the chair. "Look at those
+for bargains, will you? Fifty cents apiece and dirt cheap."
+
+"We don't want cushions," growled Steve disgustedly. But Tom was
+examining them and presently he looked across at his chum. "We might buy
+these, Steve. They're not so bad."
+
+Steve grudgingly looked them over. Finally, "We'll give you twenty-five
+cents apiece for them," he said.
+
+"Twenty-five! Why, they're worth a dollar!"
+
+"All right, you keep them."
+
+Durkin hesitated and sighed. Finally, as the boys showed a strong
+inclination to seek the stairway, "Give me a dollar for the lot," he
+said. Steve questioned Tom with his eyes and Tom nodded.
+
+"All right," said Tom, "but it's more than they're worth."
+
+"You'd have to pay a dollar and a half if you bought them new," said
+Durkin. "Honest! Now, about that chair----"
+
+"Nothing doing!" interrupted Steve decisively.
+
+"It's a good chair, and comfortable--say, sit down and just try it, will
+you?" Durkin removed the cushions and Steve, with a shrug, seated
+himself. When he got out Tom took his place. It _was_ comfortable.
+
+"How much?" asked Steve carelessly.
+
+"Three-fifty, and dirt----"
+
+"Give you a dollar and a half."
+
+Durkin looked so pained that Tom quite pitied him. But he only said
+patiently: "You don't want to buy, you fellows; you're looking for
+gifts. That chair at three dollars is a real, genuine bargain, and----"
+
+"You said three and a half before," Tom corrected.
+
+"Did I? Well, it ought to be three and a half, but you may have it for
+three, even if I lose money on it."
+
+"No fear," grunted Steve. "We'll split the difference and call it two."
+
+"Make it two-fifty and it's yours."
+
+"Couldn't do it. Two or nothing."
+
+"All right," said Durkin placidly. "Take it along. Now let me show
+you----"
+
+"No, sir!" laughed Steve. "You don't show us another thing, Durkin. Pile
+the cushions on here, Tom, and take hold."
+
+"Wait till I lock this door and I'll give you a lift," said Durkin.
+
+Between them they got the chair upstairs and outdoors. Then Steve paid
+three dollars to Durkin and the transaction was completed.
+
+"Thank you," said Durkin. "And, say, if you want anything else, you come
+and see me. I've got a lot of good stuff down there. And if you want to
+sell anything any time I'm your man. I'll pay you good prices, fellows.
+So long."
+
+The two boys felt rather conscious as they carried the chair along the
+Row, but although they passed a good many fellows on the way, no one
+viewed their performance with more than mild interest. As they were
+about to lift their burden through the entrance of Billings, however,
+the door opened from inside and a tall boy with a 'varsity football cap
+on the back of his head almost ran into them. Drawing aside to avoid
+them, his eyes fell on the chair and he stopped short.
+
+"Back again!" he exclaimed delightedly. "Good old article. Where'd you
+find it, fellows?"
+
+"Bought it from a fellow named Durkin, in Torrence," replied Steve.
+
+"So 'Penny' had it?" The chap lifted the cushions heaped on the seat of
+the chair and viewed it interestedly. "Well, you got a chair with a
+history," he said. "That belonged to me three years ago. I bought it
+from a fellow named Lansing, and he got it second-hand from a shop in
+White Plains. I sold it to Spencer Morris and I suppose Penny got it
+from him. And the old article looks 'most as good as new! Do you mind
+telling me how much you paid for it?"
+
+"Two dollars," said Steve. "He wanted three at first."
+
+The tall chap laughed. "Two dollars! What do you know about that? I paid
+a dollar and a half for it and sold it to Morris for a dollar. I'll bet
+Penny didn't give Spencer more than fifty cents for it. He's a wonder,
+he is! Those cushions aren't bad. I'll give you a half for the red one."
+
+"We don't want to sell, thanks," said Steve.
+
+"Well, if you do, let me know. I'm in 4. My name's Fowler." And he
+nodded and went on. Up in their room, when they had set the arm-chair
+down and placed it to their liking, Steve said:
+
+"Think of that long-haired idiot getting two dollars out of us for this
+thing. I've a good mind to go back and tell him what I think of him."
+
+"What's the difference?" asked Tom. "It's a perfectly good chair, and if
+we hadn't met that Fowler chap we'd never known we'd been stung. It's
+worth two dollars, anyway, no matter what Durkin paid for it."
+
+"I suppose it is," granted Steve. "And it _is_ comfortable. Look here;
+we'll have to have another one now, or we'll be scrapping to see who
+gets this!"
+
+"Not if we can find a cushion for the window-seat," said Tom. "We might
+see some more of those fellows you have on your list."
+
+"To-morrow," said Steve. "It's almost supper time. I guess we didn't do
+so badly for three dollars. Wasn't it funny, though, we should have run
+into a fellow who used to own it? Wonder who Fowler is."
+
+"I saw him at the field this afternoon," replied Tom. "I guess he's on
+the first team. We could have made sixteen cents if we'd sold him the
+cushion he wanted."
+
+"You're as bad as Durkin!" laughed Steve. "Wonder why he called him
+'Penny,' by the way. The fellow had a regular second-hand shop down
+there, didn't he? Do you suppose all that truck in there belonged to
+him?"
+
+"I don't know. I know one thing, though, and that is that I'm mighty
+glad I don't room with Durkin and have to listen to that fiddling of
+his!"
+
+"That's not much worse than your snoring," replied Steve unkindly.
+
+The next day further search revealed a cushion which just fitted the
+window-seat, not surprising in view of the fact that the window-seats
+throughout the dormitories were fairly uniform in size. The cushion cost
+them two dollars. It was covered with faded green corduroy and in places
+was pretty well flattened out by much service. But it answered their
+purpose and really looked quite fine when in place. Tom cast doubts on
+the positive assertion of the seller that it was filled with genuine
+hair, but Steve said that didn't matter as long as it was comfortable.
+They piled their three pillows on it and stretched themselves out on it,
+one at a time, and voted it good enough for anyone. There was a good
+deal of dust in it, but, as Steve said, if they were careful about
+getting up and down they wouldn't disturb it! By this time Number 12
+began to look quite sumptuous. They had placed several framed pictures
+and many photographs and trinkets against the walls and had draped the
+tops of the chiffoniers with towels. They had also made up a list of
+things to bring back with them after the Christmas holidays, a list that
+included all sorts of articles from a waste-basket to an electric
+drop-light. The latter they had not been able to find in their
+bargain-hunting and could not purchase in the village even if they had
+sufficient money. Their pocketbooks were pretty lean by the time they
+had been there a week, for, beside the expenditures for furnishings,
+they had, between them, paid two dollars for a year's subscription to
+the school monthly, and had made quite an outlay for stationery. Tom, in
+fact, was practically bankrupt and had sent an "S. O. S.," as he called
+it, to his father.
+
+Meanwhile, every afternoon save Sunday they donned their togs and toiled
+on the gridiron. Mr. Robey was already bringing order out of chaos and
+the sixty-odd candidates now formed a first, second and third squad.
+Steve and Tom both remained in the latter for the present, nor did Tom
+entertain much hope of getting out of it until he was dropped for good.
+Steve had made something of a reputation as a player at home, and his
+former team-mates there firmly expected to hear that he had made the
+Brimfield 'varsity without difficulty and was showing the preparatory
+school fellows how the game ought to be played. Tom, too, expected no
+less for him, and perhaps, if the truth were known, Steve entertained
+some such expectations himself! But Tom wasn't deceived as to his own
+football ability and was already wondering whether, when he was dropped
+from the 'varsity squad, he would be so fortunate as to make his hall
+team.
+
+But there was a surprise in store for both of them. The first cut came
+about ten days after the opening of school, and the candidates dwindled
+from sixty-odd to a scant fifty. Steve's surprise lay in the fact that
+he was not promoted to the second squad, Tom's to the even more
+startling circumstance that he survived the cut!
+
+Eric Sawyer had been relieved from his superintendence of the awkward
+squad and had gone to his old position of right guard on the first team.
+The third squad was now under the care of a youth named Marvin, a
+substitute quarter-back on last year's second team. He was a cheerful,
+hardworking little chap and the "rookies" took to him at once. He was
+quick to find fault, but equally quick to applaud good work, and under
+his charge the third squad, composed now of some fourteen candidates,
+began to smooth out. A half-hour session with the tackling dummy was now
+part of the daily routine and many a fellow who had thought rather well
+of himself suffered humiliation in the pit. Steve was one of these.
+Tackling proved to be a weak point with him. Even Tom got better results
+than he did, and every afternoon Steve would scramble to his feet and
+wipe the earth from his face to hear Marvin's patient voice saying: "Not
+a bit like it, Edwards. Don't shut your eyes when you jump. Keep them
+open and see what you're doing. Once more, now; and tackle below the
+knees." And then, when the stuffed figure had been drawn, swaying
+crazily, across the square of spaded turf once more, and Steve had
+leaped upon it and twisted his arms desperately and convulsively about
+it, "That's a little better," Marvin might say, "but you'd never stop
+your man that way."
+
+Steve was getting discouraged about his tackling and a little bit
+incensed with Marvin. "He takes it out on me every time," he confided to
+Tom one afternoon after practice. "Lots of the fellows don't do it a bit
+better and he just says 'Fair, Jones' or 'That's better, Freer,' and
+that's all there is to it. When it comes my turn, he just makes up his
+mind I'm not going to do it right and then rags me. Didn't I do it just
+as well as you did to-day, Tom?"
+
+Tom, intensely loyal though he was, had to shake his head. "Maybe you
+did, Steve; I don't do it very well myself, but you--you don't seem to
+get the hang of it yet. You will, of course, in a day or two. I don't
+believe Marvin means to rag you, though; he's an awfully decent fellow."
+
+But Tom's day or two stretched into a week or two, and one by one
+fellows disappeared from the awkward squad, some to the private walks of
+life and the consolation of hall football and some, fewer in number
+these, to the squad ahead. Brimfield played its first game of the year
+one Saturday afternoon with Thacher School, and came through with flying
+colours. But Thacher presented a line-up considerably younger and
+lighter than Brimfield's, and the victory brought no great glory to the
+Maroon-and-Grey. Steve and Tom watched that contest from the side-line,
+Tom with absorbed interest and Steve rather disgruntedly. His visions
+had not included any such situation as this!
+
+That evening Steve made his first big mistake.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI
+
+"HOLD 'EM, THIRD!"
+
+
+The term was a fortnight old when Thacher went down in defeat, 10 to 3,
+and by that time both Steve and Tom had made acquaintances here and
+there, and so when, after study hour that Saturday night, Steve
+announced carelessly that he was "going around to Hensey to see a
+fellow," Tom took it for granted that his chum was off to look up some
+new friend. Perhaps, since they usually made calls together, he wondered
+a little that Steve didn't ask him along, but he didn't mind being left
+out on this particular occasion since he was having a good deal of
+trouble just then with trigonometry and wanted to put in more time on
+Monday's lesson.
+
+When Steve entered Hensey he passed into the first corridor and knocked
+on the door of Number 7. The card there held the names: "Andrew Loring
+Miller--Hatherton Williams." A voice bade him enter and Steve walked in.
+Andy Miller and his room-mate were both in, Andy sprawled on the
+window-seat, which was much too short for his long body, and Williams
+seated at the study table. Andy jumped up as the visitor entered.
+
+"Glad to see you, Edwards," he said cordially. "Shake hands with
+Williams. Hat, this is Edwards of the fourth. Sit down, won't you?"
+
+Williams, who was a heavy, dark-complexioned youth of eighteen with a
+flat nose and a broad mouth, shook hands politely, murmuring something
+that Steve took to mean that he was pleased to meet him, and sank back
+to his seat. Steve took the easy-chair that Andy pushed forward.
+
+"Well, how are you?" asked the football captain genially. "Haven't run
+across any more confidence-men, I hope."
+
+Steve smiled none too heartily and cast a glance toward Williams. But
+the latter's blank expression showed that the allusion meant nothing to
+him and proved that, as far as Williams was concerned, Miller had kept
+his promise of secrecy.
+
+"No, not yet," answered Steve. "I thought I'd just drop in a minute and
+call."
+
+"Of course. Glad you did. How's your friend?"
+
+"Tom! He's fine, thanks. I--he wasn't through studying, so I didn't wait
+for him."
+
+"And how's football going?" asked Andy. "Getting on pretty well?"
+
+"I think so. Not so very well, though. I--I don't seem to please Marvin
+very well with tackling."
+
+"Oh, you'll get onto that all right," said Andy cheerfully. "Fact is, I
+don't think a fellow ever really learns much at the dummy. It's dumping
+a chap in real playing that shows you what's wanted. Don't you think so,
+Hat?"
+
+"Dummy practice is a good thing," answered Williams morosely.
+
+He sat tilted back on the chair, hands in pockets, staring at the floor.
+He seemed a gloomy sort of fellow, Steve thought, and was relieved when
+Williams added: "Guess I'll run over to Johnny's for a minute," and,
+muttering something about being glad to have met the visitor, found a
+cap and wandered out.
+
+"I suppose," said Steve, when the door had closed, "it's necessary for a
+fellow to learn how to tackle, but it seems to me that if you aren't
+awfully good at it you might get a chance to show what you can do
+besides that."
+
+"I guess I don't quite understand what you mean," responded Andy.
+
+"I mean that if I can't tackle the dummy well enough to please Marvin,"
+answered Steve a trifle bitterly, "I do as well as lots of other
+fellows, and--and it doesn't seem fair to keep me back just for that.
+Lots of fellows have been taken on to the second squad that can't play
+as well as I can, Miller."
+
+"Oh! I see." Andy's eyes narrowed a little and he looked at Steve more
+intently. "You mean that you aren't getting a fair show, Edwards?"
+
+"It doesn't seem so to me. I played with my high school team for two
+years at left end and--and did pretty well. Of course, I don't say that
+I'm as good as some of the fellows here, but I do think that I'm as good
+as--as a lot of them; and a heap better than three or four that have
+gone to the second squad lately. I don't get a chance to show what I can
+do where I am now, Miller. Marvin doesn't even let me into signal drill
+more than half the time, and then he puts me at half or tackle and I've
+never played either of those places. And when I told him so the other
+day he just laughed and said that one place was as good as another on
+the third! And he rags me every day about my tackling and--and I don't
+think it's fair! If he will give me a chance I'll pick up tackling all
+right. You say yourself that a fellow learns it more from playing than
+from dummy work."
+
+"So I did," said Andy thoughtfully. Then, after a moment: "Look here,
+Edwards, I think you've got a wrong idea in your head. If Marvin isn't
+satisfied with your tackling, it's because you don't do it right.
+Marvin's a good man and he knows football. Now, if you expect to play
+end you ought to know how to tackle, Edwards. What's the good of getting
+down the field, no matter how fast you may be, if you can't stop the man
+with the ball when you get there?"
+
+"I can stop him! I've played for two years and----"
+
+"What you've done before, Edwards, isn't any criterion with us. You may
+have been a regular wonder in--what's the place? Tannerstown----"
+
+"Tannersville. I don't say I was a wonder, but----"
+
+"Just a minute! You may have been a star on your high school team and
+yet not worth a copper cent to us, Edwards. I never saw your team play,
+but it's pretty likely that their brand of football and ours are
+different."
+
+"I think we play as good football as you fellows played to-day," said
+Steve.
+
+"Maybe. I'm not especially proud of the game we put up this afternoon.
+But that isn't the sort of football we play in mid-season, my friend.
+I'm sorry you think you aren't getting a fair deal, Edwards, but you
+mustn't expect me to interfere with Marvin. I couldn't do it. The most I
+can do is give you a little piece of advice which you won't care for
+probably. It's this: Do as you're told to do, Edwards, and do it as hard
+as you know how! Just as soon as you show Marvin that you are ready to
+go into the second squad, you'll get there. And don't get it into your
+head that Marvin has it in for you or doesn't know what he is doing.
+Marvin's a particularly bright young man. If he wasn't he wouldn't have
+the third squad to weed out, for that's a job that requires a whole lot
+more patience and brains than any other job I know of on a football
+field."
+
+Andy paused, and Steve, who was gloomily regarding a scarred knuckle,
+made no reply.
+
+"Use your head, man," continued the captain in a lighter tone. "You
+don't suppose, do you, that we are letting anything good get by us as
+long as we've got eyes to see with? Not much! You probably have an idea
+that Marvin is keeping you off the second. He isn't. You're keeping
+yourself off. Mull that over, Edwards. And don't--don't do this again."
+
+Steve looked a question.
+
+"I mean don't come to me or to Mr. Robey with any hard-luck stories. It
+isn't done. If I didn't know you a little, Edwards, I'd think you were
+pretty poor stuff. But I guess you didn't stop to consider how it would
+look. As you have done it, I'm glad you came to me instead of Mr. Robey.
+He wouldn't have liked it a bit." After a pause: "How's Hall getting
+on?"
+
+"Pretty well, I guess," replied Steve. He stood up and frowned at the
+green globe of the reading lamp for a moment. Then, "I'm sorry I said
+anything, Miller," he remarked. "I guess it wasn't quite a fair thing to
+do. Only I thought--maybe----"
+
+"You thought," said Andy cheerfully, "that perhaps I'd give you a lift.
+Didn't you, Edwards?"
+
+"I suppose so."
+
+"In other words, you wanted me to advance you over the next man on the
+strength of our acquaintance. Sounds as though you had rather a punk
+impression of me, Edwards."
+
+"I haven't! I--I suppose, though, I didn't stop to figure it out much.
+It seemed to me that Marvin wasn't giving me a fair show, and here it is
+the last of September already, and I'm just where I started----"
+
+"That's your fault, not Marvin's," responded Andy with a smile. He
+walked over and laid a hand on the younger boy's shoulder. "Brace up,
+Edwards," he said kindly. "Don't waste your time looking for favours.
+Don't want them. Buckle down and grit your teeth and just show Marvin
+and the rest of us that you're so good he can't keep you on the third!
+That's your line, old man. And now, just as a bit of encouragement, I'll
+tell you that Robey and I have noticed your work in the field and we've
+liked it. You carry yourself like a veteran and you follow the ball
+well, and we both expect big things from you some day. Perhaps you won't
+make good this year, but there's next year and the year after. Put your
+nose back on the grindstone, Edwards, grin hard and tell Marvin to turn
+faster!"
+
+"All right," laughed Steve. "Thanks. I guess you're right. And--and I'm
+not sorry now I came."
+
+"Good! Now sit down again and let's have a chin. How do you like the
+school? Have you met many of the fellows yet?"
+
+"You're making the same mistake, Edwards," said Marvin the next Monday
+afternoon. He spoke a trifle wearily. "Get your body in _front_ of the
+runner and not at one side. Bind his legs together with your arms, then
+block him with your body and lift him back. If you do that he's _got_
+to stop, and when he falls he will fall towards his own goal and not
+yours. Try it over now."
+
+And when Steve had tried it over, Marvin glanced at him sharply. It
+seemed to him that for almost the first time the candidate had really
+tried! He hadn't made a clean tackle, but he had profited by the
+instruction that had been heaped upon him for two weeks, and little
+Marvin mentally patted himself on the back and was very pleased with
+himself, for Marvin, although he would probably never play through a big
+game, and knew it, was as unselfishly devoted to the interests of the
+team as any fellow there.
+
+"That's a heap better, Edwards," he said eagerly. "Now see if you can't
+do it just right the next time."
+
+After that it seemed to Marvin that Steve tried harder and it seemed to
+Steve that the little quarter-back was more appreciative. On Tuesday, as
+the squad jogged away from the tackling pit, Marvin said:
+
+"Edwards, let me see you after practice, will you?"
+
+Steve, assenting, examined Marvin's face doubtfully. A week ago he would
+have expected trouble from such a request, but to-day Marvin's face held
+only good-will and a sort of eager friendliness, and while Steve
+wondered more than once during the remainder of practice what Marvin
+wanted of him he had no unpleasant forebodings.
+
+There was to be a game on the morrow, the only mid-week contest of the
+season, and the first squad was released early. That gave Coach Robey a
+chance to give undivided attention to the second and third and he made
+the most of it. He and Andy Miller, the latter trailing a grey blanket
+after him, joined the third squad when the first team and substitutes
+had trotted away to the gymnasium and at once displayed a flattering but
+embarrassing interest. The Third was practising signals, eleven men in
+the line-up and two or three more following and watching. Marvin was
+driving them from a position at the rear, occasionally darting into the
+line, to correct a fault or illustrate a play. Unfortunately, Carmine,
+who was at quarter, noticed the coach's advent and immediately got
+flustered. When two plays had gone wrong Mr. Robey said:
+
+"Marvin, you get in there and play quarter for a minute and give that
+man a chance to remember his signals. You come back here and look on,
+son."
+
+After that the squad ran through plays with vim and snap. Now and then
+there was a mix-up, but the signals went pretty well. After each play
+the coach or Captain Miller, or sometimes both, criticised and
+explained. The plays were few and simple; straight plunges by the backs
+with an occasional forward pass; but almost every time the critics found
+some fault to correct. Steve was playing at left tackle, fighting
+valiantly against an imaginary opponent, and once, trotting back to his
+position after a short charge over the turf, he caught the eyes of Andy
+and Mr. Robey fixed on him speculatively. He hoped as he settled down
+again and listened for the signals that Captain Miller had not told the
+coach of that visit on Saturday night! He wanted to forget that himself
+and he wanted Andy Miller to forget it.
+
+"That'll be all, Marvin," said Mr. Robey presently. He clapped his
+hands. "Everyone in, please!" he called. The players flocked to the
+bench and picked up sweaters and blankets, while Mr. Robey and Andy
+conversed over the coach's little black book. Finally: "We'll have a
+short scrimmage, fellows," he announced. "Second squad take the east
+goal and kick off to the third. Pick out your men, Brownell. You too,
+Marvin. Who do you want to start?"
+
+It was the first scrimmage for the third squad fellows and they raced on
+eagerly. Steve was sent in as left tackle again and Tom beside him at
+guard. The pigskin soared away from the toe of a second squad forward,
+was gathered in by a third squad half-back near the twenty-yard line and
+was down five yards further on. "Line up, Third!" piped Carmine shrilly.
+"Give it to 'em hard now!"
+
+There wasn't the finished skill displayed by the 'varsity team, but
+there was enough enthusiasm to almost make up for the lack of science.
+Back came the ball, the forwards sprang together, a half darted past
+right tackle, spinning like a top, faltered, went on, was stopped short
+by the Second's backs and borne back, grunting "Down! Down!" with all
+the breath left in his body.
+
+"Second down!" proclaimed Joe Lawrence, the manager, jumping into the
+mêlée. "Six to go."
+
+Mr. Robey and Andy Miller followed the teams closely, watching and
+shouting directions, the coach on the third squad side and Andy behind
+the second.
+
+"Good work, you fellow!" applauded Andy, darting up to slap the half on
+the back and send him back to his place breathless but grinning. "That's
+the way to do it! Now, then, once more. You've got six to go. Let me see
+you get it. Play lower, you fellows in the line! Get down there! Lift
+'em and throw 'em back! That's the ticket!"
+
+But the gain was scant and Carmine walked back to kick.
+
+"Get through and block this!" panted the second's quarter, dodging back
+and forth for a likely opening.
+
+"You fellow on the end there!" cried Andy. "Play back further and stop
+that tackle!"
+
+"Watch for a forward pass!" warned a second squad back. "Spread out,
+Billy!"
+
+"Hold 'em!" shouted Carmine.
+
+Then came the signals, back sped the ball--a poor pass--the second came
+tearing through, Carmine dropped the ball and swung his leg and away it
+floated. A second squad back caught it near the side-line, tucked it
+under his arm and started back. The third squad's right end had been
+blocked and now, eager to make up for lost time, he overran and missed
+his tackle entirely and the second's back came speeding up the field
+near the side-line, a hastily-formed interference guarding him well. Ten
+yards, fifteen, twenty, and then Carmine wormed through and brought the
+runner to earth.
+
+"That's one on you, right end," said Andy sternly. "You got boxed to
+the king's taste that time. Now, third, see what you can do on the
+defence."
+
+"Draw your line in, Carmine," called Marvin. "Look where you are, man!
+The ball's almost on the twenty yards! Peters, close up there! Now push
+'em back, third!"
+
+"Who's that right end, Dick?" asked Andy of Marvin.
+
+"Chap named Holt. He isn't very good."
+
+"How would it do to try Edwards there? He looks clever."
+
+"That's his position, Andy, but the kid can't tackle. I'll give him a
+try, though. That's rotten, third! Blaisdell, where were you then? For
+the love of mud, man, watch the ball! Five yards right through you! Now
+get back there and stop them!"
+
+"Second down, five to go," called Lawrence. "You left end on the second,
+you were off-side then. Next time I'll penalise you. Watch out for it."
+
+"Same formation!" piped the second's quarter. "Make it good, fellows!
+Let's score now!"
+
+"Hold 'em, third! Don't give 'em an inch. Get down there, Peters!"
+
+"Third down!" called Lawrence a moment later. "You've got three and a
+half to go, second!"
+
+"That's the stuff!" cried Carmine jubilantly, dealing blows of approval
+on the bent backs of the forwards. "That's the way to stop 'em! Now once
+more, third!"
+
+Then, "Fourth down and a yard and a half to go," announced Lawrence.
+
+"Kick formation!" called the attacking quarter. "Simmons back!"
+
+"Block this! Block it! Get through now, fellows!"
+
+"Hold hard there, second!" There was a moment of silence. Then the ball
+shot back. Simmons caught it waist-high, dropped it, kicked and went
+down under the charge of the desperate second squad players. But the
+ball sailed over the cross-bar and the second had scored.
+
+"That'll do, Holt," said Marvin. "Edwards, you play right end.
+Saunders!" A substitute struggled out of his sweater and came racing on.
+"Go in at left tackle, Saunders. Pearse, you'd better kick off."
+
+The game went on, the second squad bringing the pigskin back twelve
+yards on the kick-off and then hammering through for fifteen more before
+the third forced them to punt. Carmine caught on his thirty-five yards,
+made a short gain and was downed. Twice the third got through for a yard
+or two and then Carmine again fell back to kick. This time the pass was
+a good one and Carmine got off an excellent punt that went over the head
+of the opposing quarter-back and bobbed along toward the goal. The left
+half scuttled to his assistance and, when the ball was in the quarter's
+arms, threw himself in front of the first of the foe. But that
+particular adversary was canny. He twisted aside, leaped over the
+stumbling half and dived for the runner. It was a poor tackle and the
+man with the ball struggled on for three yards after he was caught, but
+the ball was down on the second's twenty-seven yards, and Steve, picking
+himself up from the recumbent enemy, heard Marvin shouting: "A rotten
+tackle, Edwards, but fine work down the field!" And, "Good stuff, you
+end!" approved the coach, while Tom, beaming, patted him ungently on the
+back.
+
+The scrimmage was over a minute later, and, although the second had
+triumphed by that goal from the field, the third trotted back to the
+gymnasium feeling very well pleased with themselves. They had had their
+baptism by fire and had acquitted themselves well. Steve and Tom,
+panting but happy, had almost reached the gymnasium when Steve
+recollected his engagement with Marvin.
+
+"I've got to go back," he said in dismay. "I promised Marvin to see him
+after practice."
+
+"There he comes now," said Tom, nodding toward where the little quarter
+was approaching with Mr. Robey and Andy Miller. Steve stopped beside the
+path and Tom fell back to wait for him.
+
+"I forgot you wanted me to wait, Marvin," said Steve apologetically, as
+the trio came up.
+
+"Oh, that's all right, Edwards. I forgot myself. Another day will do
+just as well. I didn't know we were to have scrimmage to-day."
+
+"You keep up that stuff you showed to-day, Edwards," said Mr. Robey,
+"and we'll have you on the second the first thing you know." Then his
+glance passed Steve to Tom. "You too, Hall. I watched you. You're doing
+well. Keep it up."
+
+The three went on, and Steve and Tom silently followed. Neither spoke
+until they reached the steps. Then,
+
+"I'm awfully glad," said Tom.
+
+"So am I," replied Steve heartily. "Bet you you'll make the second
+before the week is out."
+
+"I meant about you, Steve," said Tom simply.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII
+
+CANTERBURY ROMPS ON--AND OFF
+
+
+But existence at Brimfield Academy wasn't all football, by any means,
+nor all fun. There was a lot of hard work mixed up with the play, and
+both Steve and Tom found that an immense amount of study was required of
+them. They each had thirty recitations a week, and in both Greek and
+Latin their preparation at high school had, not unnaturally, been
+deficient. That meant hard sledding for a while. Tom realised the fact
+before Steve would, and so spared himself some trouble. Steve resented
+the extra study necessary and for the first fortnight or so trusted to
+luck to get him through. And for a time luck stood by him. He had a way
+of looking wise in class that imposed for a while on "Uncle Sim," as Mr.
+Simkins was called, but after Steve had fallen down three or four times
+the instructor scented the truth of the matter and then Steve's life
+became a burden to him. Mr. Simkins took delight, it seemed, in calling
+on him at the most unexpected moments until, one day, in sheer
+desperation, Steve gave utterance to the answer "not prepared." That
+was to Uncle Sim what a red rag is to a bull! There was a scathing
+dressing-down then and there, followed by a visit that evening from Mr.
+Daley. Steve was secretly uneasy, for more than one story of summary
+justice on the part of the Greek and Latin instructor had reached him,
+but he presented a careless front to the Hall Master. Mr. Daley was
+plainly eager to help, but, as usual, he was embarrassed and nervous,
+and Steve, who had taken a mild dislike to him, resented his
+interference.
+
+"The stuff's too hard," he said in answer to Mr. Daley's inquiries.
+"Look at the lesson we had to-day, sir; all that and this, over to here;
+sight reading, too. And two compositions so far this week! I just didn't
+have time for it last night, and so when he called on me to-day I told
+him I wasn't prepared. And then he--he ragged me in front of the class
+and gave me a page and a half to write, beside to-morrow's lesson. I
+can't do it, and that's all there is to it!"
+
+"Er--yes, yes, I see. I'm sorry, Edwards. Now, let us have a look at
+this. Yes, there's quite a lot of it. You--ah--you didn't have much
+Latin before you came here, I take it?"
+
+"Had enough," growled Steve, "but nothing like this. I've had Cæsar and
+some Cicero. I never had any luck with Latin, anyway." And Steve viewed
+the open book with distaste.
+
+"It's the quantity, then, you find--ah--difficult," said Mr. Daley. "As
+far as grammar is concerned, I take it you are--ah--well grounded,
+Edwards?"
+
+"I suppose so. But look at the length of the lesson we have!"
+
+"Yes. Very true. But, of course, to complete a certain amount of work in
+the year it is--ah--necessary to do quite a good deal every day. Now
+maybe you--ah--haven't been really setting your mind on this. I know in
+my own case that I very often find myself--ah--skimping, so to speak; I
+mean going over a thing without really getting the--ah--the meat out of
+it. I'm almost certain that if you really settled your mind on this,
+Edwards, that you'd get along very well with it. Suppose now that you
+give twice as much time to it to-night as you usually do. If some other
+study must suffer, why, let it be your French and I will let you by
+to-morrow if you aren't well prepared. And--ah--I wish when you've been
+over this you'd come down and let me--ah--go over it with you lightly. I
+think--I think that would be an excellent idea, Edwards."
+
+"Oh, I'll try it," grumbled Steve, "but it isn't any use. And look at
+what I've got to translate for him!"
+
+"Yes, yes, I see. Well--ah--bring your book down after awhile and we'll
+see what can be done. How are you getting on, Hall?"
+
+"Pretty well, sir. I find it a bit stiff, too, but maybe after awhile
+I'll get the hang of it."
+
+"That's the way to talk!" exclaimed the instructor approvingly.
+"That--ah--that is the right attitude, Hall. Make up your mind that it
+will come and it _will_ come. We all have our--our problems, and the
+only way to do is to--ah--face them and ride straight at them. So often,
+when we reach them, we find them--ah--we find them so very much more
+trivial than we had supposed. They're like--like hills seen from a
+distance that look terrifically steep. When we--ah--reach them we find
+them easy grades after all. You see what I mean? Yes, yes. Well, I shall
+expect you in my study later, Edwards. I want you--both of you, that
+is--to realise that I am very eager to be of assistance at any time.
+Possibly I can't help very much,--but--ah--I am most willing, boys."
+
+"Silly chump," growled Steve when the door had closed behind Mr. Daley.
+"I wish--ah--he'd--ah--mind his own--ah--business!"
+
+But Tom didn't smile. "I think the chap means to be awfully decent,
+Steve," he said thoughtfully. "The trouble is, I guess, he's scared to
+death of the fellows. You can see that in class."
+
+"He's a regular granny," replied Steve. "Wish he had this stuff to do. I
+guess he wouldn't be so light and airy about it!"
+
+"You'll go down and let him help you, though, won't you?" asked Tom
+anxiously.
+
+"Oh, I suppose so. He can do the whole thing if he wants to. Where is my
+dictionary?"
+
+With Mr. Daley's help, freely offered and grudgingly accepted, Steve
+weathered that crisis. And secretly he was grateful to the Hall Master,
+though he still pretended to believe and possibly did half believe that
+the latter was a sort of mollycoddle. Tom told him indignantly once that
+since Mr. Daley had been so awfully decent to him he ought to stop
+poking fun at him. To which Steve cheerfully made answer that even a
+mollycoddle could be decent at times!
+
+Brimfield played Canterbury High School on a Wednesday afternoon in
+early October and had a good deal of a scare. Canterbury romped on to
+the field like a bunch of young colts, and continued to romp for the
+best part of three ten-minute periods, long after Brimfield had decided
+that romping was no longer in good taste! Led by a small, wiry,
+red-headed quarter-back, who was likewise captain, and directed from the
+side-line by a coach who looked scarcely older than the big youth who
+played centre for them, the Canterbury team took the most astounding
+liberties with football precedents. They didn't transgress the rules,
+but they put such original interpretations on some of them that Mr.
+Conklin, who was refereeing, and Mr. Jordan, instructor in mathematics,
+who was umpiring, had their heads over the rules-book nearly half the
+time! Now and then they would march to the side-line and consult the
+Canterbury coach. "Where do you get your authority for that play?" Mr.
+Conklin would ask a trifle irritably. Thereupon, silently but with a
+twinkle in his eye, the coach would gravely take the book, flip the
+pages, lay a finger on a section and return it.
+
+"Hm," Mr. Conklin would say. "Hm; but that seems to be in direct
+contradiction of another rule over here!"
+
+"Quite likely," the coach would reply indifferently. "There are quite a
+few contradictions there. Of course, you may accept either rule you
+like, gentlemen."
+
+Disarmed in such wise, the officials invariably decided the play to be
+legal, and Quarter-back Milton, of Brimfield, would protest volubly and
+get very, very red in the face in his attempt to carry his point and, at
+the same time, omit none of the respect due a faculty member! It was
+hard on Milton, that game, and several times he nearly had apoplexy.
+
+Then, too, Canterbury did the most unexpected things at the most
+inopportune moments. When Brimfield expected her to rush the ball she
+was just as likely to get off a kick from close formation. When the
+circumstances indicated an attack on the short side of the field
+Canterbury's backs swung around the other end. When a close formation
+was to be looked for she swung her line half across the field, so
+confusing the opponents that they acted as though hypnotised. The
+forward pass was to Canterbury a play that afforded her infinite
+amusement. She used it in the most unheard of locations; in midfield,
+under the shadow of her own goal, anywhere, everywhere and almost always
+when least expected. At the end of the second period Brimfield trotted
+away to the gymnasium dazed and tired of brain, with the score 7 to 0
+against her.
+
+The surprising thing about the visitors was that they played as though
+they were just having an afternoon of good fun. They romped, like boys
+playing leap-frog or follow-my-leader. They romped up the field and they
+romped down the field and, incidentally, over and through and around
+their opponents. And the more care-free and happy Canterbury became, the
+more anxious and laboured grew Brimfield. The Maroon-and-Grey reminded
+one of a very staid and serious middle-aged party with a grave duty to
+perform trying to restrain the spirited antics of a small boy with no
+sense of decorum!
+
+When the second half began, Canterbury added insult to injury. Instead
+of booting the pigskin down the field in an honest and earnest endeavour
+to obtain distance, she deliberately and with malice aforethought,
+dribbled it on the bias, so to speak, toward the side-line. Benson,
+right end, should certainly have got it, but he was so perplexed that he
+never thought of picking it up until a Canterbury forward had performed
+the task for him and had raced nearly twenty yards down the field! It
+was an unprecedented thing to do, or, at least, unprecedented at
+Brimfield, and the audience voiced its disapproval strongly. But as the
+ball had gone the required ten yards there was nothing to do but
+smile--a trifle foolishly, perhaps--and accept the situation. And the
+situation was this: Canterbury had kicked off and gained over thirty
+yards without losing possession of the ball! But in one way that play
+was ill-advised. Brimfield had stood all sorts of jokes and pranks from
+the enemy with fairly good grace, but this enormity was too much.
+Brimfield was peeved! More than that, she was really angry! And, being
+angry, she forgot that for twenty minutes she had been outplayed and
+started in then and there to administer a licking to the obstreperous
+small boy.
+
+Even then, however, Canterbury continued to romp and enjoy herself. She
+found hard sledding, but she worked down to Brimfield's eight-yard line
+before she was finally halted. Then her right half romped back for a try
+at goal and joyously booted the ball. But, to the enormous relief of the
+onlookers, the ball went under the bar instead of over, and Canterbury
+romped back again. That third period was very evenly contested,
+Brimfield, smarting under a sense of wounded dignity, playing well
+together and allowing Canterbury no more opportunities to attempt
+scores. The visitors, still untamed, sprang strange and weird
+formations and attacks. A favourite trick was to start a play without
+signals, while one of her men was ostensibly tying a shoe-lace yards
+away or requesting a new head-guard near a side-line. It invariably
+happened, though, that the shoe-lace was tied in time to allow the youth
+to get the ball on a pass and attempt a joyous romp around the
+opponent's end. There was no scoring in the third period, but the
+whistle blew with the pigskin down on Canterbury's twenty-five yards and
+Brimfield with four to go on third down.
+
+As there was no practice that afternoon, Steve and Tom saw the game from
+the grand stand, with two cronies named Draper and Westcott. Draper's
+first name was Leroy and he was called Roy. He was a tow-haired
+youngster of fifteen with very bright blue eyes and a tip-tilted nose
+that gave him a humorously impertinent look. He, like Steve and Tom, was
+a Fourth Former. His home was in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and, while
+Pittsburg was a good hundred miles from Tannersville, the fact that they
+were citizens of the same glorious commonwealth had drawn he and Steve
+together. Harry Westcott was a year older and came from a small town in
+Connecticut. He was Roy's room-mate in Torrence. He had a slim,
+small-boned body and a good-looking face with an aquiline nose and a
+pair of very large soft-brown eyes. His dark hair was brushed straight
+back from his forehead and was always very slick. Harry was what Roy
+called "a fussy dresser" and affected knickerbockers and golf-stockings,
+negligée shirts of soft and delicate hues of lavender or green or blue
+and, to quote his disrespectful room-mate once more, "symphonic ties."
+Harry was the embodiment of aristocratic ease and always lent a "tone"
+to any gathering. He maintained an air of what he probably considered
+well-bred composure and tabooed enthusiasm. Harry never declared that a
+thing was "bully" or "fine and dandy"; he mildly observed that it was
+"not half bad." This pose amused him, doubtless, and entertained his
+friends, and underneath it all he was a very normal, likable chap. It
+was Roy Draper who broke the strained silence that had endured until the
+whistle put an end to the third period.
+
+"I wouldn't give a cent for Canterbury's chances in the next period," he
+said. "Look at Andy's face, fellows. It has the 'blood-lust' on it. When
+Andy looks that way something has just got to happen!"
+
+"He looks annoyed," assented Harry.
+
+"You'd be annoyed if you had your lip cut the way his is," chuckled Roy.
+
+"Do you think we'll beat them?" asked Tom anxiously.
+
+"Nothing can save them," replied Roy conclusively. "Andy has his dander
+up."
+
+"It took him long enough to get it up," grumbled Steve. "He let those
+fellows run rings around us in the first half."
+
+"That's his foxy way. Now he's got them all tired out and we'll go in
+and rip 'em up. You watch!"
+
+"There's Marvin going in for Milton," announced Tom. "Say, those chaps
+haven't made a change in their line-up yet."
+
+"One," corrected Harry. "They put in a new right guard last period.
+They're a funny lot, seems to me. You'd think they were having the time
+of their lives."
+
+"I like that, though," said Roy. "After all, you know, this thing of
+playing football is supposed to be amusement."
+
+"It's a heap more like hard work, though," replied Harry. "Not that I
+ever played it much."
+
+"Did you ever play at all?" asked Roy.
+
+"Once or twice at grammar school. It was too fatiguing, though."
+
+"I'll bet it was," chuckled Roy. "I'd like to see you playing, old
+thing."
+
+"I did, though; played right half-back. A fellow stuck his elbow into my
+face and I knocked him flat. Captain said it was part of the game, you
+know, and I shouldn't have done it. I said that any fellow who bumped my
+nose would have to look for trouble. Then the umpire put me off and the
+game lost a real star."
+
+"Here we go," said Steve. "Now let's see if they can carry it over."
+
+They didn't, however, just then. Canterbury held finely in the shadow of
+her goal and Marvin's forward pass to Captain Miller went out at the
+twelve-yards. But Canterbury was forced to punt a moment later, and
+Brimfield took up the march again. On the adversary's thirty-yard line,
+with six to go on the third down, Norton, full-back, attempted an
+impossible drop-kick--he was standing over forty yards from the
+cross-bar--and made it good.
+
+"What did I tell you?" demanded Roy, digging Steve with his elbow.
+
+"That's only three points, though," answered Steve doubtfully. "We
+couldn't make a touchdown."
+
+"It isn't over yet," said Roy confidently. "We're getting better all the
+time."
+
+Canterbury gave the ball to Brimfield for the kick-off and Fowler booted
+it down to the opponent's fifteen yards. Andy Miller was under it all
+the way and upset an ambitious Canterbury back before he was well
+started. Canterbury tried two plunges and then punted from her
+twenty-five-yard line to Brimfield's fifty. Marvin caught and brought
+the stand to its feet by reeling off twelve yards across the field
+before he was downed. Then Brimfield found herself and went down the
+gridiron by steady plunges, plugging the Canterbury line for good gains
+from tackle to tackle. Norton, at full-back, was the hero of that
+period. Time after time he took the pigskin and landed it for a gain.
+Marvin, cool and heady, ran the team beautifully, and when four minutes
+of playing time remained, Brimfield was again knocking at Canterbury's
+door, the pigskin on the latter's eighteen yards.
+
+"First down!" proclaimed Roy triumphantly. "Here's where she goes over,
+old thing!"
+
+"Let her go," replied Harry. "I'm watching."
+
+"I hope they don't try another silly field-goal," muttered Steve.
+
+"Not on first down, they won't. Bully work, Norton! Did you see it?
+Three yards easily!"
+
+Then Marvin himself cut loose for four around left end and the
+Canterbury coach hustled three substitutes on. But Brimfield was not to
+be denied now. It was first down on Canterbury's seven yards, and, with
+the spectators yelling like Indians, Kendall, right half, took the ball
+on a delayed pass, found an opening outside right tackle and slipped
+through and over the line for six more points.
+
+Captain Miller kicked goal and the score stood 10 to 7. Another minute
+of play followed, with Brimfield again pushing the high school team
+before her, and then the game was over and the quartette on the stand
+thumped each other elatedly--all save Harry--and ambled down to join the
+throng that spread over the field on its homeward way.
+
+"What did I tell you?" asked Roy. "You can't fool your uncle!"
+
+"You hate yourself, don't you?" drawled Harry. "Come on over to the
+room, you fellows."
+
+Canterbury, having cheered the victor wholeheartedly, romped home.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII
+
+SAWYER VOWS VENGEANCE
+
+
+Miter Hill School followed Canterbury the next Saturday and was an
+unexpectedly weak opponent. The contest was slow and lifeless and
+dragged its weary length along until almost twilight. Miter Hill's
+players were in poor physical condition and, since the afternoon was
+warm and close, made a poor showing. The weather affected Brimfield,
+too, although she was not as susceptible to injury as the other team.
+Miter Hill was forever getting hurt, it seemed, and the audience which
+had braved a remorseless sun and a horde of blood-thirsty midges soon
+began to grumble.
+
+The game was further slowed down in the last two periods by the
+substitution of half the members of the second and third squads for the
+Maroon-and-Grey. Even Tom had a three or four-minute experience on the
+'varsity, something which he had long ceased hoping for, while Steve
+played nearly all of the fourth period at right end. He did very well,
+there, although Miter Hill was too weak in all departments of the game
+to afford any of her opponents a fair test. Toward the last the contest
+degenerated into more or less of a farce, Miter Hill tuckered and played
+out, and Brimfield, with a line-up of third and fourth substitutes,
+fumbling and mixing signals and running around like a hen with her head
+off!
+
+By that time those who had remained so long began to view the game as
+what it really was, a comedy of errors, and got lots of fun out of it.
+When Peters, at centre, passed the ball at least two feet above the
+upstretched hands of Harris, who wanted to punt, and at least nine
+youths raced back up the field in pursuit of it, shoving, tripping,
+falling, rolling, and when it was Peters himself who finally dropped his
+one hundred and seventy-odd pounds on it, the onlookers rocked in their
+seats and applauded wildly. Later on another dash of humour was supplied
+when Carmine poised the ball for a forward pass only to discover that no
+one of his side was in position to take it. The quarter-back shouted
+imploringly, running back and across the field, dodging two or three of
+the enemy and by some miracle holding the ball out of harm's way all the
+while. When, at last, thoroughly desperate, he heard someone shout from
+across the field to throw the ball, he threw it, and not until the
+catcher had reeled off twenty yards or more toward Brimfield's goal did
+Carmine discover that he had been cruelly deceived by the Miter Hill
+right end! Even Mr. Robey, who had been viewing the game rather grimly,
+had to swing on his heel to hide a smile at that fiasco. But, if the
+subs didn't do much in the way of attack, they at least held the enemy
+from crossing their line, and the weird contest at last came to a close
+with the one-sided score of 26 to 0.
+
+On Monday there was a fine shake-up, for the Miter Hill game, if it had
+not held any thrills, had at least shown up many faults, individual and
+otherwise. Several second squad men went to the first as substitutes,
+Fowler was shifted from left tackle to left guard on the first and two
+members of the third squad were advanced to the second. These latter
+were Freer, half-back, and Hall, guard. Tom was both surprised and
+delighted, while seriously doubting the coach's wisdom. Later, when he
+found that Steve had not secured promotion as well, most of his delight
+vanished.
+
+"I don't see why they put me on the second," he said, "and left you on
+the third. I don't play half the game you do, Steve."
+
+Steve tried hard to be gracious, but only partly succeeded. "I dare say
+they want guards and don't want ends," he replied. "Of course you've
+been doing good work, Tom, and deserve promotion and I'm awfully glad
+you've got it, but, just the same, I don't think I'm getting a square
+deal."
+
+"I don't either! I wish they'd left me alone and taken you on. Peters
+says Robey will be disbanding the third squad in a week or so, too. Of
+course they'll put you on the second before that, though."
+
+"I don't believe they will," replied Steve morosely. "I dare say I'll be
+dropped entirely. I thought I was getting on pretty well, but Marvin
+evidently doesn't think so. I'm getting kind of sick of it, anyway, Tom.
+I wish I'd stayed at home. I could have if I'd made a good hard kick."
+
+That was a hard week for the 'varsity, for Coach Robey had every man on
+the team, with the possible exceptions of Miller and Innes, guessing.
+Men came in from the second squad, were tried out and usually let go
+again. All sorts of shifts in the line and back-field were tried. On
+Wednesday, Eric Sawyer, who had been looked on as a fixture at right
+guard, found himself ousted by Gafferty, from the second, and a member
+of the "bench brigade." Sawyer didn't like that at all. It was a
+terrific blow to his pride and self-esteem, and for many days he was
+like a bear with a sore head. As a matter of fact, although Sawyer
+didn't suspect it, his deposal was in the nature of a taste of
+discipline. Sawyer had been too certain of his place and had grown
+careless. At the end of a week he went back again, with the warning that
+he would have to show more than he had been showing if he was to stay
+there. It was while he was still decorating the bench, however, that
+Steve again fell foul of him.
+
+The unseasonably warm weather held well into the middle of October, and
+it was one evening a day or two after Sawyer's removal from the regular
+line-up that Steve and Tom, rather fagged from an hour's study in a
+close room, picked up Roy and Harry and went over to the gymnasium for a
+dip in the tank. The swimming tank was a favourite resort of the younger
+fellows between eight and ten at night, but, for some reason, the older
+boys seldom appeared there in the evenings. To-night, though, when the
+quartette, having changed into swimming trunks, reached the tank they
+found five upper-class fellows swinging their bare legs from the side of
+the pool and amusing themselves by criticising the antics of the
+youngsters. There was Eric Sawyer, Jay Fowler and three others whom
+neither Steve nor Tom knew save by sight. The tank was well populated,
+for the warmth of the evening made the thought of cool water very
+agreeable, and there was much noise and splashing going on.
+
+Steve and Harry went in from the spring-board at the deeper end of the
+pool, while Tom and Roy dived from the floor. A couple of tennis balls
+were flying around in the tank and the newcomers were soon taking their
+parts in the fun. Presently the group of older fellows, having grown
+tired of guying the "kids," dived into the water. Getting possession of
+one of the balls, they tried to keep it to themselves, and soon there
+was a merry and good-natured battle on between the five big chaps on one
+side and the younger occupants of the tank on the other. The echoing
+room rang with laughter and excited cries as the contending sides swam
+and floundered for the possession of the tennis ball. The big chaps had
+their hands full, for they were outnumbered four to one, but age and
+strength counted for them and not infrequently a youngster, rather than
+undergo a ducking at ungentle hands, yielded the ball and swam away with
+squeaks of terror. But there were others who fought valiantly enough,
+taking punishment laughingly when it came and pressing the older
+fellows closely. Steve was one of the more daring of the enemy and never
+hesitated to dispute the possession of the ball with anyone. Once when
+it came skipping along half the length of the tank, he went after it
+hand over hand, only to miss it when Eric Sawyer reached it an instant
+ahead of him. Sawyer, grinning, drew back the hand holding the tennis
+ball.
+
+"Want it, kid?" he asked.
+
+Steve, guessing what was coming, dived, but he was not quick enough and
+the ball landed with a round smack on his right ear. A wet tennis ball,
+thrown from the distance of a few feet, is capable of hurting
+considerably, and Steve, dashing the water from his face, felt very much
+as though he had been kicked by a mule and had difficulty in keeping the
+tears from his eyes.
+
+"Get it?" laughed Sawyer.
+
+"Yes, and so will you," gasped Steve. The ball lay bobbing about a yard
+away and he grabbed it. Sawyer turned and struck out across the tank,
+only his head above water. Steve, thoroughly angry, aimed at him,
+changed his mind and swam after him, to the awed delight of the others.
+Sawyer, thinking he had removed himself from danger, turned at the side
+of the tank to look back. The next thing he knew the ball struck him
+fairly on the nose, and, with a howl of pain and surprise, he
+disappeared under the water.
+
+"Swim, Edwards!" shrieked the youngsters. "He'll get you!"
+
+Steve did turn away, but it seemed too much like running and so he
+paused, treading water there, while the angry face of Sawyer popped into
+view again. The ball had bounded away and been captured by one of the
+youngsters, but Sawyer didn't look for it. With a leap he started toward
+Steve. The latter realised that Sawyer meant to wreak vengeance, and
+that the matter had got past the stage of fun. Here, it seemed, was a
+time when discretion was the better part of valour, and Steve dived.
+
+Fortunately, he was a good swimmer. Turning quickly under water, he
+raced toward the far end of the tank. Dimly he heard shouts and laughter
+above, but he didn't come to the surface until twenty long strokes had
+taken him far away from where Sawyer, at a loss, was casting about the
+middle of the tank for him. His reappearance was heralded by shouts of
+applause from the younger fellows, many of whom, scenting real trouble,
+had scrambled out of the water. Sawyer, warned of Steve's whereabouts,
+looked down the tank, saw him and started pell-mell after him. Again
+Steve went under, swam cautiously toward the side until he could see the
+white tiles within reach and then edged back the way he had come. He
+tried to reach the shallow end of the tank before taking breath, but the
+effort was too great, and when he stuck his head out for an instant he
+found that those at the edge of the tank had been following his
+under-water progress and were shouting and laughing down at him from
+above. More than that, however, their interest had appraised Sawyer of
+his whereabouts, and even as Steve, blinking the water from his eyes and
+replenishing his lungs, looked about him, his pursuer almost reached
+him.
+
+Scorning concealment now, Steve made straight for the shallow end of the
+pool. Swimming like his was a revelation to many of those who saw it and
+a hearty burst of applause followed him all the way to the ladder, which
+he gained several yards in advance of Sawyer. Steve darted up the rungs
+and ran to the side of the tank, the fellows scattering out of his path.
+Sawyer pulled himself out of the water and followed, puffing with anger
+and exertion.
+
+"Oh, let him go, Eric," advised Fowler. "You can't catch him."
+
+"Yes, forget it," advised others.
+
+But Sawyer had no idea of forgetting it. "I'll break his silly head for
+him," he growled as he followed Steve around the edge. Then began a
+chase that was both exciting and amusing. Egged on by the laughing
+spectators the two boys raced around the pool, Steve managing to keep
+always one lap ahead, slowing down when Sawyer showed signs of faltering
+and sprinting when the older boy, gathering fresh energy, went on again.
+It was a stern chase with a vengeance and might have lasted all night or
+until one or the other dropped in his tracks had not one of Sawyer's
+comrades taken a hand in the game.
+
+Steve, breathing hard but good for many more circuits of the track, came
+trotting along one side of the pool where the youth in question stood
+with Fowler. There was a clear space of three feet between him and the
+edge, but just as Steve drew abreast the older chap stepped forward in
+his path, and Steve, trying to dodge around him, slipped on the tiling
+and fell sidewise into the water. Sawyer, with a grunt of triumph,
+plunged in from the opposite edge and was on Steve in a twinkling.
+
+"Now, you fresh kid," exclaimed Sawyer angrily, seizing Steve's neck in
+a big hand as soon as his head came up, "you're going to get what's
+coming to you!"
+
+Steve, battling for breath, gasping and gurgling, tried to wrench away,
+but the clasp on his neck was too strong for his efforts and down he
+went, squirming and struggling, until his head was under water. He
+managed to reach around and get a grip of Sawyer's bathing trunks, but
+that was small advantage. The big fellow had him at his mercy. Steve's
+head was throbbing when at last he was allowed to lift it out of the
+water again, gasping for breath. But the grip on his neck didn't relax.
+He was conscious that the laughter had died away, conscious of Sawyer's
+grinning face beside him, and then down he was plunged again without
+warning, just managing to draw a little breath into his aching lungs
+before the water closed over him. It seemed that his tormentor held him
+down longer this time, and when, at last, he found the lights in his
+eyes again and could breathe once more, he was ready to give up the
+struggle. He had long since released his hold on Sawyer's trunks, and
+now his hands were clasped desperately about the other boy's wrists. And
+yet when Sawyer's growling voice said in his ear, "Had enough, kid? Beg
+my pardon?" Steve managed to shake his head.
+
+"Want more, eh?" asked Sawyer. "All right, kid!" The clasp on his neck
+tightened again and he felt himself being once more thrust downward. And
+then, suddenly, he was free, and when, fighting his way back to the
+surface, he looked dazedly, there was Tom clinging to Sawyer's neck,
+thrashing and squirming.
+
+"You let him be, you big bully!" Tom was saying. "You let him be!"
+
+"Let go of my neck, you silly little fool!" gasped Sawyer, striving to
+break the boy's hold.
+
+"You let him be!" gurgled Tom, half-drowned but clinging like a limpet.
+"You let him be, you big bully!"
+
+Then the two went under and Steve, recovering his breath, wrenched them
+apart somehow and pulled poor Tom to the side of the tank. Sawyer,
+breathing with difficulty after Tom's choking grasp about his neck,
+floundered to the edge, got a sustaining grip on the rim of the tank and
+glared angrily at the two boys.
+
+"I'll get you for this, you smart Alecks," he declared chokingly.
+"You're too fresh, both of you. Don't you know better than to grab a
+fellow around the neck in the water, you fool kid?"
+
+But Tom was too far gone to answer. "That's what you did, isn't it?"
+Steve demanded. "That's a funny way to talk!"
+
+"It is, is it?" sneered Sawyer. "I'll show you something that is funny
+some time, and don't you forget it!"
+
+Still growling, he swam away toward the nearer ladder, while Steve, with
+Roy and Harry and others helping, lifted Tom out of the tank and then
+followed himself. Tom was very, very sick there for a minute and the
+younger fellows were properly sympathetic and indignant. Presently they
+half carried Tom back to the locker room and helped him into his
+clothes, and then, Roy and Harry in attendance, Steve conveyed him back
+to Billings and laid him on his bed, a very weak but now quite cheerful
+Tom.
+
+"He nearly drowned me, didn't he?" he asked with a grin. "But I choked
+him good, you bet! Bet you his old neck will be sore for a week,
+fellows!"
+
+"You want to keep away from him for awhile," said Harry with a direful
+shake of his head. "He's a mean chap when he's mad."
+
+"Huh!" grunted Tom. "So'm I!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV
+
+A LESSON IN TACKLING
+
+
+One direct result of that affair in the tank was that Steve found
+himself something of a school celebrity because of his swimming prowess.
+Within a few days he had good-naturedly agreed to give instruction to
+some half-dozen acquaintances and might have taken on a half-dozen more
+had he had the time for it. But there was only an odd hour or two during
+the day for swimming and he soon found that, although he got a good deal
+of fun out of instructing the others, it was taking too much of his
+time. It was Roy's suggestion--Roy being one of the most enthusiastic
+pupils--that those who wanted instruction should be on hand at a given
+hour each day. The suggestion was adopted, and Edwards's Swimming Class
+soon became a recognised institution. Five o'clock was the hour set, at
+which time the tank was not much used, and Steve, having returned from
+football practice, donned swimming trunks and repaired to the pool where
+he usually found from four to a dozen boys awaiting him, since, by
+attending to them all at once, he could look after a dozen as easily as
+a few. Most of the pupils were boys of from thirteen to seventeen,
+although there were two older fellows in the class, Jay Fowler and
+Hatherton Williams. Both were Sixth Formers and both were football men.
+Mr. Conklin, the physical director, gave enthusiastic endorsement and
+encouragement. Brimfield had never supplied instruction in swimming,
+something which the director had long regretted, and Mr. Conklin, could
+he have had his way, would have made attendance at Steve's swimming
+class compulsory for the younger boys and so have instituted a new
+feature in the course of physical instruction. But Steve, willing to
+teach a few fellows who could already swim the finer points of the
+science, balked at teaching the rudiments to a half-hundred water-shy
+youths who would have to be coaxed and coddled. Mr. Conklin tried his
+best to persuade him, but Steve refused firmly.
+
+They had a whole lot of fun during that swimming hour. Fowler and a
+younger chap named Toll were the more accomplished performers in the
+class, barring Steve himself, and every session ended with several very
+earnest races in which Fowler, allowing Toll a five-yard handicap,
+usually nosed out the younger boy in a contest of four times the length
+of the tank. Then there was generally a free-for-all, the fellows lining
+up on the edge of the pool, diving at the word from Steve and swimming
+to the further end, where, after touching the wall, they turned and
+hustled back to the start. Sometimes when football practice had been
+more than usually gruelling, Steve stayed out of the water and
+instructed from the floor, but more often he went in with the others and
+followed them in their practice swims. Naturally it was the fancy diving
+and the racing strokes that most of the fellows wanted to learn, but
+Steve, who had never in his life before tried to teach anyone anything,
+displayed a good deal of hard common-sense as an instructor and insisted
+that each of his pupils should master one thing thoroughly before taking
+up another. The result was that, barring one or two fellows who would
+probably in any case have failed to become expert swimmers, the class
+made really remarkable progress, and there came a time, although it was
+considerably later in the school year, when both Jay Fowler and
+Hatherton Williams could equal most of Steve's feats.
+
+Tom started with the class, wisely deciding after his experience with
+Eric Sawyer that the ability to keep one's head out of water was a fine
+thing to have. But Tom was not cut out for a human fish and soon gave it
+up. Roy Draper learned fairly well. He tried to induce Harry to join the
+class, but Harry preferred to stay with Tom and look on from the floor.
+When winter set in, Steve's class increased in numbers until in January
+he was conducting the natatory education of more than two dozen fellows.
+It was Mr. Conklin who arranged for an exhibition the latter part of the
+winter and Steve was very proud of his pupils' work on that occasion. It
+was held one Saturday afternoon and everyone attended, including even
+"Josh," more formally known as Mr. Joshua Fernald, the principal. There
+was fancy diving and swimming, a short game of water polo and all kinds
+of races, beside which Steve showed some six or eight different strokes,
+swam the length of the tank under water and performed other quite
+startling feats to the delight of his audience. Mr. Fernald shook hands
+with him afterwards and said several very nice things. But all this is
+far beyond my story, and I am only telling of it because it led the
+following autumn to the installation of a swimming instructor at
+Brimfield and the addition of swimming to the list of "required studies"
+for the boys of the four lower forms. The instructor came to the school
+twice a week and put in two very busy hours there. So you see that
+fracas between Steve and Eric Sawyer that evening strangely enough
+resulted in important consequences and, since a knowledge of swimming is
+a most useful one, worked for good.
+
+But there were other consequences of that fracas as well, and I must get
+back to those. Larchville Academy followed Miter Hill on Brimfield's
+schedule and administered the first defeat of the season to the
+Maroon-and-Grey. It wasn't so much that Brimfield played poorly as that
+Larchville played unusually well. The visitors presented an aggregation
+of big, well-trained youths who, most of them having been on their team
+the previous year, were far in advance of Brimfield in the matter of
+season development. Larchville's performance was what one might expect
+in November, but scarcely looked for in the second week of October. Her
+men played together all the time and her team-work stood out in strong
+contrast to that of Brimfield, who had scarcely begun as yet to develop
+such a thing. The final score was 17 to 3, and the only consolation was
+found in the fact that Larchville's end of it might well have been much
+larger. Brimfield's three points came as the result of one really
+brilliant advance for half the length of the field followed by a neat
+place-kick by Williams. The rest of the game was very much Larchville,
+and Brimfield was on the defence most of the time.
+
+And, to give credit where it belongs, it was Eric Sawyer who, back in
+his position at right guard, held his side of the line firm on two
+anxious occasions when Larchville was striving to hammer out touchdowns
+under the shadow of her opponent's goal. On the whole, Brimfield played
+good football that day and no one justly came in for adverse criticism.
+Captain Miller, at left end, was spectacular under punts and played his
+usual hard, steady game. Innes at centre was impregnable until the final
+period. Williams, if a trifle weaker than his opponent, made up for it
+by scoring the three points for his side. Benson, at right end, was less
+successful than Captain Miller, but was good on the defence. The
+back-field, although inclined to go it "every man for himself," showed
+up well, especially when the enemy was in possession of the ball.
+Milton, the first-choice quarter-back, ran the team like a general,
+while Norton, the big full-back, proved the only consistent gainer
+through the line. In spite of the fact that she had met with defeat,
+Brimfield found encouragement in that contest, and, after the first few
+minutes of regrets, spent the rest of the day unstintedly praising her
+warriors.
+
+There was only light practice the following Monday for those who had
+taken part in the Saturday game, a fact which once more allowed Coach
+Robey to give a good deal of attention to the second and third squads.
+Steve was playing right end regularly now on the third, and Tom was
+alternating at left guard on the second. The third squad was now down to
+only eleven members, and when, after a hard hour of signal work and
+fundamentals, the second and third were lined up for a ten-minute
+scrimmage, Marvin had to borrow substitutes as needed from the second.
+There was no scoring that day, but there was an awful lot of hard work.
+Steve made one or two good plays down the field, but, as usual, was weak
+on stopping the runner when he reached him. After they were dismissed,
+Marvin stopped him as he was trotting off with the others.
+
+"I say, Edwards, are you very tired?" he asked.
+
+"N-no, I guess not," Steve replied.
+
+"Then I wish you'd stay out a few minutes and let me try to show you
+about tackling." Steve glanced distastefully at the dummy and doubtfully
+at Marvin. But the latter smiled and shook his head. "Never mind the
+dummy, Edwards," he said. "We'll have our fun right here. I'm going to
+be the dummy and you're to stop me. Did they take all the balls away?
+Never mind, we'll imagine the ball. Now, first of all I'm going to show
+you how I'd handle you if you were the runner. Stand where you are,
+please."
+
+Marvin dropped in front of Steve and threw his arms about his legs just
+above the knees. "There's your position, Edwards," he explained. "You
+see I have my body in front of you. You've not only got to work against
+my grip around your legs but you've got to push against my weight and
+resistance. Try it."
+
+Steve did try it, but he could only shuffle an inch or two.
+
+"See?" asked Marvin. "Now, then, having tackled you, it's up to me to
+put you down. If I let you come forward of your own impetus you'll fall
+toward my goal, and by stretching out your arms you'll put the ball two
+yards nearer the goal than where you stand. Of course you wouldn't risk
+holding the ball at arms' length unless there was a possibility of
+getting it across a goal-line by doing it. But even if you hold the ball
+at your stomach you'll gain a yard by falling forward. Now my play is
+to throw you the other way--like this!"
+
+With a heave Marvin sent Steve toppling backward, much to that youth's
+surprise. Marvin jumped lightly to his feet, held out a hand to the
+other and pulled him up.
+
+"See how it's done?" he asked cheerfully. "Now you try it. Never mind
+diving; just drop where you are on your hip. That's it! Swing your arms
+around tight! Higher up, though. Remember if you're playing end the
+rules prohibit you from tackling a runner below the knees. That's
+better. Now, then, over with me!"
+
+But it wasn't so easy. Marvin, smuggling an imaginary ball in his arms,
+struggled and twisted and it was all Steve could do to keep him from
+gaining ground, to say nothing of throwing him back.
+
+[Illustration: "Lift!" instructed the quarter-back. "Lift me up and yank
+my feet out from under me! Use your weight and throw me back!"]
+
+"Lift!" instructed the quarter-back. "Lift me up and yank my feet out
+from under me! Use your weight and throw me back!"
+
+But in trying to lift the other, Steve allowed Marvin to slip past him
+and the quarter fell forward instead of backward.
+
+"Try again," said Marvin. "It's got to be all one motion, so to say,
+Edwards. Get your man, wrap your arms around him and heave. Sometimes
+you can't do better than stop him. If he's coming hard, you won't be
+able to put him back. He's got to be more or less erect to make that go.
+But do it whenever you can. Now, then, once more! Down you go! That's
+the stuff! Bully work! Don't be afraid of hurting me! _Put me back!_"
+
+Steve actually did it that time and was so pleased that he was grinning
+all over his face when Marvin scrambled to his feet again.
+
+"That was a lot better. Once get the idea fixed in your head, Edwards,
+and it'll come easy. You'll do it without a thought. Once more now, and
+put some ginger into it. Here I come!"
+
+Marvin walked a couple of steps forward, Steve dropped and gripped his
+knees, heaved and over went the quarter. A dozen times Marvin made him
+practise it, and then,
+
+"All right," he said. "Now I'm going to run toward you, Edwards. I'm
+going to get by you if I can, too. You've got to do your best to stop
+me. Don't try any flying tackles, and remember that you've got to have
+one foot on the ground when you get me. All right now!"
+
+Steve was glad they had the gridiron practically to themselves, for he
+cut a poor figure the first three times that he tried to reach the
+elusive quarter-back. Once Marvin caught him with a straight arm and
+sent him toppling out of his path, once Marvin dodged him completely,
+twirling on one heel and darting past him beyond reach, and once the
+little quarter-back wrenched himself loose after being tackled. But the
+fourth time Steve was more successful, and after that he reached the
+runner every time even if he didn't always stop him short. Even when
+Steve had his arms gripped tightly about Marvin's knees, the latter was
+almost always able to somehow make another yard or two before he was
+willing to call "Down!" But Steve learned more in that half-hour than he
+had learned all the season, and when, after awhile, the two boys,
+panting and perspiring but satisfied with themselves, walked back to the
+gymnasium, Steve had the grace to thank Marvin.
+
+"That's all right," replied the other. "I knew you could play the game,
+Edwards, if you could once get the hang of making a decent tackle. And I
+knew, too, that the trouble with you was that you'd just sort of made up
+your mind that you couldn't learn, that you didn't understand what I've
+been trying to show you. There won't be any third squad after the middle
+of the week, Edwards, and if you hadn't shown something more than
+you've been showing in the tackling line I couldn't conscientiously have
+sent you up to the second."
+
+"That was mighty decent," muttered Steve.
+
+"Well, you mustn't take it as a personal favour, Edwards," answered
+Marvin with a smile, "although I'm glad to do it for you. You see, I
+don't want to let any good material get away. And I think you are good
+material, and if there was any possibility of your being of use to the
+second squad I wanted to get you there. Now, to-morrow we'll have
+another go at it, and the next day too, and every day until you can
+tackle a runner as well as you can handle a ball or play in the line. Is
+that a bargain?"
+
+"Yes," replied Steve heartily. "And thanks, Marvin."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XV
+
+STEVE WINNOWS SOME CHAFF
+
+
+Two days later the third squad ceased to be and all but four of its
+members retired to private life. Of those four, one was Steve. Steve
+went on to the second team as substitute end. With him went Carmine,
+Peters and Saunders, while from the second a batch of half-a-dozen
+youths disappeared. That was the eighteenth of October. The candidates
+who had survived this final cut were safe to finish the season out. Of
+them some twenty-four were on the 'varsity and sixteen on the second.
+The preliminary season was ended, and with the next game, that with
+Benton Military College, which was to be played at Hastings-on-Sound,
+the serious work might be said to begin.
+
+The second, under Brownell, became a separate aggregation, moved to its
+own training table in the dining-hall, had its own signals and practised
+on its own gridiron. It even had its own coach, for a graduate named
+Boutelle--soon shortened to "Boots"--appeared on the scene and took
+command. "Boots" was a rather large man of thirty-odd years who had
+graduated from Brimfield before the days of football there. He had
+learned the game very thoroughly, however, at college, and was
+enthusiastically eager to impart his knowledge. He was a friend of Mr.
+Robey, and it was understood that he was giving his services as a favour
+to the head coach. But it was soon evident that he was thoroughly
+enjoying it, and he entered into his task with heart and soul. In fact
+he was so anxious to develop a good team that one of the first things he
+did was to unwittingly fall foul of the faculty. The third day there he
+announced that until further notice there would be morning practice
+between ten and twelve for all who could attend it. Morning practice
+lasted one day. Then faculty drew the attention of Mr. Boutelle to the
+rule which forbade the use of the athletic field to students during
+recitation hours. Mr. Boutelle was disgusted and tried to argue about it
+with the principal, but had to give in finally. But in spite of being
+required to limit practice to the afternoon hours, the second came fast
+and there were some very pretty games between it and the 'varsity in
+those days.
+
+Steve started in as a second choice right end, a chap named Sherrard
+having first claim to the position. Tom was plugging along at right
+guard and doing well. He was a trifle light for the place, but he was a
+steady player and a heady one and it took him less than a fortnight to
+oust his rival from the position. Tom was a surprise both to himself and
+to Steve. Steve had never taken his chum very seriously as a football
+player, probably because Tom was not the spectacular sort, but he was
+forced to acknowledge now that the latter had beaten him at his own
+game!
+
+The members of the second didn't see the Benton game for the reason that
+"Boots" wouldn't consider it at all. What, waste an afternoon looking on
+when they might be holding practice? Not if he knew it! But the absence
+of some sixteen members of the second team didn't keep Brimfield from
+being well represented at that contest, for most every other fellow in
+school journeyed across to Hastings-on-Sound with the 'varsity and
+witnessed a very good, if in one way unsatisfactory, game. For Brimfield
+and Benton tussled with each other through four ten-minute periods
+without a score. Perhaps Benton had slightly the better of the argument,
+although not many Brimfieldians would acknowledge it. At least, it is
+true that Benton came nearer to scoring than her adversary when, on
+Brimfield's five-yard line, she lost possession of the ball by a fumble.
+On the other hand, Brimfield tried one field-goal from an impossible
+angle and missed.
+
+The next Monday, with several of the regulars out of the 'varsity
+line-up, the second won a 6 to 0 victory, and "Boots," choosing to
+ignore the 'varsity's weakness on that occasion, requested the second to
+observe what could be accomplished by making the most of their
+opportunities to practice! The fellows, quite as well pleased as their
+coach, although not taking to themselves so much credit as he accorded
+them, smiled, and said, "Yes, sir," very politely and winked amongst
+themselves. But they liked "Boots"; liked him for his enthusiasm and for
+the tireless energy he displayed in their behalf. If you can't make the
+'varsity it is at least something to be able to help develop it, and
+that is what the second was doing, very loyally and gladly. And when in
+the process of aiding in its development it was possible to beat it, the
+second shook hands with itself and was cock-o'-the-walk for days after!
+
+Steve, like most others on the second, had relinquished hope of getting
+on the 'varsity. A month ago he would have scornfully refused to
+consider anything less than a position on the first team, but Steve had
+had his eyes opened not a little. There _was_ a difference between the
+sort of football played by Brimfield and the kind played by the
+Tannersville High School team, and Steve now recognised the fact.
+Perhaps he secretly still thought himself deserving of a place on the
+'varsity--frankly, I think he did--but whereas a month ago he would not
+have hesitated to make the fact known, he had since learned that at
+Brimfield it was not considered good form to blow your own horn, as the
+saying is.
+
+But if he was disappointed at falling short of the final goal of his
+ambition, he was nevertheless having a very good time on the second.
+There was a lot of fine fellows there and the spirit of camaraderie was
+strong, and grew stronger as the season progressed. The second was
+perhaps almost as proud of their organisation as was the 'varsity of
+theirs, and when, the week after the Benton game, they once defeated and
+twice tied the other team, you might have thought they had vanquished
+Claflin, so haughty and stuck-up did they become!
+
+Steve played under a severe handicap that week, for once more he and
+"Uncle Sim" were at outs. With Mr. Daley's assistance and encouragement,
+and by a really earnest period of application on his own part, he had
+successfully weathered the previous storm and had even been taken into
+Mr. Simkins' good graces. But football is a severe taskmaster, if one
+allows it to become such, and what with a strong desire to distinguish
+himself on the second--animated to some extent by the wish to show Mr.
+Robey what he had missed for the 'varsity--and a commendable effort to
+profit by Marvin's teaching, he had soon begun to ease up on his Greek
+and Latin, which were for him the most difficult of his courses. And now
+"Uncle Sim" was down on him again, as Steve put it, and on the eve of
+the Cherry Valley contest he was in a fair way to have trouble with the
+Office. Mr. Simkins' patience, perhaps never very long, was about
+exhausted. He had reason on his side, however, for Steve was by no means
+the only student who was in difficulties at that time. On Friday morning
+Mr. Simkins had indulged in sarcasm.
+
+"Well, well," he said, leaning back in his chair and folding his hands,
+"I dare say it is too much to require you young gentlemen to study when
+it is such fine weather for football. What a pity it is that lessons and
+play conflict, is it not, Wilson?"
+
+Wilson was too canny to make audible reply, however, and the instructor
+proceeded blandly.
+
+"I wonder if Mr. Fernald would postpone recitations until after you
+have finished football for the year. I think I'll suggest it to him.
+For, really, you know, this sort of thing is only wasting my time; and
+yours too, young gentlemen, for you might be out kicking a
+leather-covered bag of wind around the ground instead of sitting here
+cudgelling your poor brains--eh? Let us say heads, rather. The evidence
+is too slight to warrant the use of the first word--cudgelling your
+heads, then, trying to 'fake' lessons you've never looked at. I
+sympathise with you deeply. I commiserate. I--I am almost moved to
+tears. My heart goes out to you, young gentlemen."
+
+Mr. Simkins looked so sad and woebegone that the older boys, who knew
+him well, trembled in their shoes. The room was very silent. With Mr.
+Simkins the storm was always in proportion to the calm, and the present
+calm was indeed portentous. The instructor fought for a moment with his
+emotions. Then he sighed.
+
+"Well, until we have permission to discard recitations, I presume we
+must go on with them, such as they are." His gaze roved sympathetically
+over the class, most of whom showed a strong desire to escape his
+attention. Finally, "Edwards," he said softly and, as it seemed to
+Steve, maliciously, "let us proceed with the dull and untimely lesson.
+Kindly translate the tiresome utterances of this ignorant man who
+preferred wisdom and eloquence to athletics and football, Edwards. You
+may begin where your--hm--brilliant predecessor regretfully left off.
+For the moment, pray, detach your thoughts from the verdant meadows and
+the sprightly football, Edwards. And--ah--don't, _please_ don't tell me
+that you are not prepared. Somehow that phrase afflicts my ears,
+Edwards, and were you to make use of it I should, I fear, be driven
+to--ah--strong measures. Now, Edwards, if you will be so kind."
+
+Well, Steve was _not_ prepared, as it happened, but he knew better than
+to say so, and, putting on an expression of confidence and pleasure as
+though Mr. Simkins had offered him the rarest of privileges, he plunged
+bravely into a paragraph of Cicero's Orations. But it was hard going and
+he was soon stumbling and hesitating, casting about desperately for
+words. A long, deep sigh travelled from the platform.
+
+"That will do, Edwards," said Mr. Simkins sorrowfully. "Your rendering
+is novel and interesting. It is, possibly, an improvement on the
+original matter, but the question very naturally arises, Edwards,
+whether we have the right to improve on Cicero. Of course he had his
+limitations, Edwards, and his faults, and yet"--Mr. Simkins shook his
+head slowly and thoughtfully--"on the whole, Edwards, I think perhaps we
+should accept him as we find him, viewing his faults with a leniency
+becoming great minds, tolerating much, Edwards, for the sake of
+the--ah--occasional golden kernel to be detected in his mass of chaff by
+such giant intellects as yours. You _do_ detect an occasional kernel of
+sense, Edwards?"
+
+Steve, miserably pretending a huge interest in the cover of his book,
+forebore to reply.
+
+"You don't?" Mr. Simkins seemed both pained and surprised. "But I assure
+you they are there, Edwards, few in number perchance, but really to be
+found. Perhaps--hm--perhaps it would be a pleasant, at all events a
+profitable, occupation for you to make an earnest search for them. If
+you will see me after class, Edwards, I shall esteem it a pleasure to
+indicate a few pages of chaff for you to winnow. Thank you. Pray be
+seated."
+
+That was why Steve was in anything but an enviable frame of mind that
+Friday evening. Mr. Simkins had pointed out exactly four pages of chaff
+for his winnowing, and the winnowing was to be done with pen and ink and
+the "occasional golden kernels" indicated by Steve on the margin of his
+paper. Steve was angry and depressed.
+
+"What's the use of trying to get along with him?" he demanded of Tom.
+"He has it in for me, and even if I had every lesson down pat he'd be
+after me all the time just the same. If it wasn't for--for the team I'd
+quit right now."
+
+"Don't be a chump," replied Tom good-naturedly. "You know yourself,
+Steve, you haven't been studying lately."
+
+"Well, where's a fellow to get time to study?" asked Steve. "Look at
+what I have to do this evening!"
+
+"You won't do it if you don't sit down and get started," said his chum
+soothingly. "You tackle the other stuff and then I'll help you with that
+Latin. I guess we can get through it together."
+
+"It'll take me an hour to do those six pages," grumbled Steve. "I wish
+Simkins would choke!"
+
+Steve got by on Saturday, with difficulty, but had a hard time of it
+when the instructor requested him to give his reasons for selecting
+certain passages of the immortal Cicero as being worthy of especial
+commendation. The rest of the class found it very amusing, but Steve
+failed to discern any humour in the proceedings. Fortunately, Mr.
+Simkins was merciful and Steve's martyrdom was of short duration. After
+that, for a few days at least, Steve's Latin was much better, if not the
+best.
+
+The game with Cherry Valley deserves only passing mention. Viewed
+beforehand as a severe test of the Brimfield team's defence, the contest
+proved a walkover for the Maroon-and-Grey, the final score standing 27
+to 6. Cherry Valley was weak in all departments of the game, and her
+single score, a touchdown made in the fourth period, was hammered out
+when all but two of the Brimfield players were first and second
+substitutes. Of Brimfield's tallies two were due to the skill of
+Hatherton Williams, who twice placed the pigskin over the bar for
+field-goals, once from the twenty-five yards and once from near the
+forty. The Brimfield backs showed up better than at any time in the
+season, and Norton and Kendall gained almost at will. There was still
+much to criticise and Mr. Robey was far from satisfied with the work of
+the eleven as a whole, but the school in general was vastly pleased.
+Coming a week after that disappointing 0 to 0 game with the military
+academy, the Cherry Hill game was decidedly encouraging.
+
+So far Erie Sawyer had treated both Steve and Tom with silent contempt
+whenever he encountered them, although his scowls told them that they
+were by no means forgiven. Naturally, since Eric was on the 'varsity and
+the two chums on the second, they saw each other practically every
+afternoon on the field or in the gymnasium. But it wasn't difficult to
+avoid a real meeting where so many others were about. Roy Draper
+pretended to think that Eric was only biding his time, waiting for an
+opportunity to murder the two in cold blood, and delighted to draw
+gruesome pictures of the ultimate fate of his friends.
+
+"I guess what he will really do," he said on the Sunday afternoon
+following the Cherry Valley game when he and Harry Westcott were in
+Number 12 Billings, "is to decoy you both over to the Sound some fine
+day and drown you."
+
+"Just how will he manage it?" asked Tom, who was tumbling everything in
+the room about in his search for a mislaid book.
+
+"He will probably tie heavy weights to your necks and drop you into a
+deep hole in the ocean," replied Roy promptly. "Then you will be eaten
+by sharks."
+
+"And what would we be doing all the time he was tying the weights to
+us?" asked Steve sarcastically.
+
+"Nothing, because he'd chloroform you first," returned Roy triumphantly,
+much pleased with his readiness. "You'd be insensible."
+
+"Meaning without sense," murmured Harry. "It wouldn't take much
+chloroform."
+
+"Huh! Don't you talk!" said Steve. "You'll never have brain-fever!"
+
+"Ha!" scoffed Harry. "Sarcasm, the refuge of small intellects!"
+
+"Come on," said Tom. "It's nearly three-thirty. Bother Sawyer, anyway.
+He's not troubling me any."
+
+"That's all right," replied Roy, as he got up from the window-seat, "but
+when you wake up some fine morning and find yourself bathed in your own
+life's blood you'll wish you'd listened to me."
+
+"I can't help listening to you. You talk all the time. Besides, I
+shouldn't call it a fine morning if I woke up dead. I--I'd think it was
+a very disagreeable day! Are you coming, Steve?"
+
+"I suppose so," replied Steve with a groan. "I wish practice was in
+Halifax, though. I'm tired to-day." He got up from his bed, on which he
+had been lying in defiance of the rules, and stretched himself with a
+yawn.
+
+"You'll be tireder when the first gets through with us," said Tom
+grimly. "Robey will sick all his subs on us to-day, I guess; and subs
+always think they have to kill you just to show how good they are."
+
+"If anyone tries any funny-business with me to-day he will get in
+trouble," growled Steve as he pulled his cap on and followed the others
+through the door. "I just hope someone will try it on!"
+
+Tom's prediction proved correct. The first-string men were given easy
+practice and faced the second for only ten minutes in scrimmage. Then
+they were trotted off to the gymnasium and the 'varsity substitutes took
+their places. Steve relieved Sherrard at right end in the second period
+and played so poorly that he received more than one "calling-down" by
+"Boots." His temper seemed to be in a very ragged condition to-day, and
+he and Lacey, who played at left tackle on the first, got into several
+rumpuses in which hands were used in a manner not countenanced by the
+rules of football. Finally, Steve was sent off to make way for a second
+substitute, who played the position so well during the few minutes that
+remained that Steve became even more disgruntled. When practice was over
+he joined Tom, Roy and Harry--the latter pair having watched proceedings
+from the stand--and made his way to the gymnasium in a very poor state
+of mind. Roy, who didn't believe in humouring folks, tried to twit Steve
+on his "scrapping" with Lacey, but Steve flared up on the instant and
+Roy was glad to change the subject. After that, Steve was gloomily
+silent until the gymnasium was reached.
+
+As chance had it, the first-string fellows had just completed dressing
+and begun to leave the building as the others arrived there, and Steve,
+leading the way through the big door, collided with a boy who was on his
+way out. There was really plenty of room for the two to pass each other,
+but Steve was not in a frame of mind to give way to anyone and the
+result was that the other chap received the full force of Steve's
+shoulder.
+
+"Who are you shoving?" demanded an angry voice.
+
+Steve turned and confronted Eric Sawyer. "Don't take all the room if you
+don't want to be shoved," answered Steve belligerently. Eric was
+accompanied by a younger fellow, who instantly withdrew to the safety of
+the further side of the hall. "You're too big, anyway," continued Steve.
+Tom and the others, at his heels in the open doorway, gasped and stared
+at Steve in amazement. Eric's countenance depicted a similar emotion for
+an instant, and I think he, too, gasped. Then he sprang forward and
+gave Steve a push that sent him staggering away from the door.
+
+"You fresh kid!" he growled. "You keep out of my way after this or
+you'll get hurt. I've stood about all of your nonsense I mean to!"
+
+Steve leaped back with clenched hands and flashing eyes, but Harry
+stepped between, while Tom and Roy caught hold of Steve.
+
+"That'll be about all, Sawyer," said Harry quietly. "You can't fight a
+fellow a head smaller than you, you know."
+
+"Don't you butt in," growled Eric. "I don't intend to fight him, but
+I'll give him a mighty good spanking if he bothers me any more. Come on,
+Whipple."
+
+Steve, struggling against the grasps and pleas of Tom and Roy, strove to
+get between Eric Sawyer and the door. "Spank me, will you?" he said
+angrily. "You let me be, you fellows! Take your hands off me! I'll show
+him he can't push me around!"
+
+"I won't push you the next time," laughed Eric contemptuously. "I'll
+turn you over my knee! You, too, you other freshie." He glared at Tom,
+but Tom was too busy with Steve to make reply. "You want to both of you
+keep away from me after this."
+
+And, with a final scowl, Eric went out, followed by his companion who
+ventured a weak and ingratiating smile as he passed. By that time the
+hall was half-full of curious spectators, and Steve, finding his enemy
+gone, allowed himself to be conducted to the stairway.
+
+"I'm not through with him yet," he declared. "I'll teach him to push me
+around like that!"
+
+"Oh, cut it!" said Roy disgustedly. "Don't be a silly ass, Steve. You
+began it yourself and you got what was coming to you. A nice fight you
+would put up against Sawyer!"
+
+"It's no affair of yours," replied Steve hotly. "No one asked you to
+butt in on it, anyway. You too, Tom! The next time you keep out of my
+affairs. Do you understand?"
+
+Tom said nothing, but Roy shrugged his shoulders as they entered the
+locker room. "If you want to make a fool of yourself, all right, Steve.
+I won't interfere again. Don't worry."
+
+"I'm no more of a fool than you are," responded Steve. "You fellows make
+me sick. Just because Sawyer's a little bigger, you let him kick you all
+over the shop."
+
+"He's never kicked me," drawled Harry. "But if he tried to I'd run. I
+may not be a hero, but I know what's what! Put your head under the cold
+water tap, Steve."
+
+Steve replied to that advice with a scowl, and Harry and Roy turned back
+to make their way upstairs again and across to Torrence.
+
+"He acted like a silly kid," said Roy crossly.
+
+"Yes, he was in a beast of a temper to-day, anyway. Wonder what's the
+matter with him. He's like a bear with a sore head. He had pluck to
+stand up to Sawyer, though. I'd have run."
+
+"So would he, probably, if he hadn't been so mad," chuckled Roy. "You
+can be awfully brave if you get mad enough!" Then he added more
+seriously: "Sawyer will get him some day surely, after this."
+
+"Oh, Sawyer isn't as bad as he's painted, I guess," replied Harry. "The
+trouble with Steve is that he's pig-headed or something."
+
+"He fancies himself a bit," said Roy. "He will get over it after he's
+been here longer. You can't help liking him, though, and I'll be sorry
+if he gets out."
+
+"Why should he get out?" asked Harry in surprise.
+
+Roy shrugged. "Maybe he won't, but he will if he doesn't get a hunch
+and buckle down to study. 'Uncle Sim' has got it in for him hard. Some
+fine day Steve will get an invitation to the Cottage, Josh will tell him
+a few things, Steve will get lumpy and--good-night! You see if it
+doesn't turn out that way."
+
+"Why the dickens doesn't he study, then?" grumbled Harry. "He's got
+brains enough."
+
+"Oh, sure, he's got the brains," answered Roy as he held open the door
+at Torrence, "but he hasn't discovered yet that there's someone else to
+think of besides Steve. If he doesn't want to do a thing he
+won't--unless he's made to. Look at the way he played to-day! Just
+because he felt lumpy he didn't think it was worth while to do anything
+but scrap with that other chap. Folks won't stand for that very long and
+some day Steve will wake up with a bang!"
+
+"You going over to swim?" asked Harry when they had reached their room.
+
+Roy shook his head gently. "Not this afternoon, I think, thanking you
+just the same. I'd be afraid Steve would pull me under water and drown
+me!" Roy chuckled as he seated himself and, thrusting his hands in his
+trousers pockets, surveyed his shoes smilingly. "Poor old Steve! He's in
+for a heap of trouble, I guess, before he gets ready to settle down as
+a useful member of our charming little community."
+
+"Seems to me," said Harry, "about the best thing you do to-day is
+predict trouble for folks. You're as bad as What's-his-name's raven; you
+croak."
+
+"The gentleman's name was Poe," returned Roy sweetly. "But perhaps
+you've never studied American literature."
+
+"I thought Poe was a football hero at Princeton or somewhere," laughed
+Harry. "What did he ever do for American literature?"
+
+"American history was more in his line," replied Roy. "Football history.
+Find your ball and let's go down and pass. I won't croak a single,
+solitary croak, old thing."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI
+
+MR. DALEY IS OUT
+
+
+The reason for Steve's ill-temper was the receipt that morning of a
+letter from his father. Mr. Edwards wrote that he had just been informed
+by the principal that Steve's work was far from satisfactory. "He tells
+me," wrote Mr. Edwards, "that your general attitude toward your studies
+is careless and that in Latin especially you are not keeping up with
+your class. Now I can't be worried by this sort of thing. I give you
+fair warning that if you don't mend your ways you'll be taken out of
+school and put to work here in the office, and there won't be any more
+talk about college. If Mr. Fernald had said you were not able to do the
+work, that would be another thing, but he distinctly accuses you of not
+trying and not caring. I suppose the whole amount of the matter is that
+you're paying too much attention to football. If I get another complaint
+about you this year I shall write Mr. Fernald to forbid you to play
+football or any other game until you show that you mean business. If
+that doesn't bring you around I shall take you out of school. Fair
+warning, Steve."
+
+Steve knew his father well enough to be certain that he would do just as
+he threatened, and the future looked particularly dark to him that day.
+Of course, if he had plenty of time he could master his Latin--and his
+Greek, which was troubling him less but was by no means a favourite
+course--as well as any other study, he told himself. But there was so
+much to be done! And try as he might, he could never seem to find time
+enough for study. If he gave up football it would, perhaps, be easy
+enough, but, he asked himself bitterly, what was the good of going to
+school and doing nothing but study? What was the good of knowing how to
+play football if he wasn't to have a chance to use his knowledge? It was
+all the fault of the faculty. It tried to get too much work out of the
+fellows in too short a time. But these reflections didn't help his case
+any. It was up to him to make good with Latin. Otherwise his father
+would write to Josh, as he threatened, and there'd be no more football.
+If he could get through the next month, by which time the football
+season would be at an end, it would be all right. After that he could
+give more time to lessons. He might, too, he told himself, give up those
+swimming lessons. But they came at an hour when it was terribly hard to
+get a fellow's mind down to study. And, besides, he enjoyed those
+lessons. The only thing to do was to stay at home in the evenings and
+keep his nose in his books. Tom didn't have much trouble, he reflected,
+and why should he? Sometimes he got thoroughly angry with Tom for the
+ease with which that youth mastered lessons!
+
+To make matters worse, just at that time, there was due the last of the
+week an original composition in French, designed by Mr. Daley as a test
+for the class. French did not bother Steve much, although this was
+partly due to the fact that Mr. Daley had been very lenient with him,
+knowing that he was having trouble in the classical courses. But writing
+an original composition in French was a feat that filled Steve with
+dismay. What the dickens was he to write about? Mr. Daley had announced
+that the composition must contain not less than twelve hundred words.
+That approximated six pages in a blue-book. Steve sighed, frowned, shook
+his head and finally shrugged his shoulders. After all, there was no use
+worrying about that yet. There still remained three days for the
+composition, and the most important thing now was to make a showing in
+Latin. French could wait. If he didn't find time for the
+composition--well, Mr. Daley was easy! He'd get by somehow!
+
+So Steve pegged away hard at his Latin for several days and made a very
+good showing, and Mr. Simkins, who had been contemplating harsh
+measures, took heart and hoped that further reports to the principal
+would be unnecessary. But what with Latin and Greek and mathematics and
+history and English, that French composition was still unwritten when
+Thursday evening arrived. It had been a hard day on the gridiron and
+Steve was pretty well fagged out when study hour came. He had told
+himself for several days that at the last moment he would buckle down
+and do that composition, but to-night, with a hard lesson in geometry
+staring him in the face, the thing looked impossible. Across the study
+table, Tom was diligently digging into Greek, his French composition
+already finished and ready to be handed in on the morrow. Steve looked
+over at him enviously and sighed. He hadn't an idea in his head for that
+composition! After a while, when he had spoiled two good sheets of paper
+with meaningless scrawls, he pushed back his chair. There was just one
+course open. He would go down and tell Mr. Daley that he couldn't do it!
+After all, "Horace" was a pretty reasonable sort of chap and would
+probably give him another day or two. In any case, it was impossible to
+do the thing to-night. He glanced at his watch and found that the time
+was ten minutes to eight. Tom looked up inquiringly as Steve's chair
+went back.
+
+"I'm going down to see 'Horace,'" said Steve. "I can't do that French
+composition, and I'm going to tell him so. If he doesn't like it, he may
+do the other thing."
+
+Tom made no reply, but he watched his chum thoughtfully until the door
+had closed behind him. Then he dug frowningly for a moment with the nib
+of a pen in the blotter and finally shook his head and went back to his
+book.
+
+When Steve was half-way between the stairwell and Mr. Daley's door, the
+latter opened and Eric Sawyer came out. Steve was in no mood to-night to
+pick a quarrel and he passed the older fellow with averted eyes, dimly
+aware of the scowl that greeted him. When he knocked at the instructor's
+door there was no reply and, after a moment, Steve turned the knob and
+entered. At the outer door Eric had paused and looked back.
+
+Mr. Daley's study was lighted but empty. Satisfying himself on the
+latter point, Steve turned to go out. Then, reflecting that, since the
+instructor had left the lights on, he was probably coming right back, he
+decided to await him. He seated himself in a chair near the big
+green-topped table. Almost under his hand lay a blue-book, and in idle
+curiosity Steve leaned forward and looked at it. On the white label in
+the upper left-hand corner he read: "French IV. Carl W. Upton. Original
+composition." Steve viewed that blue-book frowningly, envying Upton
+deeply. Upton, whom he knew by sight, was the sort of fellow who always
+had his lessons and who was forever being held up by the instructor to
+the rest of the course as a shining example of diligence. He roomed on
+the floor above Steve. It was, Steve reflected, just like Upton to get
+his composition done and hand it in in advance of the others. He
+wondered what sort of stuff Upton had written, and lifted the blue-book
+from the table.
+
+"En Revanche!" he read as he turned to the first page. His lip curled.
+That was a silly title. He dipped into the story. It was something about
+a French soldier accused of cowardice by an officer. Steve, puzzling
+through the first page, grudgingly acknowledged that Upton had written
+pretty good stuff. But his interest soon waned, for some of the words
+were beyond him, and he idly tossed the book back on the table. He
+wished, though, that that was his composition and not Upton's. He
+wondered if Mr. Daley had seen it. Somehow the position of the book, in
+the geometrical centre of the big writing-pad, suggested that Upton had
+found the instructor out and had left the book. If he had that book
+upstairs it wouldn't be hard to copy the composition out in his own
+hand-writing. It would be a whole lot like stealing, but----
+
+Steve looked fascinatedly at the book for a minute. Then his hand went
+out and he was once more turning the pages of neat, close writing. Of
+course, he wouldn't really do a thing like that, but--well, it would
+solve a mighty big problem! And what a hole that self-sufficient Upton
+would be in! He couldn't prove that he had left the book in Mr. Daley's
+study, at least not unless the instructor had seen it there; and somehow
+Steve was pretty sure he hadn't. Of course a decent chap wouldn't do a
+trick like that, only--well, it would certainly be easy enough!
+
+Upstairs, Tom was still deep in his Greek, but he looked up as Steve
+came in. "Find him?" he asked.
+
+Steve shook his head. "No, he was out. I--I'll go down again." Instead
+of reseating himself at the table, he fidgetted aimlessly about the
+room, looked out the window, sat down on the seat, got up again, went to
+the closet, returned to the table and stood looking down on Tom with a
+frown. Tom closed his book with a sigh of relief and met his chum's
+gaze.
+
+"Going to tackle that composition now?" he asked encouragingly.
+
+"I guess so," answered Steve carelessly. "Are you through?"
+
+"Yes. I think I'll run over to Harry's a minute. I suppose you won't
+come."
+
+"Not likely, with this pesky thing to do." Steve sank into his chair,
+picked up a pencil and drummed irritably on the table. "Maybe, though,"
+he went on after a moment, "I'll get up early and do it. I don't feel
+much like it to-night."
+
+"Just the same," returned Tom as he picked up his cap, "I'd do it
+to-night if I were you and get it over with."
+
+"Oh, if you were me you'd had it done a week ago Tuesday," replied Steve
+with vast sarcasm. "I guess I'll go along."
+
+"How about your math?" asked Tom doubtfully.
+
+Steve shrugged. "I'll get by," he answered. "Anyway, I don't intend to
+stay cooped up here all the evening. I'll have a go at it when I get
+back, maybe."
+
+"We-ell." Tom looked as though he wanted to advise against that course,
+but he didn't. Instead, "Do you mind waiting for me a minute?" he asked.
+"I want to run down and ask Mr. Daley about something, if he's back. Do
+you want to see him if he's there? I'll whistle up to you if you like."
+
+Steve shook his head indifferently. "I'll see him when we come back," he
+answered. "Hurry up."
+
+Tom was back in two or three minutes. "Still out," he announced as he
+put back on the table the French book he had taken with him. "He's
+getting a bit dissipated, I'm afraid, staying out after eight!"
+
+"There's a faculty meeting to-night, I think," responded Steve. "Are you
+ready?"
+
+He found his cap and followed Tom. In the corridor the latter glanced
+back. "Better turn out the light," he said. "They've been after the
+fellows lately about leaving it burning."
+
+Grumblingly Steve stepped back and snapped the switch. "Who's monitor
+here, anyhow?" he asked.
+
+"Upton," answered Tom. "And they say he's right on his job, too."
+
+"He would be," growled the other. "He's a regular teacher's pet." As
+they went down the stairs Steve said: "I came across Eric Sawyer in the
+hall when I went down to find 'Horace'."
+
+"Really?" asked Tom. "Did he--say anything?"
+
+"No. I didn't want any trouble with him to-night and so I made believe I
+didn't see him."
+
+"That's the stuff," Tom approved. "I guess if we leave him alone he
+won't bother us."
+
+"I'm likely to bother him before I get through with him," replied Steve
+darkly as they left the building. "He can't shove me around as he did
+and get away with it!"
+
+"Oh, come, Steve!" expostulated Tom patiently. "You know very well you
+shoved him first. What's the use of being sore about that?"
+
+"He bumped into me," denied Steve. "I didn't shove."
+
+"Well, you gave a mighty good imitation of it," replied Tom drily.
+"Seems to me it was about an even thing, and I'd forget it, Steve."
+
+"Maybe you would," muttered Steve, "but I don't intend to."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVII
+
+THE BLUE-BOOK
+
+
+It was almost half-past nine when they got back to the room. An hour in
+the society of Roy and Harry had done wonders for Steve's spirits, and
+on the way upstairs he cheerfully announced that he intended to tackle
+that geometry before he went to bed. As Tom switched the light on,
+Steve's glance encountered a piece of paper on the floor. It had
+evidently been slipped in under the door.
+
+"Who's this from?" he muttered as he bore it to the table. "Someone was
+too lazy to open the door and come in."
+
+"What is it?" asked Tom, bending over Steve's shoulder.
+
+"It's from that idiot Durkin," chuckled the latter. "'Got just what you
+fellows need. Shoe-blacking stand, two brushes, all complete. Cheap.
+Come and see it. P. Durkin.'"
+
+"A shoe-blacking stand!" laughed Tom. "Say, he must have seen your
+shoes, Steve."
+
+"Must have seen yours, you mean!" Steve crumpled the note up and dropped
+it in the basket under the table. "I guess we don't want any more of
+Mr. Durkin's bargains."
+
+"Still, this 'Morris' chair turned out pretty well," said Tom, settling
+himself in it with a book. "And perhaps if we had that thing you'd keep
+your shoes looking better."
+
+"Well, there's one thing about my shoes," returned Steve good-naturedly,
+"and that is the heels are blacked. Which is more than you can say of
+yours, my smart young friend."
+
+Tom was about to deny the imputation when footsteps sounded in the
+corridor and there came a knock on the door.
+
+"Come in," said Tom very politely. That step could only be Mr. Daley's,
+he thought. And when the door opened he found his surmise correct. Mr.
+Daley looked more nervous and embarrassed than usual as he entered.
+
+"Good-evening, boys," he said. "I--er--I wonder if I might speak to you
+just a moment, Edwards."
+
+"Certainly, sir."
+
+"I'll get out, Mr. Daley," said Tom, rising.
+
+"Er--well, if you don't mind, Hall; just for a minute. Thank you so
+much."
+
+Tom went out, closing the door behind him, and Mr. Daley cleared his
+throat.
+
+"Will you sit down, sir?" asked Steve.
+
+"Er--thanks, yes, just for a minute. I--er--I believe you called this
+evening when I was out, Edwards."
+
+"Yes, sir, about eight."
+
+"Yes, yes. Sorry I was not in. I wonder if--if you happened to see a
+blue-book on my table when you were there, Edwards."
+
+"Yes, sir, there was one there," replied Steve after an instant's
+hesitation.
+
+"Ah, then Upton was not mistaken. He says he left one. Unfortunately, I
+am not able to find it, Edwards. You--er--you don't happen to know where
+it is, Edwards?"
+
+"I, sir!" Steve's tone was incredulous. "Why, no, Mr. Daley. It was on
+the table when I left, and----"
+
+"Er--just a moment!" Mr. Daley held up a hand, smiling nervously. "I
+don't mean to suggest that you carried the book off intentionally,
+Edwards, but it occurred to me that possibly you might have--er--taken
+it up by mistake, absentmindedly, so to say, and--er--brought it up here
+with you."
+
+"No, sir, I didn't." Steve looked at the instructor questioningly. "I
+don't see why you'd imagine that, sir, either."
+
+"Er--well, I knew--that is, someone told me that you were in my room,
+Edwards, and I thought--that possibly--quite by accident--you
+had--er----"
+
+"I was in your room, Mr. Daley, and I waited two or three minutes for
+you; maybe longer; and the blue-book was on the table when I went in and
+it was there when I came out."
+
+"You--you had a blue-book in your hand, however, did you not, when
+you--er--left?"
+
+"A blue-book? No, sir."
+
+"Oh! That is strange, Edwards. You are certain you didn't take down a
+blue-book of your own and bring it back again?"
+
+"Absolutely sure, sir."
+
+"But--er--someone saw you leave my room, Edwards, with a blue-book in
+your hand."
+
+Steve flushed and his voice held an angry tremor as he answered:
+"Someone was mistaken, Mr. Daley, whoever he was. Seems to me, sir, if
+the book is missing, you'd better ask that 'someone' about it."
+
+"Um; yes; maybe." Mr. Daley blinked embarrassedly. "I--er--I thought
+that perhaps you had brought down your French composition and had
+possibly, in leaving, taken up Upton's book with your own by mistake.
+You--er--you're quite sure that didn't happen, Edwards?"
+
+"I'm positive, because I haven't done my composition, sir."
+
+"Haven't done it?"
+
+"No, sir," replied Steve a trifle defiantly.
+
+"But--er--it's pretty late, and you know they are to be handed in
+to-morrow, Edwards. You are having trouble with it?"
+
+"I--I haven't started it yet. I--I just can't do it, Mr. Daley. I never
+could do original things like that. That's why I went down to see you. I
+wanted to ask if you'd let me have a couple more days for it. You see,
+sir, I've been having a pretty hard time with Latin, and--and there
+hasn't been any time for the composition, sir."
+
+"I see." Mr. Daley viewed Steve dubiously. "I'm sorry, Edwards. I'm
+afraid you are not--er--trying very hard to accomplish your work these
+days."
+
+"I am trying, sir, but--but the Latin--" Steve hesitated. "Mr. Simkins
+is awfully hard on me, Mr. Daley, and----"
+
+"And I am not?" Mr. Daley smiled sadly. "And so you thought you'd trust
+to my--er--good-nature, eh? Really, Edwards, you are asking a good deal,
+you know. You've had nearly ten days for that composition; a scant
+twelve hundred words on any subject you liked; and it seems to me that
+if you had really wanted to do it you could have found the time. I don't
+want to be hard on you, but--er--I'm afraid I shall have to insist on
+your handing in that composition not later than to-morrow noon. I have
+been very lenient with you, Edwards, very. You--er--you must see that
+yourself. But--er--this sort of thing can't go on all the term. You
+really must get down to work."
+
+"If I could have another day for it," begged Steve, "I could get it
+done, sir."
+
+"You have had ten days already; to be exact, nine and a half, Edwards. I
+don't think I should make any exception in your case. I'm sorry."
+
+Steve stared at his shoes, a somewhat mutinous expression on his face.
+After a moment, "It isn't fair to say I'm not trying," he broke out. "I
+_am_ trying, but things are too hard here. They ask too much work of a
+fellow. Why, if I was to get B's in all my courses I'd have to study
+eight hours a day! A fellow wants to do something beside stick in his
+room and grind, Mr. Daley. He wants to get out and--and play sometimes.
+If you're on the football team you don't have any time in the
+afternoons and then, when evening comes, you're tired and sleepy."
+
+"But you have time between recitations in the morning, Edwards, to do
+some studying, do you not? Other boys manage to both work and play. Why
+can't you? Look at your room-mate. I believe that he is--er--on one of
+the football teams. He seems to get his lessons fairly well. I presume
+that he has written his composition?"
+
+"Yes, sir."
+
+"Of course. It is probably here somewhere." Mr. Daley's eyes inspected
+the pile of books at his elbow, and the corner of a blue-book met his
+gaze. "This is doubtless it." He drew it forth. "It doesn't look such a
+herculean task, Edwards. Here are seven pages, rather more than
+required, I'd say, and----"
+
+Mr. Daley ceased abruptly, and, after a moment, Steve, who had been
+gloomily regarding the floor, looked across. The instructor was
+observing him strangely.
+
+"Do you know whose book this is, Edwards?" he asked.
+
+"I suppose it's Tom's. It isn't mine," he added moodily.
+
+"It is Carl Upton's."
+
+"Carl----" Steve stared bewilderedly.
+
+"It seems that you must have--er--taken it after all, Edwards."
+
+"But I didn't, sir! Tom will tell you that----"
+
+He faltered, and a puzzled look came into his eyes as he regarded the
+book in the instructor's hand.
+
+"Well, really, Edwards,"--Mr. Daley spoke lightly, but his countenance
+was grave--"you mustn't expect me to put it down to a miracle. If you
+didn't put the book here on your table, who did? Unless Hall knows
+something about it? Was he in my study this evening?"
+
+There was a bare instant of hesitation. Then, "No, sir," replied Steve
+steadily.
+
+"Er--you are sure? He might have called on me when you were out."
+
+"We were together all the evening, Mr. Daley."
+
+"Then----" The instructor cleared his throat nervously.
+
+"I guess--I guess it's up to me, sir," said Steve.
+
+Mr. Daley sighed. "I think it must be." There was silence for a moment.
+Then, "Why?" asked Mr. Daley gently.
+
+"I don't know, sir."
+
+"You couldn't have thought of--er--making unfair use of it?"
+
+"I----" Steve hesitated again. Finally, "Perhaps I did for a moment.
+But--I shouldn't have, sir," he added earnestly.
+
+"I hope not, Edwards. But--why did you take it? You--er--must have known
+that it would--er--be missed."
+
+"I"--Steve seemed to be searching for an answer--"I just took it to--to
+get even with Upton."
+
+"To get even with him? He has--er--done something, then, to--er--annoy
+you?"
+
+"Yes, sir. That is, well--I don't like him."
+
+Mr. Daley observed Steve dubiously. At last, "I wish I could believe
+that explanation, Edwards," he said. "As inexcusable as such--er--such
+an action would be, it would still be preferable to--to what I am forced
+to suspect. But the whole thing is beyond me." The instructor spread his
+hands in a gesture of despair. "I can't understand it, Edwards." After a
+minute, "It must have been an accident," continued Mr. Daley almost
+pleadingly. "You--er--you perhaps mistook the book for your own----"
+
+"I didn't have any," muttered Steve.
+
+"Well." Mr. Daley cleared his throat. "I--I must think it over. I--I
+scarcely know what to say, Edwards. I'm sorry, very sorry." He arose
+and moved to the door. "Come and see me to-morrow noon, please.
+We--er--must talk this over again. Good-night, Edwards."
+
+"Good-night, sir." Steve stood up until the door had closed and then
+sank back into his chair again, a very miserable look on his face.
+
+"What a crazy place to hide it!" he murmured.
+
+The door opened and Tom came in, Tom with an expression half troubled
+and half humorous. "What's up?" he asked in a low voice.
+
+"Oh, nothing," replied Steve carelessly, avoiding Tom's eyes. "He jumped
+me because I hadn't done my comp. Says I must turn it in by noon
+to-morrow."
+
+"Is that all?" Tom heaved a sigh of relief. "When he asked me to get out
+I thought it was something pretty serious."
+
+"Isn't that old composition serious enough?" asked Steve with a laugh
+that didn't sound quite true.
+
+"Yes, I suppose so. Look here, Steve, if you'll tackle it now, I'll help
+you all I can with it. It won't take long. What time is it?"
+
+"Have you done yours?" asked Steve.
+
+"Yes," replied the other unenthusiastically. "It's done, but--but I
+guess it's pretty rotten. If I get a C on it I'll be doing well. I
+thought maybe I'd go over it again, but--I guess it'll have to do."
+
+"Where is it?"
+
+"Here somewhere." Tom searched at the far end of the table and drew a
+blue-book to light. "Want to see it?"
+
+Steve took it and glanced over it, a puzzled frown on his forehead.
+
+"What's the matter?" asked Tom. "Don't you like it? I guess it is pretty
+punk, though."
+
+"It's all right, as far as I know," answered Steve, returning the book.
+"Only--I don't understand----"
+
+"Don't understand what? Say, you're as mysterious as--as--Sherlock
+Holmes!"
+
+"Nothing. By the way, a funny thing happened." Steve wandered toward the
+window, his back to Tom, "When I went down to find 'Horace' I picked up
+a blue-book that was on his table and brought it up here. It was
+Upton's. I--I hadn't any recollection of doing it, but he found it lying
+on the table. Of course I felt like a fool."
+
+"Oh," said Tom after a moment. "That--that was funny. I didn't see you
+bring it in with you." There was a note of constraint in his voice that
+did not escape Steve.
+
+"I don't remember bringing it in," he replied. "I saw it on the table
+down there and--and looked at it, had it in my hand, but I don't
+remember bringing it up."
+
+"Funny," said Tom lightly. "Did--did he say anything?"
+
+"Oh, no. Of course I denied it at first, said I couldn't have taken it,
+but he said I must have, unless--unless you had. He asked if you were in
+his room and I said no."
+
+"But I was!" exclaimed Tom. "Don't you remember? I went down just before
+we went out. But there wasn't any blue-book on his table then. At least,
+I didn't see any."
+
+"Well, it doesn't matter. I told him you hadn't been there. I--I'd let
+him think so, anyway. There's no use having any more bother about the
+old thing."
+
+"Well, but--you're sure he wasn't waxy? Of course I didn't take the
+book; you can prove that I didn't have it when I came back; but if he's
+acting ugly about it, why--I'll tell him I was in there too. He can lay
+it on me if he wants to. I--I think I'll tell him, Steve."
+
+"You keep out of it," answered Steve roughly. "What's the use of having
+any more talk about it? He's got the book and there's no harm done."
+
+Tom considered a moment. Then, "You're certain?" he asked.
+
+"Certain of what?"
+
+"That--that it's all right, that he doesn't blame you for it."
+
+"Oh, he knows I did it, but he doesn't mind. What time is it?"
+
+"A quarter past ten. What are you doing?"
+
+Steve was ripping his bed to pieces. "I want a couple of blankets," he
+said. "Haven't we some thumb-tacks somewhere?"
+
+"Table drawer," replied Tom. "What's the game?"
+
+"I'm going to do that rotten composition." Steve climbed to a chair, and
+with the aid of push-pins draped one of the blankets over the door and
+transom. Then he pulled the window-shade close and hung the second
+blanket inside the casement. "There! Now if anyone sees a light in this
+room they'll have to have mighty good eyes. You tumble into bed, Tom,
+and try to imagine it's dark."
+
+"Bed? Who wants to go to bed?" asked Tom, smothering a yawn. "I'm going
+to help you with it."
+
+"No, you're not," replied Steve doggedly. "I'm going to do it and I'm
+going to do it all myself if it takes me until daylight. Now shut up."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVIII
+
+B PLUS AND D MINUS
+
+
+At half-past ten the next morning Mr. Daley hurried into the class-room
+where French IV was already assembled, stumbled over the edge of the
+platform--the boys would have gasped with amazement had he neglected to
+do that--and took his seat. On one corner of the table in front of him
+was a pile of blue-books. He drew it toward him and ran a hand along the
+edges of the books.
+
+"Has everyone handed in his composition?" he asked.
+
+There was no reply and he seemed surprised. "I--er--I am to understand,
+then, that you have all turned your books in?"
+
+Still no dissenting voice. Mr. Daley's gaze travelled over the class
+until it encountered Steve at the rear of the room. He opened his mouth,
+hesitated, closed it again, cleared his throat and finally pushed the
+pile of books aside.
+
+"Very well," he said. "I shall mark these this evening. You
+will--er--kindly get them to-morrow. Now then, 'Le Siege de Paris'; we
+left off where, Upton?"
+
+At a few minutes past twelve Steve knocked at Mr. Daley's door, and,
+obeying the invitation, entered. The instructor was seated at his desk,
+a litter of blue-books in front of him and a pipe in his mouth. The
+latter he laid aside as the boy appeared.
+
+"You said you wanted to see me, sir," said Steve.
+
+"Er--yes, Edwards. Sit down, please." The instructor took up his pipe
+again, hurriedly put it aside, seized a pencil and jotted nervously on
+the back of a book. Finally,
+
+"I--er--find your composition here," he said. "When did you write it?"
+
+"Between half-past ten last night and two o'clock this morning."
+
+"Hm!" Mr. Daley swung around in his chair, viewed the oblong of
+landscape framed by the window for a moment and swung back again. There
+was a faint smile about his eyes. "Edwards, you--er--are a bit
+disconcerting. I presume you know that the rules require you to be in
+bed with lights out at ten-thirty?"
+
+"Yes, sir."
+
+"Hm! And you--er--deliberately transgressed that rule?"
+
+"I didn't see anything else to do, Mr. Daley. You said I must turn that
+in by noon and there wouldn't have been time this morning to do it."
+
+"Logically reasoned, my boy, but----" The instructor shook his head.
+"You mustn't expect me to compliment you on your performance, Edwards.
+To perform one duty by neglecting another is hardly--er--commendable. If
+it were not that you had transgressed a rule of the school, Edwards, I
+might compliment you quite highly. Your composition--I--er--I've been
+glancing through it--is really very good. I don't mean that you have not
+made mistakes of grammar, for you have, lots of them, but--er--you have
+written a well-constructed and--er--well-expressed narrative. What
+I--er--especially like about it is the subject. You have written of
+something you know about, something close at home, so to say. I--er--I
+am not much of a swimmer myself, but I presume that the instructions you
+have laid down here are--er--quite correct. In fact, Edwards, I'll even
+go so far as to say that I fancy one might take this composition of
+yours and--er--really learn something about swimming. And--er--if you
+have ever tried to learn anything of the sort--golf, rowing,
+tennis--from a hand-book you will realise that that is high praise."
+
+"Yes, sir. Thank you."
+
+"I had decided to mark your composition with a B, Edwards. Perhaps the
+many mistakes in grammar would ordinarily indicate a C, perhaps even a C
+minus, but the--er--other merits of the exercise are so pronounced that,
+on the whole, I think it deserves a B."
+
+"Thank you, sir."
+
+"Er--just a moment." The instructor held up a hand. "I said that I had
+decided to give you a B, Edwards. That, however, was before I had
+learned when this was written. I shall now give it a D minus.
+You--er--you understand why, Edwards?"
+
+"Yes, sir."
+
+"I'm sorry, but I--er--must take into consideration the facts in the
+case. And those facts are that you neglected your work until the last
+moment and then disobeyed one of the well-known rules of the school in
+order to perform it. There is one other thing I might do. I might credit
+you with a B on your exercise and report you to the Office for
+disobeying the rules. But--er--I think, on the whole, that the first
+method is the more satisfactory. You understand, of course, that
+anything under a C in this test is equivalent to failure?"
+
+"Yes, sir."
+
+"Hm; exactly. Therefore, Edwards, you will be required to make up nearly
+a month's work in French. I shall have to ask you to prove to me that
+you are in line with the rest of the class. But you will have a full
+week to do this and I--er--I suspect that you will not find it very
+difficult." Mr. Daley took up a blue pencil and marked a large "D-" on
+the corner of the blue-book. "You might as well take this now, Edwards.
+Bring me another composition not later than a week from to-day, please."
+The instructor fluttered the leaves of a memorandum-pad and made a note
+opposite a future date. "I have not corrected it, but, as you have it to
+do over, that is not necessary."
+
+Mr. Daley leaned back in his chair and gazed for a minute at the table.
+Then,
+
+"There is one other thing, Edwards," he said hesitantly. "About last
+night, you know; the--er--the misappropriation of Upton's blue-book.
+Have you--er--thought that over?"
+
+"I suppose so, sir."
+
+"Hm! I should like to ask you one question and receive an absolutely
+truthful reply, Edwards."
+
+"Yes, sir."
+
+"When you took that book to your room did you intend to--er--make a
+wrong use of it?"
+
+"No, sir. I saw the book on your table, Mr. Daley, and--and it did occur
+to me that it would be easy to copy it out in my own writing and--and
+turn it in as my work, sir. I read a little of it and put it back on the
+table. But I don't at all remember seeing it again after that, sir, and
+that's the truth. I haven't the slightest recollection of having it in
+my hand when I left this room or of putting it on the table upstairs.
+And--and I'd like you to believe me, sir."
+
+"I want to, Edwards, I want to," replied Mr. Daley eagerly.
+"And--er--to-day your story sounds much more plausible. I can imagine
+that, with the thought of your own composition in mind and doubtless
+worrying you, you might easily have--er--absentmindedly picked that book
+from the table here when you went out and taken it to your room without
+being conscious of the act. I believe that to be quite possible,
+Edwards, and I am going to think it happened just that way. I have never
+observed any signs of--er--dishonesty in you, my boy, and I don't think
+you are a liar. We will consider that matter closed and we will both
+forget all about it."
+
+"Thank you, sir," replied Steve gratefully.
+
+"But, Edwards, this seems to me a good time to tell you that--er--that
+your attitude toward--er--your work and toward those in authority has
+not been satisfactory. You have--er--impressed me as a boy with, to use
+a vulgar expression, a grouch. Now, get that out of your system,
+Edwards. No one is trying to impose on you. Your work is no harder than
+the next fellow's. What you lack is, I presume, application. I--er--I
+don't deny that possibly you are pressed for time when it comes to
+studying, but that is your fault. Your football work is exacting, for
+one thing, although there are plenty of fellows--I could name twenty or
+thirty with whom I come in contact--who manage to play football and
+maintain an excellent class standing at the same time. So, Edwards, the
+fault lies somewhere with you, _in_ you, doubtless. Now, what do you
+think it is?"
+
+"I don't know, Mr. Daley." Steve shook his head hopelessly. "I want to
+do what's right, sir, but--but somehow I can't seem to."
+
+"When you study do you put your mind on it, or do you find yourself
+thinking of other things, football, for instance?"
+
+"I guess I think of other things a good deal," replied Steve.
+
+"Football?"
+
+"I guess so; football and--and swimming and--lots of things, sir."
+
+"There's a time for football and a time for study, Edwards. You will
+have to first of all--er--leave football behind you when you come off
+the field. Swimming, the same way. It won't work. I've seen it tried too
+often, Edwards. You--er--you wouldn't want to have to give up football,
+I suppose?"
+
+"No, sir!" Steve looked up in alarm.
+
+"But it might come to that, my boy. You're here to learn, you know, and
+we would not be treating your parents fairly--or you either--if we
+allowed you to waste your time. Football is an excellent sport; one of
+the best, I think; but it's only a sport, not a--er--profession, you
+know. All the knowledge of football in the world isn't going to help you
+when you leave here and try to enter college. By the way, I presume you
+intend to go to college, Edwards?"
+
+"Yes, sir."
+
+"Then keep that in mind. Remember that you're getting yourself ready for
+it. Perhaps that will make your work seem better worth doing. How are
+you getting on with your Latin?"
+
+"Very well, sir, just now."
+
+"Better see that 'just now' becomes 'all the time,' Edwards. Why, look
+here! You can do the work set you and play football or baseball or
+anything else if you'll make up your mind to it. You're a bright, normal
+fellow, with the average amount of brains. Systematise, Edwards! Arrange
+your day right. Mark down so many hours for recitations, so many hours
+for study, so many hours for play, and stick to your schedule. You'll
+find after awhile that it comes easy. You'll find that you--er--you'll
+miss studying when anything keeps you from it. When you go out of here I
+want you to do that very thing, my boy. I want you to go right up to
+your room, take a sheet of paper and make out a daily schedule. And when
+you've got it done put it somewhere where you'll see it. And stick to
+it! Will you?"
+
+"Yes, sir; that is, I--I'll do my best."
+
+"Good!" Mr. Daley held out a hand, smiling. "Shake hands on it, Edwards.
+You may not believe it, but half of--er--doing a thing consists of
+making up your mind to it! Well, that's all, I think. Er--you'd better
+look me up this evening and we'll settle about that French. Good-bye.
+Hope I haven't made you late for dinner."
+
+Steve drew a deep breath outside the door, puckered his lips and
+whistled softly, but it was a thoughtful whistle; as thoughtful as it
+was tuneless, and it lasted him all the way upstairs and into his room.
+Tom had gone, evidently having wearied of waiting for his friend to
+accompany him to dinner. Steve's own appetite was calling pretty loudly,
+but, having slipped the blue-book out of sight under a pile on the
+table, he dropped into his chair, drew a sheet of paper to him and began
+on the schedule. It took him almost a half-hour to complete it, and he
+spoiled several sheets in the process, but it was finally done, and,
+heading it "Daley Schedule," with a brief smile at the pun, he placed it
+on his chiffonier and hurried across to Wendell.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIX
+
+THE SECOND PUTS IT OVER
+
+
+"What do you know about that?" demanded Tom the next day. "'Horace' gave
+me a B on my comp! Of course, I'm not kicking, but I'll bet he made a
+mistake. Maybe he got nervous and his pencil slipped!"
+
+"Seems to me," returned Steve coldly, "he knows better than you do what
+the thing is worth. He's not exactly an idiot, you know."
+
+Tom stared in some surprise. "I didn't say he was an idiot, did I?
+Considering the things you've said about 'Horace' I don't think you need
+take that high-and-mighty tone!"
+
+"Well, don't be a chump, then," replied Steve. "If Mr. Daley gave you a
+B you deserved a B."
+
+"Thanking you kindly," murmured Tom as he disappeared behind the pages
+of the blue-book to digest the corrections and criticisms on the
+margins. Steve's manner since the night he had remained up until morning
+to write that composition had been puzzling. He had very little to say
+to Tom, and when he did speak, spoke in a constrained manner quite
+unlike him. And more than once Tom had caught Steve observing him with
+an expression that he couldn't fathom. There was something up, that was
+certain, but what it was Tom couldn't imagine. It wasn't that Steve was
+cross or disagreeable. For that matter, his disposition seemed a good
+deal improved. But he was decidedly stand-offish and extraordinarily
+quiet. Tom wanted to ask outright what the trouble was, but, for some
+reason, he held back. As the days passed, Steve's manner became more
+natural and he ceased looking at Tom as though, to quote the latter's
+unspoken simile, he was a new sort of an animal in a zoo! But some
+constraint still remained, and, after awhile, Tom accepted the situation
+and grew accustomed to it. By that time he had grown too proud to ask
+for an explanation. The two chums spent less time together as a result,
+Steve becoming more dependent on Roy for companionship and Tom on Harry.
+When they were all four together, which was very frequently, it was not
+so bad, but when Steve and Tom were alone conversation was apt to
+languish.
+
+Tom at first was inclined to blame Steve's "Daley Schedule" for the
+change, for that schedule had quite altered Steve's existence. He lived
+by a strict routine which he followed with a dogged determination quite
+foreign to his ways as Tom knew them. He got up on time in the morning,
+reached the dining-hall almost as soon as the doors were opened, spent a
+scant twenty minutes there and then went directly back to his room to
+browse over his recitations for the day. Once Tom found him there
+hunched up in a corner of the window-seat while the chambermaid, viewing
+his presence distastefully, draped the furniture with bedding and did
+her best with broom and duster to discourage him from a repetition of
+the outrage. Between ten and eleven on three days a week Steve put in an
+hour of study in the room. On other days he managed to snatch two
+half-hour periods in the library between recitations. At six he was
+almost invariably awaiting the opening of the doors for dinner, and well
+before seven he was at his table again. Usually he studied until nine,
+although now and then he closed his books at half-past eight and
+followed Tom to Number 17 Torrence. Roy called him the Prize Grind and
+interestedly inquired what scholarship he was trying for. Steve accepted
+the joking with a grim smile.
+
+It wasn't easy. For the first few days he had to drive himself to his
+work with bit and spur. His feet lagged and he groaned in
+spirit--perhaps audibly, too--as he approached his books. But he did it,
+and little by little it became easier, until, as Mr. Daley had
+predicted, it had become a habit with him to do certain things at
+certain hours and he was uncomfortable if his routine was disarranged. I
+don't think Steve ever got where he loved to study, but he did
+eventually reach a pride of attainment that answered quite as well. He
+found as time went on that it was becoming easier to learn his lessons
+and easier to remember them when learned, and by that time he had taught
+himself to command over his thoughts, and when he was struggling through
+a proposition in geometry he wasn't wondering whether he would beat out
+Sherrard for the position of regular right end on the second before the
+season was over. In other words, he had learned concentration.
+
+But all this was not yet. That first week, in especial, was hard
+sledding, and that French composition almost drove him to distraction
+and gave him brain fever before it was done. But done it was and on
+time, and, while the best that Mr. Daley would allow it was a C plus,
+Steve was distinctly proud of it. And in that week he demonstrated to
+the instructor's satisfaction that he was up with the class in French. I
+think Mr. Daley was very willing to be convinced and that he met Steve
+quite half-way. Latin was still a bugaboo to Steve, but it, too, was
+getting easier. On the whole, that schedule, backed by a grim
+determination, was making good.
+
+Meanwhile football pursued its relentless course. Every day the first
+and second fought it out for gradually increasing periods and every day
+the season grew nearer its close and the Claflin game, the final goal,
+loomed more distinct. Phillips School came and went and Brimfield marked
+up her fifth victory. Phillips gave the Maroon-and-Grey a hard tussle,
+and the score, 12 to 0, didn't indicate the closeness of the playing.
+For Brimfield made her first touchdown by the veriest fluke and only
+gained her second in the last few minutes of play, when Phillips,
+outlasted, weakened on her six-yard line and let Norton through. On the
+other hand, Phillips had the ball thrice inside Brimfield's twenty
+yards, missed a field-goal by the narrowest of margins and, with the
+slightest twist of the luck, might have proved the victor.
+
+"Boots" had hammered the second into what Mr. Robey unhesitatingly
+declared to be one of the best scrub teams he had ever seen, and there
+was more than one contest between it and the 'varsity that yielded
+nothing to an outside game for hard fighting and excitement. Steve and
+his rival, Sherrard, were running about even for the right end position.
+Steve's tackling had improved vastly under Marvin's tutoring, and it was
+his ability in that department that possibly gave him a shade the better
+of the argument with Sherrard. So far there had been no decided slump in
+the playing of either team, and, since a slump is always looked for at
+some time during the season, both Mr. Robey and Danny Moore were getting
+anxious. Danny almost begged the fellows to go stale a little. "It ain't
+natural," he declared. "It's got to come, so let it and have it over
+with." Neither had there been any injuries of moment. On this score
+Danny had no regrets, however. He was a good trainer and prided himself
+on his ability to condition his charges so that they would escape
+injuries.
+
+Of course there had been plenty of bruises--one mild case of
+charley-horse, several dislocated or sprained fingers, a wrenched ankle
+or two and any number of cuts and scrapes, but none of the injuries had
+interfered with work for more than three or four days and not once had
+any first-string member of the 'varsity missed an outside game by reason
+of them. Steve's share of the injuries was a bruised shoulder sustained
+in a flying tackle that was more enthusiastic than scientific, and the
+thing bothered him for several days but did not keep him off the field.
+Tom, who played opposite Jay Fowler in scrimmage, was forever getting
+his countenance disfigured. Not that Fowler meant to leave his mark, but
+he was a big, powerful, hard-fighting chap and there were plenty of
+times when both parties to the practice games quite forgot that they
+were friends. Tom was seldom seen without a strip of court-plaster
+pasted to some portion of his face.
+
+It was four days after the Phillips game, to be exact, on the following
+Wednesday, that the first and second got together for what turned out to
+be the warmest struggle of the season in civil combat. It was a cold,
+leaden day, with a stinging breeze out of the northeast, and every
+fellow who wore a head-guard felt as full of ginger as a young colt. The
+second trotted over from their gridiron at four and found the first on
+its toes to get at them. Things started off with a whoop. The second
+received the kick-off and Marvin ran the ball back forty yards through a
+broken field before he was nailed. Encouraged by that excellent
+beginning, the scrub team went at it hammer and tongs. There was a fine
+old hole that day between Sawyer and Williams, and the second's backs
+ploughed through for gain after gain before the opposing line was
+cemented together again there. By that time the ball was down near the
+'varsity's ten yards and Captain Miller was frothing at the mouth, while
+the opposing coaches were hurling encouragement at their charges and the
+pandemonium even extended to the side-lines, where the school at large,
+in a frenzy of excitement, shouted and goaded on the teams.
+
+Twice the first held, once forcing Harris back for a loss, and then
+Marvin called for kick formation and himself held the ball for Brownell.
+What happened then was one of those unforeseen incidents that make
+football the hair-raising game it is. There was a weak spot in the
+second's line and, with the passing of the ball to Marvin, the 'varsity
+forwards came rampaging through. Brownell swung his leg desperately,
+trusting to fortune to get the pigskin over the upstretched hands of the
+charging enemy, but it swung against empty air. Marvin, seeing what was
+bound to happen, fearing the result of a blocked kick, snatched the ball
+aside just as Captain Brownell swung at it, rolled over a couple of
+times out of the path of the oncoming opponents, scrambled to his feet
+and, somehow, scuttled past a half-dozen defenders of the goal and fell
+over the line for a touchdown.
+
+The 'varsity afterwards called it "bull-luck" and "fluke" and several
+other belittling names, but "Boots" said it was "quick thinking and
+football, by jiminy!" At all events the second scored and then leaped
+and shouted like a band of Comanche Indians--or any other kind of Indian
+if there's a noisier sort!--and generally "rubbed it in."
+
+After that you may believe that the 'varsity played football! But
+nevertheless the first ten-minute period ended with the second still six
+points to the good and her goal-line intact. The teams were to play
+three periods that day and "Boots" ran four substitutes on the field
+when the next one began. One of them was Steve.
+
+It is no light task to play opposite the 'varsity captain and not come
+off second best, but the consensus of opinion that evening was to the
+effect that Steve had done that very thing. The wintery nip had got into
+Steve's blood, I think, for he played like a tiger-cat on the defence,
+ran like a streak of wind and tackled so hard that Coach Robey had to
+caution him. Twice in that period the first came storming down to the
+second's twenty yards and twice they were held there. Once Milton was
+nailed on a round-the-end run and once Still fumbled a pass and Freer
+fell on it.
+
+Steve carried out his part of a forward-pass play with excellent
+precision later and seemingly had a clear field and a touchdown in sight
+for a moment. But Milton managed to upset him on the thirty yards, and
+the gain--Steve had negotiated four white lines before the 'varsity
+quarter got him--eventually went for naught, since Marvin fumbled a
+minute later and Sawyer squirmed through and captured the ball.
+
+Neither side scored nor came very near it in that period. Steve, who was
+having the time of his life, beamed joyously when the whistle, starting
+the third period, found him still in the line-up. He had feared that
+"Boots" would put Sherrard back. But Steve didn't realise the kind of a
+game he had been putting up. If he had he would have credited "Boots"
+with more sense. Tom, with two brand-new facial contusions to his
+credit, was relegated to the bench for the last round. Perhaps "Boots"
+thought it only fair to allow Gafferty some of the decorations that
+Fowler and others were handing out!
+
+The first tried a kicking game in order to reach striking distance and,
+since she always had the better of the argument there, forced the
+second slowly and very surely back past the middle of the field. Then
+Marvin, realising the futility of pitting Freer and himself against
+Norton and Williams and Milton, either one of whom could outpunt the
+second from five to ten yards, started a rushing game on his thirty-five
+yards, swinging Harris and Freer around the ends for small gains and
+himself taking the pigskin for a delayed plunge through centre that put
+the scrubs on their forty-five-yard line and gave them their first down
+of the period.
+
+But the next three tries pulled in only six yards, and Freer punted. For
+once he had plenty of time and the oval travelled far down into the
+enemy's territory and was caught by Kendall, who took it back a scant
+five yards before Turner, the second's left end, got past the
+hastily-formed interference and upset him. The 'varsity made four
+through the left side of the line and got her first down on a fake kick
+that caught the second napping. She again secured her distance on three
+tries, and the lines faced each other near the middle of the field.
+
+What happened then was never definitely explained. Whether Milton
+fumbled the pass from centre or whether Still missed the toss from
+Milton, history doesn't record. Not that it matters, however. The fact
+is that the ball was suddenly seen to go rolling back up the field as
+though animated by a desperate desire to score a touchdown on its own
+hook. The 'varsity backs hit the line hard and went tumbling through, to
+the frenzied shouts of "Ball! Ball!" from Milton and the opponents. The
+latter, trying to get past the 'varsity and gain the bobbing pigskin,
+got so inextricably mixed up with the enemy that the ball went on
+rolling around, under the pranks of the helpful wind, for a
+heart-breaking length of time. Then, as it seemed, every fellow on the
+field started for it at once!
+
+Steve had made a wild attempt to get through inside of Andy Miller, but
+Miller had sent him sprawling, and when he got to his feet again he was
+one of the last in the mad rush. How it happened that Eric Sawyer, not
+overly fast on his feet, reached the pigskin first, or, at least,
+finally, is a mystery. But it was Eric who at length plunged out of the
+confusion, ball in arm, shook off three or four tacklers and started
+hot-footed toward the distant goal. By some unusual burst of speed he
+not only got a clear start of the rest, but shot past Steve before that
+youth could intercept him. Marvin had followed the others toward the
+'varsity's goal and now between Eric and the final white lines, some
+forty-five yards distant, lay a clear field. And Eric, spurred on by the
+knowledge that here was perhaps the one chance of his lifetime to make a
+spectacular run for half the length of the gridiron and score a
+touchdown, worked his sturdy legs as they had probably never been worked
+before!
+
+But he was not to go unchallenged. The enemy was hot on his track, Steve
+in the lead. And with the enemy, doing their best to upset or divert the
+pursuit, came a half-dozen of the 'varsity. It was a wildly confused
+race for a minute. Then the slow-footed ones dropped behind and the
+procession consisted of Eric, running desperately some five yards ahead
+of Steve, Steve pounding along at his heels, Williams striving to edge
+Freer toward the side of the field, Marvin leading Captain Miller by a
+scant yard, and one or two others dropping gradually away as the race
+progressed. Near the twenty-five-yard line Williams managed to upset
+Freer and went down with him in the effort, Andy Miller drew even with
+Marvin, and Eric glanced behind him for the first time, at the same
+moment heading a bit further toward the centre of the gridiron.
+
+That move lost him a stride of his lead, and Steve made a final spurt
+that took just about all the breath left in his body. On the fifteen
+yards his hand went out gropingly, touched Eric's back and fell away.
+Near the ten-yard line Steve launched himself forward and his arms
+settled about Eric's thighs, slid down to his knees and tightened. Eric
+went down, dragged forward another yard and then, panting and weak, gave
+it up. Then Marvin settled ungently on his back, to make assurances
+doubly sure, Andy Miller threw him off very promptly and Steve rolled
+over on his back and fought for breath.
+
+The rest of the teams came panting up, the audience along the side-line
+howled and cheered gloriously, if a trifle breathlessly, having itself
+raced down the field in an effort to keep abreast of the drama, and
+delighted members of the second team lifted Steve to his tottering feet,
+thumped him on the back and shrieked praise into his singing ears.
+
+After that, with the ball on the second's eight yards, the 'varsity
+should have scored easily. And yet, so gallantly did the scrubs dig
+their toes into the trampled turf that thrice the 'varsity was held for
+a scant gain and, finally, with one down remaining, Williams dropped
+back to the twenty-yard line and dropped a field-goal.
+
+"Boots" was almost moved to tears and looked as though he wanted to
+embrace each and every member of his team. For what was a puny three
+points when the second had six to its credit? The things that Miller
+said were extremely derogatory, while Coach Robey walked back to the
+middle of the field with a disapproving air. In the four minutes that
+remained, there was football played that _was_ football! The 'varsity,
+smarting under impending defeat, went at it with a desperation that
+promised everything. That it failed of what it promised was only because
+the second, buoyed up by the knowledge of victory in its grasp, fought
+like veterans. There was some fierce playing during those two hundred
+and forty brief seconds, and the fellow who finally trudged off the
+field without a scar felt himself dishonoured. Substitutes were thrown
+into the fray by both sides, although "Boots," having fewer men to call
+on, was handicapped. Steve went out in favour of Sherrard soon after the
+kick-off, and Tom relieved Gafferty. The coaches raged and urged, the
+rival captains scolded and implored and the quarters danced around and
+acted like wild-men. And then, suddenly, the ball was seized, a whistle
+blew and it was all over. And the panting players, tense of face,
+dripping with perspiration, drew apart to view each other at first
+scowlingly and then with slowly spreading grins, taking toll of their
+own injuries and the enemy's.
+
+"Good work, second," said Mr. Robey. "That's all for to-day. Get your
+blankets and run all the way in."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XX
+
+BLOWS ARE STRUCK
+
+
+The second went off jubilantly. Steve was a hero for an hour. In the
+locker room "Boots" said some nice things to them, pointed out a few
+faults and took himself away just as the first team and its substitutes
+came piling in. Most of them looked pretty grim about the mouths.
+Evidently in the few minutes that Mr. Robey had detained them on the
+field, they had been provided with food for thought. Andy Miller
+encountered Steve on his way to the bath.
+
+"That was good work, Edwards," he said heartily. "You fellows certainly
+put it over us to-day." He shook his head ruefully. "We ought to have
+got that touchdown in the last period." Then he smiled grimly, and,
+"We'll get you to-morrow, though," he said with conviction. "How's
+everything with you?"
+
+"Fine and dandy, thanks," replied Steve heartily.
+
+"Good! You haven't been around to see me, by the way. You and Hall must
+think a confidence-man isn't a proper acquaintance."
+
+"We're coming around soon, Miller. The fact is, I--well, I made such a
+mutt of myself that last time----"
+
+"Oh, nonsense! That's all right, Edwards. Don't let that worry you.
+Besides, you took my advice, I guess, and that squares it. Mind if I
+give you some more, by the way?"
+
+"Of course not! I wish you would."
+
+"Only this, Edwards. On defence don't watch the ball. They'll tell you
+to, but don't do it. Watch your opponent. Watch his eyes. He will tell
+you when the ball's snapped. He's got to watch it and you haven't, and
+then if you keep your eyes on him you can guess where he's coming almost
+before he starts. It may sound cheeky for me to tell you this, because,
+as a matter of absolute fact, Edwards, you played all around me
+to-day----"
+
+"Oh, piffle, Miller!"
+
+"Yes, you did," insisted the captain grimly. "I know it, if you don't.
+But you try what I tell you to-morrow and see what a jump you'll get on
+the other fellow. Come around and see me soon, you and Hall."
+
+Andy moved away and Steve hurried on to find a shower before the new
+crowd claimed them all. He was pretty well fagged out this afternoon,
+and for once the thought of that swimming class didn't appeal. But after
+a tepid shower and then a hard rush of ice-cold water over his tired
+body, he felt different. Coming out of the bath he almost collided with
+Eric Sawyer. Eric had a nasty cut over his right eye that gave him a
+peculiarly ugly expression, and it was soon evident that Eric's temper
+was as ugly as his appearance.
+
+"Hello, fresh," he growled, scowling at Steve and barring his way in the
+narrow passage. "What call had you to butt in on me to-day?"
+
+"I was playing the game, that's all," replied Steve coolly.
+
+"You think you're a wonder, don't you? Well, you wouldn't have got me if
+I hadn't slipped. And the next time you interfere with me on the field
+or anywhere else I'll fix you for keeps. Now you mind that, you fresh
+young kid."
+
+"You're a wonder at making threats, Sawyer," returned Steve angrily.
+"Why don't you do something besides talk?"
+
+"I'd give you a good thrashing if you weren't so small," Eric growled.
+
+"Oh, that's all right," replied Steve airily. "We can't all have piano
+legs, you know."
+
+"Say, you let my legs alone! For two cents I'd tell what I know about
+you, you cheater, and we'd see how long you'd stay so cocky!"
+
+"What you know about me?" laughed Steve. "You go right ahead and tell
+anything you want to, Sawyer. Whatever it is, it's a lie, I guess."
+
+"Oh, is it? It's a lie that you swiped Upton's blue-book with his
+composition in it, I suppose. It's a lie that you were going to use it
+until Daley went up to your room and found it, I dare say. It's----"
+
+"Yes, it is a lie, and you know it, Sawyer," flamed Steve. "If you tell
+any story like that around----"
+
+"I'll tell what I please, kid, and you can't stop me." Several fellows
+came along the passage, viewing the two curiously, and Eric dropped his
+voice a note. "You stop bothering me, Edwards, or I will tell, and if I
+do, this place will be too hot for you. We don't like cheaters here----"
+
+Steve sprang at him madly, but Eric stepped aside and Steve's blow went
+past.
+
+"None of that!" warned Eric in a low, ugly voice. "Ah, you want it, do
+you?"
+
+Steve hit again and Eric countered and got in a blow on the younger
+boy's neck that sent him staggering against the wall. Then arms wrapped
+themselves around Steve and a voice said:
+
+"Here, what's up, Eric? Cut it out, Edwards!"
+
+Steve, struggling, found himself in the firm grasp of Innes, the big
+first team centre-rush. "He called me a cheat!" he cried angrily. "You
+let me go, Innes!"
+
+"So he is a cheat," returned Eric contemptuously. "He swiped Carl
+Upton's French composition and was going to hand it in as his own if
+Daley hadn't caught him at it!"
+
+"That's a lie!" cried Steve. "Ask Mr. Daley himself! You're saying it
+because I kept you from making that touchdown, you--you----"
+
+"Hold on, Edwards!" said Innes. "Don't call names." By this time the
+passage had filled with fellows, among them Andy Miller. Miller pushed
+forward.
+
+"What's up, Jack?" he asked of the centre. Innes shrugged his big
+shoulders.
+
+"Oh, just a scrap. Run along, you fellows. It's all over."
+
+"It isn't over!" declared Steve, still trying to detach himself from the
+big fellow's grasp. "He's got to take it back! He's got to take it back
+or fight!"
+
+"Cut it out, Edwards!" said Miller sternly. "Don't act like a kid.
+What's the trouble, Eric, anyway?"
+
+"Oh, this kid got fresh with me," replied Eric with a malevolent glare
+at Steve. "Said I had piano legs----" There was an audible snicker from
+some of the audience--"and I told him to shut up and he made a swipe at
+me and I shoved him away. That's all."
+
+"He said I cheated!" raged Steve.
+
+"So you did. You stole Upton's French comp. out of Daley's room and he
+found it on your table."
+
+"That's a lie! I don't know how that book got there. Mr. Daley will tell
+you----"
+
+"Cut it, Edwards! I saw you carry the book out of the room myself! Now
+what do you say?"
+
+"I say you lie! I say----"
+
+"Stop that, Edwards!" Miller turned to Eric. "You've got no right to say
+things like that, Eric, and you know it. I don't believe he did anything
+of the sort. If he had, Mr. Daley would have had him expelled. Now you
+two fellows stop squabbling. You've been at it all the fall. If you
+don't, I'll see that you both lose your positions. And that goes!"
+
+"Then tell him to let me alone," replied Eric with a shrug.
+
+"Oh, forget it, Sawyer," exclaimed a voice down the passage. "You're
+twice as big as he is. Let the kid alone."
+
+"Sure, I'll let him alone," growled Eric with an angry glare in the
+direction of the speaker. "Only he's got to stop getting fresh with me.
+I've warned him half-a-dozen times."
+
+"And you'll have to warn me half-a-dozen more times," responded Steve
+grimly, "if you think I'm going to stand around and be called names. If
+I were as big as you are, you wouldn't dare----"
+
+"That'll be about all from both of you," said Andy Miller. "Now beat it.
+If I hear of any more trouble from either of you while the season lasts,
+I'll have you both out of the game in a wink. If you've got to row, do
+it after we've beaten Claflin. Move on now! Get off the corner, all of
+yez!" And Andy good-naturedly pushed the fellows before him down the
+passage. Innes released Steve, but stepped between him and Eric.
+
+"Come on, Edwards," he said with a laugh. "Be good and get your clothes
+on. Cap will do just what he says he will, too. You take my advice, kid,
+and bury the hatchet."
+
+Steve went back to his locker, and with trembling hands dressed himself.
+Harry Westcott and Tom joined him and asked in low voices about the
+trouble. But Steve was non-communicative. He was wondering how much of
+Eric Sawyer's charge the fellows who had heard it were believing.
+Finally,
+
+"No swimming to-day?" asked Tom.
+
+Steve shook his head. "No," he answered. "Tell the fellows, will you?
+I'm--I'm too tired. I'm sorry."
+
+"It's pretty late, anyway," murmured Harry. Together the three crossed
+the room toward the door. Already, as it seemed to Steve, fellows were
+regarding him suspiciously. Eric was not in sight, having gone on to his
+bath, for which two at least of the trio were thankful. Harry left them
+at the corner of Torrence, and Steve and Tom went on in silence to their
+room. Somehow it seemed difficult nowadays for them to find things to
+talk about. Steve resolutely sat himself down and drew his books toward
+him, while Tom, after fidgetting around for a few minutes, announced
+that he was going over to the office to see if there was any mail, and
+went out again. Steve was glad when he had gone, for he was relieved
+then of further pretence of studying. He couldn't get his mind on his
+books. The encounter with Eric Sawyer had left him irritable and
+restless, and he couldn't help wondering whether the fellows believed
+what Eric had said. He was grateful to Andy Miller for the latter's
+support, but it was doubtful if Andy's words had convinced anyone. And
+the charge was an ugly one. Steve winced when he considered it. It had
+seemed to him as he had left the locker room that already the fellows
+there had looked at him differently. He could imagine them talking about
+him and weighing Eric's story. Further reflections were interrupted by
+the reappearance of Tom, an open letter in hand and several newspapers
+sticking from a pocket.
+
+"Nothing for you but a couple of papers," he said. "What do you suppose
+those silly fathers of ours are doing now?"
+
+"Fighting a duel?" asked Steve with an attempt at humour.
+
+"Not quite," Tom answered, "but they're getting ready for a law-suit."
+
+"What about?"
+
+"I can't make out," replied the other disgustedly, scanning the letter
+again. "It's something about some contract for building supplies,
+though. Gee, they make me tired! Always squabbling!"
+
+"Who's bringing the suit, your father or mine?" asked Steve.
+
+"Mine," said Tom hesitantly.
+
+"Then I don't see that you need to blame my dad for it," retorted Steve.
+
+"It takes two to make a quarrel, though," answered Tom sagely. "I don't
+believe my father would start anything like that unless--unless there
+was some reason for it."
+
+"Oh, I suppose my father beat him out on a contract and he got sore,"
+said Steve, with a short laugh. Tom looked across in surprise and
+puzzlement. The tone was unlike Steve, while never before had they taken
+sides in their fathers' disagreements. Tom opened his mouth to reply,
+thought better of it and slowly returned the letter to its envelope.
+
+"I guess it'll blow over," he said finally. "I hope so."
+
+Steve shrugged his shoulders. "Let them fight it out," he said. "It may
+do them good."
+
+The next day it was soon evident to Steve that Eric Sawyer's story of
+the purloined blue-book was school property. Fellows whom he knew but
+slightly or not at all observed him doubtfully, others greeted him more
+stiffly--or so Steve thought--while even in the manners of such close
+friends as Roy and Harry and one or two more he fancied that he could
+detect a difference. Much of this was probably only imagination on
+Steve's part, but on the other hand there were doubtless many fellows
+who for one reason or another chose to believe the story true. Steve was
+popular amongst a small circle of acquaintances and well enough liked by
+others who knew him only to speak to, but, naturally enough, there were
+fellows in school who envied him for his success at football or took
+exception to a certain self-sufficient air that Steve was often enough
+guilty of. These, together with a small number who owed allegiance to
+Eric Sawyer, found the story quite to their liking and doubtless told
+and retold it and enlarged upon it at every telling. At all events,
+Steve knew that gossip was busy with him. More than once conversation
+died suddenly away at his approach, and he told himself bitterly that
+the school had judged him and found him guilty. He passed Andy Miller in
+the corridor between recitations, and Andy, being in a hurry and having
+a good many things on his mind at that moment, said, "Hi, Edwards!" in a
+perfunctory sort of way and went by with only a glance. Steve concluded
+that even Andy was against him now, in spite of his defence yesterday.
+In the afternoon it seemed that there was a difference in the attitudes
+of his team-mates on the second, and, so inflamed had his imagination
+become by this time, he even imagined he detected a contemptuous tone in
+"Boots'" speech to him! The result was that Steve "froze up solid," to
+use Roy's phrase, and, secretly hurt and angry, presented a scowling
+countenance to the world that was sufficient to discourage those who
+wanted and tried to let him see that they didn't believe Eric's story.
+
+When he got back to his room after the swimming lesson that afternoon,
+he found Tom nursing a very red and enlarged nose. He had a wet towel in
+his hand and was gingerly applying it to the inflamed feature.
+
+"What--where----" began Steve.
+
+"Scrap with Telford," replied Tom briefly.
+
+"What about?" demanded Steve.
+
+"Nothing much."
+
+"Let's see your nose."
+
+Tom removed the towel and Steve viewed it. "He must have given you a
+peach," he said critically. "What did you do?"
+
+Tom smiled reminiscently. "Nothing much," he answered.
+
+"Huh! Let's see your knuckles. 'Nothing much,' eh? They look it! Did
+faculty get on to it?"
+
+Tom shook his head. "No, it was back of the gym. Just the two of us. It
+didn't last long."
+
+"Who got the worst of it?"
+
+"That depends on what you call the worst," answered Tom judicially. "I
+got this and he got one like it _and_ a black eye. At least I suppose
+it's black by this time. It looked promising."
+
+Steve laughed. Then he said severely: "You ought to know better than
+take chances like that, Tom. Suppose faculty got on to it. Besides,
+fighting's pretty kiddish for a Fourth Former!"
+
+Tom viewed Steve amusedly over the wet towel. "Coming from you, Steve,
+that sounds great!" he said.
+
+"Never mind about me. What I do doesn't affect you. What were you
+fighting about?"
+
+Tom looked vacant and shook his head. "I don't know. Nothing special, I
+guess."
+
+"Don't be a chump! You didn't black his eye and get that beautiful nose
+for nothing, I suppose. What was it?"
+
+"Well, Telford said--he said----"
+
+"You're a wonder!" declared Steve. "Don't you know what he said?"
+
+"I forget. It was something--something I didn't like. So I slapped his
+face. That was on the gym steps. He said 'Come on back here.' I said
+'All right.' Then we--we had it. Then he said he was wrong about
+it--whatever it was, you know--and we sort of apologised and sneaked
+off." Tom felt of his nose carefully. "I saw about a million stars when
+he landed here!"
+
+"That's the craziest stunt I ever heard of!" said Steve disgustedly.
+"And you want to hope hard that no one saw it. If faculty hears of it,
+you'll get probation, you chump."
+
+"I know. It won't, though. No one saw us."
+
+"Who's Telford, anyway?" Steve demanded.
+
+"Telford? Oh, he's a Fifth Form fellow."
+
+"What does he look like?"
+
+"Look like?" repeated Tom vaguely. "Oh, he's a couple of inches taller
+than I am and has light brown hair and--and a black eye!"
+
+"Is he the fellow who goes around with Eric Sawyer?" demanded Steve
+suspiciously. "Wear a brown plaid Norfolk? The fellow who shoved me into
+the pool the night we had that fracas with Sawyer?"
+
+"Did he? I don't remember. I didn't see who did that. I--I guess maybe
+he's the chap, though. I've seen him with Sawyer, I think."
+
+"What did he say?" asked Steve quietly.
+
+"Who say?"
+
+"Telford."
+
+"When?"
+
+"To-day! When you had the row! For the love of Mike, Tom, don't be a
+fool!"
+
+"I don't remember what he said."
+
+"Was it about--me?"
+
+"You? Why would it be about you?" Tom attempted a laugh.
+
+"Was it?" Steve persisted.
+
+Tom shook his head, but his gaze wandered. Steve grunted.
+
+"It was, then," he muttered.
+
+"I didn't say so," protested Tom.
+
+"I say so, though." Steve was silent a moment. Then, "Look here, Tom,
+there's no use your fighting every fellow who says things about me," he
+said. "If you try that, you'll have your hands full. I--I don't care
+what they say, anyway. Just you keep out of it. Understand?"
+
+"Sure," answered the other untroubledly.
+
+"Of course"--Steve hesitated in some embarrassment--"of course I
+appreciate your standing up for me and all that, but--but I'll fight my
+own battles, thanks, Tom."
+
+"You're welcome," murmured Tom through the folds of the towel. "Keep
+the change. I'll fight if I want to, though."
+
+"Not on my account, you won't," said Steve sternly.
+
+Tom grinned. "All right. I'll do it on my own account. Say, I'll bet
+Telford's nose is worse than mine, Steve. I gave him a bully swat!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXI
+
+FRIENDS FALL OUT
+
+
+On the eleventh of November Brimfield played her last game away from
+home. Chambers Technological Institute was her opponent. About every
+fellow in school went over to Long Island and witnessed a very sad
+performance by their team. The slump had arrived. That was evident from
+the first moment of play. Brimfield was outpunted, outrushed and
+outgeneraled. Chambers ran up 17 points in the first half and 13 more in
+the last, while all Brimfield could do was to make one solitary
+touchdown and a field-goal, the latter with less than thirty seconds of
+playing time left. Williams missed the goal after the touchdown by some
+ten yards. Not only was Brimfield outplayed, but she showed up
+wretchedly as to physical condition. It was a warm day and the
+Maroon-and-Grey warriors seemed to feel the heat much more than their
+opponents and were a sorry-looking lot by the end of the third period.
+
+The second team attended the game in a body, "Boots" for once relenting,
+and looked on in stupefied sorrow while their doughty foe was
+humiliated and defeated.
+
+"Gee, I wish Robey would put us in in the next half," sighed Gafferty to
+Steve after the second period had reached its sad conclusion. "I'll bet
+you we'd put up twice the game the 'varsity has."
+
+"I don't see what ails them," responded Steve quite affably. The
+calamitous drama unfolding before him had for the moment made him forget
+his rôle of aloofness and cynical indifference. "Why, even Andy Miller
+is up in the air! He hasn't caught a pass once, and he's had four
+chances, and he's missed enough tackles to fill a book!"
+
+"One grand slump," said Gafferty. "That's what it is, Edwards, one
+wonderful, spectacular, iridescent slump! And the only person who is
+pleased is Danny, I guess. He's been begging the 'varsity fellows to get
+stale and be done with it. And now they've obliged him. Too bad, though,
+they couldn't have slumped the first of the week. It's fierce to be
+beaten by a tech school!"
+
+In the third period Coach Robey hustled the best of his substitutes on
+in the hope of stemming the tide of defeat, and, while the new men
+showed more dash and go, they couldn't stop the triumphant advance of
+the black-and-orange enemy. To make matters worse, when it was all
+over, Benson, who played right end, had a strained ligament in his
+ankle, Williams was limping with a bad knee and Quarter-back Milton had
+to be helped on and off the cars like a confirmed invalid. There wasn't
+a regular member of the 'varsity who could have stood up against a hard
+gust of wind five minutes after the final whistle had blown!
+
+The school returned to Brimfield disgruntled, disappointed and critical.
+There was scarcely a fellow on the train who didn't have a perfectly
+good theory as to the trouble with the eleven and who wasn't willing and
+eager to explain it. As for the game with Claflin, now just a fortnight
+distant, why, it was already as good as lost! Anyone would have told you
+that. The only point of disagreement was the size of the score. That
+ran, according to various estimates, from 6 to 0 to 50 to 3. It was a
+wonder they allowed Brimfield that 3! But all this was on the way home.
+Gradually the reaction set in and hope crept back. After all, a slump
+was something you had to contend with. It happened to every team some
+time in the season. Perhaps it was lucky it had come now instead of
+later. Of course, Chambers Tech was only a fair-to-middling team and
+Brimfield ought to have beaten her hands down, but since she hadn't,
+there was no use in worrying about it. By the time supper was over that
+evening, the stock of the Brimfield Football Team had risen to close to
+par, and anyone who had had the temerity to even suggest the possibility
+of a victory for Claflin would have been promptly and efficaciously
+squelched!
+
+The Chambers game resulted in a shake-up. That it was coming was hinted
+on Monday when only a few of the substitutes on the first were given any
+work and four of the second team fellows were lifted from their places
+and shifted over to what represented the 'varsity that day. These four
+were Trow and Saunders, tackles; Thursby, centre, and Freer, half-back.
+On Tuesday the first-string 'varsity men were back at work, with the
+exception of Benson, whose ankle was in pretty bad condition. Thursby
+was given a try-out at centre and Saunders at left tackle in the short
+scrimmage that followed practice. Thursby showed up so brilliantly that
+many predicted the retirement of Innes to the bench. Saunders failed to
+impress Coach Robey very greatly and he and Freer and Trow went back to
+the second the next day. The slump was still in evidence and the work
+was light until Thursday. Benson was still on crutches and his place was
+being taken by Roberts. Thursby ran Innes such a good race for the
+position of centre-rush that a substitute centre named Coolidge suddenly
+found his nose out of joint and faced the prospect of viewing the
+Claflin game from the bench.
+
+The school held its first mass meeting on Wednesday evening of that week
+and cheered and sang and whooped things up with a fine frenzy. The
+discouragement of the Chambers game was quite forgotten. Andy Miller, in
+a short speech, soberly predicted a victory over Claflin, and the
+audience yelled until the roof seemed to shake. Coach Robey gave a
+résumé of the season, thanked the school for its support of the team,
+pledged the best efforts of everyone concerned and, while refusing to
+say so in so many words, hinted that Brimfield would have the long end
+of the score on the twenty-fifth. After that the football excitement
+grew and spread and took possession of the school like an epidemic.
+Recitations became farces, faculty fumed and threatened--and bore it,
+and some one hundred and fifty boys fixed their gaze on the twenty-fifth
+of November and lived breathlessly in the future.
+
+There was a second mass meeting on Saturday, a meeting that ended in a
+parade up and down the Row, much noise and a vast enthusiasm. Brimfield
+had met Southby Academy in the afternoon and had torn the visitors to
+tatters, scoring almost at will and sending the hopes of her adherents
+soaring into the zenith. To be sure, Southby had presented a rather weak
+team, but, as an offset to that, Brimfield had played without the
+services of the regular right end, without her captain and with a
+back-field largely substitute during most of the game. There was nothing
+wrong with Andy Miller, but it was thought best to save him for the
+final conflict. The last fortnight of a football season is a hard period
+for the captain, no matter how smoothly things have progressed; and
+Brimfield had had a particularly fortunate six weeks. Andy Miller was
+not the extremely nervous type, but, nevertheless, he had lost some
+fourteen pounds during the month and was far "finer" than Danny Moore
+wanted to see him. So Andy, dressed in "store clothes," saw the Southby
+game from the side-line, hobnobbing with the coaches and Joe Benson,
+still on crutches, and with Norton, who, after smashing out two
+touchdowns in the first period, was also taken out to be saved.
+
+There was no trace of the slump left, and the final score that Saturday
+afternoon was 39 to 7, and the school was hysterically delighted, which
+accounts for the added enthusiasm which kept them marching up and down
+the Row in the evening until the patience of a lenient faculty was
+exhausted, and Mr. Conklin, prodded into action by a telephone message
+from the Cottage, appeared and dispersed the assembly.
+
+The second team was to go out of business on Thursday, and several
+members of it were eager to end the season with a banquet. Freer and
+Saunders dropped in on Steve and Tom Sunday afternoon to talk it over
+and win their support. It was a nasty day, rainy and blowy and cold, and
+most of the fellows were huddling indoors around the radiators. Steve
+and Tom, on opposite sides of the table, were chewing the ends of their
+pens and trying to write their Sunday letters when the visitors came.
+Steve was studiedly haughty, as, to his mind, became one who was
+unjustly suspected of dishonesty. The visitors seemed puzzled by his
+manner and presently addressed themselves almost entirely to Tom, who,
+anxious to atone for his room-mate's churlishness, was nervously affable
+and unnaturally enthusiastic.
+
+"We don't see," explained Saunders, "why we shouldn't be allowed to have
+a banquet after we quit training. We deserve it. We've done as much, in
+a way, as the 'varsity fellows to win from Claflin. We've been the goats
+all the season and it seems to me we ought to get something out of it.
+What we want to do is to go to Josh and get him to give us permission to
+have a blow-out in the village Thursday night."
+
+"Or here," supplemented Freer, "if he won't let us go to the village.
+What do you fellows think?"
+
+"I think it's a good scheme," answered Tom. "And we might get one over
+on the 'varsity, too. I mean we'd have our banquet and lots of fun
+whether we won from Claflin or not, while the 'varsity, if it loses the
+game, doesn't enjoy its banquet very much, I guess."
+
+"Well, will you fellows come around to Brownell's room to-night after
+supper? Al is willing enough, but, being captain, he doesn't want to
+start the thing himself. We're going to see all the fellows this
+afternoon and then have a sort of a meeting this evening about eight.
+You'll come, Edwards?"
+
+"Yes, thanks."
+
+"All right. Come on, Jimmy. We've got several of the fellows to see
+yet."
+
+"There wouldn't be very many of us, would there?" asked Tom. "Now that
+Robey has pinched Thursby there's only about fifteen left on the team."
+
+"Sixteen, but we thought we'd get Robey to come if he would, and
+'Boots,' of course, and maybe Danny. That would make nineteen in all."
+
+"Where would you have it? Is there a hotel in the village?"
+
+"Not exactly, but there's a sort of a boarding-house there; 'Larch
+Villa,' they call it. They'd look after us all right. They've got a fine
+big dining-room which we could have all to ourselves. We haven't talked
+price with them yet, but Al says we could probably get a good feed for
+about a dollar and a half apiece. That wouldn't be so much, eh?"
+
+"Cheap, I'd call it," said Freer.
+
+"We'd have beefsteak and things like that, you know," continued Saunders
+enthusiastically, "things that are filling. No froth and whipped cream,
+you know! And lots of gingerale!"
+
+"Sounds good," laughed Tom. "I wish it was to-night. Do you think Mr.
+Fernald will let us?"
+
+"I don't see why not. I spoke to Mr. Conklin about it and he said he
+would favour it if Josh came to him about it. If he won't let us go to
+the village, we thought maybe he'd let us have our feed here after the
+regular supper, if we paid for it ourselves. Well, you fellows show up
+about eight. Don't forget, because we want to get the whole bunch there
+and talk it all over and appoint a committee to see Josh."
+
+Tom was silent for a minute after the visitors had departed. Then,
+hesitatingly, "Steve," he said, "what's the good of acting like that
+with fellows?"
+
+"Like what?" asked Steve.
+
+"You know well enough. Freezing up and talking as if you had a mouthful
+of icicles. You might be--be decently polite when fellows come in. Freer
+is a dandy chap, and Saunders is all right, too. But you treated them as
+if they were--were a couple of cut-throats."
+
+"I wasn't impolite," denied Steve. "As long as those fellows choose to
+think what they do about me, you can't expect me to slop over with
+them."
+
+"You haven't any way of knowing what they think about you," said Tom
+vigorously. "You take it for granted that every fellow in school
+believes that yarn of Sawyer's. I don't suppose a dozen fellows ever
+gave it a second thought."
+
+"I know better. Don't you suppose I can tell? Almost every chap I know
+treats me differently now. Even--even Roy--and Harry--act as if they'd
+rather not be seen with me!"
+
+"Oh, piffle!" exclaimed Tom indignantly. "That's a rotten thing to say,
+Steve! Why, you might as well say that I believe the yarn!"
+
+"You?" Steve laughed meaningly. "You wouldn't be likely to."
+
+"Then neither would Roy or Harry. They haven't known you as long as I
+have, but they know you wouldn't do a thing like that."
+
+"I don't see why not," replied Steve stubbornly. "The book was found on
+this table. And Sawyer says he saw me with it. I guess it would be
+natural for them to believe what Sawyer says."
+
+"They don't, though, as I happen to know," replied Tom stoutly. "Even if
+you did bring the book up here, that doesn't mean that you were going
+to--to use it. What really happened, I suppose, was that you took it up
+without thinking and didn't realise you had it when you came back."
+
+Steve stared at him incredulously. "Well, of all the cheek!" he gasped.
+
+"What do you mean?" asked Tom.
+
+"I mean that that's a fine thing for you to get off," answered Steve
+indignantly. "You'll be saying next that you saw me bring the book in
+here that night!"
+
+"I didn't, but--hang it, Steve, the thing _was_ here! You told me so
+yourself. I thought you confessed that you brought it up without
+knowing."
+
+"Oh, cut it," said Steve wearily. "I'm willing to be decent about it,
+Tom, but I don't want to listen to drivel like that."
+
+"Drivel?" repeated the other, puzzled. "Say, what's the matter with you,
+anyway, Steve? I don't say you meant to cheat with the old book; I know
+mighty well you didn't; I told Telford so and convinced him of it, too;
+but I don't see why you need to get so hot under the collar when I--when
+I simply remind you that you _did_ bring the book up here!"
+
+"So _I_ brought it up, did I?" asked Steve with an ugly laugh.
+
+"Well, didn't you? Who did, then? You know well enough I didn't."
+
+"Do I? How do I know it? Look here, Tom, we might as well have a
+show-down right now. I did not bring that blue-book into this room. I
+did not take it out of 'Horace's'. But 'Horace' found it on this table,
+poked under a pile of books. Now, then, what do _you_ know about it?"
+
+Tom stared in wide-eyed amazement for a moment. "You--you mean to say
+you think I did it!" he gasped finally.
+
+Steve shrugged his shoulders.
+
+"But--but you were here when I came back from downstairs, Steve! You saw
+that I didn't have it!"
+
+"I didn't see anything of the sort. I didn't notice whether you had
+anything in your hands when you came in. Why should I? You might have
+slipped it under your coat. There's no use trying that game, Tom."
+
+"Then why--why did you tell 'Horace' you took the book yourself if you
+knew you didn't?"
+
+"Because one of us must have, you idiot."
+
+"Oh, I see," answered Tom thoughtfully. "You wanted to keep me out of
+it, eh? Look here, Steve, what would I want with Upton's composition? My
+own was written two days before."
+
+Steve shrugged his shoulders again impatiently. "That puzzled me. I
+didn't know. You did say afterwards, though, that your own comp. was
+pretty rotten. I didn't know but what----"
+
+"You have a fine opinion of me, haven't you?" asked Tom bitterly.
+"You've known me ever since we were kids at kindergarten and you think
+that of me! Thanks, Steve!"
+
+"Well, what----"
+
+"Now you hold on! I'm going to tell you something." Tom was on his feet
+now, his hands on the edge of the table, his gaze bent sternly on his
+chum who was seated across the littered surface. "I didn't even see that
+blue-book of Upton's. I'll swear it wasn't on Mr. Daley's table when I
+went down there. I know nothing of how it got into this room. I tell you
+this on my word of honour, Steve. Do you believe me?"
+
+Steve's gaze met Tom's troubledly, then shifted. "Oh, if you say so, I
+suppose I'll have to. But if you didn't bring the book up here----"
+
+"That means you don't believe me," said Tom quietly. "Very well. Now,
+one more thing, Steve." Tom's eyes were blazing now, though his face was
+white. "Don't you speak to me unless you have to from now on, until you
+come to me and tell me that you believe what I've told you!"
+
+"But, Tom, you can see yourself that it's mighty queer! If you----"
+
+"You heard what I said! Perhaps you think I owe you something for trying
+to shield me from Mr. Daley. I don't, though. When you set me down for a
+cheat you more than squared that account. That's all. After this I
+don't want you to speak to me."
+
+Steve shrugged his shoulders angrily. "That goes," he said. "When you
+want me to speak to you, you'll ask me, Tom! And don't you forget it!"
+
+Both boys went back to their letters in silence. After a while Steve put
+on a raincoat and tramped down the stairs and over to Hensey. He meant
+to call on Andy Miller, but Andy was out and only the saturnine Williams
+was in the room. Although Steve had grown to like Williams very well,
+yet, in his present mood, the right tackle was not the sort of company
+Steve craved, and after a few minutes of desultory football talk he went
+on. He would have called on Roy and Harry, but now that he and Tom had
+quarrelled they would, he thought, side with Tom. In the end he found
+himself in the gymnasium. Several fellows were splashing about in the
+tank and Steve joined them. For an hour he forgot his troubles in
+performing stunts to the envious appreciation of the others in the pool.
+Applause was grateful to him that afternoon, and when he had dressed
+himself again and, avoiding the room, had gone across to Wendell to wait
+for the doors to open for supper, he felt better. Perhaps, he told
+himself, Tom really didn't know anything about that plaguey book, but
+even so he needn't get so cocky about it! Besides, someone must have put
+the book on their table and--well, the evidence was certainly against
+Tom!
+
+It wasn't much fun eating supper with Tom at his elbow as grim and stiff
+as a plaster statue. Fortunately, Steve was well into his meal before
+Tom came in, and meanwhile there were others of the second team to talk
+to if he wanted. With no Tom to converse with he found it difficult to
+persist in his rôle of haughty indifference toward the others.
+Besides--and it came to him with rather a shock--what they thought of
+him was no more than he had been thinking of Tom! Hang it, it was all
+pretty rotten! He'd like to choke Eric Sawyer!
+
+It didn't take the rest of the fellows at the training table long to
+make the discovery that the two friends were at outs. Trow, a
+pale-faced, shock-haired chap, took delight in trying to engage them
+both in conversation at the same time, thereby increasing the
+embarrassment. Steve was heartily glad when he had finished his supper
+and could leave the table. Returning to his room under the circumstances
+was not appealing, but there seemed nowhere else to go. There was the
+library, of course, but it was a dismal place on a Sunday evening, and
+he didn't want to read. But, as it proved, he needn't have considered
+avoiding the room, for Tom didn't return after supper, and Steve
+finished his letter home in solitude. At eight he went over to Al
+Brownell's room in Torrence, not because he was especially interested in
+the project to be discussed, but because he had agreed to attend the
+gathering and was glad, besides, to get away from Number 12 Billings.
+Life in Number 12 didn't promise to be very delightful for awhile, he
+thought dolefully.
+
+In Brownell's room Steve carefully took a position as far distant from
+Tom as was possible. There was a lot of talk and a good deal of fun, and
+in the end Steve found himself chosen one of a committee of five to call
+on the principal and request the permission they desired. At a little
+after nine he walked back to Billings alone. Tom didn't return until ten
+and then, with never a word between them, they undressed and went to
+bed. Steve didn't get to sleep very easily that night. More than once he
+was sorely tempted to speak across the darkness and tell Tom that he did
+believe him and that he was sorry. And I think he would have done it,
+too, in the end if Tom had not fallen asleep just then and announced the
+fact in the usual melodic manner. Whereupon Steve frowned, punched his
+pillow and flopped over.
+
+"It isn't bothering him any," he thought. "If he wants me to speak to
+him, he'll have to say so. Cranky chump!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXII
+
+STEVE GETS A SURPRISE
+
+
+Mr. Fernald was surprisingly complaisant on Monday when the committee
+from the second team waited on him at the Cottage. He gave them
+permission to hold their banquet in the village and even said several
+nice things to them about their share in the development of the
+'varsity. He warned them against rowdyism, told them they must be back
+promptly at nine o'clock and said he hoped they'd have a good time!
+After which, much surprised and not a little embarrassed, the committee
+backed out of the room and returned joyfully to spread the tidings. A
+second committee, headed by Saunders, had already been appointed to
+arrange for the banquet in case permission was secured and by Tuesday
+everything was complete. I may say here that the event duly came off on
+Thursday evening and was a big success. But as neither Steve nor Tom was
+present, our interest in the banquet is slight.
+
+On Monday the _Review_ came out. The school paper was published on the
+twentieth of the month, and the December issue contained, among other
+features, a rather interesting résumé of the football season by Mr.
+Robey and a list of the games played to date. The coach's article was
+too long to reproduce, but the summary of the season's contests was
+brief enough to be set down here:
+
+          Sept. 30--Brimfield 10; Thacher 3
+
+          Oct. 4--Brimfield 10; Canterbury 7
+
+          Oct. 7--Brimfield 26; Miter Hill 0
+
+          Oct. 14--Brimfield 3; Larchville 17
+
+          Oct. 21--Brimfield 0; Benton 0
+
+          Oct. 28--Brimfield 27; Cherry Valley 6
+
+          Nov. 4--Brimfield 12; Phillips 0
+
+          Nov. 11--Brimfield 9; Chambers 30
+
+          Nov. 18--Brimfield 39; Southby 7
+
+Brimfield had played nine games, of which she had won six, lost two and
+tied one, not a bad record, as the _Review_ rather complacently pointed
+out, for a school whose football history dated back but a few years. But
+Brimfield didn't waste much time contemplating past performances. Had
+the team won every game in its schedule by an overwhelming score, the
+season would still be a dismal failure if it lost to Claflin, just as,
+if it finally won its big game, the school would rise up and call it
+blessed even had it lost every other contest of the season. In other
+words, Claflin was the only foe that really counted, and the Claflin
+game was the final test by which the Brimfield Football Team stood or
+fell.
+
+Claflin School, at Westplains, New York, some twelve miles distant from
+Brimfield, was a larger school in point of enrolment, a very much older
+school and far more "select." I don't intend to imply by that term that
+the Claflin students were a finer set of fellows than those at
+Brimfield. Doubtless they would have averaged up about the same. But
+Claflin liked to be considered "select" and so I might as well accord
+her the distinction. Claflin had been educating the youth of New York
+and surrounding states for almost a hundred years, and nowadays fathers
+applied for admission for their boys about as soon as the boys were
+born. The school was in that respect like a club with a long waiting
+list. If a boy wasn't "entered" by the time he was five or six years old
+at the latest, he stood small chance of getting in when the time came.
+
+Claflin had won from Brimfield three years on end, or ever since they
+had been playing together. She had started out by according Brimfield a
+mid-season date. The following year she had placed the game a week later
+and last year she had put it last on her schedule, Brimfield having by
+then proved herself an adversary of real merit. Oddly enough, Claflin
+had for some time been without a special rival and had gladly bestowed
+the honour on the Maroon-and-Grey as soon as the latter had shown
+herself worthy. This fall Claflin had had an unusually successful
+season, having played seven games and won all but the last, that with
+Larchville. Larchville, who had defeated Brimfield 17 to 3, had also
+taken the measure of Claflin to the tune of 12 to 6. Brimfield read of
+it in the Sunday papers and took comfort. After all, Claflin was not
+unbeatable it seemed. Her defeat by Larchville, coupled with Brimfield's
+overwhelming victory over Southby, lent next Saturday's game a roseate
+glow, viewed from a Brimfield view-point. In fact, by Monday Brimfield
+was almost confident of at last winning from the Blue, and the question
+of a proper celebration of the victory was up for discussion. Of course
+it should be a whopping big bonfire, with a parade and speeches and
+singing and plenty of music! But Brimfield had never yet celebrated such
+a stupendous event and consequently there were no precedents to guide
+them. Neither was it known what attitude faculty would take in regard to
+such an affair. But a few choice spirits in the upper forms made
+tentative arrangements to the extent of picking out a likely spot in a
+corner of the athletic field for the fire and locating such loose
+material as might come in handy as fuel.
+
+Monday's practice was short and easy. Even the second had an off-day.
+The 'varsity players were given a blackboard lecture in the meeting-room
+in the gymnasium after supper and were put through an examination on
+plays and signals. On Tuesday the practice was as stiff as ever. Coach
+Robey was not altogether satisfied with the defence, and there were
+forty-five minutes of the hardest sort of scrimmage in which the second
+was given the ball at various distances from the 'varsity goal and told
+to put it over. The field was closed to spectators that day and it was
+hard hammer-and-tongs football all the way. "Boots" drove the second
+with whip and spurs and the second responded nobly. But the best it
+could do was to drop a field-goal over the bar in the third period of
+the scrimmage, after having been held a half-dozen times by a desperate
+adversary. Steve played about as well that afternoon as he had ever
+played in his life. For once he had no worries on his mind. To be sure,
+there was still his falling-out with Tom and his quarrel with the school
+at large, but those things seemed rather to lend him a new strength than
+to bother him. He played with a dash and a reckless disregard for life
+and limb that made Coach Robey observe him with a new interest. Tom
+performed with his customary steadiness and more than once put it over
+on Fowler and on Churchill, who substituted him. They were some three
+dozen very tired youths who finally straggled back to the gymnasium when
+the work was over.
+
+On Wednesday the last real practice of the season was to be held, since
+the Thursday performance was more in the nature of an exhibition for the
+school than real work, and on Friday afternoon the team was to journey
+over to Oakdale, on the Sound, and remain there until Saturday forenoon.
+But the weather proved unkind on Wednesday. In the middle of the
+forenoon the wind veered around to the south and a drizzle of rain set
+in. By three o'clock the drizzle had grown into a very respectable
+downpour and the gridiron was slow and slippery. But Mr. Robey was not
+to be deterred and, with Danny Moore anxiously hovering about like a hen
+with a batch of ducklings, the 'varsity was put through a half-hour of
+signal work, punting and catching. Then the second, wet and muddy, came
+across to the first team gridiron and the two elevens leaped at each
+other again. Danny followed close behind, cautioning and scolding, and
+more than one player was dragged out of the mêlée and sent off to the
+gym in spite of the coach's pleas and protestations.
+
+"I'll not have them hurted," reiterated Danny stubbornly. "'Tis no sort
+of a day for hard work, Coach. I've got 'em through this far an' I'll
+not be havin' them breakin' their legs an' arms for the sake of a bit of
+practice, sir."
+
+"Hang their arms and their legs!" fumed Mr. Robey. "They might as well
+not have any as start the game Saturday half-baked! Give me a chance,
+Danny!"
+
+"'Tis takin' big chances, sir, playin' 'em on this sort of a field."
+
+"Then we'll take chances!" growled the coach. "Now get in there, first,
+and rip it up! Show what you can do! You've got six to go on third down;
+put it over! Wait a minute! Thursby! Get in there for Innes and hold
+that centre of the line steady."
+
+"Trot all the way in, my boy, and get a good rubbin'," directed Danny to
+the discomforted Innes. "Hi! Put your blanket on! Are you crazy?"
+
+"Play lower there, Hall! Throw them back, second!" entreated "Boots."
+"Don't let them have an inch!"
+
+Then the first piled through Brownell for three yards, slipping in the
+mud, panting, grunting to the accompaniment of thudding feet and the
+_swish_ of wet canvas. Above the players a cloud of steam hovered as
+they disentangled themselves. Danny darted into the confusion. Benson
+was on his back, thrashing his arms.
+
+"Water!" bawled Danny.
+
+A helper raced on with a slopping pail. Danny's fingers went exploring.
+
+"Ankle," groaned Benson, and Danny shot a triumphantly accusing look at
+Coach Robey. In a minute Benson was being helped off and the game was on
+again, but Mr. Robey showed a distinct aversion to meeting the trainer's
+glance. Later, in the gymnasium, it was known that Benson had hurt the
+bad ankle again and would not be able to play the game through on
+Saturday, even if he was allowed to get into it at all. Coach Robey
+accepted the tidings with a shrug and a scowl.
+
+"Fine!" he said sarcastically. "Claflin's left end is the best player
+they've got. Roberts will stand a fine chance against him! Look here,
+Danny, I thought you said Benson's ankle was all right?"
+
+"So I did! And so it was all right!" sputtered Danny. "But I didn't say
+he could go out an' play on a field like that to-day, did I?"
+
+"All right. It can't be helped now. Where's Captain Miller?"
+
+Danny bent his head backward toward the rubbing room. "In there," he
+answered shortly.
+
+"Heard about Benson?" asked the coach.
+
+Andy, looking a trifle pale and tired, nodded silently as the rubber
+kneaded his back. Mr. Robey frowned a moment.
+
+"You'll have to change over," he said finally. Andy grunted agreement.
+"And we'll have to take Turner or Edwards from the second to-morrow and
+beat him into shape."
+
+"Edwards is the better," said Andy.
+
+"I suppose so. If he played the way he played yesterday and to-day he
+might have a chance against Mumford. Still----"
+
+"I'd better take that end," said Andy. "Let Roberts start the game at
+left and then put in Edwards--unless Benson mends enough."
+
+"He won't," said the coach pessimistically. "You can't play end with a
+sore ankle. He's out of it, Andy. Tough luck, too. I'll find Edwards and
+tell him to join the squad to-night. He's got to learn signals and plays
+and----" The coach's voice dwindled into silence and he gloomed
+frowningly out the window. "I wish now I'd let Danny have his way," he
+lamented. "We could have run through plays indoors and had a hard
+practice to-morrow. Well----" He shrugged his shoulders again and his
+gaze came back to Andy. "How are you?" he asked. "You look a bit
+fagged."
+
+"I'll be all right after supper," replied the captain. "I'll be glad
+when Saturday night comes, though." And he smiled a trifle wanly as he
+slipped off the table.
+
+Mr. Robey grunted. "So will I. Somehow, this year seems to mean more,
+Andy. Still, there's no use in worrying about it. Much better not think
+of it any more than you can help."
+
+"I know," agreed Andy as he wrapped a big towel about his glowing body
+and moved toward the door, "but when you're captain it--it's a whole lot
+different. There's Edwards over there. Shall I call him?"
+
+The coach nodded. "I think so. He's better than Turner, isn't he? Left
+end is Turner's position, though."
+
+"Edwards'll take to it quick enough. He's got more bulldog than Turner
+has, too. I guess he's the man for us. Oh, Edwards! Will you come over
+here a minute?"
+
+Steve pushed his way through the crowded aisles, past Thursby who winked
+and grinned and whispered "You're going to catch it!" past Tom who
+turned his head away as he approached, past Eric Sawyer, a big hulk in a
+crimson bathrobe, who scowled upon him, and so to where, by the rubbing
+room door, the captain and coach awaited him. It was Mr. Robey who
+brusquely made the announcement. The coach was anxious and tired to-day
+and his voice was harsh.
+
+"Edwards, you join the 'varsity to-night. We may have to use you at left
+end. Benson's pretty badly hurt, I understand. Be upstairs at
+eight-fifteen promptly. You've got to learn the signals and about
+fifteen plays before Saturday. Tell your coach I've taken you, please."
+
+"Yes, sir." Steve's eyes, round and questioning, turned to the captain.
+Andy smiled a little.
+
+"Rather sudden, eh?" he asked. "Do your best to learn, Edwards. Get the
+signals and plays down pat. There isn't much time, but you can do it if
+you'll put your mind on it. You wanted to make the 'varsity, you know,
+and now you've done it, and here's your chance to make good, Edwards.
+But you've got to work like thunder, old man!" He laid a hand on Steve's
+shoulder and his fingers tightened as he went on. "Everyone's got his
+hands full right now, you see, and there's no one to coach you much.
+You've got to buckle down and learn things yourself. You can do it, all
+right. And on Saturday, if you get in--and I can't see how you can help
+it--you've got to play real football, Edwards. Think you can do all
+that?"
+
+"Yes." Steve's heart was thumping pretty hard and his breathing was
+uncertain, as though he had raced the length of the field with a pigskin
+tucked in the crook of his arm, and his gaze sought the floor for fear
+those two would read the almost tragic ecstasy that shone in them.
+"Yes," he repeated, "I'll learn. And I'll--I'll play!"
+
+"All right. You'd better join the 'varsity table to-night. See Lawrence
+about it. That's all." Coach Robey nodded and turned away. Andy Miller,
+following, paused and stepped back. One hand clutched the folds of the
+big towel about him, the other was stretched out to Steve.
+
+"I'm glad, Edwards," he said in a low voice as Steve's hand closed on
+his. Steve nodded. He wasn't quite certain of his voice just then.
+"You'll do your best for us, won't you, old man?"
+
+Steve gulped. "I--I'll play till I drop," he muttered huskily.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIII
+
+DURKIN SHEDS LIGHT
+
+
+Steve felt frightfully lonely that evening. He wanted so much to talk
+over his good fortune with Tom. But Tom, very grave of countenance, sat
+in frozen silence across the table and never so much as glanced his way.
+Had he done so he might have caught one of the wistful looks bent upon
+him and, perhaps, relented. Not being able to discuss the amazing thing
+which had happened to him, detracted at least half the pleasure, Steve
+sadly reflected. Of course Tom knew of it, for Steve had sat at the
+'varsity training table at supper-time and he could still hear in
+imagination the buzz of interest that had filled the hall when, somewhat
+consciously skirting the second team table, he had walked to the corner
+and sank into a seat between Fowler and Churchill. They had been very
+nice to him at the 'varsity table. Only Roberts, who might be expected
+to view his appearance with misgivings, had eyed him askance. Poor Joe
+Benson was confined to the dormitory. Thursby, himself only a recent
+addition to the big squad, grinned at Steve from the length of the long
+table in a way which seemed to say: "They had to have us! I guess we
+fellows on the second team are pretty bad, what?"
+
+But now, back in his room, with his books spread out before him and his
+mind in a strange tumult of elation and fear and dejection, he hardly
+knew whether to be glad of or sorry for his promotion. Study, at all
+events, was quite out of the question to-night, but luckily he was well
+enough up in his lessons to be able to afford one hour of idleness. He
+considered writing home to his father and recounting the story of his
+good fortune to him, for it seemed that he must talk to someone about
+it, and he even dragged a pad of paper toward him and unscrewed his
+fountain pen. But, after tracing meaningless scrawls for several
+minutes, he gave it up. He didn't want to write a letter; he wanted to
+talk to Tom!
+
+He saw the hands of his watch creep toward the hour of eight, after
+which he might give up pretence of study, don a sweater and a pair of
+canvas "sneakers" and go over to the gymnasium. The thought of that and
+of the next three days put him in a blue funk. What if he couldn't learn
+the signals, or, having learned them, forgot them in the game? What if
+he disappointed Andy and Coach Robey when the time came? He had visions
+of getting his signals mixed, of fumbling the ball at critical moments,
+of losing the game through his stupidity. There were times when he
+devoutly hoped that Joe Benson would recover the use of that ankle and
+get into the contest so that he [Steve] might not be called on to take
+part!
+
+Then, at last, eight o'clock struck sonorously in the tower of Main
+Hall, and he closed his books with a sigh of relief, piled them up and
+went to the closet. When he was ready to go out Tom was still bent over
+his studies. Steve hesitated a moment with his hand on the knob. He
+wanted Tom to wish him luck. He wondered if Tom guessed how sort of
+lonesome and scared he felt. But Tom never even raised his eyes and so
+Steve went out, closing the door softly behind him, and made his way
+through a dripping rain to the lighted porch of the gymnasium. Only a
+half-dozen fellows were there when he reached the meeting room. The
+settees had been moved aside and the floor was empty and ready for them.
+Steve nodded to the others and perched himself on one of the low
+windowsills to wait. In twos and threes the players stamped up the
+stairs, laughing, jostling. Milton and Kendall, entering together,
+seized each other and began to waltz over the floor. Steve wondered how
+they could take such a serious business so light-heartedly. Then Joe
+Lawrence, the manager, a football under his arm, came in with Williams
+and, glancing at his watch, began calling the roll. In the middle of it
+Coach Robey and Andy Miller and Danny Moore arrived. More lights were
+turned on and Mr. Robey swung the blackboard on the platform nearer the
+front.
+
+"We'll try Number Six," he announced. Very quickly and surely he
+scrawled the formation on the board, added curving lines and dotted
+lines, dropped the chalk and faced the room. "All right, Milton.
+First-string fellows in this and the rest of you watch closely."
+
+"Line up!" chirped Milton. "Formation A!" The players sprang to their
+places, their rubber-soled shoes patting softly on the boards.
+"21--14--63--66!" called the quarter. "21--14--63----"
+
+The backs, who had shifted to the left in a slanting tandem, trotted
+forward, the ball was passed, the line divided and Still slipped
+through.
+
+"Norton, you were out of position," said Mr. Robey. "Look at the board,
+please. Your place is an arm's length from left half. You've got to
+follow closely on that. Try it again, please."
+
+So it went for nearly an hour, the substitutes gradually taking the
+places of the first-string players. Steve, who had had the signals
+explained to him earlier, managed to get through without mistakes, but
+as an end he had little to do in the drill. After the coach had watched
+them go through some fourteen plays, the settees were dragged out into
+the floor again, the players seated themselves and the coach drew
+diagrams and explained them and examined the squad in signals as he went
+along. It was all over at a little after nine, but not for Steve. Andy
+Miller took him back to his room with him and for a good half-hour Steve
+was coached on formations, plays and signals. When, finally, he went
+back to Billings his head was absolutely seething and it was long after
+eleven before sleep finally came to him. When it did, it was a restless
+and disturbed slumber that was filled with dreams and visions.
+
+He awoke earlier than usual the next morning, feeling almost as tired as
+when he had gone to bed. But, although he strove to snatch a nap before
+it was time to get up, sleep refused to return to him. His mind was too
+full. Across the room Tom was snoring placidly, both arms clutched about
+a pillow and his face almost buried from sight. Steve envied him his
+untroubled state of mind. Then he began to go over what he had learned
+the evening before and found himself in a condition of panic because for
+the life of him he couldn't remember half of the stuff that had been
+hammered into his tired brain! Steve was not the only fellow at training
+table that morning who showed a distaste for the excellent breakfast
+that was served. More than one chap looked pale and anxious and only
+trifled with the food before him. Steve stumbled through recitations,
+earning a warning look from "Uncle Sim," managed to observe more or less
+faithfully the schedule he had set for himself and turned up at dinner
+table with a very good appetite. After dinner he wrote a notice and
+posted it on the bulletin board in the gymnasium.
+
+"No Swimming Classes until Monday. S. D. Edwards."
+
+The school turned out to a boy that afternoon and paraded to the field
+to watch the final practice. Massed on the grand stand, they sang their
+songs and cheered the players and the team all during a half-hour of
+signal drill and punting. There was no scrimmage until the first-string
+men had trotted off the field. Then the 'varsity substitutes and the
+second team faced each other for fifteen minutes and the second scored a
+field-goal. Steve played at left end on the substitute eleven, made one
+or two mistakes in signals and failed at any time to distinguish
+himself. But the game was slow and half-hearted, for the substitutes
+were continually warned against playing too hard and so risking injury.
+When it was over, the second cheered the 'varsity, the subs cheered the
+second and the spectators formed two abreast again and trailed across
+the field to the gymnasium and there once more cheered everyone from
+Captain Miller and Coach Robey down to the last substitute--who was
+Steve--Danny Moore and Gus, the rubber. It had drizzled at times during
+the afternoon, but before the final "Rah, rah, Brimfield! Rah, rah,
+Brimfield! Rah, rah, Brim-f-i-e-l-d!" had died away, the clouds broke in
+the west and the afternoon sun shone through. This was accepted joyfully
+as a good omen and the crowd outside the gymnasium broke into a chorus
+of ecstatic "A-a-ays!"
+
+Practice was over early, and at half-past four Steve, parting from
+Thursby at the corner of Wendell, made his way along the Row, half
+wishing that he had not cancelled the swimming hour to-day. At the
+entrance to Torrence a voice hailed him from the doorway, and "Penny"
+Durkin, wild of hair and loose-limbed, stepped out.
+
+"Hello," said Durkin. "Say, I've got the dandiest rug upstairs you ever
+saw, Edwards. It's a regular Begorra."
+
+"What's a Begorra?" asked Steve with a smile.
+
+"Oh, it's one of those rare Oriental rugs, you know."
+
+"You mean Bokhara," laughed Steve.
+
+Durkin blinked. "Something like that," he agreed. "Anyway, it's a peach.
+Come up and have a look at it."
+
+"No, thanks. I'm not buying rugs to-day."
+
+"Tell you what I'll do," pursued Durkin, undismayed. "I'll fetch it over
+to your room and you can see how it looks. It's got perfectly wonderful
+tones of--of old rose and--and blue and----"
+
+"Nothing doing, Durkin. We don't need any rugs."
+
+"You're missing a bargain," warned the other. "Say, I've still got that
+shoe-blacking stand I told you about. No, I didn't tell you, did I? I
+left a note under your door one evening, though. Did you get it?"
+
+"Note? Why, yes, I think so. Yes, we got it. I'd forgotten."
+
+Durkin chuckled. "That was the time I gave Sawyer the scare."
+
+"How?" asked Steve idly.
+
+"Didn't he tell you?"
+
+"Sawyer? Not likely." And Steve smiled.
+
+"That's so, I did hear that you and he were scrapping one day. You used
+to be pretty chummy, though, didn't you?"
+
+"Never," replied Steve with emphasis. Durkin blinked again and looked
+puzzled.
+
+"Well, he was trying to find you that night. So I supposed----"
+
+"What night?"
+
+"The night I went to tell you about that shoe-blacking stand. It's
+almost as good as new, Edwards----"
+
+"You say Sawyer was looking for me that night? How do you know? He
+couldn't have been, because I'd met him earlier in the hall downstairs."
+
+"I don't know. He said he was. Anyhow, he was in your room----"
+
+"Sawyer?" demanded Steve incredulously. "Eric Sawyer?"
+
+Durkin nodded.
+
+"You're crazy," laughed Steve.
+
+"Well, he was," answered the other indignantly. "He came out just as I
+was tucking that note under the door and fell over me and let out a
+yell you could have heard half-way to New York. You see, I didn't know
+there was anyone there. I knocked at first and thought I heard someone
+moving around in there. Then I tried the door and it was locked----"
+
+"You had the wrong room," said Steve. "We never lock our door except
+when we go to bed."
+
+"Wrong room nothing! You got the note, didn't you? Well, I didn't leave
+any notes anywhere else."
+
+"But--now, look here, Durkin. I want to get this right. You say you went
+to our room and knocked and---- Was there a light there?"
+
+"No. The transom was dark. When I couldn't get in I went back down the
+corridor to where the light is and scribbled that note. Then I went back
+and tucked it under the door. I guess I didn't make much noise because I
+had a pair of rubber-soled shoes on and so Sawyer didn't hear me.
+Anyway, he opened the door just then and it was fairly dark there and he
+nearly broke his silly neck on me. Scared me, too, for the matter of
+that! I didn't think there was anyone in there. Say, is there anything
+up? You look sort of funny."
+
+"N-no, nothing much. You're sure it was Sawyer who came out?"
+
+"Of course I'm sure. He let out a yell and picked himself up and began
+to scold. Wanted to know what I meant by it and I said I was sticking a
+note under your door and he said 'Oh!' and something about wanting to
+see you and waiting for you. Then he said he guessed you weren't coming
+back yet and he'd go on."
+
+"What time was this, Durkin?"
+
+"Oh, a little after eight, I suppose; half-past, maybe. I stopped to see
+Whittaker on the floor below, I remember. He said he'd look at that
+stand, but he never did. If you want a bargain, Edwards, now's your
+chance. I'll let you have it for a dollar and a quarter. It cost two and
+a half. I bought it from----"
+
+"Oh, confound your old stand! Look here, Durkin, will you tell Mr. Daley
+just what you've told me if I want you to?"
+
+"Eh?" asked Durkin in alarm. "Oh, I don't know. I don't want to get
+anyone into trouble. I--I'd rather not, I guess. You see, Sawyer----"
+
+"If you will, I--I'll buy your old shoe-blacking stand or your rug
+or--or anything you like!" said Steve earnestly. "Will you?"
+
+"Why, maybe I might if you put it that way. The rug's two dollars."
+
+"All right," answered Steve impatiently. "Where are you going to be for
+the next hour?"
+
+"Upstairs, practising. Come and see it any time you like. It really is a
+peach, Edwards, and it's scarcely worn at all. It--it's a prayer rug,
+too, and they're scarcer than hens' teeth nowadays!"
+
+But Steve was already yards away and Durkin shrugged his shoulders and
+turned back into Torrence.
+
+"Wonder what's up," he murmured. "I'd hate to get Sawyer into a scrape.
+Still, if he will buy that rug----"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIV
+
+THE DAY BEFORE THE BATTLE
+
+
+Tom was attiring himself in his Sunday best. It was almost six o'clock
+and one of Hoskins' barges was to leave Main Hall at half-past with the
+members of the second team, for this was the evening of the banquet in
+the village. Tom didn't feel unduly hilarious, however. He was sorry
+that the football season was over, for one thing, for he loved the game.
+And then existence of late had been fairly wearing and mighty
+unsatisfactory. His quarrel with Steve was a tiresome affair and he
+didn't see just how it was to end. For his part, in spite of the fact
+that his chum had hurt him a good deal by his mean suspicion of him, he
+was ready to make up, only--well, he had some pride, after all, and it
+did seem as if the first overtures should come from Steve. No, on the
+whole, Tom wasn't looking forward to the banquet with any great amount
+of enjoyment. If Steve was going to be there, too----
+
+Someone came hurrying down the corridor, the room door flew open and
+there stood Steve himself, a radiant and embarrassed look on his face,
+his gaze searching the room for Tom. His face fell a little as he found
+the room apparently empty, and then lighted again as his glance
+discovered Tom at the closet door, Tom half-dressed and with a pair of
+trousers dangling over his arm. Out went Steve's hand as he turned.
+
+"I'm sorry, Tom," he said simply. "I was a beast."
+
+Tom took the hand that was offered and squeezed it hard.
+
+"That's all right," he stammered. "So was I."
+
+"No, you were right, Tom," answered Steve convincedly. "I hadn't any
+business suspecting you of a thing like that. And--and I want to tell
+you first that I knew I was wrong a long time ago, before this happened.
+You believe that, don't you?"
+
+"Yes, Steve, but--what is it that's happened?"
+
+"It's all clear as daylight," said Steve, grinning happily as he seated
+himself on the bed and tossing his cap toward the table. "It was Sawyer
+did it. He put up the whole job. He fessed up when 'Horace' got at him.
+Durkin met him coming out and----"
+
+"Hold on!" begged Tom. "I don't quite get you, Steve!"
+
+Steve laughed. "Sort of confused narrative, eh? Well, listen, then. Drop
+those trousers and sit down a minute."
+
+"All right, but the barge leaves at half-past----"
+
+"Never you mind the barge, old man! You're not going in it. I'll come to
+that later, though."
+
+"Take your time," said Tom, dropping into a chair. "I love to hear your
+innocent prattle."
+
+"Shut up! It's like this, Tom. I met Durkin awhile ago and he got to
+talking about that shoe-blacking stand. Remember the note he left here
+that night?" Tom nodded. "Well, it came out that while he was putting it
+under our door Eric Sawyer walked out and fell over him."
+
+"Out of here?"
+
+"Right-o! Sawyer said he'd been waiting to see me. Now you remember I'd
+seen him coming out of Daley's room earlier, eh? Well, it seems that
+Sawyer saw a chance to put up a game on me. So after I'd gone upstairs
+again, he sneaked back to 'Horace's' room, got that confounded blue-book
+of Upton's and waited his chance. After we'd left the room he came up
+here and slid the thing among some books on the table there. While he
+was in here Durkin came along and knocked and Sawyer slipped over and
+locked the door. Then he waited until he thought Durkin had gone and
+unlocked the door again and came out. But old Durkin had written a note
+to us down under the light and come back with it and he was putting it
+under the door when Sawyer came out and fell over him. Of course, when
+Durkin told me that I had a hunch what had happened and I hot-footed it
+to 'Horace.' He confessed that it was Sawyer who had told him he'd seen
+me carrying off the book. So he streaked off after Sawyer, found him
+somewhere and took him to Durkin's room. Sawyer----"
+
+"Were you there too?" asked Tom excitedly.
+
+"No, he told me to wait in his study for him. He was back in about a
+half-hour looking sort of worried. Of course Sawyer had to own up. He
+told 'Horace' that he'd just done it for a joke, but 'Horace' didn't
+believe him for a cent. And there you are!" Steve ended in breathless
+triumph. Tom viewed him round-eyed.
+
+"What--what about Sawyer?" he asked.
+
+"I don't know for certain, but I think Sawyer's on pro. Anyway, Tom, I
+know this much: You don't go to any old banquet to-night."
+
+"I don't? Why don't I?"
+
+"Because I met Lawrence downstairs a few minutes ago. He was looking for
+you."
+
+"Wh-what for?" asked Tom faintly.
+
+"Robey says you're not to break training, Tom! You're to report at the
+'varsity table to-night for supper!" Whereupon Steve, his eyes dancing,
+jumped from the bed and pulled Tom to his feet. "What do you say to
+that, old Tommikins?" he exulted.
+
+Tom, dazed, smiled weakly. "Do you mean--do you mean they want me to
+_play_?" he murmured.
+
+"Oh, no," scoffed Steve, pushing him toward the bed on which he subsided
+in a heap. "They want you to carry the footballs and sweep the gridiron!
+Of course they want you to play, you old sobersides! Don't you see that
+with Sawyer on pro there's a big hole in the line? I suppose they'll
+give Churchill the first chance at it, but he won't last the game
+through. Think of both you and I making the 'varsity, Tom! How's that
+for luck, eh? Not bad for the old Tannersville High School, is it? I
+guess we've gone and put Tannersville on the map, Tom!"
+
+"Gee, I'm scared!" muttered Tom, looking up at Steve with wide eyes.
+"I--I don't believe I'll do it!"
+
+"You don't, eh? Well, you're going to do it! Get your old duds on and
+hurry up. It's after six."
+
+"I'll have to tell Brownell I'm not going to the feast." Tom gazed
+fascinatedly at his best trousers draped across the chair back. "Anyway,
+I wasn't keen on going--without you," he murmured.
+
+"There's only one drawback," said Steve a few minutes later, when they
+were on their way to supper. "And that is that I promised Durkin to buy
+a rug from him."
+
+"A rug? We don't need any rug, do we?" asked Tom.
+
+"Not a bit. But this is a genuine Begorra; Durkin says so himself. And I
+agreed to buy it if he'd tell 'Horace' about Sawyer. Unless--unless
+you'd rather have the shoe-blacking stand, Tom?"
+
+"I would. If we had that, perhaps you'd keep your shoes decent!"
+
+Steve tipped Tom's cap over his eyes. "Rude ruffian!" he growled
+affectionately.
+
+There was no practice at Brimfield Friday, for as soon as the last
+recitation of the day was over the 'varsity team and substitutes piled
+into two of Hoskins' barges in front of Main Hall to be driven over to
+Oakdale, some five miles distant. The school assembled to see them off,
+and there was much hilarity and noise. Joe Lawrence, note-book in hand,
+flustered and anxious, mounted the steps and called the names of the
+squad members.
+
+"Benson!"
+
+"Here," responded Benson from where, at the far end of one of the
+barges, he sat, crutches in hand, looking a bit disconsolate.
+
+"Churchill, Corcoran, Edwards, Fowler, Gleason, Guild, Hall, Harris,
+Innes--Innes?"
+
+"Coming fast!" shouted a voice from the edge of the throng, and the big
+centre, suit-case in hand, pushed his way toward the barges.
+
+"Right through!" laughed the fellows. "Hit the line, Innes! A-a-ay!"
+
+"Kendall," continued Lawrence. "Lacey, Marvin, Miller, Milton, McClure,
+Norton, Roberts, Still, Thursby, Williams!"
+
+"All present and accounted for," announced a voice in the crowd. "Home,
+James!"
+
+Coach Robey and "Boots" appeared. Danny Moore, who with Gus, the rubber,
+sat on the driver's seat surrounded with suit-cases, took the bags, Joe
+Lawrence and Tracey Black, assistant manager, squeezed into the already
+overcrowded barges, Blaisdell, baseball captain, called for a cheer
+and, amidst a thunderous farewell, the squad, grinning and waving,
+disappeared down the drive, through the gate and out on to the road.
+
+Oakdale was fairly deserted at this time of year. Most of the summer
+cottages were closed, but the little hotel kept open the year around,
+and when, at four o'clock, the barges pulled up in front of it, fires
+were snapping in the open fireplaces and everything was in readiness for
+the squad's reception. Followed a very merry and rather boisterous time
+while the fellows, bags in hand, sought their rooms to don their togs
+and report for light practice on the lawn. There was only signal drill
+to-day, and that was brief. Afterwards the centres practised passing and
+the kickers limbered up a little, but by five the work was over and the
+fellows were free to do what they liked. Some gathered around the two
+big fireplaces in the hotel, others went for strolls along the road, and
+still others, Steve and Tom amongst the number, sought the little cove
+nearby where a diminutive and rather pebbly beach curved from point to
+point and a boat-landing stuck out into the quiet water. The trees and
+grass went almost to the edge and there were comfortable benches along
+the bank from which one might look across the Sound to the Long Island
+shore or watch the boats pass. It had been a fair, mild day and the
+light still held. Steve and Tom sauntered down to the float and Steve
+dipped an inquiring hand into the water.
+
+"Say, that isn't a bit cold," he announced. "What do you say to a swim,
+Tom?"
+
+"Fine, only we haven't any suits."
+
+"Maybe they've got some at the hotel. Let's ask." On the way up they met
+Norton, Williams and Marvin. "Come on in swimming, fellows," called
+Steve.
+
+"Can we?" asked Norton. "Who says so?"
+
+"Why not? We're going to see if we can find some trunks or something."
+
+"All right. You'd better ask the coach, though." This from Marvin. "He's
+in the office, I think. If you find any trunks bring some for us,
+Edwards."
+
+The clerk was rather dubious at first, but eventually returned with a
+miscellaneous collection of bathing togs from which the boys finally
+evolved three pairs of trunks and two suits. Meanwhile Mr. Robey had
+given hesitant permission.
+
+"If the water's very cold, Edwards, don't try it, please. And, in any
+case, don't stay in more than ten minutes. That goes for all of you."
+
+There was a bathing pavilion farther along, reached from the little
+beach by a flight of wooden steps, and to this the five boys proceeded,
+examining the attire the clerk had provided with much amusement.
+
+"I won't be able to swim a stroke," declared Norton. "I'll just be
+doubled up laughing at Hath in that blue-striped thing he has there."
+
+"Huh," growled Williams, "I don't think you'll get any prizes for beauty
+yourself!"
+
+By this time the news of their exploit had gone out and other fellows
+were hurrying to the hotel to seek bathing suits. A few secured them and
+the rest followed down to watch. When they met outside, dressed for the
+plunge, the five went off into gales of laughter. Hatherton Williams in
+a blue-and-white-striped suit many sizes too small for him cut a
+ridiculous figure, while Norton, whose faded red trunks had lost their
+gathering string, held his attire frantically with one hand and implored
+a pin! Tom's trunks were strained to the bursting point and Steve's were
+inches too large for him. Only Marvin had fared well, being dressed in
+what he called "a real classy two-piece suit." The two pieces didn't
+match in either colour or material, but they nearly fitted and, unlike
+Hatherton Williams' regalia, were innocent of holes. Norton declared
+that he was extremely glad it was getting dark, since otherwise if the
+pin one of the onlookers had supplied him with gave way, he'd have to
+stay in the water.
+
+Steve and Marvin led the way to the float and they all plunged in. Tom,
+shaking the water from his head, faced Steve accusingly when he had
+regained his breath. "Thought you said it wasn't cold!" he shrieked.
+"It's freezing! Br-r-r!"
+
+"Move around and get warm," advised Norton, striking out. "It isn't bad
+when you get used to it."
+
+But Tom, accustomed to the tempered water of the school tank, groaned
+and refused to be optimistic. "Bet it isn't a bit over forty-five," he
+muttered.
+
+Steve was already well out in the cove, pursued by Norton. Some of the
+boys who had failed to find suits had launched a decrepit rowboat and,
+with one broken oar, were splashing about near the float. Far out in the
+Sound a big white steamer passed eastward, her lights showing white in
+the gathering darkness and the strains from her orchestra coming
+faintly across the quiet water. The boys in the rowboat stopped
+skylarking to discuss what steamer it was, and Marvin, who had swam up
+behind and laid hands on the gunwale, told them that it was the
+_Lusitania_ and that if they didn't agree with him he'd tip them over.
+Discussion ceased at once. The four mariners instantly declared that he
+was right. Churchill even went so far as to say that he had known it was
+the _Lusitania_ all the time; that he could always tell her by her
+funnels. Innes, who was seated in the stern and filling his position to
+the limit, acknowledged that for an instant--oh, the merest fraction of
+a second!--he had thought the steamer was the _Ne'er-do-well_, Berlin to
+Kansas City, but that he had seen his mistake almost instantly! By which
+time, the _Priscilla_, New York to Fall River, had passed out of sight,
+and Marvin, merely tipping the boat until the water ran in a bit over
+one side, just as a mark of esteem, swam off before Guild could reach
+him with the broken oar.
+
+Tom and Williams were paddling about not far off the landing, Tom
+floating on his back most of the time and complaining about the
+temperature of the water, when Norton swam up, puffing and blowing.
+
+"Where's Steve?" asked Tom. Norton nodded toward the Long Island shore.
+
+"Somewhere out there," he answered. "He was too much for me. I had to
+quit. The chump swims like a--a dolphin. I'm going in, fellows. I'm
+getting cold."
+
+"I guess we'd all better," agreed Williams. "Hello! What's that?"
+
+"_Help!_" From somewhere beyond the mouth of the little cove the cry
+came, sharp, imperative, and was repeated again while they listened.
+
+"It's Edwards," muttered Norton uneasily. "I suppose he's only trying to
+get a rise out of us. He can swim like----"
+
+"Must be," agreed Williams. "Can you see him?"
+
+The cove was dim now and the surface of the water beyond held a sheen of
+light that confused the vision.
+
+"I'm not sure," muttered Norton. "I thought I did--for a minute."
+
+"Who was that yelling out there?" shouted one of the fellows in the
+boat.
+
+"Must be Edwards," answered Williams. "Can you see him?"
+
+"No. Do you suppose----"
+
+"_Help!_ This way!" The cry came again, fainter now, and someone in the
+boat seized the broken oar and began to churn the water with it, sending
+the crazy craft circling about in its length.
+
+"He's in trouble!" cried Norton. "Cramps, probably. I'm off, Hath. Will
+you come? Where's Hall?"
+
+"He started a minute ago," answered Williams, striking out with long
+hard sweeps of legs and arms. "There he is, ahead."
+
+"Come on with that boat, you fellows!" shouted Norton. "And hurry it
+up!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXV
+
+TOM TO THE RESCUE
+
+
+"We've only got one oar," answered a desperate voice.
+
+"Put it over the stern and scull it," directed someone on the float.
+There was a splash in reply, and Innes, who had promptly vacated his
+seat, crawled dripping to the landing. Hatherton, Williams, Norton and
+Marvin were already swimming desperately toward the mouth of the cove,
+while several fellows on land were running hard to the point, following
+the curving shore. The rowboat was at last under way, but making slow
+progress. Norton was the best swimmer of the trio, or, at least, the
+fastest, and Williams and Marvin were soon hopelessly in the rear. But
+Norton, if he could distance the other two, found that he was gaining
+but slowly on Tom, who, swimming as he had never swam before, as he
+didn't know he could swim, was already well out toward the mouth of the
+cove.
+
+His limbs were aching already, and his lungs were hurting as he fought
+his way through the water and against a slow-coming tide. But the only
+thought that possessed him was that Steve was in trouble out there,
+perhaps drowning, and that he must get to him. The water splashed into
+his eyes and blinded him, for Tom was not an adept swimmer, and not once
+could he so much as sight Steve. Neither was the appeal for help
+repeated and Tom's heart sank. Behind him, as he was dimly aware, others
+were following, and he wished they would hurry. Once, when he was
+opposite the points, he tried to call, but his lungs were too tired to
+respond in more than a whisper. Then he was past the gloom of the cove,
+the water was alight with the afterglow and little choppy waves dashed
+against him. Gasping, he paused an instant, brushed one arm against his
+dripping face and looked about him. For a moment nothing met his anxious
+gaze. Then a darker spot on the darkening water appeared a dozen yards
+away and Tom went on desperately, panic-stricken for fear that when he
+reached it it would prove to be only a bit of driftwood.
+
+[Illustration: It was Steve, Steve on his back, with only his head and
+shoulders above the water]
+
+But it wasn't. It was Steve, Steve on his back, with only his head and
+shoulders above the water, eyes closed in a dead-white face and his arms
+weakly moving now and then as though in an unconscious endeavour to keep
+the helpless body afloat. A great wave of relief and joy almost stopped
+Tom's heart for an instant. Then his hand went out and caught one of
+Steve's wrists.
+
+"It's all right, Steve," he gasped weakly. "Don't grab me. They're
+coming with the boat."
+
+There was no reply from Steve, and Tom, pulling the arm over his
+shoulder, as he had seen Steve himself do so many times in the tank when
+illustrating the way to rescue a drowning person, felt the weight of the
+inert form on his back as he turned and strove to swim slowly back
+toward the cove. To swim with one arm, even to keep himself afloat so,
+was no light task for Tom, and now, with the weight of Steve's body
+bearing him down, he found the struggle too much for him. He
+relinquished all attempts to swim and centred his efforts in keeping
+afloat. If only Norton and the rest would come! He listened. There was a
+splashing somewhere nearby, but it was too dark now to see a dozen feet
+away. Tom drew all the breath he could find into his lungs and let it
+out in a weak shout.
+
+"Help!" he gasped. "Here!"
+
+Then there was an answering hail from close by, a mighty churning of the
+water and a dim form plunged alongside.
+
+"Have you got him?" cried Norton. "Give him to me, Hall. Hath! Over
+here!"
+
+Tom didn't relinquish quite all his burden, though. He still had one of
+Steve's arms around his neck when, a minute later, Marvin and Williams
+having reached them meanwhile, the rowboat appeared out of the darkness.
+It was no light task to get Steve into the boat, but it was accomplished
+somehow, and then, Tom dragging astern, hands clutching the gunwale
+grimly, and the others, too, claiming at least partial support from the
+boat, the rescuers turned shoreward. Wisely, Churchill, who handled the
+oar, headed the boat toward the nearer point, and when the keel
+grounded, eager hands were waiting to lift Steve out and hurry him back
+to the hotel. Tom crawled out of the water and subsided on the bank,
+still fighting for breath and feeling rather sick at his stomach.
+Between Fowler and Milton he was lifted and half carried, weakly
+protesting that he could walk all right and promptly crumpling up when
+they allowed him to try.
+
+Steve had been taken up to the room he was occupying, and Danny Moore
+was administering to him when Tom was brought in and laid on his bed.
+Steve was already talking weakly and Danny was telling him to keep
+still.
+
+"Don't be talking," he said. "Fit that bottle to your back and keep
+covered up. You'll be fine in an hour. An' who've you got there? Well,
+if it ain't my old friend Jim Hall!"
+
+Tom smiled faintly as Danny bent over him.
+
+"An' so you been tryin' to drown yourself too, have you?" continued
+Danny. "Well, well,'tis queer tastes you have, the two of you! Drink a
+bit o' this, Jim, and lie still."
+
+Mr. Robey came in and Danny nodded reassuringly to him. "They'll be fine
+as fiddles in an hour, Coach. Now you boys scatter out o' here an' leave
+them have a bit nap."
+
+Tom didn't remember much for awhile after that, for he must have fallen
+promptly to sleep. When he awoke, the light was turned low and Steve was
+sitting on the edge of the bed. On a chair beside him was a tray from
+which appetizing odours curled toward him. Tom blinked sleepily.
+
+"Hello," he murmured. "What's up?"
+
+"I am and you're not," answered Steve. "I've brought you some supper.
+Are you hungry?"
+
+Recollection returned then and Tom observed his chum anxiously.
+
+"Are you all right!" he demanded. "Did they say you could get up?"
+
+"Of course. You can too after you eat. But you were asleep and Danny
+said you might as well have it out. How are you feeling?"
+
+Tom sat up experimentally and took a deep breath. "All right," he
+answered stoutly, although as a matter of fact he was full of stiff
+spots and queer aches. "And--and I'm hungry."
+
+"Good stuff!" laughed Steve. He lifted the tray to Tom's lap and took
+the covers from the dishes. "There isn't an awful lot here," he added
+apologetically, "but Danny said you'd be better if you didn't eat such a
+big supper. Do you mind?"
+
+"No, I guess there's enough. That soup smells good. What's that there?
+Roast beef? Fine!" And Tom fell diligently to work.
+
+Steve watched in silence a moment. Then,
+
+"I say, Tom," he said.
+
+"Huh?" asked the other, his mouth full.
+
+"You know I--I'm much obliged."
+
+Tom nodded carelessly. "All right," he said in a gruff voice. "It wasn't
+anything. Norton and Williams and those others did it."
+
+"You got there first," said Steve. "I guess if you hadn't I--I wouldn't
+have waited for the rest. It was mighty plucky, and--and I----"
+
+"Oh, cut it," growled Tom. "It wasn't anything, you ass. What the
+dickens did you go away out there for anyway?" Tom became indignant.
+"Haven't you got any sense?"
+
+"Not much," laughed Steve. Then, soberly, "It's the first time I ever
+had cramps, and I don't ever want them again! I thought I was a goner
+there for a while, Tom. They caught me right across the small of my back
+and I couldn't any more move my legs than I could fly. All I could do
+was shout and wiggle my arms a bit, and the pain was just as though
+something--say a swordfish--was cutting me in two!" Steve shook his head
+soberly. "It--it was fierce, Tom!"
+
+"Serves you right! You had no business swimming way out there in water
+like that and scaring us all to pieces!" Tom was very severe as to
+language, but the effect was somewhat marred by the fact that he had
+filled his mouth with food. Nevertheless, Steve took the rebuke quite
+meekly. All he said was:
+
+"And think of you rescuing me, Tom! Why, you aren't any sort of a
+swimmer! But it certainly was mighty pluck----"
+
+Tom pointed a fork at Steve and interrupted indignantly. It was
+necessary to head Steve off from further expressions of gratitude. "I
+like your cheek!" said Tom. "Can't swim! How do you suppose I got out
+there to you, you silly chump? You didn't see any water-wings or
+life-preservers floating around, did you? Or do you think I walked?
+Can't swim! Well, of all the----"
+
+"You know what I mean, Tom. I meant you couldn't swim--er--well, that
+you weren't a wonder at it!"
+
+"Huh!" grunted Tom. "Don't you talk about swimming after this. You
+weren't doing much of it when I got to you!"
+
+"No one can swim when he has cramps," responded Steve meekly. "How was
+the supper?"
+
+Tom gazed at the empty dishes. "All right--as far as it went. I'm going
+to get up. What time is it and what's going on downstairs?"
+
+"Nothing much just now. We just got through supper. They're taking the
+chairs and tables out of the dining-room so we can have signal drill at
+eight. Mr. Robey said you were to get into it if you felt all right.
+There's someone else downstairs who wants to see you too." And Steve
+grinned wickedly. "I told him I'd try to arrange an interview."
+
+"Who is it?" asked Tom suspiciously.
+
+"His name is Murray."
+
+"I don't know any Murray. What is this, a joke?"
+
+"Far from it, Tom. Mr. Murray is a newspaper man. He came over to get
+the line-up for to-morrow's game from Mr. Robey and got here just as
+they were talking about that silly stunt of mine. He laid around and
+waited for me and got it all out before I knew he was a newspaper chap.
+Now he wants to see you. I _think_ he wants your photograph, Tom!"
+
+"You were a silly ass to talk to him, Steve. He will go and put it in
+the paper, I suppose."
+
+"Wouldn't be surprised," agreed Steve, smiling. "He seemed to think he
+had a fine yarn. Of course I laid it on pretty thick about your heroism
+and all that."
+
+Tom viewed him darkly as he got into his coat. "If you did
+I'll--I'll----"
+
+"Take me back to the Sound and drop me in again! No, I didn't, Tom, but
+he does know all about it and of course he will put it in the papers.
+'Boots' says the--the Something-or-Other Press will get hold of it and
+send it all over the country. I've been wondering whether we ought to
+telegraph the folks so they won't have a fit if they read about it
+to-morrow."
+
+"What's the use? They'll know you're all right. Bet you that Mr.
+Newspaper Man doesn't catch me, though! Who's that hitting the ivories?"
+
+"Gleason, I guess. He was playing before supper. He's fine, too. Knows a
+whole bunch of college songs and stuff from the musical shows. We're
+going to have a concert after practice. They say Danny Moore can sing
+like a bird. Andy was telling me that last year they had a regular
+vaudeville show here. Everybody did something, you know; sang or danced
+or spoke a piece. It must have been lots of fun. I wish----"
+
+Steve, who had been wandering around the room, hands in pockets, paused
+as he caught the expression on Tom's face. "What's the matter?" he
+asked.
+
+"That's what I want to know," replied Tom. "Seems to me you're mighty
+chatty all of a sudden. Is it the effect of the bath?"
+
+Steve smiled, sighed and shook his head. "Tom," he said, "I've just got
+to talk or do something this evening. I--I'm as nervous as a--a cat!
+Ever feel that way?"
+
+Tom viewed him scornfully as he patted his tie into place. "Have I? Why,
+you silly chump, I'm scared to death this minute! Whenever I think
+about--about to-morrow I want to run down to the ocean and swim straight
+across to Africa!"
+
+"Honest?" Steve brightened perceptibly. "But you don't show it, Tom."
+
+"What's the good of showing it? All I hope is that the barge will make
+so much noise going back to-morrow that you won't hear my knees knocking
+together!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVI
+
+AT THE END OF THE FIRST HALF
+
+
+Saturday dawned clear and crisp, with a little westerly breeze stirring
+the tops of the leafless trees and fluttering the big maroon flag with
+the grey B that hung from the staff at the back of the grand stand. That
+was not the only flag displayed, for here and there all along the Row
+small banners hung from windows, while to add to the patriotic effect
+all the red and grey cushions in school were piled against the casements
+to lend their colour. There were few recitations that morning and there
+might just as well have been none, I fancy. The squad got back from
+Oakdale at one-thirty, after an early dinner, and were driven directly
+to the gymnasium, pursued by the school at large with vociferous
+greetings.
+
+Claflin began to put in an appearance soon after that. Hitherto
+Brimfield had travelled to Westplains to meet her rival, and this was
+the first time that the Blue had invaded the Maroon-and-Grey fastness.
+Hoskins did a rushing business that day, for Claflin had sent nearly her
+entire population with the team, and many of the visitors were forced
+to walk from the station. There was an insouciant, self-confident air
+about the Claflin fellows that impressed Brimfield and irritated her
+too. "You'd think," remarked Benson, watching from a window in the gym
+the visitors passing toward the field, "that they had the game already
+won! A stuck-up lot of dudes, that's what I call them!" But Benson was
+not in the best of tempers to-day and possibly his judgment was warped!
+
+The Claflin team arrived in one of Hoskins' barges and took possession
+of the meeting-room upstairs to change into their togs. They were a
+fine-looking lot of fellows, and they, too, had that same air of
+confidence that Benson had found annoying. By a quarter past two the
+stage was set. The grand stand was filled to overflowing, the settees
+and chairs, which had been brought out to supplement the permanent
+seats, were all occupied, and many spectators were standing along the
+ropes. Over the stand the big maroon-and-grey banner floated lazily in
+the breeze. The field had been newly marked out and the cream-white
+lines shone dazzlingly in the sharp sunlight. It was a day for light
+wraps and sweaters, but many visitors, arriving in motor cars that were
+now parked behind the gymnasium, were clad in furs. It was distinctly a
+social occasion, for fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, aunts and
+uncles had descended upon the school in numbers and half the fellows
+were parading around before the hour set for the game with admiring
+relatives or friends, showing their rooms and the dining-hall and the
+gymnasium, and looking all the time a bit bored at the fuss and secretly
+enjoying it. Harry Westcott was seen with his father and sister in tow,
+while Roy Draper was surrounded by an enthusiastic flock of female
+relatives.
+
+Overhead a clear blue sky, scarcely so much as flecked with a cloud,
+arched radiantly. The breeze was much too light to place a handicap on
+either goal, and when, at a quarter after two, the visiting team trotted
+across from the gymnasium, ducked under the rope at the end of the grand
+stand and started to warm up it was seen that the long punts she sent
+away showed scarcely any influence from the wind. Of course Claflin,
+banked at the east end of the stand, greeted her warriors royally, and,
+of course, Brimfield gave them a hearty cheer, too. But that acclaim was
+nothing to the burst of applause that went up when the home team, twenty
+strong, led by Andy Miller, romped on. Then Brimfield shouted herself
+hoarse and made such a clamour that the cheer which the Claflin leaders
+evoked a moment later sounded like a whisper by comparison.
+
+Ten minutes of brisk signal work, punting, catching and goal-kicking
+followed, and then, while along the road an occasional screech from a
+belated automobile sounded, the teams retired to opposite sides of the
+field, the maroon-and-grey megaphones, which had been keeping time to a
+song sung by some hundred and thirty youths, died away and the
+comparative quiet that precedes the beginning of battle fell over the
+field. The officials met on the side line and then, accompanied by
+Captain Miller, walked to the centre of the field. From the farther side
+a blue-sleeved and blue-stockinged youth advanced to meet them. A coin
+spun, glittering, in the air, fell, rolled and was recovered. Heads bent
+above it, the group broke up and Andy Miller waved to his players. Then
+blankets and sweaters were cast aside and ten maroon-sleeved youths
+gathered about their leader. There was a low-voiced conference and the
+team scattered over the east end of the field. Brimfield had won the
+toss, had given the kick-off to Claflin and Captain Burrage had chosen
+the west goal and what slight advantage might come from a breeze at his
+back.
+
+Andy Miller and the two coaches had arranged the line-up the evening
+before. There had been some indecision as to filling one or two
+positions for the start of the game, and the line-up as it was presented
+when the whistle blew held several surprises for the school. Here it is,
+and the Claflin list as well:
+
+          BRIMFIELD.                             CLAFLIN.
+
+          Roberts, l. e.                   r. e., Chester
+          Lacey, l. t.                       r. t., Mears
+          Fowler, l. g.                    r. g., Colwell
+          Innes, c.                            c., Kenney
+          Hall, r. g.                      l. g., Johnson
+          Williams, r. t.                  l. t., Bentley
+          Miller, r. e.                    l. e., Mumford
+          Milton, q. b.                   q. b., Ainsmith
+          Harris, l. h. b.              r. h. b., Burrage
+          Kendall, r. h. b.          l. h. b., Whittemore
+          Norton, f. b.                   f. b., Atkinson
+
+"Are you ready, Brimfield? Ready, Claflin?"
+
+The whistle piped, a Claflin linesman stepped forward, swung a long leg
+and the battle was on. Williams caught the ball on the thirty-yard line.
+On a fake kick play Miller tried Claflin's right tackle and made but two
+yards. Norton punted to Claflin's thirty, where Burrage fumbled the
+ball and Ainsmith recovered it. Claflin at once punted out of bounds to
+Brimfield's forty-five-yard mark. Kendall made three yards around the
+enemy's right end and then, on the next play, failed at the line. Milton
+tried a forward pass to Miller, but the ball grounded and Norton kicked
+to Claflin's twenty-yard line.
+
+Two tries by the Blue netted little and she again punted and the ball
+was Brimfield's on her own forty-seven yards. Harris failed to gain
+through Claflin's left tackle and Brimfield was penalised fifteen yards
+for holding. On a criss-cross against left tackle Harris was tackled for
+a loss and Norton then punted to Whittemore and the latter ran the ball
+back fifteen yards before he was stopped. On a try through Hall the
+Blue's full-back failed to gain. But on a second attempt at the other
+side of centre he smashed through for seven yards. A delayed pass by the
+Claflin quarter gave his side first down on Brimfield's thirty-five-yard
+line. Atkinson again tried Hall and gained less than a yard. Ainsmith
+attempted the Brimfield left end and was thrown by Harris for a
+five-yard loss. Captain Burrage tried Brimfield's right end and failed.
+With one down left and fifteen yards to gain Burrage tried a forward
+pass. It was successfully captured, but the distance was short and the
+pigskin went to Brimfield on her thirty-eight yards.
+
+Norton punted on first down and Claflin returned it. Kendall misjudged
+the ball and it rolled to the Maroon's twelve yards. Milton fell on it
+there. Kendall and Norton gained two yards each through centre, and
+Norton punted to Brimfield's forty-five yard line, where Burrage made a
+fair catch.
+
+The stands grew very quiet while the Claflin quarter-back poised the
+ball. Then Burrage stepped forward and sent it speeding away. But the
+kick was short and Norton caught the ball on his five-yard line and,
+behind excellent interference, ran it back to the thirty-yard line
+before he was thrown by Chester. From there Norton punted to the Blue's
+thirty and Claflin returned the punt on first down to her adversary's
+forty yards. Harris caught it, but was nailed in his tracks by Mumford,
+who made a spectacular tackle which won applause from friend and foe
+alike. Time was called for an injury to Mumford, but he was soon on his
+feet again.
+
+Claflin was penalised for off-side on the next play. Norton went through
+right guard for first down and Brimfield shouted joyously. Kendall
+failed to gain. Norton made a yard and then dropped back to kick
+formation. The play, however, proved to be a forward pass to Roberts.
+Roberts was out of position and the pigskin was intercepted by the
+Claflin quarter. It was then the Blue's ball on her forty-five yards.
+Hall let the runner through for a yard and Claflin pulled off a
+successful forward pass to her left end on Brimfield's thirty-nine-yard
+line. The Blue's full-back was stopped in an attempt on the opposite
+right tackle and a penalty for off-side brought the ball to near the
+middle of the field. Claflin then punted to Brimfield's seven yards and
+the whistle sounded the end of the first quarter.
+
+The stand cheered while the players traversed the field to line up under
+the shadow of the west goal.
+
+Brimfield thrust Norton at the Claflin centre when the play began again
+and the big full-back made three yards. Then he dropped behind his
+goal-line and punted, the ball going out of bounds at the twenty-four
+yards. Claflin cheered loudly as the teams lined up.
+
+Claflin's full-back made a yard through the centre, but lost the
+distance when, on the next down, he went against Lacey. Captain Burrage
+dropped back to kicking position on the thirty-five-yard line and once
+more Brimfield's goal was in danger. The pass was straight and true.
+Burrage dropped the ball and swung his foot. But two Brimfield forwards
+had broken through and as the ball left the ground Andy Miller blocked
+it. There was a mad scramble for the pigskin, Williams at last falling
+on it on his twenty-five yards. Norton punted poorly, the ball going
+diagonally across the gridiron, and it was Claflin's first down on
+Brimfield's twenty-eight yards. Atkinson came through centre for a yard,
+and then Burrage once more dropped back for a try at goal. The attempt
+looked rather desperate, for the kicker was standing almost on the
+forty-yard line, but Brimfield's supporters held their breaths until the
+Claflin half-back had swung his long leg. Then a vast shout of relief
+went up from where the maroon-and-grey megaphones waved tumultuously,
+for Burrage had made a bad mess of the drop-kick and the ball rolled
+along the ground and was captured by a Brimfield back.
+
+Still went in for Harris, who had been hurt in the scramble. On the
+second down, with seven to go, Norton received the ball at full speed
+from Milton, broke through the Claflin line and, pursued by the wild
+cheers of the Brimfield spectators, made fifty-five yards through a
+broken field, at last landing the ball on Claflin's twenty-yard line.
+It looked as though Brimfield's moment of victory was at hand. Time was
+taken out for a Claflin injury and eventually Atkinson was replaced by a
+substitute. Brimfield made two tries at the enemy's right end and gained
+four yards. Williams dropped out of the line and retreated to Claflin's
+twenty-five-yard line. The ball was almost opposite the middle of the
+cross-bar when it went back to him on the pass from centre, but Innes
+had thrown it low and Williams was hurried by the Blue's forwards, who
+came crashing through. The ball went three yards wide of the left-hand
+upright and Brimfield in the stand groaned.
+
+Claflin put the ball in play on her twenty-five yards and Whittemore
+punted to Milton on Brimfield's forty-five. Milton plunged back some
+twelve yards before he was brought down. Norton punted on second down to
+the Blue's ten yards and the ball was run back ten by the Claflin
+quarter. The game then became a punting duel and after three exchanges
+Kendall, getting the ball on his own thirty-five-yard line, ran it back
+to the opponent's forty, dodging beautifully through a broken field and
+throwing off at least a half-dozen tacklers. Brimfield tried Claflin's
+left tackle twice and totalled five yards. A penalty, however, set her
+back ten yards, and Norton punted again to Claflin's twenty yards.
+Gleason was sent in by Coach Robey in place of Lacey. Claflin failed to
+gain and Whittemore punted to Still on the Maroon's forty-four yards.
+Norton tried the enemy's centre and failed of a gain and then punted out
+of bounds at Claflin's fifteen. Claflin sent in a substitute right end
+and Coach Robey put Corcoran in for Kendall. Claflin punted to midfield
+and Corcoran made one yard through the enemy's centre. An off-side play
+by the Blue gave Brimfield five yards and took the ball to the Blue's
+forty. Still gained two at left tackle and the half ended with the
+pigskin on Claflin's thirty-eight yards, the score 0 to 0.
+
+The teams trotted off, blanket-draped, toward the gymnasium, the
+substitutes trailing along behind, and the stand broke into excited
+discussion of the game. So far the honours had been fairly even,
+although toward the end of the second period the ball had remained in
+Claflin territory most of the time. In fact, after Williams' try for
+goal, the pigskin had never been nearer to Brimfield's last white mark
+than her thirty-five-yard line. Claflin averaged some four and a half
+pounds more than the home team, but in spite of that an unbiased critic
+would have given Brimfield the honours in the attacking game. Her play
+seemed smoother, her men better drilled. Neither team had shown great
+ability at line-plunging, although Norton's fine rush of fifty-five
+yards and Kendall's run of twenty-five gave Brimfield the benefit of the
+ground-gained figures. Each side had good reason to claim the ultimate
+victory, and each did so, meanwhile cheering and singing and working the
+enthusiasm up to a fine pitch.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVII
+
+STEVE SMILES
+
+
+Steve caught up with Tom on the way to the gymnasium. Tom was a
+disreputable looking object. His upper lip had been cut and had swollen
+to almost twice its normal size, and he had lost half an inch of skin
+from one cheek. When he smiled, which he did as Steve grabbed him by the
+arm, the effect was absolutely diabolical.
+
+"You're the goods, Tommikins!" exclaimed Steve, squeezing the arm he
+held. "They didn't make an inch through you. You were great!"
+
+"They got through once or twice," mumbled Tom.
+
+"Oh, for a yard or so," scoffed Steve. "Who gave you that peach of a
+mouth, Tom?"
+
+"Johnson, I think." He touched it gingerly. "It feels as big as a
+house."
+
+"You're a blooming hero, Tom. Say, Marvin told me the New York papers
+have got all about that business at Oakdale yesterday. He didn't see it,
+but someone told him. Wouldn't you love to read what they say? I'm
+going to get the papers as soon as the game's over."
+
+"Silly rot," mumbled Tom. They were waiting for the throng ahead to get
+through the doorway. When they followed Tom paused a moment in the
+hallway, his gaze following the striped legs of the Claflin players as
+they went up the stairs. Steve tugged at his arm.
+
+"Come on, slow-poke! What's the matter?"
+
+"Nothing. That is, I was just thinking how rotten those fellows will
+feel if they get beaten."
+
+"Maybe they won't," said Steve soberly. "If they don't, think how rotten
+we'll feel!"
+
+Tom smiled, wincing with the twinge from his swollen lip. "I suppose
+someone's got to feel bad. Come on."
+
+In the locker room and in the rubbing room beyond all was bustle. The
+rubber was hard at work over the table and Danny Moore was already busy
+with surgeon's plaster and medicated gauze and nasty smelling lotion.
+There was very little talk as yet. Fellows sank on to benches and
+wearily relaxed their tired muscles. Mr. Robey and "Boots" were
+consulting in low tones by one of the grated windows. Tom eased himself
+to a seat and began to strip down one torn woollen stocking, displaying
+an abrasion along the shin bone that brought an exclamation from Steve.
+
+"Shut up," said Tom. "Swipe a bunch of that absorbent cotton from Danny
+for me, will you? If he sees this he will make a fuss about it. I don't
+want it to get stiff on me. Hi, Fowler, how is it?"
+
+"All right," replied the left-guard, working a bunch of bleeding
+knuckles experimentally. "It was hot work, though. Can we hold them next
+half, Hall?"
+
+"Sure! They're as tired as we are, I guess. Besides, we had them on the
+run there toward the last."
+
+Tom dragged himself off to the wash-room to bathe his leg with the
+cotton Steve had brought.
+
+"Ten minutes more," announced Lawrence.
+
+"Hurry in to the table, you fellows," called Danny. "Williams, come here
+and let me see that knee of yours."
+
+"It's all right now, Danny," said Williams. But he limped across and was
+freshly bandaged. Mr. Robey left the window and sought Captain Miller,
+while "Boots," consulting the scribbled notes in his little book, went
+from player to player, criticising and advising.
+
+"Five minutes!" called Lawrence.
+
+"Hurry up, fellows," said Coach Robey. "Don't let's keep them waiting.
+Everyone all right? Just a word then. You fellows played well, and I
+want to tell you so. You made mistakes; everyone does. Never mind that
+now. You've got another chance. That's the main thing. We're going to
+win this game. We're going to score two touchdowns and we're going to
+hold them off, fellows. You can do it if you make up your minds to. I
+want every one of you to go back on the field looking as though you'd
+just come out of a Turkish bath and hadn't done a lick of work. I want
+every mother's son of you to smile from the time you leave this building
+until the last whistle blows. If I see one of you who isn't smiling I'll
+pull him out! We want to make those fellows understand right away that
+we're going to win, that we _know_ we're going to win and that we can't
+help being happy about it! But you've got to do more than smile. You've
+got to work like the dickens! You've got to work just about twice as
+hard as you've been working. Any one of you who thinks he can't do that
+say so now." Mr. Robey's eyes searched the earnest, attentive faces
+around him. "All right. Now, there's just one important criticism I've
+got to make. You fellows were slow. Milton was slow in getting his
+signals off and the rest of you were slow in starting. If you'll speed
+up you'll get the jump on those fellows every time. I want to see you do
+it. I want to see you _jump_! I'll pull out the first man of you who
+doesn't start the instant the play begins. Understand that, please. I'll
+forgive mistakes, but I won't stand for slowness. All right. Here's the
+line-up: Edwards, Gleason, Fowler, Thursby, Hall, Williams, Miller,
+Milton, Still, Kendall, Norton. How much time is there, Joe?"
+
+"About three minutes," answered Lawrence.
+
+"All right. On the trot now!"
+
+The cheer leaders leaped to their places as the teams came hustling back
+to the field and waved their megaphones and dropped them and beat time
+with clenched hands as the cheers burst forth.
+
+"_Rah, rah, Brimfield! Rah, rah, Brimfield! Rah, rah, Brimfi-e-ld!_"
+
+"_Claflin! Claflin! Claflin! Rah, rah, rah, Claflin! Claflin! Claflin!_"
+
+And then Fowler had thudded the ball away with a long swing of his foot
+and the last half had begun.
+
+The Claflin full-back pulled the ball out of the air, quick interference
+formed about him and he came charging back up the field.
+Five--ten--fifteen yards! Then Miller pulled him down with a savage
+tackle and the two teams faced each other. Umpire and referee dodged out
+of the way, Ainsmith called his signals and a back tore at Williams. The
+secondary defence sprang to the point of attack. There was an instant of
+confused heaving and swaying. Then the whistle sounded and the lines
+straightened again.
+
+"Second down! Seven to gain!"
+
+Steve, profiting by Miller's advice, kept his gaze fixed on the face of
+the opposing end who was edging out into the field. Then the ball was in
+play and the Claflin end came tearing down upon him, dodged to the right
+and then strove to slip past him inside. But Steve met him squarely with
+his shoulder and sent him sprawling. Behind him the teams were off under
+a punt and he recovered himself and raced along. It was Milton's ball on
+his thirty-yard line. Brimfield punted on first down and Claflin tore
+off three yards through centre and then kicked. Neither team was able to
+gain consistently through the line and each punted on second or third
+down. Brimfield had a trifle the better of the exchanges, aided a little
+by the breeze which had freshened since the beginning of the game. With
+the ball on Claflin's forty-two yards a fumble was recovered by
+Ainsmith for a loss of seven yards, and on third down Claflin attempted
+a forward pass which was intercepted by Captain Miller and carried to
+Claflin's thirty-yard mark. Brimfield cheered encouragingly and Norton
+smashed through left tackle for four. Kendall added two more and on a
+wing shift Still made the distance and the ball was down on the Blue's
+twenty yards. Two yards through centre by Norton was followed by a wide
+end run and the loss of four yards, Still being captured by Captain
+Burrage. Norton failed to gain at the line and Williams dropped back to
+kick.
+
+Milton followed to hold the ball for him and Brimfield held her breath.
+Thursby passed low to the quarter and when the ball arose it bounded
+away from a charging Claflin forward and went dancing and rolling back
+up the field. It was finally secured by Gleason on Claflin's
+thirty-three yards. Three tries by the Maroon netted but six and again
+Williams went back. This time the kick was short and Claflin secured the
+ball on her five-yard line and ran it in to the thirteen. Claflin made
+four around Steve's end and three through Williams. Then Whittemore
+punted to midfield.
+
+Brimfield returned to her line-smashing and secured first down on the
+Blue's thirty-six yards. There a forward pass to Captain Miller grounded
+and Milton made a short punt to the Blue's ten yards. Steve upset
+Burrage in his tracks. Claflin tried the Brimfield centre twice for four
+yards and punted to the fifty-yard line. Milton came back twelve and
+Kendall added six around the enemy's left end. Norton secured first down
+through right guard. Time was called and Danny Moore scurried on with
+his pail. Milton was injured and led off, Marvin taking his place. A
+forward pass to Captain Miller netted twelve yards. Marvin carried the
+ball through centre for two and Kendall met a stone wall when he tried
+to get past Johnson. Norton made a yard through left tackle and Williams
+dropped back to the twenty-yard line. The Brimfield supporters were
+cheering wildly, imploring a touchdown, but it seemed that a field goal
+was the best they were to have.
+
+"Get through and block it!" implored the Claflin quarter.
+
+"Hold that line!" shrieked Marvin.
+
+Back came the ball, Williams swung his leg, ran back and to the right
+and passed to Steve. But the ball went wide and settled into the arms of
+the Claflin right end. Dodging and feinting that speedy youngster tore
+off thirty-five yards before he was brought down and the ball was
+Claflin's on Brimfield's forty yards. The Blue found her stride again
+then and plunged through Fowler twice for good gains, finally securing
+her distance on the Maroon's twenty-eight. Fowler, who was staggering,
+was taken out and McClure came on. Claflin tried Steve's end and made
+four yards and then, on a fake kick formation, got three more through
+centre. Burrage tried a drop-kick for goal from the thirty-yard line,
+but McClure broke through and blocked it, the ball going to the Blue on
+Brimfield's thirty-eight yards. Two tries at the line gave Claflin three
+yards and Ainsmith shot the ball away to Mumford at the far side of the
+field. Miller stopped the runner after a twelve-yard gain. Claflin
+worked the ball back toward the centre of the field in two downs and
+then, faking a kick, gained two yards through Hall. It was third down,
+with three to go, and again Burrage tried a placement. The ball went
+wide and came back to the twenty-five-yard line. Norton punted on second
+down and time was called after Claflin had caught and run back five.
+
+Churchill replaced Tom at right guard when the last quarter started and
+Lacey returned to the game at left tackle. Claflin put Atkinson back at
+full and trotted in a substitute right tackle. On the first play
+Ainsmith smashed through the Brimfield line for ten yards, and then
+added two more. The weak place was Williams. Atkinson got four and then
+two through the centre. With the pigskin on Brimfield's forty yards an
+intricate wing shift failed to fool the Maroon and Whittemore was
+stopped after a gain of a yard, the ball going to Brimfield.
+
+Marvin gained two through left tackle and Norton punted. Claflin ran
+back to her thirty-four yards. On the next play Claflin was set back
+fifteen yards for holding and, after an attempted forward pass which
+grounded, punted to the Maroon's forty-five. Marvin caught and dodged
+back fifteen yards before he was stopped. On the first play he shot the
+ball to Steve, and Steve, making a good catch, reeled off ten before he
+was brought down. Another forward pass to Captain Miller gained five.
+Norton plunged at the line for three and Kendall failed to gain. With
+the ball on Claflin's twenty-two yards Williams went back. It was a
+fake, however, Marvin taking the ball for a straight plunge through
+centre, which gave Brimfield first down on Claflin's eighteen. Norton
+plugged the centre for two and Kendall swept around the Blue's left end
+for three more. With the pigskin on Claflin's thirteen-yard line a
+score seemed certain. But Norton was stopped for no gain and once more
+Williams dropped back to kick.
+
+Williams, however, was badly tuckered and was so slow in getting the
+ball away that again Claflin blocked and the ball was captured by
+Mumford on the twenty-five-yard line. Claflin punted on first down and
+the ball went out of bounds at the Blue's forty. Norton kicked to
+Claflin's fifteen and Ainsmith ran back to his thirty-six, receiving a
+salvo of applause from the blue section of the stand. Claflin made four
+around Miller's end and on the next play was presented with five,
+Brimfield being detected off-side. Atkinson made six through Williams
+and followed it with two more past Lacey. On a fake kick Ainsmith got
+through Thursby for three, taking the ball across the centre line for
+first down. A forward pass to right end was upset by Steve and Claflin
+punted on second down. Kendall caught on his twenty-five and was stopped
+at the thirty. Brimfield made seven in two plunges at the left side of
+the opposing line and then Still fumbled. Marvin recovered and Norton
+kicked to Claflin's thirty. Steve and Miller upset Ainsmith where he
+caught. Claflin was now playing on the defensive and kicked on first
+down. The punt was short and Kendall got it on Claflin's forty-eight
+yards and made ten before he was caught.
+
+The timer announced four minutes to play. Claflin sent in a new
+quarter-back and Coach Robey replaced Williams with Gleason. Williams
+was groggy and had to be carried off the field. From the grand stand
+came imploring cries from Brimfield for a touchdown and equally
+imploring shouts of "Hold 'em! Hold 'em!" from Claflin.
+
+Still took the pigskin on a criss-cross and made four around Claflin's
+right end. Norton shot through centre for the rest of the distance,
+placing the ball on the Blue's twenty-eight. With Williams out of the
+game it was a touchdown or nothing. Kendall and Still plugged the left
+of the Blue's line for two yards each and Norton got around the other
+end for three. With three to go on third down Marvin worked a delayed
+pass and made first down on the Blue's seventeen yards. The time-keeper
+announced three minutes left. Thursby gave place to Coolidge. Norton
+plunged through right tackle for five, but someone had held and
+Brimfield was set back fifteen. Kendall tried the Claflin left end and
+gained four on a long run across the field. Marvin took the ball for a
+plunge through centre, but was thrown back for a loss. Norton was
+forced to punt and put the ball out of bounds at the five-yard line.
+
+The time-keeper announced one minute left and Claflin punted from behind
+her goal-line, the ball going high and being caught by Marvin on the
+Blue's thirty yards. Brimfield, desperate for a score, lined up quickly
+and Norton struck the Claflin centre and piled through for ten yards.
+The Blue was weakening. Kendall added four and Still made a yard at left
+tackle. On the fifteen-yard line Marvin sent McClure back as if to try
+for a goal. Evidently Claflin accepted the bluff in good faith, for,
+although there were cries of "Fake!" the Claflin ends played well in.
+Marvin called his signals once, hesitated and pulled Kendall closer in
+to protect the kicker. Then, "Signals!" he shouted. "16--34--27--19!" He
+glanced sharply around the back-field. "16--34--27----"
+
+Back went the ball, but not to McClure. The quarter had it and was
+stepping back out of the path of the plunging players. Then his arm shot
+out and off went the ball, arching to the left, over the end of the
+battling, swaying lines, straight and far and true to where a lithe
+figure stood with upraised hand near the Blue's ten-yard line. Too late
+Claflin saw her error. Steve ran a step forward, felt the pigskin
+settle into his outstretched hands, whirled on his heel and sped toward
+the goal-line. The Claflin right end was almost on him as he crossed the
+five-yard mark, but when desperate arms settled about Steve's legs and
+brought him crashing to earth he was well over that last white line and
+the day was won! Frantic blue-stockinged youths dropped mercilessly down
+upon him and drove the breath from his body, in his ears was a wild and
+terrific clamour of frenzied joy and faintly a whistle shrilled. Steve,
+his nose buried in the soft sod, clutched the ball tightly beneath him
+and smiled in the darkness.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVIII
+
+THE CHUMS READ A TELEGRAM
+
+
+The tumult was over, although from the Row came at times a wild shout of
+exultation from some enthusiastic youth. In 12 Billings, Steve and Tom
+were dressing for the banquet. There was no feverish hurry in their
+movements. Tom sat for minutes at a time with a shirt draped across his
+knees and smiled fatuously through swollen lips. There was plenty of
+time. The banquet was not to be until seven, and it was now still but a
+little past six. When they spoke they spoke slowly, lazily, as though
+nothing much mattered, as though Fate had given them everything they
+wanted and nothing was left to be desired. Steve, dreamily slipping a
+belt through the loops of his best trousers, said:
+
+"Tom, when I look at you I'm ashamed of myself. There you are with a
+face like a war map and one leg all bunged up, and here am I without a
+scratch. I've got a bum wrist, but it doesn't show." And Steve scowled
+at the offending member.
+
+Tom grinned. "You can have my mouth if you want it," he said. After a
+minute he spoke again. "I was glad about Benson," he said.
+
+Steve nodded. "So was I."
+
+Tom laughed. "Yes, you looked it!"
+
+"Well, I didn't know why Robey was taking me out, of course. It seemed
+after I'd made that touchdown that he'd ought to let me play the game
+out. Benson was rather--rather pathetic when he hobbled on. I'm glad
+he's got his letter, though."
+
+"Yes, and there's only one thing I'm not glad about," responded Tom
+thoughtfully, beginning to squirm into his shirt. "I'm not glad we
+missed that goal. I wanted that extra point."
+
+"How could we help missing it? Andy isn't any goal kicker, and all the
+others were afraid to try, I suppose. What's the odds, though! We won,
+and six to nothing is good enough, isn't it?"
+
+"Mm--yes; seven to nothing would have looked better, though."
+
+"And you're the fellow," scoffed Steve, "who was almost crying awhile
+back because Claflin would feel bad if we licked her!"
+
+Tom only grunted. Steve went into a daydream with one leg in his
+trousers until, presently, Tom laughed softly.
+
+"What are you choking about?" asked Steve.
+
+"Just thinking. Remember, Steve, coming on in the train how we were
+talking about what--what it would be like here?"
+
+"N--no," answered Steve. "Were we?"
+
+"Yes. I remember you said that in the stories the hero was always
+suspected of something he hadn't done and you said you'd bet that if
+anyone tried that on you you'd make a kick."
+
+"Well, what of it?"
+
+"You didn't, though. Some of the fellows thought you'd swiped that
+blue-book that time and you didn't make a murmur."
+
+"Because----"
+
+"Because you thought I'd done it and was trying to shield me. I know.
+Then you said that in the stories the hero saves someone from drowning
+and the football captain puts him into the big game and he wins it by a
+wonderful run the length of the field."
+
+"That's right, isn't it? All the school stories have it like that, don't
+they?"
+
+"I know."
+
+"Well, then----"
+
+"The funny thing is that it happened like that to us, Steve, or pretty
+nearly. I don't mean that I--I actually saved you from drowning,
+but----"
+
+"You sure did, though!"
+
+"Anyway, it was something like that, wasn't it? And then you went and
+won the game in the last minute of play, just as they do in the
+stories."
+
+"I didn't make any run the length of the field," denied Steve. "All I
+did was catch the ball and go ten yards with it. Nothing wonderful about
+that."
+
+"Still, it's all pretty much like the story-writers tell it, after all,
+eh? That's what struck me as funny."
+
+"Huh! It doesn't seem to me much like it is in the stories. Say, we
+forgot about the papers, Tom!"
+
+"What papers?"
+
+"The New York papers, with the account of the thrilling rescue at
+Oakdale, with your picture----"
+
+"He didn't get any picture of me," said Tom grimly.
+
+"He made you talk, though," laughed Steve.
+
+"He'd make anyone talk," Tom grunted.
+
+"By Jove!" He jumped suddenly to his feet, and with more animation than
+had been displayed in Number 12 for a half-hour hurried to the closet.
+
+"What's up?" asked Steve in surprise.
+
+"Telegram," came in smothered tones from Tom. "Here it is. Lawrence
+handed it to me in the gym after the game. Said it came at noon, but
+Robey wouldn't let him give it to me. Bet you it's from my dad."
+
+Tom tore the end from the yellow envelope and there was silence in the
+room for a moment. At last, with a queer expression on his battered
+countenance, he walked across and held the message out to Steve. "It's
+for you, too," he said quietly.
+
+Steve took it and read: "Tannersville, Pa., Nov. 25. Morning papers have
+account of Oakdale scrape grateful to you for your rescue of Steve God
+bless you show this to Steve your father joins me in love to you both.
+John T. Edwards."
+
+Steve let the telegram fall and stared blankly at Tom.
+
+"What--do--you know--about that?" he gasped. "They've made it up, Tom!"
+
+Tom nodded gravely. "It--it----" A slow smile overspread his face.
+"Honest, Steve, that's better than winning the game!"
+
+"You bet it is! And you did it!"
+
+"Oh, no." Tom's eyes twinkled merrily. "You did it yourself, Steve, by
+trying to get drowned!"
+
+
+THE END
+
+
+
+
+THE OUTDOOR CHUMS SERIES
+
+By CAPTAIN QUINCY ALLEN
+
+
+The outdoor chums are four wide-awake lads, sons of wealthy men of a
+small city located on a lake. The boys love outdoor life, and are
+greatly interested in hunting, fishing, and picture taking. They have
+motor cycles, motor boats, canoes, etc., and during their vacations go
+everywhere and have all sorts of thrilling adventures. The stories give
+full directions for camping out, how to fish, how to hunt wild animals
+and prepare the skins for stuffing, how to manage a canoe, how to swim,
+etc. Full of the spirit of outdoor life.
+
+          THE OUTDOOR CHUMS
+          Or The First Tour of the Rod, Gun and Camera Club.
+
+          THE OUTDOOR CHUMS ON THE LAKE
+          Or Lively Adventures on Wildcat Island.
+
+          THE OUTDOOR CHUMS IN THE FOREST
+          Or Laying the Ghost of Oak Ridge.
+
+          THE OUTDOOR CHUMS ON THE GULF
+          Or Rescuing the Lost Balloonists.
+
+          THE OUTDOOR CHUMS AFTER BIG GAME
+          Or Perilous Adventures in the Wilderness.
+
+          THE OUTDOOR CHUMS ON A HOUSEBOAT
+          Or The Rivals of the Mississippi.
+
+          THE OUTDOOR CHUMS IN THE BIG WOODS
+          Or The Rival Hunters at Lumber Run.
+
+          THE OUTDOOR CHUMS AT CABIN POINT
+          Or The Golden Cup Mystery.
+
+=12mo. Averaging 240 pages. Illustrated. Handsomely bound in Cloth.=
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK
+
+
+
+
+THE BOBBSEY TWINS BOOKS
+
+For Little Men and Women
+
+By LAURA LEE HOPE
+
+Author of "The Bunny Brown" Series, Etc.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+=12mo. DURABLY BOUND. ILLUSTRATED. UNIFORM STYLE OF BINDING=
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Copyright publications which cannot be obtained elsewhere. Books that
+charm the hearts of the little ones, and of which they never tire.
+
+          THE BOBBSEY TWINS
+          THE BOBBSEY TWINS IN THE COUNTRY
+          THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT THE SEASHORE
+          THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT SCHOOL
+          THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT SNOW LODGE
+          THE BOBBSEY TWINS ON A HOUSEBOAT
+          THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT MEADOW BROOK
+          THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT HOME
+          THE BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY
+          THE BOBBSEY TWINS ON BLUEBERRY ISLAND
+          THE BOBBSEY TWINS ON THE DEEP BLUE SEA
+          THE BOBBSEY TWINS IN THE GREAT WEST
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK
+
+
+
+
+THE GIRLS OF CENTRAL HIGH SERIES
+
+By GERTRUDE W. MORRISON
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+=12mo. BOUND IN CLOTH. ILLUSTRATED. UNIFORM STYLE OF BINDING.=
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Here is a series full of the spirit of high school life of to-day. The
+girls are real flesh-and-blood characters, and we follow them with
+interest in school and out. There are many contested matches on track
+and field, and on the water, as well as doings in the classroom and on
+the school stage. There is plenty of fun and excitement, all clean, pure
+and wholesome.
+
+
+          THE GIRLS OF CENTRAL HIGH
+          Or Rivals for all Honors.
+
+          A stirring tale of high school life, full of fun,
+          with a touch of mystery and a strange initiation.
+
+
+          THE GIRLS OF CENTRAL HIGH ON LAKE LUNA
+          Or The Crew That Won.
+
+          Telling of water sports and fun galore, and of
+          fine times in camp.
+
+
+          THE GIRLS OF CENTRAL HIGH AT BASKETBALL
+          Or The Great Gymnasium Mystery.
+
+          Here we have a number of thrilling contests at
+          basketball and in addition, the solving of a
+          mystery which had bothered the high school
+          authorities for a long while.
+
+
+          THE GIRLS OF CENTRAL HIGH ON THE STAGE
+          Or The Play That Took the Prize.
+
+          How the girls went in for theatricals and how one
+          of them wrote a play which afterward was made over
+          for the professional stage and brought in some
+          much-needed money.
+
+
+          THE GIRLS OF CENTRAL HIGH ON TRACK AND FIELD
+          Or The Girl Champions of the School League.
+
+          This story takes in high school athletics in their
+          most approved and up-to-date fashion. Full of fun
+          and excitement.
+
+
+          THE GIRLS OF CENTRAL HIGH IN CAMP
+          Or The Old Professor's Secret.
+
+          The girls went camping on Acorn Island and had a
+          delightful time at boating, swimming and picnic
+          parties.
+
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK
+
+
+
+
+THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH SERIES
+
+By GRAHAM B. FORBES
+
+
+Never was there a cleaner, brighter, more manly boy than Frank Allen,
+the hero of this series of boys' tales, and never was there a better
+crowd of lads to associate with than the students of the School. All
+boys will read these stories with deep interest. The rivalry between the
+towns along the river was of the keenest, and plots and counterplots to
+win the champions, at baseball, at football, at boat racing, at track
+athletics, and at ice hockey, were without number. Any lad reading one
+volume of this series will surely want the others.
+
+          THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH
+          Or The All Around Rivals of the School
+
+          THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH ON THE DIAMOND
+          Or Winning Out by Pluck
+
+          THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH ON THE RIVER
+          Or The Boat Race Plot that Failed
+
+          THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH ON THE GRIDIRON
+          Or The Struggle for the Silver Cup
+
+          THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH ON THE ICE
+          Or Out for the Hockey Championship
+
+          THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH IN TRACK ATHLETICS
+          Or A Long Run that Won
+
+          THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH IN WINTER SPORTS
+          Or Stirring Doings on Skates and Iceboats
+
+=12mo. Illustrated. Handsomely bound in cloth, with cover design and
+wrappers in colors.=
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK
+
+
+
+
+THE BUNNY BROWN SERIES
+
+By LAURA LEE HOPE
+
+Author of the Popular "Bobbsey Twins" Books
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+          Wrapper and text illustrations drawn by
+          FLORENCE ENGLAND NOSWORTHY
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+=12mo. DURABLY BOUND. ILLUSTRATED. UNIFORM STYLE OF BINDING.=
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+These stories by the author of the "Bobbsey Twins" Books are eagerly
+welcomed by the little folks from about five to ten years of age. Their
+eyes fairly dance with delight at the lively doings of inquisitive
+little Bunny Brown and his cunning, trustful sister Sue.
+
+Bunny was a lively little boy, very inquisitive. When he did anything,
+Sue followed his leadership. They had many adventures, some comical in
+the extreme.
+
+          BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE
+          BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE ON GRANDPA'S FARM
+          BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE PLAYING CIRCUS
+          BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE AT CAMP REST-A-WHILE
+          BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE AT AUNT LU'S CITY HOME
+          BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE IN THE BIG WOODS
+          BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE ON AN AUTO TOUR
+          BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE AND THEIR SHETLAND PONY
+          BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE GIVING A SHOW
+          BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE AT CHRISTMAS TREE COVE
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK
+
+
+
+
+THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS SERIES
+
+BY VICTOR APPLETON
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+=UNIFORM STYLE OF BINDING. INDIVIDUAL COLORED WRAPPERS.=
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Moving pictures and photo plays are famous the world over, and in this
+line of books the reader is given a full description of how the films
+are made--the scenes of little dramas, indoors and out, trick pictures
+to satisfy the curious, soul-stirring pictures of city affairs, life in
+the Wild West, among the cowboys and Indians, thrilling rescues along
+the seacoast, the daring of picture hunters in the jungle among savage
+beasts, and the great risks run in picturing conditions in a land of
+earthquakes. The volumes teem with adventures and will be found
+interesting from first chapter to last.
+
+          THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS
+          THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS IN THE WEST
+          THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS ON THE COAST
+          THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS IN THE JUNGLE
+          THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS IN EARTHQUAKE LAND
+          THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS AND THE FLOOD
+          THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS AT PANAMA
+          THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS UNDER THE SEA
+          THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS ON THE WAR FRONT
+          THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS ON FRENCH BATTLEFIELDS
+          MOVING PICTURE BOYS' FIRST SHOWHOUSE
+          MOVING PICTURE BOYS AT SEASIDE PARK
+          MOVING PICTURE BOYS ON BROADWAY
+          THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS' OUTDOOR EXHIBITION
+          THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS' NEW IDEA
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK
+
+
+
+
+THE EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW SERIES
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+=May be had wherever books are sold. Ask for Grosset & Dunlap's list=
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+          BIRDS EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW
+            BY NELTJE BLANCHAN. ILLUSTRATED
+
+          EARTH AND SKY EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW
+            BY JULIA ELLEN ROGERS. ILLUSTRATED
+
+          ESSAYS EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW
+            EDITED BY HAMILTON W. MABIE
+
+          FAIRY TALES EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW
+            EDITED BY HAMILTON W. MABIE
+
+          FAMOUS STORIES EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW
+            EDITED BY HAMILTON W. MABIE
+
+          FOLK TALES EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW
+            EDITED BY HAMILTON W. MABIE
+
+          HEROES EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW
+            EDITED BY HAMILTON W. MABIE
+
+          HEROINES EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW
+            COEDITED BY HAMILTON W. MABIE AND KATE STEPHENS
+
+          HYMNS EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW
+            EDITED BY DOLORES BACON
+
+          LEGENDS EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW
+            EDITED BY HAMILTON W. MABIE
+
+          MYTHS EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW
+            EDITED BY HAMILTON W. MABIE
+
+          OPERAS EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW
+            BY DOLORES BACON. ILLUSTRATED
+
+          PICTURES EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW
+            BY DOLORES BACON. ILLUSTRATED
+
+          POEMS EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW
+            EDITED BY MARY E. BURT
+
+          PROSE EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW
+            EDITED BY MARY E. BURT
+
+          SONGS EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW
+            EDITED BY DOLORES BACON
+
+          TREES EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW
+            BY JULIA ELLEN ROGERS. ILLUSTRATED
+
+          WATER WONDERS EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW
+            BY JEAN M. THOMPSON. ILLUSTRATED
+
+          WILD ANIMALS EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW
+            BY JULIA ELLEN ROGERS. ILLUSTRATED
+
+          WILD FLOWERS EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW
+            BY FREDERIC WILLIAM STACK. ILLUSTRATED
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK
+
+
+
+
+CHARMING BOOKS FOR GIRLS
+
+May be had wherever books are sold. Ask for Grosset & Dunlap's list
+
+          WHEN PATTY WENT TO COLLEGE, By Jean Webster.
+          Illustrated by C. D. Williams.
+
+          One of the best stories of life in a girl's
+          college that has ever been written. It is bright,
+          whimsical and entertaining, lifelike, laughable
+          and thoroughly human.
+
+
+          JUST PATTY, By Jean Webster.
+          Illustrated by C. M. Relyea.
+
+          Patty is full of the joy of living, fun-loving,
+          given to ingenious mischief for its own sake, with
+          a disregard for pretty convention which is an
+          unfailing source of joy to her fellows.
+
+          THE POOR LITTLE RICH GIRL, By Eleanor Gates.
+          With four full page illustrations.
+
+          This story relates the experience of one of those
+          unfortunate children whose early days are passed
+          in the companionship of a governess, seldom seeing
+          either parent, and famishing for natural love and
+          tenderness. A charming play as dramatized by the
+          author.
+
+
+          REBECCA OF SUNNYBROOK FARM, By Kate Douglas Wiggin.
+
+          One of the most beautiful studies of
+          childhood--Rebecca's artistic, unusual and
+          quaintly charming qualities stand out midst a
+          circle of austere New Englanders. The stage
+          version is making a phenomenal dramatic record.
+
+
+          NEW CHRONICLES OF REBECCA, By Kate Douglas Wiggin.
+          Illustrated by F. C. Yohn.
+
+          Additional episodes in the girlhood of this
+          delightful heroine that carry Rebecca through
+          various stages to her eighteenth birthday.
+
+
+          REBECCA MARY, By Annie Hamilton Donnell.
+          Illustrated by Elizabeth Shippen Green.
+
+          This author possesses the rare gift of portraying
+          all the grotesque little joys and sorrows and
+          scruples of this very small girl with a pathos
+          that is peculiarly genuine and appealing.
+
+
+          EMMY LOU: Her Book and Heart, By George Madden Martin.
+          Illustrated by Charles Louis Hinton.
+
+          Emmy Lou is irresistibly lovable, because she is
+          so absolutely real. She is just a bewitchingly
+          innocent, huggable little maid. The book is
+          wonderfully human.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+_=Ask for complete free list of G. & D. Popular Copyrighted Fiction=_
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+GROSSET & DUNLAP, 526 WEST 26TH ST. NEW YORK
+
+
+
+
+THE CHILDREN'S CRIMSON SERIES
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+May be had wherever books are sold. Ask for Grosset & Dunlap's list
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+
+The Editors; and What the Children's Crimson Series Offers Your Child
+
+In the first place, "The Children's Crimson Series" is designed to
+please and interest every child, by reason of the sheer fascination of
+the stories and poems contained therein.
+
+To accomplish such an end, a vast amount of patient labor, a rare
+judgment, a life-long study of children, and a genuine love for all that
+is best in literature, are essential factors of success.
+
+Kate Douglas Wiggin (Mrs. Riggs) and Nora Archibald Smith possess these
+qualities and this experience. Their efforts, as pioneers of
+kindergarten work, the love and admiration in which their works are held
+by all young people, prove them to be in full sympathy with this unique
+piece of work.
+
+Let all parents, who wish their little ones to have their minds and
+tastes developed along the right paths, remember that once a child is
+interested and amused, the rest is comparatively easy. Stories and poems
+so admirably selected, cannot then but sow the seeds of a real literary
+culture, which must be encouraged in childhood if it is ever to exercise
+a real influence in life.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+EDITED BY KATE DOUGLAS WIGGIN AND NORA ARCHIBALD SMITH
+
+   THE FAIRY RING: _Fairy Tales for Children 4 to 8_
+
+   MAGIC CASEMENTS: _Fairy Tales for Children 6 to 12_
+
+   TALES OF LAUGHTER: _Fairy Tales for Growing Boys and Girls_
+
+   TALES OF WONDER: _Fairy Tales that Make One Wonder_
+
+   PINAFORE PALACE: _Rhymes and Jingles for Tiny Tots_
+
+   THE POSY RING: _Verses and Poems that Children Love and Learn_
+
+   GOLDEN NUMBERS: _Verses and Poems for Children and Grown-ups_
+
+   THE TALKING BEASTS: _Birds and Beasts in Fable_
+                              EDITED BY ASA DON DICKINSON
+
+   CHRISTMAS STORIES: "_Read Us a Story About Christmas_"
+                              EDITED BY MARY E. BURT AND W. T. CHAPIN
+
+   STORIES AND POEMS FROM KIPLING: "_How the Camel Got His Hump," and
+                                      other Stories_
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK
+
+
+
+
+THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS SERIES
+
+By LAURA LEE HOPE
+
+Author of "The Bobbsey Twins Series."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+=12mo. BOUND IN CLOTH. ILLUSTRATED. UNIFORM STYLE OF BINDING=
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+The adventures of Ruth and Alice DeVere. Their father, a widower, is an
+actor who has taken up work for the "movies." Both girls wish to aid him
+in his work and visit various localities to act in all sorts of
+pictures.
+
+          THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS
+          Or First Appearance in Photo Dramas.
+
+          Having lost his voice, the father of the girls
+          goes into the movies and the girls follow. Tells
+          how many "parlor dramas" are filmed.
+
+
+          THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS AT OAK FARM
+          Or Queer Happenings While Taking Rural Plays.
+
+          Full of fun in the country, the haps and mishaps
+          of taking film plays, and giving an account of two
+          unusual discoveries.
+
+
+          THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS SNOWBOUND
+          Or The Proof on the Film.
+
+          A tale of winter adventures in the wilderness,
+          showing how the photo-play actors sometimes
+          suffer.
+
+
+          THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS UNDER THE PALMS
+          Or Lost in the Wilds of Florida.
+
+          How they went to the land of palms, played many
+          parts in dramas before the camera; were lost, and
+          aided others who were also lost.
+
+
+          THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS AT ROCKY RANCH
+          Or Great Days Among the Cowboys.
+
+          All who have ever seen moving pictures of the
+          great West will want to know just how they are
+          made. This volume gives every detail and is full
+          of clean fun and excitement.
+
+
+          THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS AT SEA
+          Or a Pictured Shipwreck that Became Real.
+
+          A thrilling account of the girls' experiences on
+          the water.
+
+
+          THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS IN WAR PLAYS
+          Or The Sham Battles at Oak Farm.
+
+          The girls play important parts in big battle
+          scenes and have plenty of hard work along with
+          considerable fun.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Transcriber's Notes:
+
+Obvious punctuation errors repaired.
+
+Page 18, "Seve" changed to "Steve". (what Steve said)
+
+Page 82, "pamajas" changed to "pajamas". (the pajamas would)
+
+Page 191, "imaginery" changed to "imaginary". (an imaginary ball)
+
+Page 196, "belligerantly" changed to "belligerently". (answered Steve
+belligerently)
+
+Page 243, "concensus" changed to "consensus". (but the consensus)
+
+Advertisement for Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, "phenominal" changed to
+"phenomenal". (making a phenomenal)
+
+Advertisement for Emmy Lou, "hugable" changed to "huggable". (huggable
+little maid)
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Left End Edwards, by Ralph Henry Barbour
+
+*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LEFT END EDWARDS ***
+
+***** This file should be named 20650-8.txt or 20650-8.zip *****
+This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
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+<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
+  <head>
+    <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" />
+    <title>
+      The Project Gutenberg eBook of Left End Edwards, by Ralph Henry Barbour.
+    </title>
+    <style type="text/css">
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+<pre>
+
+The Project Gutenberg EBook of Left End Edwards, by Ralph Henry Barbour
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: Left End Edwards
+
+Author: Ralph Henry Barbour
+
+Illustrator: Charles M. Relyea
+
+Release Date: February 24, 2007 [EBook #20650]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LEFT END EDWARDS ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Suzanne Shell, Emmy and the Online Distributed
+Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net
+
+
+
+
+
+
+</pre>
+
+
+
+
+<h1>LEFT END EDWARDS</h1>
+
+
+
+
+
+<div class='center'><a name="front" id="front"></a>
+<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="2" summary="Front matter">
+<tr><td align='left'><img src="images/cover.jpg" width="258" height="400" alt="Cover" title="Cover" />
+</td><td align='center'><br />
+<img src="images/gs01.jpg" width="274" height="400" alt="The &quot;Forward Pass&quot;" title="The &quot;Forward Pass&quot;" />
+<br /><span class="caption">The &quot;Forward Pass&quot;</span>
+</td></tr>
+</table></div>
+
+
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+
+<div class='bbox'>
+<h1>LEFT END EDWARDS</h1>
+
+<h3>BY</h3>
+
+<h2>RALPH HENRY BARBOUR</h2>
+
+<div class='center'><span class="smcap">author of</span><br />
+
+THE HALF-BACK, <span class="smcap">Etc.</span><br /><br /><br />
+
+<span class="smcap">with illustrations by</span><br /></div>
+
+<h3>CHARLES M. RELYEA<br /><br /><br /></h3>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 50px;">
+<img src="images/emblem.jpg" width="50" height="50" alt="Emblem" title="Emblem" />
+</div>
+
+<h4><br /><br /><br />NEW YORK</h4>
+
+<h3>GROSSET &amp; DUNLAP</h3>
+
+<h4>PUBLISHERS</h4>
+</div>
+<div class='center'><small>Made in the United States of America</small></div>
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<div class='center'>
+<small><span class="smcap">Copyright</span>, 1914, <span class="smcap">by</span></small><br />
+<small>DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY</small><br />
+</div>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>CONTENTS</h2>
+
+
+
+
+
+<div class='center'>
+<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="Contents">
+<tr><td align='right'><span class="smcap">chapter</span></td><td align='left'>&nbsp;</td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">page</span></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='right'>I</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">fathers and sons</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_3'>3</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='right'>II</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">off to school</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_13'>13</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='right'>III</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">stop thief!</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_24'>24</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='right'>IV</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">out for brimfield!</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_40'>40</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='right'>V</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">number 12 billings</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_51'>51</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='right'>VI</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">clues!</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_62'>62</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='right'>VII</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">the confidence-man</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_73'>73</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='right'>VIII</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">in the rubbing room</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_86'>86</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='right'>IX</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">back in togs</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_98'>98</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='right'>X</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">"cheap for cash"</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_112'>112</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='right'>XI</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">"hold 'em, third!"</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_125'>125</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='right'>XII</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">canterbury romps on&mdash;and off</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_142'>142</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='right'>XIII</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">sawyer vows vengeance</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_157'>157</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='right'>XIV</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">a lesson in tackling</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_170'>170</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='right'>XV</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Steve winnows some chaff</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_182'>182</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='right'>XVI</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">mr. daley is out</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_202'>202</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='right'>XVII</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">the blue-book</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_212'>212</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='right'>XVIII</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">b plus and d minus</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_225'>225</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='right'>XIX</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">the second puts it over</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_235'>235</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='right'>XX</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">blows are struck</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_251'>251</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='right'>XXI</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">friends fall out</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_267'>267</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='right'>XXII</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">steve gets a surprise</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_285'>285</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='right'>XXIII</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">durkin sheds light</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_297'>297</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='right'>XXIV</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">the day before the battle</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_309'>309</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='right'>XXV</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">tom to the rescue</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_323'>323</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='right'>XXVI</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">at the end of the first half</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_334'>334</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='right'>XXVII</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">steve smiles</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_346'>346</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='right'>XXVIII</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">the chums read a telegram</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_360'>360</a></td></tr>
+</table></div>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>ILLUSTRATIONS</h2>
+
+
+
+
+<div class='center'>
+<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="Illustrations">
+<tr><td align='left'>The "Forward Pass"</td><td align='right'><a href='#front'><i>Frontispiece</i></a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>&nbsp;</td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">facing page</span></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>Steve slipped on the tiling and fell sidewise into the water (page <a href='#Page_166'>166</a>)</td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_80'>80</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>"Lift!" instructed the quarter-back. "Lift me up and yank my feet out from under me! Use your weight and throw me back!"</td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_178'>178</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>It was Steve, Steve on his back, with only his head and shoulders above the water</td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_324'>324</a></td></tr>
+</table></div>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span></p>
+<h2>LEFT END EDWARDS</h2>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>CHAPTER I</h2>
+
+<h3>FATHERS AND SONS</h3>
+
+
+<p>"Dad, what does 'Mens sana in corpore sano' mean?"</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Edwards slightly lowered his Sunday paper and over the top of it
+frowned abstractedly at the boy on the window-seat. "Eh?" he asked.
+"What was that?"</p>
+
+<p>"'Mens sana in corpore sano,' sir."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh!" Mr. Edwards blinked through his reading glasses and rustled the
+paper. Finally, "For a boy who has studied as much Latin as you have,"
+he said disapprovingly, "the question is extraordinary, to say the
+least. I'd advise you to&mdash;hm&mdash;find your dictionary, Steve." And Mr.
+Edwards again retired from sight.</p>
+
+<p>Steve, cross-legged on the broad seat that filled the library bay, a
+seat which commanded an uninterrupted view up and down the street,
+smiled into the open pamphlet he held.</p>
+
+<p>"He doesn't know," he said to himself with a chuckle. "It's something
+about your mind and your body, though. Never mind." He idly flut<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span>tered
+the leaves of the pamphlet and glanced out into the street to see if any
+friends were in sight. But it was Sunday afternoon, and rainy, and the
+wide, maple-bordered street, its neat artificial stone sidewalks
+shimmering with moisture, was quite deserted. With a sigh Steve went
+back to the pamphlet. It bore the inscription on the outer cover:
+"Brimfield Academy," and, below, in parenthesis, "William Torrence
+Foundation."</p>
+
+<p>"What does 'William Torrence Foundation' mean, dad?" asked the boy.</p>
+
+<p>Again Mr. Edwards lowered his paper, with a sigh. "It means, as you will
+discover for yourself if you will take the trouble to read the
+catalogue, that a man named William Torrence gave the money to establish
+the school. Now, for goodness sake, Steve, let me read in peace for a
+minute!"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir. Thank you." Steve turned the pages, glanced again at the
+"View of Main Building from the Lawn" and began to read. "In 1878
+William Torrence, Esq., of New York City, visited his native town of
+Brimfield and interested the citizens in a plan to establish a school on
+a large tract of land at the edge of the town which had been in the
+Torrence family for many generations. Two years later the school was
+built and,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span> under the title of Torrence Seminary, began a successful
+career which has lasted for thirty-two years. Under the principalship of
+Dr. Andrew Morey, the institution increased rapidly in usefulness, and
+in 1892 it was found necessary to add two wings to the original
+structure at a cost of $34,000, also the gift of the founder. Dr.
+Morey's connection with the school ended four years later, when the
+services of the present head, Mr. Joshua Fernald, A.M., were secured.
+The death of Mr. Torrence in 1897, after a long and honoured career,
+removed the school's greatest friend and benefactor, but, by the terms
+of his will, placed it beyond the reach of want for many years. With new
+buildings and improvements made possible by the generous provisions of
+the testament the school soon took its place amongst the foremost
+institutions of its kind. In 1908 the charter name was changed to
+Brimfield Academy&mdash;William Torrence Foundation, the course was
+lengthened from four years to six and the present era of well-deserved
+prosperity was entered on. Brimfield Academy now has accommodations for
+260 boys, its faculty consists of 19 members and its buildings number 8.
+Situated as it is&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>Steve yawned frankly, viewed again the somnolent street and idly turned
+the pages. There<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span> were several pictures, but he had seen them all many
+times and only the one labelled "'Varsity Athletic Field&mdash;Gymnasium
+Beyond" claimed his interest for a moment. At last,</p>
+
+<p>"They've got a peach of an athletic field, dad," he observed
+approvingly. "I can see six goals, and that means three gridirons. And
+there's a baseball field besides. The catalogue says that 'provision is
+also made for tennis, boating and swimming,' but I don't see any tennis
+courts in the picture."</p>
+
+<p>"All right," grunted his father from behind the paper.</p>
+
+<p>"I wonder," continued Steve musingly, "where you get your boating and
+swimming. It says that Long Island Sound is two and a half miles
+distant. That's a long old ways to go for a swim, isn't it?"</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Edwards laid the paper across his knees and regarded the boy
+severely. "Steve," he said, "about the only thing I've heard from you
+since that catalogue arrived is the athletic field and the gymnasium.
+I'd like to refresh your mind on one point, my son."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir?" said Steve without much eagerness.</p>
+
+<p>"I'd like to remind you that you are not going to Brimfield Academy to
+play football or baseball,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span> or to swim. You're going there to study and
+learn! I don't propose to spend four hundred and fifty dollars a year,
+besides a whole lot for extras, to have you taught how to kick a
+football or make a home-hit. And&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"A home-run, sir," corrected Steve humbly.</p>
+
+<p>"Or whatever it is, then. I expect you to buckle down when you get there
+and learn. Remember that you've got just two years in which to prepare
+yourself for college. If you aren't ready then, you don't go. That's
+flat, my boy, and I want you to understand it. So, if you have any idea
+of football and tennis as your&mdash;er&mdash;principal courses you want to get it
+right out of your head. Now, for a change, suppose you have a look at
+the studies in front of you, and don't let me hear anything more about
+the gymnasium or the&mdash;the what-do-you-call-it field."</p>
+
+<p>"All right, sir." Steve obediently turned the pages back. "Just the
+same," he said to himself, "he didn't know what 'mens sana in corpore
+sano' meant any better than I did! Bet you <i>he</i> didn't kill himself
+studying when <i>he</i> went to school!" With a sigh he found the "Courses of
+Study" and read: "Form IV. Classical. Latin: Vergil's Aeneid, IV&mdash;XII,
+Cicero and Ovid at sight, Composition (5). Greek: Xenophon's Hel<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span>lenica,
+Selections, Iliad and Odyssey, Selections, Sight Reading, Reviews,
+Composition (5). German (optional) (4). French: Advanced Grammar and
+Composition, Le Siege de Paris, Le Barbier de Saville&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>At that moment a shrill whistle sounded outside the library window and
+Steve's eyes fled from the pamphlet to the grinning face of Tom Hall set
+between two of the fence pickets. The Catalogue of Brimfield Academy was
+tossed to the further end of the seat, and Steve, nodding vigorously
+through the window, jumped to his feet.</p>
+
+<p>"I'm going for a walk with Tom, sir," he announced half-way to the hall
+door. Mr. Edwards, smothering a sigh of relief, glanced at the weather.</p>
+
+<p>"Very well," he said. "Don't get your feet wet. And&mdash;er&mdash;be back before
+it's dark."</p>
+
+<p>Steve disappeared into the dim hallway and Mr. Edwards gave honest
+expression to his sense of relief by elevating his feet to the seat of a
+neighbouring chair, dropping the newspaper and, with a luxurious sigh,
+composing himself for his Sunday afternoon nap. But peace was not yet
+his, for a minute or two later Steve came hurrying in again. Mr. Edwards
+opened his eyes with a frown.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Sorry, sir," said Steve, "but Tom wants to see the catalogue."</p>
+
+<p>His father nodded drowsily and Steve, securing the pamphlet, stole out
+again with creaking Sunday shoes. Very quietly the front door went shut
+and peace at last pervaded the house. In the library, Mr. Edwards,
+dropping into slumber, was dimly conscious of a last disturbing thought.
+It was that he was going to miss that boy of his a whole lot after next
+week!</p>
+
+<p>"It's all right," declared Tom Hall as he took the catalogue from Steve
+with eager fingers. "At least, I'm pretty sure it is. He said at dinner
+that he'd think it over, and when he says that it means&mdash;that it's all
+right. What do you say, eh?"</p>
+
+<p>"<i>Bully!</i>" That was what <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'Seve'">Steve</ins> said. And he said it not only once but
+several times and with varying degrees of enthusiasm and volume. And, as
+though fearing his chum would doubt his satisfaction, he accompanied
+each "<i>Bully!</i>" with an emphatic thump on Tom's back. Tom, choking and
+coughing, squirmed out of the way.</p>
+
+<p>"Here! Ho-ho-hold on, you silly chump! You don't have to kill a fellow!"</p>
+
+<p>"Won't it be dandy!" exclaimed Steve, beaming. "We can room together!
+And&mdash;and&mdash;&mdash;"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"You bet! And we can have a bully time on the train, too. Gee, I never
+travelled as far as that alone!"</p>
+
+<p>"I have! It's lots of fun! You eat your meals in a dining-car and
+there's a smoking-room where you can sit and chin as late as you want to
+and you get off at the stations and walk up and down the platform and
+you tip the negro porters and&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Wouldn't it be great if we both made the football team, Steve? Of
+course, you'll make it anyway, and I might if I had a little luck.
+Townsend said last year I didn't do so badly, you know, and if&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Of course you'll make it! We both will; next year anyway. I'll bet
+they've got lots of fellows on the team no better than you are, Tom.
+Wait till I show you the athletic field. It's a corker!" And Steve's
+fingers turned the pages of the school catalogue eagerly. "How's that?"
+he demanded at last in triumph.</p>
+
+<p>They paused under a dripping tree while Tom viewed the picture, Steve
+looking over his shoulder.</p>
+
+<p>"It's fine!" sighed Tom at last. "Gee, I hope&mdash;I hope he lets me!"</p>
+
+<p>"Let's go over there now so you can show him<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span> this," suggested Steve.
+But Tom shook his head wisely.</p>
+
+<p>"Not now," he said. "He don't like to be disturbed Sunday afternoons.
+He&mdash;he sort of has a nap, you see."</p>
+
+<p>"Just like dad," replied Steve. "Bet you when I get as old as that I
+won't stick around the house and go to sleep. Say, Tom, what does 'Mens
+sana in corpore sano' mean?"</p>
+
+<p>"A sound mind in a sound body," replied Tom promptly. "Why?"</p>
+
+<p>"It's in here and I asked dad and he didn't know." Steve chuckled. "He
+made believe he was peevish with me, so's he wouldn't have to fess up.
+Dad's foxy, all right!"</p>
+
+<p>"Well, you ought to have known, Steve," said Tom severely.</p>
+
+<p>"Sure," agreed Steve untroubledly. "That's what he said. Let's take that
+a minute. I want to show you the picture of the campus."</p>
+
+<p>"Let's sit down somewhere and look it over," said Tom. "I told father
+that it was a school where they were terribly strict with the fellows
+and you had to study awfully hard all the time. I wonder if it is."</p>
+
+<p>"I don't believe so," answered Steve. "They say so much about football
+and baseball and things<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span> like that you can tell they aren't cranky about
+studying. And look at the pictures of the different teams in here.
+There's the baseball nine, see? Pretty husky looking bunch, aren't they?
+And&mdash;turn over&mdash;there you are&mdash;there's the football team. Some of those
+chaps aren't any bigger than I am, or you, either. Good looking
+uniforms, aren't they? Say, dad gave me a lecture on not thinking I was
+going there to just play football. Fathers are awfully funny sometimes!"</p>
+
+<p>"You bet! I wonder&mdash;I wonder&mdash;would you mind if we tore out a couple of
+these pictures before he sees it? I'm afraid he might think there was
+too much in it about athletics."</p>
+
+<p>"No, tear away! Here, I'll do it. We'll take the pictures of the teams
+out. How about the athletic field? Better tear that out too, do you
+think?"</p>
+
+<p>"Well, maybe, just to be on the safe side, you know. Don't throw 'em
+away, though. We might want to look at them again. Let's go over to the
+library where we can talk, Steve."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>CHAPTER II</h2>
+
+<h3>OFF TO SCHOOL</h3>
+
+
+<p>Possibly you are wondering why two boys, each of whom was possessed of a
+perfectly good home of his own, should select the Tannersville Public
+Library as a place in which to converse. The answer is that Steve's
+father and Tom's father were in the same line of trade, wholesale
+lumber, and had a few years before fallen out over some business matter.
+Since that time the two men had been at daggers drawn during office
+hours and only coldly civil at other times. Steve was forbidden to set
+foot in Tom's house and Tom was as strictly prohibited from entering
+Steve's. Had the fathers had their way at the beginning of the quarrel
+the boys would have ceased then and there to have anything to do with
+each other. But they had been close friends ever since primary school
+days and, while they reluctantly respected the dictum as to visiting at
+each other's residences, they had firmly refused to give up the
+friendship, and their fathers had finally been forced to sanction what
+they could not prevent.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>At the time this story opens, the quarrel between the two men, each a
+prominent and well-to-do member of the community, still continued, but
+its edge had been dulled by time. Both Mr. Edwards and Mr. Hall took
+active parts in municipal affairs and so were forced to meet often and
+to even serve together on various committees. They almost invariably
+took opposite sides on every question, but they did not allow their
+personal quarrel to interfere with their public duties.</p>
+
+<p>The boys had at first found the condition of affairs very irksome, but
+had eventually got used to it. It was hard not to be able to run in and
+out of each other's houses as they had done when they had first known
+each other, but there were plenty of opportunities to be together away
+from home and they made the most of them and were well-nigh inseparable.
+Mr. Edwards had declared, when announcing the fact in the preceding
+spring, that Steve was to go to boarding school, that he was sending the
+boy away to remove him from the questionable association of Tom Hall.
+But Steve gave little credence to that statement, for he knew that
+secretly his father thought very well of Tom. The real reason was that
+Steve had not been making good progress at high school, owing
+principally to the fact that he gave too much time to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> athletics and not
+enough to study. Mr. Edwards concluded that at a boarding school Steve
+would be under a stricter discipline and would profit by it. Steve's
+mother had died many years before, and his father, while perfectly able
+to command a large army of employees, was rather helpless when it came
+to exercising a proper authority over one sixteen-year-old boy!</p>
+
+<p>Naturally enough, Tom, when he had learned of his chum's impending
+departure in the fall for boarding school, began a vigorous campaign to
+secure parental permission to accompany him. Mrs. Hall had soon yielded,
+but Mr. Hall had held out stubbornly until almost the last moment. "I
+guess," he had said more than once, "you see enough of that Edwards boy
+without going off to the same boarding school with him! If you want to
+go to some other school I'll consider it, Tom, but I'm blessed if I'll
+have you tagging after Steve Edwards the way you propose!" But in the
+end he, too, capitulated, though with ill-grace, and for a week there
+were not two busier persons in all Tannersville than Steve and Tom.
+Steve had taken time by the forelock and had accumulated most of the
+necessary outfit, but Tom had to attend to all his wants in six
+weekdays, and there was much scurrying around the shops by the two<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span>
+lads, much hurry and worry and bustle in the Hall mansion. You had to
+take with you such a lot of silly truck, you see! Or, at least, that is
+the way Tom put it. The catalogue informed them that they must provide
+their own sheets, pillow-cases, spreads, towels, napkins and laundry
+bags, as well as take with them a knife, fork and spoon each. Steve
+sarcastically wondered if the school gave them beds to sleep in! The
+situation was further complicated by the eleventh-hour discovery on the
+part of Mrs. Hall that Tom's clothing, while quite good enough for
+Tannersville, would never do for Brimfield Academy, and poor Tom had to
+be fitted to new suits of clothes and shoes and hats and various other
+articles of apparel.</p>
+
+<p>They were to leave early Monday morning, for in that way they could
+reach Brimfield before dark. Both boys, who had set their hearts on a
+night in a sleeping-car, with all its exciting possibilities, begged to
+be allowed to make their start Monday evening, which would allow them to
+arrive at school Tuesday forenoon in plenty of time. But neither Steve's
+father nor Tom's would listen to the suggestion.</p>
+
+<p>"Then I'll get there a whole day before school opens," grumbled Tom,
+"and have to stay there all alone Monday night."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"It won't hurt you a bit," replied Mr. Hall. "And the catalogue says
+that students will be received any time after Monday noon. I'm not going
+to have you two reckless youngsters travelling around the country
+together at night."</p>
+
+<p>Tom, recognising the inevitable, said no more.</p>
+
+<p>There was a somewhat awkward ten minutes at the station, for both Mr.
+Edwards and Mr. Hall, the latter accompanied by his wife, went down to
+see the boys off. The men nodded coldly to each other and then the odd
+situation of two boys who were to travel together side by side taking
+leave of their parents at opposite ends of the same car developed.
+Tannersville is not a large town and those who were on the platform that
+morning when the New York express pulled in understood the dilemma and
+smiled over it. Steve and Tom were both rather relieved when the
+good-byes were over and the train was pulling out of the station.</p>
+
+<p>"Blamed foolishness," muttered Steve as he met Tom where their bags were
+piled on one of the seats.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, don't they make you tired?" agreed the other. "Say, how much did
+you get?"</p>
+
+<p>Steve thrust his fingers into a waistcoat pocket<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> and drew out a
+carefully folded and very crisp ten-dollar bill, and Tom whistled.</p>
+
+<p>"I only got seven," he said; "five from father and two from mother. I
+guess that will do, though. The only things we have to pay for are
+dinner and getting across New York. Got your ticket safe?"</p>
+
+<p>Ensued then a breathless, panicky minute while Steve searched pocket
+after pocket for the envelope which contained his transportation to
+Brimfield, New York. The perspiration began to stand out on his
+forehead, his eyes grew large and round and his gaze set, Tom fidgetted
+mightily and persons in nearby seats, sensing the tragedy, grinned in
+heartless amusement. Then, at last, the precious envelope came to light
+from the depths of the very first pocket in which he had searched and,
+with sighs of vast relief, the two boys subsided into the seat. By that
+time Tannersville was left behind and the great adventure had begun!</p>
+
+<p>There are lots of worse things in life than starting off to school for
+the first time when you have someone with you to share your pleasant
+anticipations and direful forebodings. It is an exciting experience, I
+can tell you! The feeling of being cast on your own resources is at once
+blissfully<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span> uplifting and breathtakingly fearsome. Suppose they lost
+their way in New York? Suppose they were robbed of their tickets or
+their pocket money? You were always hearing about folks being robbed on
+trains, while, as for New York, why, every fellow knew that it was
+simply a den of iniquity! Or suppose the train was wrecked? It was Tom
+who supplied most of these direful contingencies and Steve who
+carelessly&mdash;or so it seemed&mdash;disposed of them.</p>
+
+<p>"If we lost our way we'd ask a policeman," he said. "And if anyone
+pinched our money or our tickets we'd just telegraph home to the folks
+and wait until we heard from them."</p>
+
+<p>"Where'd we wait?" asked Tom with great interest.</p>
+
+<p>"Hotel."</p>
+
+<p>"They wouldn't let us in unless we had money, would they?" Tom objected.
+"Maybe we could find the United States consul."</p>
+
+<p>"That's only when you're abroad," corrected Steve scathingly. "There
+aren't any United States consuls in the United States, you silly chump!"</p>
+
+<p>"I should think there ought to be," Tom replied uneasily. "What time do
+we get to New York?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Two thirty-five, if we're on time. We ought to be. This is a peach of a
+train; one of the best on the road. Bet you she's making a mile a minute
+right now."</p>
+
+<p>"Bet you she isn't!"</p>
+
+<p>"Bet you she is! I'll ask the conductor."</p>
+
+<p>That gentleman was approaching, and as they yielded their tickets to be
+punched Steve put the question. The conductor leaned down and took a
+glance at the flying landscape. "About forty-five miles an hour, I
+guess. That fast enough for you, boys?"</p>
+
+<p>"Sure," replied Tom. "But he said we were going a mile a minute."</p>
+
+<p>"No, we don't make better than fifty anywhere. You in a hurry, are you?"</p>
+
+<p>"Only for dinner," laughed Steve. "Where do we get dinner, sir?"</p>
+
+<p>"There's a dining-car on now," was the reply. "Or you can get out at
+Phillipsburg at twelve-twenty-three and get something at the lunch
+counter. We stop there five minutes."</p>
+
+<p>"Me for the dining-car," declared Steve when the conductor had moved on.
+"What time is it now, I wonder."</p>
+
+<p>It was only a very few minutes after eight, the discovery of which fact
+occasioned both surprise<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> and dismay. "Seems as though it ought to be
+pretty nearly noon, doesn't it?" asked Tom.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes. What time did you have breakfast? I had mine at half-past six."</p>
+
+<p>"Me too. Let's go through the train and see if we can find some apples
+or popcorn or something."</p>
+
+<p>The trainboy was discovered in a corner of the smoking-car and they
+purchased apples, chocolate caramels and salted peanuts, as well as two
+humorous weeklies, and found a seat in the car and settled down to
+business. They were both frightfully hungry, since excitement had
+prevented full justice to breakfasts. It was horribly smoky in that car,
+but Steve declared that he liked it, and Tom, although his eyes were
+soon smarting painfully, pretended that he did too.</p>
+
+<p>"I suppose we'll have to smoke at school," said Tom without enthusiasm.</p>
+
+<p>Steve considered the question a moment. "I don't believe we will unless
+we want to," he replied at last. "We can say it's because we're in
+training, you know. They don't allow you to smoke when you're trying for
+the football team or anything like that."</p>
+
+<p>Tom sighed his relief. "It makes me horribly squirmy," he said. "I
+thought, though, that if<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> all the fellows did it, you know, I'd better,
+too. In all the stories about boarding schools I've ever read, the
+fellows smoke on the sly and get found out. Don't see much fun in that,
+though, do you?"</p>
+
+<p>"No." Steve devoured the last of his apple and started on the peanuts.
+"I don't believe those stories very well, anyway. There's always a
+goody-goody hero that gets suspected of something he didn't do and knows
+who really did it all the time and won't tell. And then he saves another
+fellow from drowning or something and it turns out that it was that
+fellow who did it, you know, and he goes and fesses up to the principal
+and the principal asks the hero's pardon in class and the captain of the
+football team comes to him and begs him to play quarter-back or
+something, which he does, and the school wins its big game because the
+hero gets the ball and runs the length of the field with it and scores a
+touchdown. I guess boarding school isn't really very much like that,
+Tom. I guess there's a heap more hard work to it than those fellows who
+write the stories tell you about. Anyway, we'll soon find out."</p>
+
+<p>"Still, I guess some of those things do happen sometimes," said Tom a
+trifle wistfully, unwilling to relinquish the story-book romance.
+"Fel<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span>lows do get wrongly accused of&mdash;of things, and they do rescue other
+fellows from drowning&mdash;sometimes, and fellows do win football games. I'd
+like to do that and be a hero!"</p>
+
+<p>"Sure! So would I. Bet you, though, there won't be any of that kind of
+stuff at Brimfield. I dare say we'll wish ourselves out of it long
+before Christmas! If anyone wrongly accuses me of anything you can bet
+I'll make a kick. You won't see me getting punished for what some other
+fellow's done. That's all right in stories, but not for yours truly! Not
+a bit of it, Tom!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>CHAPTER III</h2>
+
+<h3>STOP THIEF!</h3>
+
+
+<p>They descended on the dining-car at twelve o'clock promptly, being
+unable to remain away any longer, and gave an excellent imitation of a
+visitation of locusts performing their well-known devastating act. If
+any two travellers by land or sea ever received their money's worth in
+food it was Steve and Tom. They took the menu card and briskly demanded
+everything in order, and when, having finished their dessert, they made
+the discovery that a criminally careless waiter had deprived them of
+pineapple sherbert, they immediately and indignantly saw to it that the
+omission was corrected. Afterwards, groaning with happiness and
+repletion, they dragged themselves back to their own car and subsided on
+the seat in beatific silence.</p>
+
+<p>An hour later they came out of their stupor to stare eagerly, excitedly
+out at the indications of the approaching metropolis. Meadows strung
+with enormous and glaring signboards gave place to towns and presently
+there came a pause at a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span> station where other trains whisked in and out
+with amazing frequency. Then on again, and they were suddenly dipping
+into a tunnel, conscious of an unpleasant pressure against their
+eardrums. Tom's expression of bewildered alarm moved a kind-hearted
+neighbour across the car aisle to lean over and explain smilingly that
+the train was now running under the river, a piece of information but
+little calculated to remove Tom's fears had he given the slightest
+credence to it, which he didn't.</p>
+
+<p>"I guess," he muttered resentfully close to Steve's ear, "he thinks
+we're a couple of 'greenies' for fair! Going under a river!"</p>
+
+<p>And then, almost before Tom's indignation had given way again to alarm,
+the tunnel was left behind and they were in New York at last, a
+dimly-lighted, subterranean New York filled with hurrying crowds,
+bustle, noise, confusion and importunate porters. Even though the two
+boys emerged to the platform in a somewhat dazed condition, they had no
+intention of wasting perfectly good pocket money having their bags
+carried for them, and so started out to find the office of the baggage
+transfer company quite bravely. For a minute they had only to follow the
+hurrying throng of fellow-passengers, but soon this throng divided and
+went separate ways and Steve and Tom, rest<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span>ing their arms by depositing
+their hand luggage on the lower step of an apparently interminable
+flight of broad stairs, looked about for someone to question. But
+everyone seemed in a terrible hurry, and when, at last, Steve ventured
+to put a query to a benevolent-looking elderly gentleman who clutched a
+tightly-rolled umbrella in one hand and an afternoon paper in the other,
+he almost had his head bitten off! In the end, they proceeded up the
+stairway and at last came upon a returning porter who gave them their
+direction. By the time they had reached the transfer company's office
+they had walked so far that Tom wondered whether most of the city was
+not contained inside the station!</p>
+
+<p>Presently, though, he saw that it wasn't. For they found themselves
+standing outside the terminal on a street that stretched, apparently,
+for millions of miles in each direction! They had received detailed
+advice from the man in the transfer company's office as to the best
+method of reaching the Grand Central Station, and the directions had
+sounded quite easy to follow. But now the feat didn't look so simple,
+for the man had told them to take a car going in a certain direction and
+there wasn't a car in sight! Moreover, when Tom came to look for
+car-tracks there weren't any!<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span> He pointed out the fact to Steve, and
+Steve, at first a bit dismayed, at last shrugged his shoulders and
+observed his chum pityingly.</p>
+
+<p>"You don't suppose all the cars in this town run on tracks, do you?" he
+asked.</p>
+
+<p>"What do they run on then?"</p>
+
+<p>"Why&mdash;er&mdash;you wait and see!"</p>
+
+<p>"That's all right, but it's almost three o'clock and our train goes from
+the other station at a quarter-past, and&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Well, we'll ask someone," said Steve. But, oddly enough, there was no
+one to ask. For a town as large as New York that block of street was
+strangely deserted. A team or two passed and an elderly woman crept by
+on the opposite sidewalk, but no one came near them. Finally Steve
+muttered:</p>
+
+<p>"Looks to me as if we were on the wrong street. Maybe there are two
+doors to this old station, Tom."</p>
+
+<p>"Of course there are! Let's walk down to that corner. There goes a car
+now!" And Tom, as though his future happiness depended on catching that
+particular car, seized his bag and started down the street at a run.
+Steve followed more leisurely, and when he reached the corner Tom was
+talking to a policeman. It was all very sim<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span>ple. They had made the
+mistake of leaving the terminal by a wrong exit and had emerged on to a
+cross-town street. After that it was easy. A car lumbered up, the
+policeman stopped it for them, they climbed aboard, were hurled half the
+length of the aisle and fell into seats. A few minutes later they
+transferred to a cross-town line without misadventure.</p>
+
+<p>"They certainly make you step lively in this town," panted Tom,
+clutching a strap and narrowly avoiding a seat in the lap of a very
+stout lady. "Glad I don't have to live here!"</p>
+
+<p>Steve, however, whose eyes were darting hither and thither in a
+desperate effort to lose none of the sights, was more favourably
+disposed toward the city. Even when, owing to a blockade at one of the
+street intersections, it became evident that they could not possibly
+make the three-fifteen train to Brimfield, Steve refused to be troubled.
+"Maybe," he said, "we'll have time to walk around a bit and see
+something. Say we do it, anyway, Tom?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, sir, this place is too blamed big! First thing we'd know we'd be
+lost for fair and never would get to Brimfield. When I get to that
+station I'm going to sit down and stay there!"</p>
+
+<p>When they did reach it the three-fifteen train<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span> had been gone nearly ten
+minutes, and inquiry at a window labelled "Information" elicited the
+announcement that the next train available for them would not leave
+until three-fifty-eight, since Brimfield, it seemed, was not a
+sufficiently important station to be served by all the trains.</p>
+
+<p>"That gives us half an hour," said Steve eagerly. "Let's check our bags
+somewhere and go out and look around."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, and get lost! No, sir, not for mine!"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, don't be such a scarecrow! Come on!"</p>
+
+<p>But Tom was obdurate. "You go if you want to," he said, "but I'm going
+to sit down right here and wait. You can leave your bag and I'll look
+after it. Only, if you don't get back by a quarter to four I'm going to
+the train, and I'll take your bag with me."</p>
+
+<p>"All right. I just want to go out front awhile. I'll be back in ten
+minutes. You stay here. And keep your eye on the bags, Tom. I guess
+there's a lot of sneak-thieves around here." And Steve looked about him
+suspiciously, his glance finally falling on Tom's left-hand neighbour, a
+youth of perhaps nineteen years upon whose good-looking face rested an
+amused smile. Instantly, however, the paper he was holding was raised to
+hide his face, and Steve frowned. The fellow was, thought<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> Steve,
+altogether too well-dressed and slick-looking to be honest, and that
+smile disturbed him. He leaned down and whispered in Tom's ear:</p>
+
+<p>"Look out for the fellow next to you! I think he's a crook!"</p>
+
+<p>Tom turned an alarmed glance to his left and a disturbed one on Steve.
+"I&mdash;I guess," he said with elaborate carelessness, "I'll sit over there
+where it's lighter." Whereupon he gathered the bags up and literally
+fled across the waiting-room, Steve at his heels. In his new location,
+out of sight of the suspected youth, he said hoarsely: "I reckon he was
+a pickpocket, don't you?"</p>
+
+<p>"You can't tell," responded Steve, shaking his head knowingly. "Anyway,
+you want to keep an eye on those bags every minute. I'll be right back,
+though. Want to see my paper?" And Steve handed an <i>Evening Sun</i>,
+purchased on the car, to his chum and wound his way through the throng
+toward the entrance.</p>
+
+<p>Left to himself, Tom looked at the clock and saw that the hour was
+three-thirty-two, glanced apprehensively about him in search of possible
+malefactors, dragged the bags closer to his feet and unfolded the paper.
+But he couldn't find much to interest him in it. Besides, he had to look
+at the clock every few minutes, and whenever a man<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> in a uniform
+appeared with a megaphone and announced the impending departure of a
+train Tom had heart disease, seized both bags and crouched ready for
+instant flight until he was assured that the word "Brimfield" was not
+among the list of stations enunciated through the trumpet. It was after
+he had sunk back with a sigh of relief on finding that a train for
+"Pittsburgh, Chicago and the West" was not his that he discovered that
+an empty seat at his right had been occupied during his strained
+interest in the announcer. Glancing around he saw that the occupant was
+the well-dressed, good-looking youth who had been seated next to him
+before. The youth seemed very interested in the paper he was reading,
+his gaze being apparently fixed on a column headed "Tiger's Football
+Players Report," but Tom refused to be deceived. Only the fact that a
+grey-coated station policeman was standing within hail kept him from a
+second flight. Steve, he reflected nervously while he wound both feet
+around the bags, would return in a minute or two and then they could go
+to the train. Tom devoutly wished himself and the bags there now. Once
+he was conscious of the fact that the youth beside him was glancing his
+way, but he pretended not to be aware of it. Then his neighbour spoke.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Princeton ought to have a pretty good team this year," he observed
+genially. Tom, his heart in his mouth, nodded.</p>
+
+<p>"Y-yes," he said.</p>
+
+<p>"Interested in football?" went on the other. Tom dared a quick glance at
+the smiling face and shook his head.</p>
+
+<p>"No, thank you. I mean&mdash;yes, a little." He didn't want to talk because
+he had read that confidence men always engaged their victims in
+conversation before selling them counterfeit money or leading them to
+gamble away their savings. Tom's eyes darted anxiously about in search
+of Steve and he wondered how soon the smooth-voiced stranger would call
+him by name or ask after the folks in Tannersville. He hadn't long to
+wait!</p>
+
+<p>"It's a great game," pursued the other. Then, after a short pause: "Say,
+I've met you before, haven't I? Your face looks familiar."</p>
+
+<p>"No," answered Tom shortly, digging his feet convulsively against the
+bulging sides of the bags on the floor.</p>
+
+<p>"My mistake, then. I thought perhaps you were from Tannersville,
+Pennsylvania."</p>
+
+<p>Tom almost jumped, although he had been expecting some such remark. It
+was, he reflected<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> agitatedly, absolutely marvellous the way these
+fellows learned things! In a moment the fellow would tell him his name!</p>
+
+<p>The fellow didn't, though. He only said:</p>
+
+<p>"Tannersville is a fine town. Ever been there?"</p>
+
+<p>Tom shook his head energetically. "Never!" he fibbed.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh!" The confidence-man&mdash;for Tom had fully decided that such he
+was&mdash;seemed disappointed. But he wasn't discouraged. "Which way are you
+travelling?" he asked.</p>
+
+<p>Tom did a lot of thinking then in a fragment of a minute.</p>
+
+<p>"Philadelphia," he blurted.</p>
+
+<p>"Philadelphia! Why, say, you're in the wrong station. You ought to go to
+the Pennsylvania Terminal. I guess you're a stranger here, eh? Tell you
+what I'll do. You come with me and I'll put you on a car that'll take
+you right there."</p>
+
+<p>"I&mdash;I've got to wait for a friend," muttered Tom desperately, sending an
+appealing glance toward the policeman who had now begun to saunter
+slowly away.</p>
+
+<p>"That so? Well&mdash;&mdash;" The other got up with a glance at the clock and
+reached down for his suit-case. Tom's gaze followed the direction of
+that hand closely. It was, he thought, odd that a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> confidence-man should
+carry a suit-case, but that might be only an attempt to avert suspicion.
+The bag held the inscription "A. L. M., Orange, N. J." Probably the bag
+had been stolen. Tom fixed that inscription firmly in his mind. "I'll
+have to be going," said "A. L. M." "Sorry I can't be of assistance to
+you, kid. I thought that maybe if you were going my way, out to
+Brimfield, I could give you a hand with your bags."</p>
+
+<p>Tom gasped! How did he know about Brimfield?</p>
+
+<p>"Thanks," he muttered. "I&mdash;I'll get on all right." Standing there in
+front of him "A. L. M." looked very youthful to be such a deep-dyed
+villain and Tom felt a bit sorry for him. But the villain was smiling
+broadly and, as it seemed to Tom, a trifle mockingly.</p>
+
+<p>"Better keep a sharp lookout for crooks," advised the other. "There are
+lots of 'em about here. See that old chap over there with the basket of
+fruit in his lap?" The stranger moderated his voice and leaned toward
+Tom. Tom, turning his head a trifle to follow the other's gaze, felt one
+of the bags between his feet move and made a grab toward it. But the
+stranger had not, apparently, touched it, unless with a foot. "That," he
+was saying, "is Four-Fingered Phillips, one of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span> cleverest
+confidence-men in New York. Well, so long!"</p>
+
+<p>The other moved away, walking nonchalantly past the station policeman
+who had now wandered back to his post. Tom held his breath. But the
+policeman, although he undoubtedly followed the youth with his gaze for
+a moment, failed to act, and Tom was not a little relieved. Even if the
+fellow was a crook he seemed an awfully decent sort and Tom was glad he
+hadn't been arrested.</p>
+
+<p>It was getting perilously near a quarter to four now and still Steve had
+not returned. Tom watched the long hand crawl toward the figure IX, saw
+it reach it and pass. He would, he decided then, give Steve another five
+minutes. His gaze fell on "Four-Fingered Phillips" and he viewed that
+gentleman perplexedly. He didn't look in the least like a
+confidence-man. He appeared to be about sixty years of age, eminently
+respectable and slightly infirm. He clutched a basket of fruit and an
+ivory-headed cane and seemed quite oblivious to everything about him.
+New York, reflected Tom, with something like a shudder, must be a
+terribly wicked place! And then, while he was still striving to discern
+signs of depravity under the gentle and kindly exterior of the elderly
+confidence-man, a young woman, lead<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span>ing a little boy of some three or
+four years of age and bearing many bundles, hurried up to "Four-Fingered
+Phillips," spoke, helped him to his feet and guided him away toward the
+train-shed. Tom sighed. It was too much for him! Of course he had read
+of female accomplices, but it didn't seem that a four-year-old child
+could be a part of the game! For the first time he wondered whether "A.
+L. M.," perhaps chagrined at his failure to decoy Tom to some secret
+lair, had deceived him about "Four-Fingered Phillips"!</p>
+
+<p>Then it was ten minutes to four, good measure, and Tom, in a sudden
+panic, seized his bags, gazed about him despairingly and made for the
+train-shed. He had given Steve fair warning, he told himself, and now he
+could just fend for himself. But his steps got slower and slower as he
+approached the gate and when he reached it he set the bags down, got his
+ticket out and waited. After all, it would be a pretty mean trick to
+leave Steve. At least, he'd wait there until the last moment. The
+minutes passed and the hands on the clock further along the barrier
+crept nearer and nearer to the time set for the departure of the
+Brimfield accommodation. Tom wondered when the next train after this one
+would leave.</p>
+
+<p>"Going on this train, son?" asked the gateman.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Yes," answered Tom, and took a step toward the gate. Then he stopped
+and shook his head. "No, I guess not," he muttered. "When does the next
+one go, sir?"</p>
+
+<p>"Where to?" asked the gateman, punching the ticket of a late arrival.</p>
+
+<p>"Brimfield."</p>
+
+<p>"Four-twelve." The gate closed and the matter was irrevocably settled.
+Tom took his bags and hurried back to the waiting-room and found his
+place again. No Steve was in sight!</p>
+
+<p>"I'll give him ten minutes," said Tom savagely. "Then I'll go. And&mdash;and
+I won't come back the next time!"</p>
+
+<p>And then, just as the clock announced the hour Steve appeared, a little
+flushed and breathless, but smiling broadly.</p>
+
+<p>"Gee, you ought to have been with me, Tom!" he said excitedly. "There
+was a peach of a fire just around in the next street! Seven engines and
+a hook-and-ladder and hundreds of hose-carts and one of those
+water-towers! And most of the engines were automobiles, Tom! It was
+corking!"</p>
+
+<p>"Maybe it was," replied Tom coldly. "I'm going to Brimfield on the
+four-twelve. What you going to do? Find another fire?"</p>
+
+<p>"Why, no. When I saw I'd lost that other<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> train I thought I might as
+well wait and see the fire out. There's lots of time, anyway. We'll have
+plenty of school before we get through with it, Tom."</p>
+
+<p>"That's all right," responded Tom bitterly, "but you're way off if you
+think it's any fun for me sitting around here and waiting for you while
+you have a good time going to fires!"</p>
+
+<p>"You said you didn't want to go&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Well, what if I did?" demanded Tom, working himself into a very
+respectable fit of anger. "I <i>didn't</i> want to go. But that's no reason
+why you should leave me alone for the rest of the day to&mdash;to stave off
+robbers and thieves and confidence-men and&mdash;and all!"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, well, come on," said Steve. "We haven't done anything but lose a
+train&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"We've lost two trains!"</p>
+
+<p>"And the man says there's another at twelve minutes after."</p>
+
+<p>"And we'll lose that if you stand here talking much longer," declared
+Tom peevishly. "Take up your bag and come along. There's only six or
+seven minutes."</p>
+
+<p>"Where is it? Haven't you got it?"</p>
+
+<p>"Got what?"</p>
+
+<p>"My bag," said Steve crossly.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Isn't it staring you in the face?" asked Tom disgustedly, indicating
+the suit-case against the seat. "Are you blind?"</p>
+
+<p>"That? That isn't mine. Where&mdash;&mdash;" Steve looked at the bag in Tom's hand
+and then around the floor. "<i>Where's mine?</i>"</p>
+
+<p>"What!" Tom was gazing in stupefied amazement at the bag between them.</p>
+
+<p>On the end appeared the legend: "A. L. M., Orange, N. J."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>CHAPTER IV</h2>
+
+<h3>OUT FOR BRIMFIELD!</h3>
+
+
+<p>Just as the conductor, snapping his watch shut, waved his hand to the
+engineer of the four-twelve two boys hurried down the platform and, with
+the assistance of a negro porter, climbed to the last platform of the
+moving train. From there, much out of breath, they entered the car,
+pushed aside a curtain and sank on to the seats of the smoking
+compartment. And as he did so each set a suit-case between his legs and
+the front of the seat in a way that suggested that only over his dead
+body could that bag be removed!</p>
+
+<p>The first of the two, the one with his back to the engine, was a
+nice-looking youth of fifteen&mdash;almost sixteen, to be quite
+accurate&mdash;with a broad-shouldered, slim-hipped body that spoke of the
+best of physical condition. He had a pair of light-brown eyes, a short
+straight nose, a nice mouth and a rather sharp chin. His face was
+tanned, and slightly freckled as well, and he was tall for his age. His
+full name was Stephen Dana Edwards.</p>
+
+<p>His companion was an inch shorter, a little heav<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span>ier in build, although
+quite as well-conditioned physically, and was lighter in colouring. His
+hair was several shades less dark than his friend's, although it, too,
+was brown, his eyes were grey and under the sunburn his skin was quite
+fair. His full name was Thomas Perrin Hall.</p>
+
+<p>Good, healthy, frank-looking youths both of them under normal
+conditions, but at this present moment very far from appearing at their
+best. Each face held an expression of gloom and resentment; on Mr.
+Stephen Edwards' countenance sat what might well be termed a scowl. And,
+after a minute, by which time the train had plunged into the tunnel and
+the travellers had somewhat recovered their breaths, the latter young
+gentleman gave voice to a remark which went well with his expression.</p>
+
+<p>"I like the way you looked after it," he said with deep sarcasm. Mr.
+Thomas Hall, returning the other's scowl, drummed with his heels on the
+suit-case.</p>
+
+<p>"Why didn't you stay and look after it yourself?" he asked angrily. "It
+isn't my fault that you went off chasing after fire-engines."</p>
+
+<p>"I didn't chase after fire-engines. You said you'd watch my bag and&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"I did watch it!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Oh, yes, fine! Let someone pinch it right under your eyes! I notice you
+managed to keep your own bag all right!"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, dry up!" growled Tom.</p>
+
+<p>Silence ensued until a conductor appeared and demanded tickets. Yielding
+their transportation, the boys were informed that they were in a parlour
+car and must pay twenty-five cents apiece to ride to Brimfield. Tom laid
+hold of his bag with a sigh, but Steve unemotionally produced a quarter
+and so Tom followed suit. When the conductor had disappeared again
+through the curtain Steve said:</p>
+
+<p>"Why didn't they tell us this was a parlour car? How were we to know?"</p>
+
+<p>"They just wanted our money, I suppose," replied Tom bitterly.
+"Everybody in this place is after your money. I wish I was home!"</p>
+
+<p>"So do I," agreed Steve gloomily. More silence then, until,</p>
+
+<p>"I don't see how he ever did it," remarked Tom. "I had both bags between
+my feet. He was certainly slick. I suppose when he told me to look at
+'Four-Fingered Phillips' I sort of turned around and switched my legs
+away from the bags. But he must have been mighty quick."</p>
+
+<p>"Of course he was quick," said Steve con<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span>temptuously. "I warned you
+against that fellow."</p>
+
+<p>"That's all right, but I'll bet he'd have played the same trick if it
+had been you instead of me," replied Tom warmly.</p>
+
+<p>"I'll bet he wouldn't!"</p>
+
+<p>"All right!" Tom shrugged his shoulders and looked out the window. They
+had the compartment to themselves, which, in view of the remarks which
+were passed, was fortunate.</p>
+
+<p>"It isn't all right, though," pursued Steve. "That bag had all my things
+in it: pajamas, brushes and comb and collars and handkerchiefs and&mdash;and
+everything! I'd like to know what I'm going to sleep in!"</p>
+
+<p>"I dare say we'll get our trunks to-night," said Tom soothingly. "If we
+don't you can have my pajamas."</p>
+
+<p>"What'll you wear?" asked Steve more graciously.</p>
+
+<p>"Anything. I don't mind. I say, Steve, let's see what's in the bag he
+left!"</p>
+
+<p>"Would you?" asked Steve doubtfully.</p>
+
+<p>"Why not? He's got yours, hasn't he?"</p>
+
+<p>Steve lifted the suit-case to the seat beside him and tried the catch.
+It was not locked and opened readily. There wasn't a great deal in it: a
+pair<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> of lavender pajamas at which Steve sniffed sarcastically, a
+travelling case fitted with inexpensive brushes and things and marked
+"A. L. M.," a pair of slippers, a magazine, a soiled collar, one clean
+handkerchief and a grey flannel cap with a red B sewed on the front
+above the visor.</p>
+
+<p>"Wonder whose they are," mused Tom, as Steve spread the trousers of the
+pajamas out and viewed them dubiously. They were several sizes two large
+for Steve, but they might do if his trunk didn't come in time. "I
+suppose that fellow swiped this bag, found there wasn't anything
+valuable in it and thought he'd swap it for another."</p>
+
+<p>"Maybe there was something valuable in it when he got it," said Steve.
+He tossed the things back and closed it again. "It's a pretty good
+suit-case; better than mine. Do you suppose it would do any good to
+advertise?"</p>
+
+<p>"I don't suppose so. Besides, that cop said that he'd have them search
+the pawnshops. If the police don't find it I guess an advertisement
+wouldn't do any good, Steve."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, I suppose there's no use crying over spilled milk," replied the
+other, setting the suit-case back in its place. "After all I can buy new
+things for five dollars or so and I guess father will send me the money
+when I tell him about it."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Tom frowned thoughtfully. Finally, "Say, Steve, if you won't tell him
+how it happened I'll pay for what you lost myself."</p>
+
+<p>"What for?"</p>
+
+<p>"I&mdash;I'd rather he didn't know, that's all."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh! Well, I won't tell him you had anything to do with it, Tom. You
+didn't, either," he added after a moment. "It wasn't your fault, Tom.
+It&mdash;it would have happened to me just the same way, I'll bet."</p>
+
+<p>"You could just say that the bag was stolen, couldn't you?" asked Tom
+more cheerfully. "I mean you needn't go into particulars, you know. It
+doesn't really matter <i>how</i> it happened as long as it <i>did</i> happen."</p>
+
+<p>"No, of course not. I'll just say it was stolen while we were waiting
+for the train. I guess five dollars will be enough. Let's see. Pajamas
+cost two and a half, brushes&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"You getting off at Brimfield, gentlemen?" asked the porter, putting his
+head through the curtains and waving a brush at them.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes. Are we there?" asked Tom startledly.</p>
+
+<p>"Pretty near, sir. Want me to brush you off, sir?"</p>
+
+<p>"I guess so." By the time that ceremony had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span> been impressively performed
+and two dimes had changed places from the boys' pockets to the porter's,
+the train was slowing down for the station. A moment later they had
+alighted and were looking about them.</p>
+
+<p>The station was small and attractive, being of stone and almost covered
+with vines, and beyond it, across the platform, several carriages were
+receiving passengers. A man in a long and shabby coat accosted them.</p>
+
+<p>"Carriage, boys? Going up to the school?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes," replied Steve. "How much?"</p>
+
+<p>"Twenty-five cents apiece. Any trunks?"</p>
+
+<p>"Two. Can you take them up with us?"</p>
+
+<p>"I'll have 'em up there in half an hour. Just you give me the checks."</p>
+
+<p>"The checks," murmured Steve, a look of uneasiness coming to his face.</p>
+
+<p>"Haven't you got them?" asked Tom anxiously.</p>
+
+<p>Steve nodded. "I've got them all right," he said grimly, "but these are
+the transfer company's checks. We&mdash;we forgot to get new ones at the
+station!"</p>
+
+<p>"Thunder!" said Tom disgustedly. "Now what'll we do?"</p>
+
+<p>"I'll look after it, gentlemen," said the driver<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span> comfortingly. "I'll
+have the agent telegraph the numbers back and they'll send 'em right
+along. It'll cost about half a dollar."</p>
+
+<p>"Will we get them to-night?" asked Steve.</p>
+
+<p>"You might. I wouldn't like to promise, though. Anyway, they'll be along
+first thing in the morning. Thank you, sir. Right this way to the
+carriage. I'll look after the bags."</p>
+
+<p>"Not mine, you won't," replied Tom grimly, tightening his clasp on it.
+"I wouldn't trust the President of the United States with this bag.
+Anyway," he added as he followed Steve and the driver across the
+platform to a ricketty conveyance, "not if he lived in New York!"</p>
+
+<p>By that time all the other carriages had rolled away, and while they
+waited for their driver to arrange with the station agent about the
+trunks they examined their surroundings. There wasn't much to see. The
+station was at the end of a well-shaded street, and beyond, across the
+right of way, the country seemed to begin. There were one or two houses
+within sight, set back amidst trees, and at the summit of a low hill the
+wheel of a windmill was clattering merrily. There were many hills in
+sight, all prettily wooded, and, on the whole, Brimfield looked
+attractive. They searched vainly for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span> a glimpse of the school buildings,
+and the driver, returning just then, explained in reply to their
+inquiry, that the school was nearly a mile away.</p>
+
+<p>"You could have seen it from the train if you'd been looking," he added.
+"It's about a quarter of a mile from the track on the further side
+there. Get-ap, Abe Lincoln!"</p>
+
+<p>Their way led down the straight and shaded street which presently began
+to show houses on either side, houses set in small gardens still aflame
+with autumn flowers and divided from the road by neat hedges or
+vine-clad fences. Then there were a few stores clustering about the
+intersection of the present street and one running at right angles with
+it, and a post-office and a fire-house and a diminutive town hall. The
+old horse turned to the right here and ambled westward.</p>
+
+<p>"You boys are sort of late," observed the driver conversationally.</p>
+
+<p>"Why, school doesn't begin until to-morrow, does it?" asked Tom.</p>
+
+<p>"No. I meant you was late for to-day. About twenty boys came this
+afternoon, most of 'em on the train before this one. There was Prouty
+and Newhall and Miller and a lot of 'em. You're new boys, though, ain't
+you?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>They acknowledged it and the driver nodded.</p>
+
+<p>"Thought I didn't remember your faces. I got a good memory for faces, I
+have. Well, you're coming to a fine school, boys, a fine school! I guess
+there ain't another like it in the country. I been driving back and
+forth for nigh on twelve years and I know it pretty well now. Know lots
+o' the boys, too. Nice fellers, they be. Always have a good word for me.
+Generous, they be, too. Always handin' me a tip and thinkin' nothing of
+it."</p>
+
+<p>Steve nudged Tom with his elbow. "That's fine," he said. "You must be
+pretty rich by now."</p>
+
+<p>"Rich? Me rich?" The driver shook his head sorrowfully. "No, sir, there
+ain't much chance o' gettin' rich at this business, what with the high
+cost of feed and all. No, gentlemen, I'm a poor man and I don't never
+expect to be aught else. Get-ap, Abe Lincoln!"</p>
+
+<p>The village, or what there was of it, had been left behind now and the
+road was winding slightly uphill through woodland. The sun was slanting
+into their faces, casting long shadows. Now and then a gate and the
+beginning of a well-kept driveway suggested houses set out of sight on
+the wooded knolls about them. The carriage crossed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span> the railroad track
+and the driver pointed ahead of him with his whip.</p>
+
+<p>"There's the school," he said; and the boys craned forward to see.</p>
+
+<p>"Gee, but ain't it big!" muttered Steve.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>CHAPTER V</h2>
+
+<h3>NUMBER 12 BILLINGS</h3>
+
+
+<p>The woods had given way to open fields, and they could follow with their
+eyes the course of the road ahead as it turned to the left and ran,
+almost parallel to the railroad, past where a pair of stone gate-posts
+guarded the entrance to the Academy. From the gate a drive went winding
+upward, hidden now and then by trees and shrubs, to where, at the crest
+of a hill, a half-dozen buildings looked down upon them with numberless
+windows.</p>
+
+<p>"That's Main Hall," said Tom, "the big one in the centre. I remember it
+in the catalogue."</p>
+
+<p>"And that's the gym at this end," added Steve. "It's a pretty good
+looking place, isn't it? What's the building where the tall chimney is,
+driver?"</p>
+
+<p>"Torrence. There's rooms upstairs and a dining-room on the first floor.
+That chimney's from the kitchen at the back. Then the building in the
+middle's Main Hall, as they call it. That was the original building. I
+remember when there wasn't any others. The one to the left of it's
+Hensey<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span> Hall. The fellows that lives there are called 'Chickens,'"
+chuckled the man. "Then there's Billings beyond Hensey, and The Cottage,
+where Mr. Fernald lives, is just around the corner, like. You can see
+the porch of it if you look."</p>
+
+<p>But they couldn't, for at that moment the carriage turned to enter the
+gate and their view was cut off by a group of yellowing beeches.</p>
+
+<p>Presently the carriage stopped in front of a broad flight of stone steps
+and the boys climbed out.</p>
+
+<p>"Fifty cents, gentlemen," said the driver as he lifted the bags out.
+"Thank you, sir. Thank <i>you</i>, sir! I'll have your trunks up first thing
+in the morning. Just walk right in through the door and you'll find the
+office on your right. They'll look after you there. Much obliged,
+gentlemen. Any time you want a rig or anything you telephone to Jimmy
+Hoskins. That's me. Good-night, gentlemen, and good luck to you!"</p>
+
+<p>Steve had contributed an extra quarter, which doubtless accounted for
+Mr. Hoskins' extreme affability. Bags in hand they climbed the well-worn
+granite steps and entered a dim, unlighted corridor. An open door on the
+right revealed a room divided by a railing, in front of which were a
+half-dozen wooden chairs and beyond which were two<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span> desks, some filing
+cabinets, a book-case, a letter-press, some chairs and one small,
+middle-aged man with a shining bald head which was raised inquiringly as
+Steve led the way to the railing.</p>
+
+<p>"How do you do, boys," greeted the sole occupant of the office in a
+thin, high voice. "What are the names, please?" As he spoke he took a
+card from a pile in front of him and dipped a pen in the ink-well.</p>
+
+<p>"Stephen D. Edwards, sir."</p>
+
+<p>"Full name, please."</p>
+
+<p>"Stephen Dana."</p>
+
+<p>"Very good. Place of residence?"</p>
+
+<p>"Tannersville, Pennsylvania."</p>
+
+<p>"A wonderful state, Pennsylvania. Parents' names, please."</p>
+
+<p>"Charles L. Edwards. My mother isn't living."</p>
+
+<p>"Tut, tut, tut!" said the school secretary regretfully and
+sympathetically. "A great misfortune, Edwards. Now, you are entering by
+certificate?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir, from the Tannersville High School."</p>
+
+<p>"And your age?"</p>
+
+<p>"Fifteen; sixteen in&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Fifteen will do, thank you." He drew out a drawer in a small cabinet
+set at the left of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> broad-topped desk and ran his fingers over the
+indexed cards within it, finally extracting one and laying it very
+exactly above the one on which he had been setting down the information
+supplied by Steve. For a moment he silently compared the two. Then he
+nodded with much satisfaction. "Quite so, quite so," he said. "You will
+room in Billings Hall, Number 12, Edwards. You are provided with linen
+and other articles required?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir, but my trunk hasn't got here yet."</p>
+
+<p>"Quite so. One moment." He drew a telephone toward him, pressed a button
+on a little black board set at one end of the desk, glanced at the clock
+between the two broad windows and spoke into the transmitter: "Mrs.
+Calder? Edwards, 12 Billings, hasn't his trunk yet. Will you have his
+room made up, please? Eh? Quite so! Yes, 12 Billings. Just a moment." He
+turned to Steve. "May I ask whether the young gentleman with you is your
+room-mate, Hall?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir."</p>
+
+<p>"And his trunk, too, is missing?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir."</p>
+
+<p>"Quite so. Yes, Mrs. Calder, both beds, please. Thank you." He hung up
+the receiver and pushed the instrument aside. "That is all, Edwards. I
+trust you will like the school. Should<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span> you want anything you may come
+to me here or you will find your Hall Master, Mr. Daley, in Number 8
+Billings. Now, if you please, Hall."</p>
+
+<p>Tom, in turn, answered the little man's interrogations and at last they
+were free to seek their room.</p>
+
+<p>"Billings is the last dormitory to your right as you leave this
+building," said the secretary, "and you will find Number 12 on the
+second floor at the further end. Supper is served at six o'clock in the
+dining-room in Wendell, which is the last building in the other
+direction. As we have very few students with us yet, the supper hour is
+shortened and it will greatly assist if you will be prompt."</p>
+
+<p>The boys thanked him and sought their room. A broad flagstone walk ran
+the length of the row of six buildings and along this they strode past
+the first building, which was Hensey, to the one beyond. The dormitories
+were uniform in material and style of architecture, each being three
+stories in height, the first story of stone and the others of red brick.
+The entrance was reached by a single stone step, above which hung an
+electric light just beginning to glow wanly in the early twilight.
+Inside, two slate steps led to the first floor<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span> level and here a
+fireproof door divided the staircase well from the corridor. A flight of
+stone stairs took them to the second floor. "Rooms 11 to 20" was
+inscribed on the door and Steve pushed it open and led the way down to a
+very clean, well-lighted corridor to Number 12. There could be no
+mistake about it, for the figures were very plainly printed on the white
+door. Under the room number was a little metal frame which they
+afterwards discovered was for the purpose of holding a card bearing the
+names of the occupants. Steve pushed the door open and, followed by Tom,
+entered.</p>
+
+<p>There was still enough light from the one broad window to see by, but
+Steve found a switch near the doorway and turned on the electricity. It
+was a pretty forlorn looking place at first glance, but doubtless the
+fact that the two beds were unmade, that the window-seat was empty of
+cushions and that the two slim chiffoniers and the desk-table were bare
+had a good deal to do with that first impression. The boys set their
+bags down and looked about them rather dejectedly. Finally,</p>
+
+<p>"I suppose when we get our things around it'll look different," murmured
+Tom.</p>
+
+<p>Steve grunted and tried a bed. "That feels pretty good," he said. "I
+hope Mrs. Thingama<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span>bob won't forget to make it. Which side do you want?"</p>
+
+<p>"I don't care," replied Tom. "There isn't any difference, I guess."</p>
+
+<p>There didn't appear to be. The door was at the right as you entered, and
+beside it was a good-sized closet. The room was about fifteen feet long,
+from closet to window, by some twelve feet wide. A brown grass rug
+filled most of the floor space. The wainscoting, of clean white pine,
+ascended four feet and ended in a narrow ledge or shelf, devised, as
+they afterwards discovered, to hold photographs or small pictures which
+the rules prohibited them from placing on the walls. The walls were
+painted a light buff. The furniture consisted of two single-width beds,
+two chiffoniers, a study table and two straight-backed chairs. The beds
+were against the opposite walls, the table in the geometrical centre of
+the rug, the chiffoniers occupied a portion of the remaining wall space
+on each side and the two chairs were set between beds and bureaus. The
+window was in a slight bay and there was a six-foot seat below it. The
+room was lighted by a two-lamp electrolier above the table, but from one
+socket depended a green cord, suggesting that a previous occupant had
+used a drop light.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"I wonder," said Steve, "where we are supposed to wash."</p>
+
+<p>"Let's look for the bathroom," suggested Tom. So they returned to the
+silent corridor and presently discovered a commodious bath and wash-room
+at the farther end. There were six set bowls and four tubs there, and
+Tom thought it was pretty fine. Steve, however, was in a mood to find
+fault and he objected to the bathroom on several different counts. For
+one thing, it was too far away. Then, too, he didn't see how twenty
+fellows were going to wash at six bowls. Tom, however, promptly
+demonstrated how one fellow could do it by returning to Number 12 and
+bringing back his wash-cloth. In his absence Steve had been
+experimenting with the liquid soap apparatus with which each bowl was
+supplied, and by the time Tom got back was able to tell him why he
+didn't approve of them! By the time they had both cleaned up it was time
+to find the dining-hall, and so, leaving the light burning in brazen
+disregard of a notice under the switch, they clattered downstairs again
+and set off for the other end of the Row, as the line of buildings was
+called.</p>
+
+<p>Two or three boys were standing on the steps of Wendell when they
+reached it and they were<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span> aware of their frankly curious gaze as they
+passed them. The dining-hall wasn't hard to find, for its double doors
+faced them as they entered the building. They left their caps on one of
+the big racks outside and rather consciously stepped inside the doorway.
+It was a huge room, seemingly occupying the entire first floor of the
+building, and held what appeared to be hundreds of tables. Only four of
+them were occupied now, two across the hall from the door and two at one
+end. A boy of about seventeen or eighteen, wearing an apron and carrying
+a tray of dishes, saw them, and, setting down his burden, conducted them
+to one of the tables nearby. There were already five boys at the board
+and they each and all stared silently while Steve and Tom slid into
+their chairs. The newcomers surmised that they, too, were new boys, for,
+unlike the fellows at the next table beyond, who were laughing and
+chatting quite light-heartedly, they applied themselves grimly and
+silently to their food and seemed to view each other with deep distrust.</p>
+
+<p>Steve and Tom, striving against the embarrassment that held them,
+conversed together in whispers. "It's a whaling big room," said Steve.
+"Just like a hotel, isn't it? Wonder what we get to eat."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Bet you I'll eat it, whatever it is," replied Tom. "I'm as hungry as a
+bear!"</p>
+
+<p>They weren't left long in doubt, for a second waiter appeared very
+promptly and set their repast before them. There was cold roast beef, a
+baked potato apiece, toasted muffins, milk and cocoa, preserves and
+cookies. By the time they were half through their supper most of the
+others had finished and hurried away, removing much of the embarrassment
+of the situation. Steve ventured to stretch his legs comfortably under
+the table and turn his head to regard the occupants of the tables at the
+far end of the hall.</p>
+
+<p>"I guess some of those are teachers," he said. "Gee, but I'd like some
+more meat. Would you ask for it?"</p>
+
+<p>"I don't know. No one else did. These muffins are bully, only there
+aren't enough of them. I wonder if we'll sit here regularly."</p>
+
+<p>"I don't suppose so. We'll probably be shoved to one of those tables
+over there by the wall. What time do you suppose they have breakfast?
+We'll have to ask someone, I guess. Didn't he say something about a Hall
+Master?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, in Number 8. We'll stop and ask him when we go back." There was a
+scraping of chairs at the end of the room and several older<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span> boys and
+two or three men came down the room toward the door. Steve and Tom
+turned to look and suddenly Tom seized his companion's arm.</p>
+
+<p>"It's him!" he exclaimed.</p>
+
+<p>"Who?" asked Steve.</p>
+
+<p>"Or&mdash;anyway it looks lots like him," continued Tom breathlessly.</p>
+
+<p>"Who looks like what?" demanded the other impatiently.</p>
+
+<p>"Why, the tall fellow just going out now! See him? He&mdash;he looks just
+like the fellow in the station, the fellow who took your bag! The
+confidence-man!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>CHAPTER VI</h2>
+
+<h3>CLUES!</h3>
+
+
+<p>"The confidence-man?" asked Steve incredulously. "Oh, you run away and
+play, Tom! What would he be doing here? Don't be a silly goat!"</p>
+
+<p>"Well, I suppose it isn't he, but&mdash;but he certainly looked just like
+him."</p>
+
+<p>"Pshaw, I saw him too, didn't I? Well, that chap doesn't look anything
+like him."</p>
+
+<p>"Then you didn't look at the fellow I meant," returned Tom doggedly.
+"I&mdash;I believe it was he, Steve!"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, sure," said Steve sarcastically, "and the fellow behind him is a
+famous second-story burglar and the man with the flannel trousers on,
+who looks like a teacher, is a popular murderer. He escaped from Sing
+Sing this morning. And the little man with the grey moustache&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"That's all right," replied Tom earnestly, "but you'll find I'm right.
+It&mdash;it was he, I tell you! There couldn't be two people as much alike!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"You'd better follow him then," laughed Steve, "and ask him for my
+suit-case. Tell him I want my pajamas, will you?"</p>
+
+<p>But Tom refused to treat the matter so lightly. He was evidently quite
+convinced that he was really on the trail of the thief, and all Steve's
+ridicule failed to move him from that conviction. He was too anxious to
+begin the search for the "confidence-man" to do justice to the rest of
+his supper, and when, at last, they were once more outside the building
+he gazed up and down the Row eagerly and was disappointed to find that
+neither his quarry nor anyone else was visible in the half-darkness. As
+they passed Torrence Hall, however, an open window on the first floor
+sent a flood of light across the walk, and Tom, crossing the narrow
+strip of turf that divided building from pavement, raised himself on his
+tiptoes and looked into the room. The next instant a face appeared with
+disconcerting suddenness within a foot of his own and the occupant of
+the room, who had been reclining on the window-seat, enquiring abruptly:</p>
+
+<p>"Well, fresh, what do you want?"</p>
+
+<p>"N-Nothing, thanks," stammered Tom, withdrawing quickly.</p>
+
+<p>"Keep your head out of my window then," was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> the indignant response, "or
+I'll come out there and teach you manners!"</p>
+
+<p>Tom hurried away into the friendly darkness and joined Steve, who was
+chuckling audibly.</p>
+
+<p>"Did you find him, Tom?"</p>
+
+<p>"No." And then, as Steve continued to be amused, Tom said with spirit;
+"I should think you'd be enough interested to help a fellow instead of
+giggling like a silly goat!"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, I'm not a Sherlock Holmes," replied Steve airily. "Detecting isn't
+in my line."</p>
+
+<p>"I should think you'd want to get your bag back, though. I tell you that
+was really the fellow, Steve. Don't you believe me?"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, yes!"</p>
+
+<p>"You don't, though," said Tom bitterly. "All right, then. You find your
+own bag. I'm through."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, don't say that!" begged Steve. "You were doing so nicely. Look,
+there's a lighted window up there, Tom. If you get a ladder now&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Aw, cut it!" growled Tom.</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Daley was in when they rapped at the door of Number 8, on the first
+floor of Billings, and, accepting his invitation to enter, they found
+themselves in a very cosy, lamp-lighted, nicely fur<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span>nished study, from
+which a smaller room, evidently a bedroom, opened. Mr. Horace Daley was
+a young man with an embarrassed manner and a desire to appear quite at
+ease. He shook hands heartily, stumbled through a few words of welcome
+and arranged chairs for them. He asked a good many questions, invariably
+remarking "Fine!" with deep enthusiasm after every answer and smiled
+jovially at all times. But the boys saw that he was much more
+embarrassed than they were and were secretly pleased and amused. When at
+last the instructor had finished the usual questions and was searching
+around in his mind for more, Steve began asking for information.
+Breakfast, responded Mr. Daley, was at seven-thirty and ran half an
+hour. Chapel was at eight-fifteen usually, although there would be none
+to-morrow, as school did not officially begin until noon. The first
+recitation hour was nine o'clock. Dinner ran from twelve-thirty to
+one-thirty. Recitations began again at two and lasted until half-past
+three. Supper was at six. Between seven and eight the students were
+required to remain in their rooms and study, although on permission of
+the House Master one could study in the library instead. All lights were
+supposed to be out at ten-thirty. And Mr. Daley hoped the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span> boys would
+get on swimmingly and become very fond of Brimfield.</p>
+
+<p>"I&mdash;ah&mdash;I want you to feel that I am ready and anxious to help you at
+any time, fellows. I&mdash;ah&mdash;want you to look on me as&mdash;ah&mdash;as a big
+brother and come to me in your&mdash;ah&mdash;perplexities and troubles, should
+you have any, and of course there are bound to be&mdash;ah&mdash;little worries at
+first. One has to accustom oneself to any&mdash;ah&mdash;new environment. Don't
+hesitate to call on me for advice or assistance. Sometimes an older
+head&mdash;ah&mdash;you see what I mean?"</p>
+
+<p>Steve replied that they did and thanked him and, with Tom crowding at
+his heels, withdrew.</p>
+
+<p>"He's a funny dub," confided Steve, as they made their way up to the
+next floor. "Guess he must be new here. What does he teach, Tom?"</p>
+
+<p>"Modern languages, I think the catalogue said. His first name is
+Horace."</p>
+
+<p>"Horace!" Steve chuckled. "It ought to be Percy. Hello, they've fixed
+the beds up."</p>
+
+<p>The room looked far more habitable when Steve had switched the light on.
+Tom sighed luxuriously as he stretched himself out on one of the beds.
+"Bet you I'm going to do a tall line of sleeping to-night, Steve," he
+said. "This bed isn't half bad, either."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Well, don't put your feet all over the spread," replied Steve. "Get up
+out of that and unpack your bag, you lazy duffer."</p>
+
+<p>"I will in a minute. I'm tired. Say, what do you think of this place,
+anyway, Steve?"</p>
+
+<p>"The school? Oh, I guess it'll do. You can't tell much about it yet, I
+suppose. I'm going to snoop around to-morrow after breakfast and see the
+sights. I suppose things will be a lot different when the crowd comes. I
+guess we're the only fellows in this dormitory to-night."</p>
+
+<p>"Scared?" asked Tom, with a grin. "Remember Horace is downstairs to
+protect you."</p>
+
+<p>"Huh! Bet you he'd crawl under the bed if he saw a burglar! I wonder if
+the rest of the faculty is like him."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, I dare say he's all right when you get to know him," said Tom, with
+a yawn. "Say, pull down that window, Steve. It's getting chilly in
+here."</p>
+
+<p>"Get up and move around and you won't feel chilly," replied Steve
+unsympathetically. "Gee, I wish I had my pajamas and things."</p>
+
+<p>"You might have had them by this time if you'd helped me look for that
+fellow," said Tom. "I'm just as certain as I am that I'm lying here<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span>
+that the fellow we saw in the dining-hall was the fellow who swiped your
+suit-case!"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, forget that," said Steve disgustedly. "Common-sense ought to tell
+you that a sneak thief you saw in New York wouldn't be having his supper
+here at Brimfield!"</p>
+
+<p>"He was, though," replied the other stubbornly.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, run away! Don't you suppose there are two people who look alike in
+this world?"</p>
+
+<p>"Not as much alike as those two."</p>
+
+<p>"Why, you didn't even get a good look at the fellow in the dining-hall.
+He had his back turned to you."</p>
+
+<p>"Not when I saw him first, he didn't," answered Tom with a vigorous
+shake of his head. "I saw his face before he turned at the doorway and
+<i>it was him!</i>"</p>
+
+<p>"You mean it was he, you ignoramus. All right, Tom, have your own way
+about it. Only someone ought to warn the principal about him. Why, he
+might run off with a couple of the buildings some night!"</p>
+
+<p>"Enjoy yourself," murmured Tom. "But you'll find I was right some day,
+you old pig-headed chump!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"When I do I&mdash;I'll make you a present," answered Steve, with a grin.</p>
+
+<p>"Any present you'd give me wouldn't cut much figure, I guess," said the
+boy on the bed contemptuously.</p>
+
+<p>"Is that so? Say, what'll I do with this bag?" Steve laid the suit-case
+in question on his bed and threw open the lid. "The pajamas look clean,
+anyway," he continued as he viewed them. "I suppose I'll have to wear
+them." He drew the cap out and set it on his head. "Wonder what the B
+stands for, Tom."</p>
+
+<p>"What bee?" asked Tom lazily.</p>
+
+<p>"The B on this cap," replied the other, studying it.</p>
+
+<p>Tom suddenly sat up on the bed. "Why, Brimfield, of course!" he
+exclaimed in triumph. "There now! Was I right or wasn't I?"</p>
+
+<p>"Shucks! It might stand for anything: Brown, Brooklyn, beans,
+brownbread, basketball&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, and Brimfield! And aren't the Brimfield colours maroon-and-grey,
+and isn't that cap grey, and isn't that B maroon?"</p>
+
+<p>"It's red."</p>
+
+<p>"So is maroon, a brownish-red." Tom had deserted his bed and was turning
+the cap about eagerly. "This belongs to some fellow here who has<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span> won
+his letter, Steve," he said with deep conviction.</p>
+
+<p>"Some fellow who has <i>lost</i> his letter, you mean," replied Steve with a
+laugh. "All right; it will save me from buying a cap when I make the
+football team. How does it look on me?"</p>
+
+<p>"It's too big," said Tom. "It's about a seven, I guess. That's what that
+fellow would wear, I think." Tom frowned thoughtfully. "Are there any
+more clues?" he asked, dropping the cap and seizing the pajamas
+excitedly.</p>
+
+<p>"Sure! There are brushes in the case and they mean that the fellow has
+hair on his head, Tom. So there's no use looking for a bald-headed man,
+eh? That's what they call 'the process of elimination,' isn't it? Say,
+what are you trying to do with those things? Ruin them? Please remember
+that I've got to wear them to-night."</p>
+
+<p>"Looking for laundry marks," replied Tom. "But there aren't any. I guess
+they're new ones." He dropped the pajamas regretfully and turned his
+attention to the other objects in the bag. "A magazine," he muttered.</p>
+
+<p>"'Fine'!&mdash;as Horace would say. The man can read. Therefore he is not
+blind. Elimination again! At this rate we'll know all about him in a
+minute, Tom. Gee, but you're a wise guy.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span> Have a look at the collar and
+tell me the fellow's name. Go on!"</p>
+
+<p>"It begins with an M, anyway," muttered Tom, studying the object in
+question.</p>
+
+<p>"Ha!" exclaimed Steve melodramatically. "The net is closing! He has hair
+on his head, is not blind, wears purple pajamas and spells his name with
+an M! The rest is easy, Tom. Put your hat on and we'll go out and get
+him."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, shut up, you silly goat!" Tom had the magazine in his hands again
+and was glancing through it. Suddenly, with an exclamation, he thrust it
+into Steve's hands. "There! Hold it up and let it fall open itself,
+Steve!"</p>
+
+<p>"All right. What about it?"</p>
+
+<p>"Look where it opened!"</p>
+
+<p>"Page 64."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, but what's there?"</p>
+
+<p>"'Men Who Have Made Football History, by&mdash;&mdash;'"</p>
+
+<p>"There you are! Don't you see! That's what he was reading. He's a
+football man and that B is his football letter!"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh! But, say, Tom, you're forgetting that this suit-case is supposed to
+have been stolen from someone else. Then what?"</p>
+
+<p>"We don't know that it was. We just thought<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span> so. It looks now as if it
+really belonged to the fellow."</p>
+
+<p>"And he went and swapped it for mine? What would he do that for?"</p>
+
+<p>"Maybe he thought yours might have something valuable in it," faltered
+Tom. "Maybe&mdash;say, Steve, perhaps he got yours by mistake!"</p>
+
+<p>"Sure!" replied the other sarcastically. "Reached down and dragged it
+from under your feet, thinking all the while it was his. Sounds very
+probable&mdash;I don't think!"</p>
+
+<p>"Well, you can see for yourself&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"What was that?" interrupted Steve.</p>
+
+<p>"What was what?"</p>
+
+<p>"I thought I heard a knock at the door." They listened. It sounded
+again. Steve hustled the things back into the bag and slammed the lid
+shut in a twinkling. Then, "Come in!" he called.</p>
+
+<p>The door opened and a tall youth stepped inside. He carried a suit-case
+in one hand. Tom gasped. It was the "confidence-man"!<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>CHAPTER VII</h2>
+
+<h3>THE CONFIDENCE-MAN</h3>
+
+
+<p>"Hi," greeted the visitor, with a smile, as he slid the suit-case across
+the floor and faced the two boys. "Want to swap bags?"</p>
+
+<p>"That&mdash;that's mine!" exploded Steve. "Where'd you get it?"</p>
+
+<p>The visitor pulled a chair out from the wall and seated himself
+nonchalantly. "And that," he responded, nodding at the bag on the bed,
+"is mine. I didn't think the <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'pamajas'">pajamas</ins> would fit you and I was mighty sure
+yours wouldn't fit me. So I dropped around to make an exchange."</p>
+
+<p>"You're the fellow in the station!" exclaimed Tom accusingly.</p>
+
+<p>"Right-o! I'm the 'sneak-thief.'"</p>
+
+<p>"I knew it!" declared Tom triumphantly. "I saw you in the dining-hall
+and told Steve it was you and he wouldn't believe it!"</p>
+
+<p>"Wouldn't he?" laughed the visitor.</p>
+
+<p>"I suppose it's some sort of a silly joke," said Steve bewilderedly.
+"Would you mind telling me why you&mdash;why you took my bag?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Glad to, Edwards. You <i>are</i> Edwards, aren't you? I thought so. And this
+chap's Hall? Well, my name's Miller. So now we know each other. Would
+you mind sitting down, you fellows?"</p>
+
+<p>Steve sank on to the bed and Tom retreated to the unoccupied chair, from
+where he viewed Miller with fascinated attention.</p>
+
+<p>"It was this way, you fellows," explained Miller. "I may be a bit
+thin-skinned, but I don't like being called a sneak-thief. Edwards here
+told you, Hall, to look after your bags because there were sneak-thieves
+around. And then he looked at me very impolitely. After he went away I
+saw that you really did suspect me of being something of the sort and it
+occurred to me that it might be amusing to teach you chaps not to pass
+compliments."</p>
+
+<p>"I didn't mean you to hear me," said Steve confusedly.</p>
+
+<p>"I couldn't help it, as you spoke right out," replied Miller drily.
+"Well, so when Hall changed his seat I went along and tried to talk to
+him. But he was foxy, Hall was. He wasn't going to be fooled! When it
+got to be train time I spun him a yarn about a harmless old man across
+the room and got him to look at him. Then I changed the bags. I thought
+you fellows would take the same<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span> train and I meant to give you back your
+bag then. But you weren't on it and so I suppose you were looking around
+the station for me. Was that it?"</p>
+
+<p>"I didn't get back in time," said Steve. "We didn't find out about the
+bags until the train had gone. Then we did look around, and we told a
+policeman, and&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>Miller put his head back and laughed delightedly. "Bully!" he cried.
+"You chaps are wonders!"</p>
+
+<p>"Well, what would you have done?" asked Tom indignantly. "How were we to
+know that it was a joke?"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, I'd have done the same thing, of course," answered the other
+soothingly. "Only the idea of the New York police department being on
+the lookout for me struck me as a bit humorous."</p>
+
+<p>"Tom says you asked him about Tannersville," said Steve. "How did you
+know he was from there?"</p>
+
+<p>"Not difficult," chuckled Miller. "It's on the end of his bag. And I
+knew he was coming to Brimfield because there was a tag on the handle. I
+couldn't make out your names, but I could see 'Brimfield, N. Y.' all
+right."</p>
+
+<p>Steve and Tom smiled foolishly. "I never<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span> thought of that," murmured
+Tom. "We&mdash;we thought you were a confidence-man!"</p>
+
+<p>"So I thought you thought," laughed Miller. "Well, here's your property,
+Edwards. I dare say it was rather a mean joke to play on you, but you
+sort of invited it, you see."</p>
+
+<p>"I don't care now that I've got it back," responded Steve
+philosophically. "Tom was certain you were the fellow who took my bag
+when he saw you in dining-hall and he was all heated up about it. Wanted
+to arrest you at once, I guess."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, I was right, though, wasn't I?" demanded Tom. "You said it
+couldn't be the same chap. But I <i>knew!</i>"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, you're some sleuth," agreed Steve. "You were right and I was
+wrong, as you always are."</p>
+
+<p>"How about that present you were to give me?" inquired Tom.</p>
+
+<p>"You'll get it, all right; just before Christmas." Then, to Miller:
+"We&mdash;I had your things out of your bag," he said apologetically. "I
+thought I'd have to wear those pajamas."</p>
+
+<p>"They'd have been a bit large, I guess," laughed Miller. "Still, they
+are brand-clean and you could have wrapped them around you a few times
+and turned them up at the feet and hands.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span> Well, how have you chaps
+found everything? All right?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, thanks," said Steve. "We forgot to check our trunks at the Grand
+Central Station, though, and so we're sort of hard-up for things to
+wear."</p>
+
+<p>"Too bad." Miller smiled. "I guess you chaps haven't travelled around
+much, eh?"</p>
+
+<p>"Not much. This is the first time we've ever been so far east."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, I don't blame you for getting a bit confused in New York. It's a
+tough old place to get around in unless you know the ropes. If you need
+collars or anything maybe I can help you out. I suppose, though, mine
+wouldn't fit."</p>
+
+<p>"We'll get on all right, thanks," replied Steve. "Our trunks will surely
+be along in the morning. The man who drove us up here had the agent
+telegraph back for them and said he'd fetch them as soon as they came."</p>
+
+<p>"Jimmy Horse? He will if he doesn't forget."</p>
+
+<p>"This fellow said his name was Hoskins, I think," said Tom.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, we call him Jimmy Horse. He will probably be along with them
+before noon. Just depends on whether he remembers them and how busy he
+is. Still, not many fellows get here be<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span>fore the eleven o'clock train
+and so he ought to find time to bring the trunks. If he doesn't show up
+soon after breakfast you'd better telephone to him. The booth's in Main
+Hall, around the corner from the office. I suppose you saw old 'Quite
+So'?"</p>
+
+<p>"Who?" asked Steve.</p>
+
+<p>"Mr. Brooke, the secretary. We call him 'Quite So' because he's always
+saying that. Didn't you notice?"</p>
+
+<p>"I did," said Tom. "I thought maybe he was Mr. Fernald, though."</p>
+
+<p>"No, you won't see Josh much. He lives around the corner there in The
+Cottage. You'll be lucky if you don't see him, too. When you call on
+Josh it's usually because you've been and gone and done something. He
+will be at Faculty Reception to-morrow evening, though. That's in Upper
+Hall at eight o'clock. Better go, fellows; everyone does. Have you met
+your Hall Master, Mr. Daley?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, we stopped in at his room after supper," answered Steve. "Is
+he&mdash;&mdash;" He hesitated.</p>
+
+<p>Miller laughed. "Go on and say it, Edwards! Is he what?"</p>
+
+<p>"I was going to ask if he was liked."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, yes, Daley's all right. Rather shy, but<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span> he's young yet. This is
+only his second year. You'll like him better when you've known him
+awhile. What form are you fellows in?"</p>
+
+<p>"Fourth. At least, we hope we are."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, you'll make it. They'll put you in, anyway, and then drop you back
+if you don't keep up. That's a pleasant little trick of theirs here.
+You'll have Daley in French and German. Take my advice and don't have
+fun with him just because you can. Most of the new fellows try to make
+life a burden to him because he gets kind of rattled and tries to
+swallow his tongue when he talks. But they're generally sorry for it
+later. He stands about so much and then&mdash;bing! Off you go to Josh! And
+here's another tip, fellows. Always be dead serious with 'Uncle Sim.'
+That's Mr. Simkins, Greek instructor. If you can look as if you'd lost
+all your friends and bitten your tongue you'll make a big hit with him.
+He doesn't know a joke even when it's labelled and can't stand any
+flippancy. I made a pun in class once; I've forgotten what it was, but
+it was a bright and scintillant little effort; and Uncle Sim told me I'd
+end on the gallows. He's never forgotten that and still views me with
+deep suspicion."</p>
+
+<p>"We will try to remember," laughed Steve. "I suppose you are in the
+Sixth Form?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Yes, this is my last year here. I ought to have been out last year, but
+I slipped a cog when I first came and got dropped a form. You see, I
+made the mistake of thinking that the principal branches were Football,
+Baseball and Hockey. When I'd woke up to the fact that a little
+attention to mathematics and languages and such foolishness was required
+it was too late, and&mdash;plop!&mdash;sound of falling!"</p>
+
+<p>Steve recalled a similar warning of his father's and silently made up
+his mind then and there to not make Miller's mistake.</p>
+
+<p>"Do you play football?" asked Tom. "I mean, are you on the team?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, I&mdash;I'm on the team." Miller's smile had an odd quality that
+puzzled Tom at the moment. "You chaps know the game?"</p>
+
+<p>"Steve has played more than I have," replied Tom. "He was on our high
+school team at left end last year. He's pretty good, Steve is. I didn't
+make the 'Varsity, but I played a couple of years with the scrubs."</p>
+
+<p>"Tom plays a good game," said Steve. "I suppose it's pretty hard to get
+on the team here."</p>
+
+<p>"About the same as anywhere," answered Miller. "If you show the goods
+you're all right." He viewed Steve speculatively and then turned an<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span>
+appraising gaze on Tom. "You chaps look pretty fit for this time of
+year. What do you weigh, Edwards?"</p>
+
+<div class="figleft" style="width: 275px;">
+<img src="images/gs02.jpg" width="275" height="400" alt="Steve slipped on the tiling and fell sidewise into the water" title="Steve slipped on the tiling and fell sidewise into the water" />
+<span class="caption">Steve slipped on the tiling and fell sidewise into the water</span>
+</div>
+
+<p>"About a hundred and thirty-eight."</p>
+
+<p>"You look solid, too," said Miller approvingly. "You chaps show up in
+togs day after to-morrow at four. Look me up and I'll see that you get a
+good chance to show what you can do. Where have you played, Hall?"</p>
+
+<p>"At tackle, mostly. I played half a little last fall."</p>
+
+<p>"You look rather likely, I think. Don't be disappointed if you don't
+make the first or second this year, fellows. Keep going. There's your
+hall team. Try for that. You'll get lots of good fun and experience. I
+tell you this not to discourage you but because we've kept a lot of last
+year's fellows and it's going to be harder than usual to break into the
+first team, I guess. And that means that a good many of the second team
+fellows will be disappointed and will have to stay where they are. Hard
+on them, but lucky for the school. I don't know whether you chaps
+understand the football situation with us?"</p>
+
+<p>"I don't believe so," replied Steve.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, it's like this. When I came here four years ago there wasn't any
+team. Before that,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span> five or six years before, they'd played, but about
+that time football got into disfavour and the faculty stopped it. I
+believe they allowed the hall teams to play, but that didn't last long.
+My second year here they lifted the ban and we started a team. Of course
+it didn't amount to much that first year and we got licked right and
+left. The next year, though, we did a good deal better, and last year we
+turned out a mighty good team. We lost only two games out of nine and
+tied one. Unfortunately, though, one of the games we lost was the game
+with Claflin, which is our big game of the year. Claflin has beaten us
+three years running now and this year we're out for revenge with a
+rolling R. Considering that we've played only three seasons, we've got a
+pretty good start. Our coach is a dandy, a chap named Robey; played with
+Brown the year they downed Pennsy; and he's been building up this year's
+team ever since he started in. At first we didn't have more than forty
+candidates to choose from. Last year about sixty fellows turned out and
+this fall I guess we'll have nearer eighty. Robey started the hall teams
+up again year before last and that helped a lot. The best of the hall
+team chaps went into the second last year, and now, this year, we've got
+fellows with three years' experience behind them.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span> So, you see, Edwards,
+we haven't got much football history at Brimfield and our system is
+still pretty new, but we're getting on! And this fall if we don't lick
+Claflin&mdash;well, if we don't, I'll have missed my guess."</p>
+
+<p>Miller's lean, good-looking face had lighted up with enthusiasm during
+his recital, and, when he had ended, as though impatient to begin the
+campaign which was to end in the rout of the enemy, he got up and took a
+turn the length of the room. He didn't look the least bit in the world
+like a confidence-man to-night and the two boys marvelled at their
+earlier suspicions. Miller was tall, lean with the leanness of muscles
+unhampered by useless flesh, and lithe. He had very clear brown eyes, a
+straight nose and high cheek bones that somehow reminded Steve of the
+engraved portrait of John C. Calhoun that hung in the library at home.
+Altogether, from the top of his well-shaped head to the soles of his
+rubber-shod feet, he was good to look at, clean-cut, well-groomed,
+healthy and very much alive. Steve found himself wishing that some day
+he might find himself playing shoulder to shoulder with Miller. He hated
+to think what would happen to the enemy in such a case!</p>
+
+<p>Miller paused at the table, thrust his hands into<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> his pockets and
+smiled a trifle apologetically. "Well, that's the way it is, you chaps,"
+he went on. "So, whether you make the first or the second or neither,
+you keep on playing and trying. There's another year coming for you
+fellows; two of them, in fact. Keep that in mind, and if you don't get
+what you want this year keep plugging. And don't fail to come out
+Wednesday and do your best. You'll get a fair show and if you can play
+the game well enough you'll get places. Now I must run along with my
+bag. I'm glad to have met you chaps. If I can help you in any way don't
+fail to call on me. You'll find me in 7 Hensey. Come and see me anyway.
+Miller's the name. And, by the way, I'm glad you chaps took my little
+joke so decently and didn't get waxy about it. If you had, I'd probably
+have told it around and you'd have got a lot of joshing. As it is, no
+one knows it and no one will. Good-night."</p>
+
+<p>And Miller, his suit-case in hand, smiled, nodded and went out. They
+could hear him whistling merrily until the landing door had closed
+behind him.</p>
+
+<p>"I meant to ask him what position he played," said Steve regretfully.
+"I'll bet he's a corker, though!"</p>
+
+<p>"I'll bet you he is," agreed Tom warmly.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"And he seemed a rattling good sort, too, didn't he?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes. And I'm glad I lost my bag. If I hadn't we mightn't have known
+him, seeing that he's a Sixth Form fellow."</p>
+
+<p>"I guess he's sort of prominent," mused Tom. "He gives you the idea of
+being someone, doesn't he?"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, he's someone, all right! Do you think he really wants us to call on
+him, Tom? Or&mdash;or was he just being polite?"</p>
+
+<p>"Both, I guess. I don't suppose we'd better call unless he asks us
+again. We don't want to act fresh, you know. Besides," and Tom smiled
+mischievously, "I'm not sure we ought to associate with him."</p>
+
+<p>"Why not?" asked Steve incredulously.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, seeing that he's a confidence-man&mdash;&mdash;"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>CHAPTER VIII</h2>
+
+<h3>IN THE RUBBING ROOM</h3>
+
+
+<p>After breakfast the next morning, a breakfast eaten with excellent
+appetites, the two boys set out on a sightseeing tour about the school.
+They went first to the gymnasium. The big front door was locked, but
+Steve was not to be denied and eventually gained entrance through a
+little door at the rear which led into the boiler-room and from there
+found their way into the main basement where were situated the big
+swimming tank, a commodious baseball cage and a bowling alley. On the
+floor above they found themselves in a square hall, entered from the
+front door, from which other doors led to the gymnasium, the locker and
+bathrooms and a small office bearing the sign "Physical Director." From
+the hall a fireproof stairway ascended with a turn to the running-track
+and a large room which was evidently used as a meeting hall. Settees
+were neatly arranged in front of a platform, a row of low windows
+admitted a flood of morning sunshine and against the walls hung many
+photographs of ath<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span>letic teams. Most of them showed groups of track and
+field men, although a few were of hockey sevens and there were three
+football teams in evidence. The explorers paid more attention to these
+photographs than the others, and Steve, whose patriotism was already
+strong, read the inscriptions on the lower margins with disfavour.</p>
+
+<p>"Huh!" he grumbled. "'Brimfield 0; Claflin 12'; 'Brimfield 3; Claflin
+11'; 'Brimfield 6; Claflin 9.' Bet you next time it'll be some
+different, Tom!"</p>
+
+<p>"Rather!" said Tom stoutly. "Let's go on down and see the gym."</p>
+
+<p>They tried the chest-weights and tested the bars and experimented with
+about everything they found down there, and then went into the adjoining
+compartment and peered into the shower-baths and passed on the merits of
+the steel lockers.</p>
+
+<p>"The fellow who built this gym knew what he was doing," declared Steve
+approvingly. "Some of these lockers have got things in them," he
+continued, peeping into one. "There's a bat in here, and a towel and
+some clothes."</p>
+
+<p>Tom had wandered through a doorway at the end of the locker compartment
+and now summoned Steve to join him. There was a high table in the centre
+of the small room and a set of metal shelves<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span> alongside which held
+numerous bottles and boxes. "It's the rubbing room," said Steve. "Here,
+get busy, Tom!" And he hoisted himself to the table and stretched out on
+his back.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir," said Tom. "Where's it hurt you? This the spot?"</p>
+
+<p>And Tom began such an enthusiastic manipulation of Steve's ribs that the
+latter set up a howl and precipitately tumbled off the table. It was at
+that moment that an unpleasant voice startled them.</p>
+
+<p>"Beat it, you fresh kids! You've got no business in here!"</p>
+
+<p>The speaker was a heavy-set youth of perhaps nineteen years of age. He
+had closely-cropped ashy-brown hair over a round face from which a pair
+of pale-blue eyes glowered upon them. He was standing in the doorway and
+his hands were thrust into the pockets of a pair of very wide-hipped
+knickerbockers. Somehow, standing there with his sturdy, golf-stockinged
+legs well apart and his loose trousers pulled out at the sides, he
+reminded Tom of a clown at a circus, and Tom made the mistake of
+grinning. The big youth caught sight of the grin and stepped into the
+rubbing room with a deepening scowl on his face.</p>
+
+<p>"Wipe it off!" he said threateningly.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Steve and Tom looked at the table.</p>
+
+<p>"Wipe what off?" asked Tom, at a loss.</p>
+
+<p>"Wipe that grin off your ugly face," answered the other. "And get out of
+here, both of you, and stay out. If you don't, I'll throw you out!"</p>
+
+<p>This somewhat astounding threat caused an exchange of surprised glances
+between the culprits. Neither Steve nor Tom were quarrelsome, nor had
+they had more than a boy's usual share of fist battles, but the bullying
+speech and attitude of the round-faced youth was so uncalled for and
+exasperating that Steve's temper got the better of him for the moment.</p>
+
+<p>"We weren't doing any harm here," he declared indignantly. "And we'll
+get out, but we're not afraid of you, even if you have got piano legs!"</p>
+
+<p>The big fellow pulled his hands from his pockets with an angry growl
+and, clenching his fists, strode toward the boys. But at that instant
+footsteps sounded in the locker room, and the bully's hands dropped and
+he turned his head toward the door just as a small, red-haired and
+freckle-faced little Irishman came into sight.</p>
+
+<p>"Hello, Eric the Red," he said jovially. "An' what might you be doin'
+down here, me boy?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"I'm telling these fresh kids to get out of here," replied the youth.
+"Any objections?"</p>
+
+<p>The little Irishman seemed surprised, and he smiled, but the boys noted
+that his small and rather greenish eyes narrowed.</p>
+
+<p>"None at all, at all, me boy. If I had I'd very soon tell you, d'ye see?
+But what harm are they doin'? Sure, if I don't mind them bein' here, why
+would you?"</p>
+
+<p>"They haven't any business in this room, and you know it, Danny. They're
+too fresh, anyway."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, that's what we all are at some time. Let the boys be. Was you
+wantin' anything, boys?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, we were just looking around the place. This door was open and we
+came in. We didn't know there was any harm in it," concluded Steve.</p>
+
+<p>"No more there was," said Danny soothingly.</p>
+
+<p>"They were rough-housing all over the place," growled the big fellow.
+"If you can stand it I can, though. Only"&mdash;and he turned a wrathful gaze
+on Steve&mdash;"if you ever get fresh with me again you'll get the licking
+that's coming to you, kid." He turned away toward the locker room. "Say,
+Danny, got a key to my locker? I've lost mine and I want to get into it
+a minute."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"I have not," replied Danny cheerfully. "You'll have to have one fitted,
+me boy."</p>
+
+<p>"Hasn't anyone a master-key?" demanded the other.</p>
+
+<p>"They have not. Find Patsy; he'll fit one for you in ten minutes."</p>
+
+<p>"That's a funny state of things," grumbled the big fellow. "They ought
+to have duplicates on hand. Somebody's always losing a key, and&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>The rest was lost as the youth disappeared into the further room. Danny
+winked gravely at the two boys.</p>
+
+<p>"Who is he?" asked Steve curiously.</p>
+
+<p>"Him? His name's Sawyer, Eric Sawyer. He is sufferin' from a terrible
+complaint, boys, an' it makes him that cross a bear would run away from
+him, I'm thinkin'!"</p>
+
+<p>"What's the trouble with him?"</p>
+
+<p>"He has what the doctors do be callin' an ingrowin' grouch," replied
+Danny soberly. "'Tis due to over-exposure of the ego, they tell me,
+resultin' in an inflamed condition of the amoor proper, that same bein'
+French an' maybe beyond your comprehension."</p>
+
+<p>The boys laughed and Danny swung himself to the table and patted it
+invitingly. "Sit down,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span> boys, an' tell me all about it," he said. "Who
+may you be, now?"</p>
+
+<p>"His name is Hall and mine is Edwards," replied Steve, as he and Tom
+followed Danny's example and swung their feet from the table. "We're new
+boys."</p>
+
+<p>"I suspected as much," replied Danny drily. "An' where might be your
+place of residence?"</p>
+
+<p>"Tannersville, Pennsylvania."</p>
+
+<p>"Think o' that now!" marvelled Danny. "Sure, you're a long ways from
+home. Is this place you say anywhere near Philadelphia?"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, no, it's a long ways from there. It's out in the western part of
+the state."</p>
+
+<p>"I was in Philadelphia once to see the games at the college over there,"
+pursued Danny. "It's a fine town."</p>
+
+<p>"Would you mind&mdash;telling us who you are?" asked Tom.</p>
+
+<p>"I would not. I have no unseemly pride. My name is Mister Daniel Parnell
+Moore, and I have the extraordinary honour of bein' the trainer at this
+institution o' learnin' and Fine Arts, the Fine Arts bein' athletics,
+football, baseball, hockey <i>an'</i> tinnis. An' now you know!"</p>
+
+<p>"Thank you," said Tom politely. "I hope you didn't mind my asking you."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Not a bit! You may ask me anything you like, Jim."</p>
+
+<p>"My name isn't Jim," replied Tom, with a smile.</p>
+
+<p>"It ain't?" The trainer seemed surprised. "Sure, he said your last name
+was Hall, didn't he? An' I never seen a Hall whose front name wasn't
+Jim."</p>
+
+<p>"I'm sorry," laughed Tom, "but mine isn't; it's Tom."</p>
+
+<p>Danny Moore shook his head sadly. "An' you," he said, turning to Steve,
+"maybe you'll be tellin' me next your name ain't Sam?"</p>
+
+<p>"It's Steve."</p>
+
+<p>"It might be," agreed Danny doubtfully. "But all the Edwardses I ever
+knew was Sams. But I'm not disputin' your word, d'ye mind! 'Tis likely
+you know, me boy. An' what do you think o' this rural paradise o'
+knowledge?"</p>
+
+<p>"I guess we like it pretty well, what we've seen of it," answered Steve.
+"Have you been here long?"</p>
+
+<p>"Two years; this is my third. It's a nice schools, as schools go. I
+never had much use for them, though. In the Old Country we never held
+with them much when I was a lad. I dare say you<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span> boys'll be tryin' to
+play football like all the rest of them?"</p>
+
+<p>"We're going out for the team," said Steve, "although I guess, from what
+a fellow told us last night, we don't stand much show. He said that most
+of the last year's players were back this fall."</p>
+
+<p>"That's so. We lost but four by graduation. They were some o' the best
+in the bunch, though. 'Tis queer how the ones that is gone is always the
+best, ain't it? Who was this feller you was talkin' to?"</p>
+
+<p>"His name is Miller. Do you know him? I suppose you must, though."</p>
+
+<p>"Miller? Do you mean Andy Miller?"</p>
+
+<p>"I don't know. He didn't tell us his other name."</p>
+
+<p>"The initials were A. L. M., though," reminded Tom.</p>
+
+<p>"That's right. Is he a pretty good player?"</p>
+
+<p>"He does fairly well," answered Danny Moore carelessly. "Not that I pay
+much heed to him, though. I see him around sometimes. I wouldn't think
+much of what he tells you, though. I don't. If you see him I'd be
+obliged if you'd tell him that."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>But there was a twinkle in Danny's eye and Steve resolved to tell Miller
+no such thing. "What position does he play?" he asked.</p>
+
+<p>Danny frowned thoughtfully. "It might be end, right or left. I forget. I
+pay no heed to the likes o' him. He's only the captain, d'ye see?"</p>
+
+<p>"Captain!" exclaimed the two boys startledly, eyeing each other in
+amazement.</p>
+
+<p>"Sure," said Danny. "An' why not?"</p>
+
+<p>"Er&mdash;there's no reason," replied Steve, "only&mdash;he didn't say anything
+about being captain."</p>
+
+<p>"And why would he be after incriminating himself?" Danny demanded.</p>
+
+<p>The boys digested this news in silence for a moment. Then,</p>
+
+<p>"Does that fellow who was just in here play?" asked Tom.</p>
+
+<p>"He does. He plays right guard, and he plays it well. I'll say that for
+him. Well, it's catchin' no fish I am sittin' here gassin' with you
+fellers. Make yourselves to home. I must be gettin' on."</p>
+
+<p>"I guess we'll go, too," said Steve.</p>
+
+<p>They followed the trainer up the stairway to the hall above. There he
+pulled a bunch of keys from his pocket and unlocked the big front door<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span>
+for them. "Now, look at that, will you?" he exclaimed in amazement as he
+turned a small key over between his fingers. "I wouldn't be surprised if
+that key would fit them lockers down there. Ain't that a pity, an' him
+wantin' it all the time?"</p>
+
+<p>The boys smiled and agreed gravely that it was. Danny sighed, shook his
+head and dropped the keys back into his pocket. "If you have trouble
+with him," he said to Steve, "hit for his head, boy, for you'll make no
+impression on the body of him."</p>
+
+<p>"Thanks, but I don't expect he will bother me again."</p>
+
+<p>"I know. I'm only tellin' you. A word to the wise, d'ye mind? Good luck
+to you, boys."</p>
+
+<p>"Thanks. We're much obliged to you, Mr. Moore."</p>
+
+<p>"Mr. Moore! Help! Listen." And Danny bent confidentially. "I won't be
+mindin' if you call me Mister Moore when we're by ourselves, d'ye see;
+but don't be doin' it in the presence of others. Them as didn't know
+might think I was one of the faculty, d'ye see. Call me Danny an' save
+me self-respect!"</p>
+
+<p>When the door had closed behind them on the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span> grinning countenance of
+Danny, Steve looked at his watch and exclaimed startledly.</p>
+
+<p>"Nearly ten o'clock!" he said. "And we promised to telegraph to the
+folks this morning. Let's see if the trunks have come and then hustle to
+the telegraph office."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>CHAPTER IX</h2>
+
+<h3>BACK IN TOGS</h3>
+
+
+<p>Brimfield Academy was in full swing. The term was a day old and one
+hundred and fifty-three youths of various ages from twelve to twenty had
+settled down, more or less earnestly, to the school routine. In 12
+Billings trunks had been unpacked and the room had taken on a look of
+comfort and coziness, although several things were yet lacking to
+complete its livableness. For instance, an easy-chair of some sort was a
+crying necessity, a drop-light would help a lot, and a cushion and some
+pillows on the window-seat were much needed. Tom argued that if the
+window-seat was furnished they would not require an easy-chair, but
+Steve held out for the added luxury.</p>
+
+<p>Both boys, Steve by a narrower margin than he suspected, had made the
+Fourth Form, and this afternoon, as they expeditiously changed into
+football togs, their glances more than once stole to the imposing piles
+of books on the study table, books which hinted at many future hours of
+hard work. Steve, pulling on a pair of much worn and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span> discoloured canvas
+trousers, sighed as his eye measured again the discouraging height of
+his pile. It was almost enough to spoil in advance the pleasure he
+looked forward to on the gridiron!</p>
+
+<p>The athletic field lay behind the school buildings and was a fine level
+expanse of green turf some twelve acres in extent. There were three
+gridirons, a baseball diamond, a quarter-mile running-track and a round
+dozen of tennis courts there. A well-built iron-framed stand, erected in
+sections, and mounted on small wide-tread wheels could be moved about as
+occasion required, and at present was standing in the middle of the
+south side of the football field. On the whole Brimfield had reason to
+be proud of her athletic equipment, field and gymnasium, as well as of
+her other advantages.</p>
+
+<p>The scene along the Row as the two friends clattered out of Billings was
+vastly different from that presented the afternoon of their arrival. Now
+the walk was alive with boys, heads protruded from open casements and
+wandering couples could be seen lounging along the gate drive or over
+the sloping lawn that descended to the road. First practice had been
+called for four o'clock and the big dial in the ivy-draped tower of Main
+Hall pointed its hands to three-forty when<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span> Steve and Tom turned into
+the path between Torrence and Wendell leading to the gymnasium and the
+field beyond. Already, however, the fellows were turning their steps
+that way, some in playing togs but more in ordinary attire, the latter,
+yielding to the lure of a warm September afternoon, bent on finding an
+hour's entertainment stretched comfortably at ease along a side line or
+perched on the stand.</p>
+
+<p>"That's pretty, isn't it?" asked Tom, as they looked across the nearer
+turf to where the broad expanse of playing ground, bordered on its
+further side by a wooded slope, stretched before them. The early frosts
+had already slightly touched the trees over there, and hints of
+russet-yellow and brick-red showed amongst the green. Nearer than that,
+more colour was supplied by an occasional dark red sweater amongst the
+groups loitering about the edge of the gridiron.</p>
+
+<p>"It surely is pretty," agreed Steve. "I wonder if Miller's there yet. He
+told us to look him up, you know."</p>
+
+<p>"Maybe he will give us a send-off to the coach," suggested Tom. "He
+could, you know, since he is captain. I guess it won't do us any
+harm&mdash;me, anyway&mdash;to have someone speak a word for us, eh?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Wonder what the coach is like," said Steve, nodding agreement. "Miller
+seemed to think he was pretty good. That's a dandy turf there, Tom;
+level as a table. They haven't marked the gridiron out yet, though."</p>
+
+<p>"I suppose they don't need it for a day or two," replied the other,
+trying not to feel self-conscious as he neared the crowd already on
+hand. "I don't see Miller, do you?"</p>
+
+<p>Steve shook his head, after a glance about him, and, rolling his hands
+in the folds of his sweater, not because the weather was cold but
+because that was a habit of his, seated himself at the bottom of the
+stand. Tom followed him and they looked about them and conversed in low
+voices while the throng grew with every minute. So far neither had made
+any acquaintances save that of Andy Miller&mdash;unless Eric Sawyer could be
+called such!&mdash;and they felt a little bit out of it as they saw other
+boys joyously hailing each other, stopping to shake hands or exchange
+affectionate blows, or waving greetings from a distance. They had made
+the discovery, by the way, that the proper word of salutation at
+Brimfield was "Hi"! It was invariably "Hi, Billy"! "Hi, Joe"! and the
+usual "Hello" was never heard. Eventually Steve and Tom became properly
+addicted to the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span> "Hi"! habit, but it was some time before they were able
+to keep from showing their newness by "Helloing" each other.</p>
+
+<p>The stand became sprinkled with youths and the turf along the edge of
+the gridiron held many more. A man of apparently thirty years of age,
+wearing a grey Norfolk suit and a cap to match, appeared at the corner
+of the stand just as the bell in Main Hall struck four sonorous peals.
+He was accompanied by three boys in togs, one of them Captain Miller.
+The coach was a clean-cut chap with a nice face and a medium-sized, wiry
+figure. He had sandy hair and eyebrows that were almost white, and his
+sharp blue eyes sparkled from a deeply tanned face upon which, at the
+moment, a very pleasant smile played. But even as Steve and Tom watched
+him the smile died abruptly and he pulled a black leather memorandum
+book from a pocket and fluttered its leaves in a businesslike way.</p>
+
+<p>Miller had predicted that this fall some eighty candidates would appear,
+but he had evidently been over-sanguine. Sixty seemed nearer the correct
+number than eighty. But even sixty-odd looked a good many as they
+gradually gathered nearer the coach. Steve and Tom slipped from their
+places and joined the throng.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Last year's first and second team players take the east end of the
+field," directed Mr. Robey. "All others remain here. I'm going to tell
+you right now, fellows, that there's going to be a whole lot of hard
+work this fall, and any of you who don't like hard work had better keep
+away. This is a good time to quit. You'll save your time and mine too.
+All right now! Take some balls with you, Milton, and warm up until I get
+down there. Now, then, you new men, give me your names. Where's
+Lawrence? Not here yet? All right. What's your name and what experience
+have you had, my boy?"</p>
+
+<p>One by one the candidates answered the coach's questions and then
+trotted into the field where Eric Sawyer was in command. Andy Miller and
+Danny Moore stood at the coach's elbow during this ceremony, and when,
+toward the last, Steve and Tom edged up, they were greeted by both.</p>
+
+<p>"Here's the fine lad," said Danny, who caught sight of Steve before
+Miller did. "Mr. Sam Edwards, Coach, a particular friend of mine."</p>
+
+<p>Steve, rather embarrassed, started to say that his name was not Sam, but
+Miller interrupted him.</p>
+
+<p>"So here you are, Edwards? Glad to see you again. I've been looking for
+you and Hall to drop in on me. How are you, Hall? Robey, these two<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span> have
+had some experience on their high school team and I think they'll bear
+watching. Shake hands with Mr. Robey, Edwards."</p>
+
+<p>"Glad to know you," said the coach. "What's your position, Edwards?"</p>
+
+<p>"I've been playing end, sir."</p>
+
+<p>"End, eh? You look fast, too. We'll see what you can do, my boy. And
+you,&mdash;er&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Jim Hall," supplied Danny. "Another close friend o' me boyhood, sir,
+an' a fine lad, too, be-dad!"</p>
+
+<p>"Tackle, sir, mostly," replied Tom.</p>
+
+<p>"It's a relief to find a couple who aren't bent on being backs," said
+the coach with a smile to Miller. "All right, fellows. We'll give you
+all the chance in the world. Report to Sawyer now."</p>
+
+<p>Steve and Tom, with the parting benediction of a portentious wink from
+Danny Moore, joined the thirty-odd candidates of many ages and sizes
+who, formed in two rings, were passing footballs under the stern and
+frowning regard of Eric Sawyer. They edged their way into one of the
+circles and were soon earnestly catching and tossing with the rest. If
+Sawyer recognised them as the boys who had aroused his ire in the
+rubbing room the day before, he showed no sign of it. It is probable,
+though, that their football attire served as a suffi<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span>cient disguise.
+Sawyer apparently took his temporary position as assistant coach very
+seriously and bore himself with frowning dignity. But it was not at all
+beneath his dignity to call erring candidates to order or to indulge in
+a good deal of heavy satire at the expense of those whose inexperience
+made them awkward. Neither Steve nor Tom, however, fell under the ban of
+his displeasure.</p>
+
+<p>Falling on the ball followed the passing, and, in turn, gave place to
+starting and sprinting. For this they were formed in line and Sawyer,
+leaning over a ball at one end of the line, snapped it away as a signal
+for them to leap forward. By that time the warmth of the day and the
+exertion had tuckered a good many of them out and Sawyer found much
+fault with the performances.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, get moving, you chap in the black shirt there! Watch the ball and
+dig when I snap it! That's it! Go it! <i>Hard!</i> All right for you, but
+about a dozen of you other chaps got left entirely. Now get down there
+and throw your weight forward. Haven't any of you ever practised starts
+before? Anyone would think your feet were glued down! Get in line again.
+Ready now! Go, you flock of ice-wagons!"</p>
+
+<p>Fortunately for the softer members of the awk<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span>ward squad, practice was
+soon over to-day, and Steve and Tom somewhat wearily tramped back with
+the rest across to the gymnasium, determined to have the luxury of a
+shower-bath even if they would have to get back into their togs again
+after it.</p>
+
+<p>"We'd better see about getting lockers," said Steve. "I wonder where you
+go."</p>
+
+<p>"They cost a dollar a year," answered Tom, who knew the contents of the
+school catalogue by heart, "and if we don't make the team we won't need
+the lockers."</p>
+
+<p>"Sure we will. If we use the swimming pool we'll need a place to keep
+our clothes. And even if we don't make the big teams we'll play with the
+Hall, probably. Wish we had them now and didn't have to go back to the
+room to change. I'm tired, if you care to know it!"</p>
+
+<p>"So am I," panted Tom. "Sawyer worked us hard for a warm day."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, and did you notice that fat fellow? There he is ahead there, with
+the striped stockings. He was just about all in and puffing like a
+locomotive."</p>
+
+<p>"He was probably tender," said Tom.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, he&mdash;Tender! That'll do for you!" said Steve indignantly, aiming a
+blow at Tom's ribs<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span> which was skilfully evaded. "Let's stop at the
+office in here and see if we can get lockers."</p>
+
+<p>They could. Moreover, Mr. Conklin, the physical director, informed them,
+to their deep satisfaction, that the charge of one dollar each would be
+placed on their term bill if they wished. They wished with instant
+enthusiasm and departed, keys in hand, to find their lockers. They found
+the room thronged with fellows in various stages of undressing, while
+from the baths came deep groans and shrill shrieks and the hiss and
+splash of water. Their lockers were side by side at the farther end of
+the last aisle; and, after making certain that the keys fitted them,
+they began to get out of their clothes, only to make the discovery when
+partly disrobed that they had no towels.</p>
+
+<p>"I'm going to ask someone to lend me one," said Steve. "You can use an
+end of it if I get it. I'm going to have that shower or bust."</p>
+
+<p>A cheerful-faced youth draped in a frayed bathrobe came up at that
+moment and Steve sought counsel of him.</p>
+
+<p>"Towel? I'd lend you one in a minute, but mine are all soiled. You can
+see for yourself." He nodded toward the open door of his locker on the
+floor of which lay a pile of what were evidently<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span> bath towels. "I forgot
+to send them to the wash before I went away in the spring. If you ask
+Danny he might let you have one. I guess he's around somewhere."</p>
+
+<p>Steve found the trainer leaning against the doorway of the rubbing room.
+"'Tis Sam Edwards!" greeted Danny. "An' how did it go to-day, me boy?"</p>
+
+<p>"Pretty good, thanks. Could you lend me a couple of towels,
+Mister&mdash;er&mdash;Danny?"</p>
+
+<p>"I doubt have I got any, but I'll look an' see," and Danny disappeared
+into the room behind him.</p>
+
+<p>"Here you are, Sam," he said in a moment. "They're small but select.
+Fetch 'em back when you're through with 'em, if you please. They're
+school property, d'ye mind, and it's me that's answerable for them."</p>
+
+<p>Steve promised faithfully to restore them and bore them back in triumph
+to where Tom had paused in his undressing to await the result of the
+errand. A minute later they were puffing and blowing in adjoining baths,
+with the icy-cold water raining down on their glowing bodies. A brisk
+drying with the borrowed towels, a return to their uninviting togs and
+they were ready to be off. Steve couldn't find Danny, but he left the
+towels on the table in the rubbing room and he and Tom<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span> climbed the
+stairs again. In the hall above there was a large notice board and Tom
+stopped to glance at some of the announcements pinned against it.</p>
+
+<p>"Here a minute, Steve," he said. "Look at this." He laid a finger on a
+square of paper which bore in almost illegible writing this remarkable
+notice: "What Will You Give? Dirt Cheap! Terms Cash! One fine oak Morris
+chair, good as new. Three cushions, very pretty. One pair of skates.
+Eight phonograph records. Large assortment of bric-a-brac. Any fair
+offer takes them! Call early and avoid disappointment. Durkin, 13
+Torrence."</p>
+
+<p>"Is it a joke?" asked Steve doubtfully.</p>
+
+<p>"No, there are lots of them, see." Sure enough, the board held fully a
+dozen similar announcements, although the others were not couched in
+such breezy language. There were chairs, cushions, tables, pictures,
+golf clubs, rugs and all sorts of things advertised for sale, while one
+chap sought a purchaser for "a stuffed white owl, mounted on a branch,
+slightly moth-eaten. Cash or exchange for books."</p>
+
+<p>Steve laughed. "What do you know about that?" he asked. "Say, why don't
+we look at some of the things, Tom? Maybe we could save<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span> money. Let's
+call on Mr. Durkin and look at his Morris chair, eh?"</p>
+
+<p>"All right. Come ahead. Anything else we want?"</p>
+
+<p>"I don't suppose we could pick up a cushion that would fit our
+window-seat, but we might. I'll write down some of the names and rooms."</p>
+
+<p>"We might buy the white owl, Steve. Ever think you'd like a white owl?"</p>
+
+<p>"Not with moths in it, thanks," replied Steve. There was pen and ink on
+the ledge outside the window of the physical director's office and Steve
+secured paper by tearing a corner from one of the notices. When he had
+scribbled down the addresses that sounded promising they set off for
+Torrence Hall. Number 13 was on the second floor, and as they drew near
+it their ears were afflicted by most dismal sounds.</p>
+
+<p>"Wha-what's that?" asked Tom in alarm.</p>
+
+<p>"Fiddle," laughed Steve. "Wonder if it's Mr. Durkin."</p>
+
+<p>The wailing sounds ceased as Steve knocked and a voice called "Come in!"
+When they entered they saw a tall, lank youth standing in front of a
+music-rack close to the window. He held a violin to his chin and waved
+his bow in greeting.</p>
+
+<p>"Hi!" he said. "Sit down and I'll be right<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span> with you. I've got one bit
+here that's been bothering me for an hour." He turned back to his music,
+waved his bow in the air, laid it across the strings and drew forth
+sounds that made the visitors squirm in the chairs they had taken. One
+excruciating wail after another came from the tortured instrument, the
+lank youth bending absorbedly over the notes in the failing light and
+apparently quite oblivious to the presence of the others. Finally, with
+a sigh of satisfaction, he laid his bow on the ledge of the stand, stood
+his violin in a corner of the window-seat and turned to the visitors.</p>
+
+<p>He was an odd-looking chap, tall and thin, with a long, lean face under
+a mop of black hair that was badly in need of trimming. His near-sighted
+eyes blinked from behind the round lenses of a pair of rubber-rimmed
+spectacles and his rather nondescript clothes seemed on the point of
+falling off of him.</p>
+
+<p>"Sorry to keep you waiting," he said politely, "but it's getting dark
+and I did want to get that thing before I quit. Want to buy something?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>CHAPTER X</h2>
+
+<h3>"CHEAP FOR CASH"</h3>
+
+
+<p>"Yes, we saw that you had a Morris chair," replied Steve. He glanced
+perplexedly around the room. There was no Morris chair in sight, nor
+were any of the other articles advertised to be seen. "That is, if
+you're Durkin."</p>
+
+<p>"That's me. The chair is downstairs in the storeroom. It's a corking
+chair, all right, and you're sure to want it. I'm sorry, though, you
+didn't get around before it got so dark, because the light down there
+isn't very good."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, we could come again in the morning," said Steve. "There's no
+hurry."</p>
+
+<p>"I think you'd better see it now," said Durkin with decision. "It is a
+bargain and if you waited someone might get ahead of you. We'll go
+down."</p>
+
+<p>"Er&mdash;well, how much is it?"</p>
+
+<p>"All cash?"</p>
+
+<p>"Why, yes, I suppose so."</p>
+
+<p>"It makes a difference. Sometimes fellows want to pay part cash and part
+promise, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span> sometimes they want to trade. If you pay cash you get it
+cheaper, of course."</p>
+
+<p>"All right. How much for it?"</p>
+
+<p>Durkin looked the customers over appraisingly. "Let's have a look at it
+before we talk about the price," he said. "If I said five dollars now,
+when you haven't seen it, you might think I was asking too much."</p>
+
+<p>"I surely would," replied Steve firmly. "If that's what you want for it
+I guess there's no use going down to see it."</p>
+
+<p>"I didn't say that was the price," answered Durkin. "I'll make the price
+all right. You fellows come and see it." And he led the way out into the
+corridor. Steve glanced questioningly at Tom, and Tom smiled and
+shrugged his shoulders.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, all right," said Steve. "Let's see it."</p>
+
+<p>Durkin led the way to the lower hall and then down a pair of dark and
+very steep stairs to the basement. "You wait there," he instructed,
+"until I switch the light on. Now then, this way."</p>
+
+<p>Durkin took a key from a nail and unlocked the door of a room
+partitioned off in a corner of the basement. The boys waited, and
+Durkin, having disappeared into the gloom of the storeroom, presently
+reappeared, dragging after him a very dusty<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span> brown-oak chair with a slat
+back, broad arms and a much-worn leather seat.</p>
+
+<p>"There you are," he said triumphantly, pushing the object into the faint
+gleam of light which reached them from the foot of the stairs. "There's
+a chair that'll last for years."</p>
+
+<p>"But you said it was a Morris chair," exclaimed Tom. "That's no Morris
+chair!"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, yes, it is," Durkin assured them earnestly. "I bought it from him
+myself last June."</p>
+
+<p>"Bought it from whom?" asked Steve derisively.</p>
+
+<p>"From Spencer Morris, of course. Paid a lot for it, too. Have a look at
+it. It's just as good as it ever was. The leather's a little bit worn at
+the edges, but you can fix that all right. It wouldn't cost more than
+half a dollar, I suppose, to put a new piece on there."</p>
+
+<p>"Look here," said Steve disgustedly, "you're a fakir! What do you
+suppose we want with a relic like that? You said you had a Morris chair
+and now you pull this thing out to show us. Is that all you've got?"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, no, I've got a lot of good things in there," answered Durkin
+cheerfully, peering into the gloomy recesses of the storeroom. "How
+about some pictures, or a pair of fine vases, or&mdash;&mdash;"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Have you another arm-chair?" asked Steve impatiently.</p>
+
+<p>"No, this is the only one. I've got some dandy cushions, though, for a
+window-seat. Let me show you those." And Durkin was back again before
+Steve could stop him. Tom was grinning when Steve turned an indignant
+look upon him.</p>
+
+<p>"Morris chair!" growled Steve. "Silly chump!"</p>
+
+<p>"Here you are!" Durkin came proudly forth, heralded by a cloud of
+pungent dust, and tossed three cushions into the chair. "Look at those
+for bargains, will you? Fifty cents apiece and dirt cheap."</p>
+
+<p>"We don't want cushions," growled Steve disgustedly. But Tom was
+examining them and presently he looked across at his chum. "We might buy
+these, Steve. They're not so bad."</p>
+
+<p>Steve grudgingly looked them over. Finally, "We'll give you twenty-five
+cents apiece for them," he said.</p>
+
+<p>"Twenty-five! Why, they're worth a dollar!"</p>
+
+<p>"All right, you keep them."</p>
+
+<p>Durkin hesitated and sighed. Finally, as the boys showed a strong
+inclination to seek the stairway, "Give me a dollar for the lot," he
+said.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span> Steve questioned Tom with his eyes and Tom nodded.</p>
+
+<p>"All right," said Tom, "but it's more than they're worth."</p>
+
+<p>"You'd have to pay a dollar and a half if you bought them new," said
+Durkin. "Honest! Now, about that chair&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Nothing doing!" interrupted Steve decisively.</p>
+
+<p>"It's a good chair, and comfortable&mdash;say, sit down and just try it, will
+you?" Durkin removed the cushions and Steve, with a shrug, seated
+himself. When he got out Tom took his place. It <i>was</i> comfortable.</p>
+
+<p>"How much?" asked Steve carelessly.</p>
+
+<p>"Three-fifty, and dirt&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Give you a dollar and a half."</p>
+
+<p>Durkin looked so pained that Tom quite pitied him. But he only said
+patiently: "You don't want to buy, you fellows; you're looking for
+gifts. That chair at three dollars is a real, genuine bargain, and&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"You said three and a half before," Tom corrected.</p>
+
+<p>"Did I? Well, it ought to be three and a half, but you may have it for
+three, even if I lose money on it."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"No fear," grunted Steve. "We'll split the difference and call it two."</p>
+
+<p>"Make it two-fifty and it's yours."</p>
+
+<p>"Couldn't do it. Two or nothing."</p>
+
+<p>"All right," said Durkin placidly. "Take it along. Now let me show
+you&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"No, sir!" laughed Steve. "You don't show us another thing, Durkin. Pile
+the cushions on here, Tom, and take hold."</p>
+
+<p>"Wait till I lock this door and I'll give you a lift," said Durkin.</p>
+
+<p>Between them they got the chair upstairs and outdoors. Then Steve paid
+three dollars to Durkin and the transaction was completed.</p>
+
+<p>"Thank you," said Durkin. "And, say, if you want anything else, you come
+and see me. I've got a lot of good stuff down there. And if you want to
+sell anything any time I'm your man. I'll pay you good prices, fellows.
+So long."</p>
+
+<p>The two boys felt rather conscious as they carried the chair along the
+Row, but although they passed a good many fellows on the way, no one
+viewed their performance with more than mild interest. As they were
+about to lift their burden through the entrance of Billings, however,
+the door opened from inside and a tall boy with a 'varsity football cap
+on the back of his head al<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span>most ran into them. Drawing aside to avoid
+them, his eyes fell on the chair and he stopped short.</p>
+
+<p>"Back again!" he exclaimed delightedly. "Good old article. Where'd you
+find it, fellows?"</p>
+
+<p>"Bought it from a fellow named Durkin, in Torrence," replied Steve.</p>
+
+<p>"So 'Penny' had it?" The chap lifted the cushions heaped on the seat of
+the chair and viewed it interestedly. "Well, you got a chair with a
+history," he said. "That belonged to me three years ago. I bought it
+from a fellow named Lansing, and he got it second-hand from a shop in
+White Plains. I sold it to Spencer Morris and I suppose Penny got it
+from him. And the old article looks 'most as good as new! Do you mind
+telling me how much you paid for it?"</p>
+
+<p>"Two dollars," said Steve. "He wanted three at first."</p>
+
+<p>The tall chap laughed. "Two dollars! What do you know about that? I paid
+a dollar and a half for it and sold it to Morris for a dollar. I'll bet
+Penny didn't give Spencer more than fifty cents for it. He's a wonder,
+he is! Those cushions aren't bad. I'll give you a half for the red one."</p>
+
+<p>"We don't want to sell, thanks," said Steve.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Well, if you do, let me know. I'm in 4. My name's Fowler." And he
+nodded and went on. Up in their room, when they had set the arm-chair
+down and placed it to their liking, Steve said:</p>
+
+<p>"Think of that long-haired idiot getting two dollars out of us for this
+thing. I've a good mind to go back and tell him what I think of him."</p>
+
+<p>"What's the difference?" asked Tom. "It's a perfectly good chair, and if
+we hadn't met that Fowler chap we'd never known we'd been stung. It's
+worth two dollars, anyway, no matter what Durkin paid for it."</p>
+
+<p>"I suppose it is," granted Steve. "And it <i>is</i> comfortable. Look here;
+we'll have to have another one now, or we'll be scrapping to see who
+gets this!"</p>
+
+<p>"Not if we can find a cushion for the window-seat," said Tom. "We might
+see some more of those fellows you have on your list."</p>
+
+<p>"To-morrow," said Steve. "It's almost supper time. I guess we didn't do
+so badly for three dollars. Wasn't it funny, though, we should have run
+into a fellow who used to own it? Wonder who Fowler is."</p>
+
+<p>"I saw him at the field this afternoon," replied Tom. "I guess he's on
+the first team. We could<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span> have made sixteen cents if we'd sold him the
+cushion he wanted."</p>
+
+<p>"You're as bad as Durkin!" laughed Steve. "Wonder why he called him
+'Penny,' by the way. The fellow had a regular second-hand shop down
+there, didn't he? Do you suppose all that truck in there belonged to
+him?"</p>
+
+<p>"I don't know. I know one thing, though, and that is that I'm mighty
+glad I don't room with Durkin and have to listen to that fiddling of
+his!"</p>
+
+<p>"That's not much worse than your snoring," replied Steve unkindly.</p>
+
+<p>The next day further search revealed a cushion which just fitted the
+window-seat, not surprising in view of the fact that the window-seats
+throughout the dormitories were fairly uniform in size. The cushion cost
+them two dollars. It was covered with faded green corduroy and in places
+was pretty well flattened out by much service. But it answered their
+purpose and really looked quite fine when in place. Tom cast doubts on
+the positive assertion of the seller that it was filled with genuine
+hair, but Steve said that didn't matter as long as it was comfortable.
+They piled their three pillows on it and stretched themselves out on it,
+one at a time, and voted it good enough for anyone. There was a good
+deal of dust in it, but, as<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span> Steve said, if they were careful about
+getting up and down they wouldn't disturb it! By this time Number 12
+began to look quite sumptuous. They had placed several framed pictures
+and many photographs and trinkets against the walls and had draped the
+tops of the chiffoniers with towels. They had also made up a list of
+things to bring back with them after the Christmas holidays, a list that
+included all sorts of articles from a waste-basket to an electric
+drop-light. The latter they had not been able to find in their
+bargain-hunting and could not purchase in the village even if they had
+sufficient money. Their pocketbooks were pretty lean by the time they
+had been there a week, for, beside the expenditures for furnishings,
+they had, between them, paid two dollars for a year's subscription to
+the school monthly, and had made quite an outlay for stationery. Tom, in
+fact, was practically bankrupt and had sent an "S. O. S.," as he called
+it, to his father.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile, every afternoon save Sunday they donned their togs and toiled
+on the gridiron. Mr. Robey was already bringing order out of chaos and
+the sixty-odd candidates now formed a first, second and third squad.
+Steve and Tom both remained in the latter for the present, nor did Tom
+entertain much hope of getting out of it until he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span> was dropped for good.
+Steve had made something of a reputation as a player at home, and his
+former team-mates there firmly expected to hear that he had made the
+Brimfield 'varsity without difficulty and was showing the preparatory
+school fellows how the game ought to be played. Tom, too, expected no
+less for him, and perhaps, if the truth were known, Steve entertained
+some such expectations himself! But Tom wasn't deceived as to his own
+football ability and was already wondering whether, when he was dropped
+from the 'varsity squad, he would be so fortunate as to make his hall
+team.</p>
+
+<p>But there was a surprise in store for both of them. The first cut came
+about ten days after the opening of school, and the candidates dwindled
+from sixty-odd to a scant fifty. Steve's surprise lay in the fact that
+he was not promoted to the second squad, Tom's to the even more
+startling circumstance that he survived the cut!</p>
+
+<p>Eric Sawyer had been relieved from his superintendence of the awkward
+squad and had gone to his old position of right guard on the first team.
+The third squad was now under the care of a youth named Marvin, a
+substitute quarter-back on last year's second team. He was a cheerful,
+hardworking little chap and the "rookies" took to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span> him at once. He was
+quick to find fault, but equally quick to applaud good work, and under
+his charge the third squad, composed now of some fourteen candidates,
+began to smooth out. A half-hour session with the tackling dummy was now
+part of the daily routine and many a fellow who had thought rather well
+of himself suffered humiliation in the pit. Steve was one of these.
+Tackling proved to be a weak point with him. Even Tom got better results
+than he did, and every afternoon Steve would scramble to his feet and
+wipe the earth from his face to hear Marvin's patient voice saying: "Not
+a bit like it, Edwards. Don't shut your eyes when you jump. Keep them
+open and see what you're doing. Once more, now; and tackle below the
+knees." And then, when the stuffed figure had been drawn, swaying
+crazily, across the square of spaded turf once more, and Steve had
+leaped upon it and twisted his arms desperately and convulsively about
+it, "That's a little better," Marvin might say, "but you'd never stop
+your man that way."</p>
+
+<p>Steve was getting discouraged about his tackling and a little bit
+incensed with Marvin. "He takes it out on me every time," he confided to
+Tom one afternoon after practice. "Lots of the fellows don't do it a bit
+better and he just says<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span> 'Fair, Jones' or 'That's better, Freer,' and
+that's all there is to it. When it comes my turn, he just makes up his
+mind I'm not going to do it right and then rags me. Didn't I do it just
+as well as you did to-day, Tom?"</p>
+
+<p>Tom, intensely loyal though he was, had to shake his head. "Maybe you
+did, Steve; I don't do it very well myself, but you&mdash;you don't seem to
+get the hang of it yet. You will, of course, in a day or two. I don't
+believe Marvin means to rag you, though; he's an awfully decent fellow."</p>
+
+<p>But Tom's day or two stretched into a week or two, and one by one
+fellows disappeared from the awkward squad, some to the private walks of
+life and the consolation of hall football and some, fewer in number
+these, to the squad ahead. Brimfield played its first game of the year
+one Saturday afternoon with Thacher School, and came through with flying
+colours. But Thacher presented a line-up considerably younger and
+lighter than Brimfield's, and the victory brought no great glory to the
+Maroon-and-Grey. Steve and Tom watched that contest from the side-line,
+Tom with absorbed interest and Steve rather disgruntedly. His visions
+had not included any such situation as this!</p>
+
+<p>That evening Steve made his first big mistake.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>CHAPTER XI</h2>
+
+<h3>"HOLD 'EM, THIRD!"</h3>
+
+
+<p>The term was a fortnight old when Thacher went down in defeat, 10 to 3,
+and by that time both Steve and Tom had made acquaintances here and
+there, and so when, after study hour that Saturday night, Steve
+announced carelessly that he was "going around to Hensey to see a
+fellow," Tom took it for granted that his chum was off to look up some
+new friend. Perhaps, since they usually made calls together, he wondered
+a little that Steve didn't ask him along, but he didn't mind being left
+out on this particular occasion since he was having a good deal of
+trouble just then with trigonometry and wanted to put in more time on
+Monday's lesson.</p>
+
+<p>When Steve entered Hensey he passed into the first corridor and knocked
+on the door of Number 7. The card there held the names: "Andrew Loring
+Miller&mdash;Hatherton Williams." A voice bade him enter and Steve walked in.
+Andy Miller and his room-mate were both in, Andy sprawled on the
+window-seat, which was much too short for his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span> long body, and Williams
+seated at the study table. Andy jumped up as the visitor entered.</p>
+
+<p>"Glad to see you, Edwards," he said cordially. "Shake hands with
+Williams. Hat, this is Edwards of the fourth. Sit down, won't you?"</p>
+
+<p>Williams, who was a heavy, dark-complexioned youth of eighteen with a
+flat nose and a broad mouth, shook hands politely, murmuring something
+that Steve took to mean that he was pleased to meet him, and sank back
+to his seat. Steve took the easy-chair that Andy pushed forward.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, how are you?" asked the football captain genially. "Haven't run
+across any more confidence-men, I hope."</p>
+
+<p>Steve smiled none too heartily and cast a glance toward Williams. But
+the latter's blank expression showed that the allusion meant nothing to
+him and proved that, as far as Williams was concerned, Miller had kept
+his promise of secrecy.</p>
+
+<p>"No, not yet," answered Steve. "I thought I'd just drop in a minute and
+call."</p>
+
+<p>"Of course. Glad you did. How's your friend?"</p>
+
+<p>"Tom! He's fine, thanks. I&mdash;he wasn't through studying, so I didn't wait
+for him."</p>
+
+<p>"And how's football going?" asked Andy. "Getting on pretty well?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"I think so. Not so very well, though. I&mdash;I don't seem to please Marvin
+very well with tackling."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, you'll get onto that all right," said Andy cheerfully. "Fact is, I
+don't think a fellow ever really learns much at the dummy. It's dumping
+a chap in real playing that shows you what's wanted. Don't you think so,
+Hat?"</p>
+
+<p>"Dummy practice is a good thing," answered Williams morosely.</p>
+
+<p>He sat tilted back on the chair, hands in pockets, staring at the floor.
+He seemed a gloomy sort of fellow, Steve thought, and was relieved when
+Williams added: "Guess I'll run over to Johnny's for a minute," and,
+muttering something about being glad to have met the visitor, found a
+cap and wandered out.</p>
+
+<p>"I suppose," said Steve, when the door had closed, "it's necessary for a
+fellow to learn how to tackle, but it seems to me that if you aren't
+awfully good at it you might get a chance to show what you can do
+besides that."</p>
+
+<p>"I guess I don't quite understand what you mean," responded Andy.</p>
+
+<p>"I mean that if I can't tackle the dummy well enough to please Marvin,"
+answered Steve a trifle bitterly, "I do as well as lots of other
+fellows,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span> and&mdash;and it doesn't seem fair to keep me back just for that.
+Lots of fellows have been taken on to the second squad that can't play
+as well as I can, Miller."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh! I see." Andy's eyes narrowed a little and he looked at Steve more
+intently. "You mean that you aren't getting a fair show, Edwards?"</p>
+
+<p>"It doesn't seem so to me. I played with my high school team for two
+years at left end and&mdash;and did pretty well. Of course, I don't say that
+I'm as good as some of the fellows here, but I do think that I'm as good
+as&mdash;as a lot of them; and a heap better than three or four that have
+gone to the second squad lately. I don't get a chance to show what I can
+do where I am now, Miller. Marvin doesn't even let me into signal drill
+more than half the time, and then he puts me at half or tackle and I've
+never played either of those places. And when I told him so the other
+day he just laughed and said that one place was as good as another on
+the third! And he rags me every day about my tackling and&mdash;and I don't
+think it's fair! If he will give me a chance I'll pick up tackling all
+right. You say yourself that a fellow learns it more from playing than
+from dummy work."</p>
+
+<p>"So I did," said Andy thoughtfully. Then,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span> after a moment: "Look here,
+Edwards, I think you've got a wrong idea in your head. If Marvin isn't
+satisfied with your tackling, it's because you don't do it right.
+Marvin's a good man and he knows football. Now, if you expect to play
+end you ought to know how to tackle, Edwards. What's the good of getting
+down the field, no matter how fast you may be, if you can't stop the man
+with the ball when you get there?"</p>
+
+<p>"I can stop him! I've played for two years and&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"What you've done before, Edwards, isn't any criterion with us. You may
+have been a regular wonder in&mdash;what's the place? Tannerstown&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Tannersville. I don't say I was a wonder, but&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Just a minute! You may have been a star on your high school team and
+yet not worth a copper cent to us, Edwards. I never saw your team play,
+but it's pretty likely that their brand of football and ours are
+different."</p>
+
+<p>"I think we play as good football as you fellows played to-day," said
+Steve.</p>
+
+<p>"Maybe. I'm not especially proud of the game we put up this afternoon.
+But that isn't the sort of football we play in mid-season, my friend.
+I'm sorry you think you aren't getting a fair deal,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[130]</a></span> Edwards, but you
+mustn't expect me to interfere with Marvin. I couldn't do it. The most I
+can do is give you a little piece of advice which you won't care for
+probably. It's this: Do as you're told to do, Edwards, and do it as hard
+as you know how! Just as soon as you show Marvin that you are ready to
+go into the second squad, you'll get there. And don't get it into your
+head that Marvin has it in for you or doesn't know what he is doing.
+Marvin's a particularly bright young man. If he wasn't he wouldn't have
+the third squad to weed out, for that's a job that requires a whole lot
+more patience and brains than any other job I know of on a football
+field."</p>
+
+<p>Andy paused, and Steve, who was gloomily regarding a scarred knuckle,
+made no reply.</p>
+
+<p>"Use your head, man," continued the captain in a lighter tone. "You
+don't suppose, do you, that we are letting anything good get by us as
+long as we've got eyes to see with? Not much! You probably have an idea
+that Marvin is keeping you off the second. He isn't. You're keeping
+yourself off. Mull that over, Edwards. And don't&mdash;don't do this again."</p>
+
+<p>Steve looked a question.</p>
+
+<p>"I mean don't come to me or to Mr. Robey with any hard-luck stories. It
+isn't done. If I didn't<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[131]</a></span> know you a little, Edwards, I'd think you were
+pretty poor stuff. But I guess you didn't stop to consider how it would
+look. As you have done it, I'm glad you came to me instead of Mr. Robey.
+He wouldn't have liked it a bit." After a pause: "How's Hall getting
+on?"</p>
+
+<p>"Pretty well, I guess," replied Steve. He stood up and frowned at the
+green globe of the reading lamp for a moment. Then, "I'm sorry I said
+anything, Miller," he remarked. "I guess it wasn't quite a fair thing to
+do. Only I thought&mdash;maybe&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"You thought," said Andy cheerfully, "that perhaps I'd give you a lift.
+Didn't you, Edwards?"</p>
+
+<p>"I suppose so."</p>
+
+<p>"In other words, you wanted me to advance you over the next man on the
+strength of our acquaintance. Sounds as though you had rather a punk
+impression of me, Edwards."</p>
+
+<p>"I haven't! I&mdash;I suppose, though, I didn't stop to figure it out much.
+It seemed to me that Marvin wasn't giving me a fair show, and here it is
+the last of September already, and I'm just where I started&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"That's your fault, not Marvin's," responded Andy with a smile. He
+walked over and laid a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[132]</a></span> hand on the younger boy's shoulder. "Brace up,
+Edwards," he said kindly. "Don't waste your time looking for favours.
+Don't want them. Buckle down and grit your teeth and just show Marvin
+and the rest of us that you're so good he can't keep you on the third!
+That's your line, old man. And now, just as a bit of encouragement, I'll
+tell you that Robey and I have noticed your work in the field and we've
+liked it. You carry yourself like a veteran and you follow the ball
+well, and we both expect big things from you some day. Perhaps you won't
+make good this year, but there's next year and the year after. Put your
+nose back on the grindstone, Edwards, grin hard and tell Marvin to turn
+faster!"</p>
+
+<p>"All right," laughed Steve. "Thanks. I guess you're right. And&mdash;and I'm
+not sorry now I came."</p>
+
+<p>"Good! Now sit down again and let's have a chin. How do you like the
+school? Have you met many of the fellows yet?"</p>
+
+<p>"You're making the same mistake, Edwards," said Marvin the next Monday
+afternoon. He spoke a trifle wearily. "Get your body in <i>front</i> of the
+runner and not at one side. Bind his legs together with your arms, then
+block him with your body and lift him back. If you do that he's <i>got</i><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[133]</a></span>
+to stop, and when he falls he will fall towards his own goal and not
+yours. Try it over now."</p>
+
+<p>And when Steve had tried it over, Marvin glanced at him sharply. It
+seemed to him that for almost the first time the candidate had really
+tried! He hadn't made a clean tackle, but he had profited by the
+instruction that had been heaped upon him for two weeks, and little
+Marvin mentally patted himself on the back and was very pleased with
+himself, for Marvin, although he would probably never play through a big
+game, and knew it, was as unselfishly devoted to the interests of the
+team as any fellow there.</p>
+
+<p>"That's a heap better, Edwards," he said eagerly. "Now see if you can't
+do it just right the next time."</p>
+
+<p>After that it seemed to Marvin that Steve tried harder and it seemed to
+Steve that the little quarter-back was more appreciative. On Tuesday, as
+the squad jogged away from the tackling pit, Marvin said:</p>
+
+<p>"Edwards, let me see you after practice, will you?"</p>
+
+<p>Steve, assenting, examined Marvin's face doubtfully. A week ago he would
+have expected trouble from such a request, but to-day Marvin's face held
+only good-will and a sort of eager friendliness,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[134]</a></span> and while Steve
+wondered more than once during the remainder of practice what Marvin
+wanted of him he had no unpleasant forebodings.</p>
+
+<p>There was to be a game on the morrow, the only mid-week contest of the
+season, and the first squad was released early. That gave Coach Robey a
+chance to give undivided attention to the second and third and he made
+the most of it. He and Andy Miller, the latter trailing a grey blanket
+after him, joined the third squad when the first team and substitutes
+had trotted away to the gymnasium and at once displayed a flattering but
+embarrassing interest. The Third was practising signals, eleven men in
+the line-up and two or three more following and watching. Marvin was
+driving them from a position at the rear, occasionally darting into the
+line, to correct a fault or illustrate a play. Unfortunately, Carmine,
+who was at quarter, noticed the coach's advent and immediately got
+flustered. When two plays had gone wrong Mr. Robey said:</p>
+
+<p>"Marvin, you get in there and play quarter for a minute and give that
+man a chance to remember his signals. You come back here and look on,
+son."</p>
+
+<p>After that the squad ran through plays with vim and snap. Now and then
+there was a mix-up, but<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[135]</a></span> the signals went pretty well. After each play
+the coach or Captain Miller, or sometimes both, criticised and
+explained. The plays were few and simple; straight plunges by the backs
+with an occasional forward pass; but almost every time the critics found
+some fault to correct. Steve was playing at left tackle, fighting
+valiantly against an imaginary opponent, and once, trotting back to his
+position after a short charge over the turf, he caught the eyes of Andy
+and Mr. Robey fixed on him speculatively. He hoped as he settled down
+again and listened for the signals that Captain Miller had not told the
+coach of that visit on Saturday night! He wanted to forget that himself
+and he wanted Andy Miller to forget it.</p>
+
+<p>"That'll be all, Marvin," said Mr. Robey presently. He clapped his
+hands. "Everyone in, please!" he called. The players flocked to the
+bench and picked up sweaters and blankets, while Mr. Robey and Andy
+conversed over the coach's little black book. Finally: "We'll have a
+short scrimmage, fellows," he announced. "Second squad take the east
+goal and kick off to the third. Pick out your men, Brownell. You too,
+Marvin. Who do you want to start?"</p>
+
+<p>It was the first scrimmage for the third squad fellows and they raced on
+eagerly. Steve was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[136]</a></span> sent in as left tackle again and Tom beside him at
+guard. The pigskin soared away from the toe of a second squad forward,
+was gathered in by a third squad half-back near the twenty-yard line and
+was down five yards further on. "Line up, Third!" piped Carmine shrilly.
+"Give it to 'em hard now!"</p>
+
+<p>There wasn't the finished skill displayed by the 'varsity team, but
+there was enough enthusiasm to almost make up for the lack of science.
+Back came the ball, the forwards sprang together, a half darted past
+right tackle, spinning like a top, faltered, went on, was stopped short
+by the Second's backs and borne back, grunting "Down! Down!" with all
+the breath left in his body.</p>
+
+<p>"Second down!" proclaimed Joe Lawrence, the manager, jumping into the
+m&ecirc;l&eacute;e. "Six to go."</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Robey and Andy Miller followed the teams closely, watching and
+shouting directions, the coach on the third squad side and Andy behind
+the second.</p>
+
+<p>"Good work, you fellow!" applauded Andy, darting up to slap the half on
+the back and send him back to his place breathless but grinning. "That's
+the way to do it! Now, then, once more. You've got six to go. Let me see
+you get it.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[137]</a></span> Play lower, you fellows in the line! Get down there! Lift
+'em and throw 'em back! That's the ticket!"</p>
+
+<p>But the gain was scant and Carmine walked back to kick.</p>
+
+<p>"Get through and block this!" panted the second's quarter, dodging back
+and forth for a likely opening.</p>
+
+<p>"You fellow on the end there!" cried Andy. "Play back further and stop
+that tackle!"</p>
+
+<p>"Watch for a forward pass!" warned a second squad back. "Spread out,
+Billy!"</p>
+
+<p>"Hold 'em!" shouted Carmine.</p>
+
+<p>Then came the signals, back sped the ball&mdash;a poor pass&mdash;the second came
+tearing through, Carmine dropped the ball and swung his leg and away it
+floated. A second squad back caught it near the side-line, tucked it
+under his arm and started back. The third squad's right end had been
+blocked and now, eager to make up for lost time, he overran and missed
+his tackle entirely and the second's back came speeding up the field
+near the side-line, a hastily-formed interference guarding him well. Ten
+yards, fifteen, twenty, and then Carmine wormed through and brought the
+runner to earth.</p>
+
+<p>"That's one on you, right end," said Andy<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[138]</a></span> sternly. "You got boxed to
+the king's taste that time. Now, third, see what you can do on the
+defence."</p>
+
+<p>"Draw your line in, Carmine," called Marvin. "Look where you are, man!
+The ball's almost on the twenty yards! Peters, close up there! Now push
+'em back, third!"</p>
+
+<p>"Who's that right end, Dick?" asked Andy of Marvin.</p>
+
+<p>"Chap named Holt. He isn't very good."</p>
+
+<p>"How would it do to try Edwards there? He looks clever."</p>
+
+<p>"That's his position, Andy, but the kid can't tackle. I'll give him a
+try, though. That's rotten, third! Blaisdell, where were you then? For
+the love of mud, man, watch the ball! Five yards right through you! Now
+get back there and stop them!"</p>
+
+<p>"Second down, five to go," called Lawrence. "You left end on the second,
+you were off-side then. Next time I'll penalise you. Watch out for it."</p>
+
+<p>"Same formation!" piped the second's quarter. "Make it good, fellows!
+Let's score now!"</p>
+
+<p>"Hold 'em, third! Don't give 'em an inch. Get down there, Peters!"</p>
+
+<p>"Third down!" called Lawrence a moment<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[139]</a></span> later. "You've got three and a
+half to go, second!"</p>
+
+<p>"That's the stuff!" cried Carmine jubilantly, dealing blows of approval
+on the bent backs of the forwards. "That's the way to stop 'em! Now once
+more, third!"</p>
+
+<p>Then, "Fourth down and a yard and a half to go," announced Lawrence.</p>
+
+<p>"Kick formation!" called the attacking quarter. "Simmons back!"</p>
+
+<p>"Block this! Block it! Get through now, fellows!"</p>
+
+<p>"Hold hard there, second!" There was a moment of silence. Then the ball
+shot back. Simmons caught it waist-high, dropped it, kicked and went
+down under the charge of the desperate second squad players. But the
+ball sailed over the cross-bar and the second had scored.</p>
+
+<p>"That'll do, Holt," said Marvin. "Edwards, you play right end.
+Saunders!" A substitute struggled out of his sweater and came racing on.
+"Go in at left tackle, Saunders. Pearse, you'd better kick off."</p>
+
+<p>The game went on, the second squad bringing the pigskin back twelve
+yards on the kick-off and then hammering through for fifteen more before
+the third forced them to punt. Carmine caught<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[140]</a></span> on his thirty-five yards,
+made a short gain and was downed. Twice the third got through for a yard
+or two and then Carmine again fell back to kick. This time the pass was
+a good one and Carmine got off an excellent punt that went over the head
+of the opposing quarter-back and bobbed along toward the goal. The left
+half scuttled to his assistance and, when the ball was in the quarter's
+arms, threw himself in front of the first of the foe. But that
+particular adversary was canny. He twisted aside, leaped over the
+stumbling half and dived for the runner. It was a poor tackle and the
+man with the ball struggled on for three yards after he was caught, but
+the ball was down on the second's twenty-seven yards, and Steve, picking
+himself up from the recumbent enemy, heard Marvin shouting: "A rotten
+tackle, Edwards, but fine work down the field!" And, "Good stuff, you
+end!" approved the coach, while Tom, beaming, patted him ungently on the
+back.</p>
+
+<p>The scrimmage was over a minute later, and, although the second had
+triumphed by that goal from the field, the third trotted back to the
+gymnasium feeling very well pleased with themselves. They had had their
+baptism by fire and had acquitted themselves well. Steve and Tom,
+panting but happy, had almost reached the gymnasium<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[141]</a></span> when Steve
+recollected his engagement with Marvin.</p>
+
+<p>"I've got to go back," he said in dismay. "I promised Marvin to see him
+after practice."</p>
+
+<p>"There he comes now," said Tom, nodding toward where the little quarter
+was approaching with Mr. Robey and Andy Miller. Steve stopped beside the
+path and Tom fell back to wait for him.</p>
+
+<p>"I forgot you wanted me to wait, Marvin," said Steve apologetically, as
+the trio came up.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, that's all right, Edwards. I forgot myself. Another day will do
+just as well. I didn't know we were to have scrimmage to-day."</p>
+
+<p>"You keep up that stuff you showed to-day, Edwards," said Mr. Robey,
+"and we'll have you on the second the first thing you know." Then his
+glance passed Steve to Tom. "You too, Hall. I watched you. You're doing
+well. Keep it up."</p>
+
+<p>The three went on, and Steve and Tom silently followed. Neither spoke
+until they reached the steps. Then,</p>
+
+<p>"I'm awfully glad," said Tom.</p>
+
+<p>"So am I," replied Steve heartily. "Bet you you'll make the second
+before the week is out."</p>
+
+<p>"I meant about you, Steve," said Tom simply.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[142]</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>CHAPTER XII</h2>
+
+<h3>CANTERBURY ROMPS ON&mdash;AND OFF</h3>
+
+
+<p>But existence at Brimfield Academy wasn't all football, by any means,
+nor all fun. There was a lot of hard work mixed up with the play, and
+both Steve and Tom found that an immense amount of study was required of
+them. They each had thirty recitations a week, and in both Greek and
+Latin their preparation at high school had, not unnaturally, been
+deficient. That meant hard sledding for a while. Tom realised the fact
+before Steve would, and so spared himself some trouble. Steve resented
+the extra study necessary and for the first fortnight or so trusted to
+luck to get him through. And for a time luck stood by him. He had a way
+of looking wise in class that imposed for a while on "Uncle Sim," as Mr.
+Simkins was called, but after Steve had fallen down three or four times
+the instructor scented the truth of the matter and then Steve's life
+became a burden to him. Mr. Simkins took delight, it seemed, in calling
+on him at the most unexpected moments until, one day, in sheer
+desperation, Steve gave utter<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[143]</a></span>ance to the answer "not prepared." That
+was to Uncle Sim what a red rag is to a bull! There was a scathing
+dressing-down then and there, followed by a visit that evening from Mr.
+Daley. Steve was secretly uneasy, for more than one story of summary
+justice on the part of the Greek and Latin instructor had reached him,
+but he presented a careless front to the Hall Master. Mr. Daley was
+plainly eager to help, but, as usual, he was embarrassed and nervous,
+and Steve, who had taken a mild dislike to him, resented his
+interference.</p>
+
+<p>"The stuff's too hard," he said in answer to Mr. Daley's inquiries.
+"Look at the lesson we had to-day, sir; all that and this, over to here;
+sight reading, too. And two compositions so far this week! I just didn't
+have time for it last night, and so when he called on me to-day I told
+him I wasn't prepared. And then he&mdash;he ragged me in front of the class
+and gave me a page and a half to write, beside to-morrow's lesson. I
+can't do it, and that's all there is to it!"</p>
+
+<p>"Er&mdash;yes, yes, I see. I'm sorry, Edwards. Now, let us have a look at
+this. Yes, there's quite a lot of it. You&mdash;ah&mdash;you didn't have much
+Latin before you came here, I take it?"</p>
+
+<p>"Had enough," growled Steve, "but nothing<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[144]</a></span> like this. I've had C&aelig;sar and
+some Cicero. I never had any luck with Latin, anyway." And Steve viewed
+the open book with distaste.</p>
+
+<p>"It's the quantity, then, you find&mdash;ah&mdash;difficult," said Mr. Daley. "As
+far as grammar is concerned, I take it you are&mdash;ah&mdash;well grounded,
+Edwards?"</p>
+
+<p>"I suppose so. But look at the length of the lesson we have!"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes. Very true. But, of course, to complete a certain amount of work in
+the year it is&mdash;ah&mdash;necessary to do quite a good deal every day. Now
+maybe you&mdash;ah&mdash;haven't been really setting your mind on this. I know in
+my own case that I very often find myself&mdash;ah&mdash;skimping, so to speak; I
+mean going over a thing without really getting the&mdash;ah&mdash;the meat out of
+it. I'm almost certain that if you really settled your mind on this,
+Edwards, that you'd get along very well with it. Suppose now that you
+give twice as much time to it to-night as you usually do. If some other
+study must suffer, why, let it be your French and I will let you by
+to-morrow if you aren't well prepared. And&mdash;ah&mdash;I wish when you've been
+over this you'd come down and let me&mdash;ah&mdash;go over it with you lightly. I
+think&mdash;I think that would be an excellent idea, Edwards."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[145]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Oh, I'll try it," grumbled Steve, "but it isn't any use. And look at
+what I've got to translate for him!"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, yes, I see. Well&mdash;ah&mdash;bring your book down after awhile and we'll
+see what can be done. How are you getting on, Hall?"</p>
+
+<p>"Pretty well, sir. I find it a bit stiff, too, but maybe after awhile
+I'll get the hang of it."</p>
+
+<p>"That's the way to talk!" exclaimed the instructor approvingly.
+"That&mdash;ah&mdash;that is the right attitude, Hall. Make up your mind that it
+will come and it <i>will</i> come. We all have our&mdash;our problems, and the
+only way to do is to&mdash;ah&mdash;face them and ride straight at them. So often,
+when we reach them, we find them&mdash;ah&mdash;we find them so very much more
+trivial than we had supposed. They're like&mdash;like hills seen from a
+distance that look terrifically steep. When we&mdash;ah&mdash;reach them we find
+them easy grades after all. You see what I mean? Yes, yes. Well, I shall
+expect you in my study later, Edwards. I want you&mdash;both of you, that
+is&mdash;to realise that I am very eager to be of assistance at any time.
+Possibly I can't help very much,&mdash;but&mdash;ah&mdash;I am most willing, boys."</p>
+
+<p>"Silly chump," growled Steve when the door<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[146]</a></span> had closed behind Mr. Daley.
+"I wish&mdash;ah&mdash;he'd&mdash;ah&mdash;mind his own&mdash;ah&mdash;business!"</p>
+
+<p>But Tom didn't smile. "I think the chap means to be awfully decent,
+Steve," he said thoughtfully. "The trouble is, I guess, he's scared to
+death of the fellows. You can see that in class."</p>
+
+<p>"He's a regular granny," replied Steve. "Wish he had this stuff to do. I
+guess he wouldn't be so light and airy about it!"</p>
+
+<p>"You'll go down and let him help you, though, won't you?" asked Tom
+anxiously.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, I suppose so. He can do the whole thing if he wants to. Where is my
+dictionary?"</p>
+
+<p>With Mr. Daley's help, freely offered and grudgingly accepted, Steve
+weathered that crisis. And secretly he was grateful to the Hall Master,
+though he still pretended to believe and possibly did half believe that
+the latter was a sort of mollycoddle. Tom told him indignantly once that
+since Mr. Daley had been so awfully decent to him he ought to stop
+poking fun at him. To which Steve cheerfully made answer that even a
+mollycoddle could be decent at times!</p>
+
+<p>Brimfield played Canterbury High School on a Wednesday afternoon in
+early October and had a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[147]</a></span> good deal of a scare. Canterbury romped on to
+the field like a bunch of young colts, and continued to romp for the
+best part of three ten-minute periods, long after Brimfield had decided
+that romping was no longer in good taste! Led by a small, wiry,
+red-headed quarter-back, who was likewise captain, and directed from the
+side-line by a coach who looked scarcely older than the big youth who
+played centre for them, the Canterbury team took the most astounding
+liberties with football precedents. They didn't transgress the rules,
+but they put such original interpretations on some of them that Mr.
+Conklin, who was refereeing, and Mr. Jordan, instructor in mathematics,
+who was umpiring, had their heads over the rules-book nearly half the
+time! Now and then they would march to the side-line and consult the
+Canterbury coach. "Where do you get your authority for that play?" Mr.
+Conklin would ask a trifle irritably. Thereupon, silently but with a
+twinkle in his eye, the coach would gravely take the book, flip the
+pages, lay a finger on a section and return it.</p>
+
+<p>"Hm," Mr. Conklin would say. "Hm; but that seems to be in direct
+contradiction of another rule over here!"</p>
+
+<p>"Quite likely," the coach would reply indiffer<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[148]</a></span>ently. "There are quite a
+few contradictions there. Of course, you may accept either rule you
+like, gentlemen."</p>
+
+<p>Disarmed in such wise, the officials invariably decided the play to be
+legal, and Quarter-back Milton, of Brimfield, would protest volubly and
+get very, very red in the face in his attempt to carry his point and, at
+the same time, omit none of the respect due a faculty member! It was
+hard on Milton, that game, and several times he nearly had apoplexy.</p>
+
+<p>Then, too, Canterbury did the most unexpected things at the most
+inopportune moments. When Brimfield expected her to rush the ball she
+was just as likely to get off a kick from close formation. When the
+circumstances indicated an attack on the short side of the field
+Canterbury's backs swung around the other end. When a close formation
+was to be looked for she swung her line half across the field, so
+confusing the opponents that they acted as though hypnotised. The
+forward pass was to Canterbury a play that afforded her infinite
+amusement. She used it in the most unheard of locations; in midfield,
+under the shadow of her own goal, anywhere, everywhere and almost always
+when least expected. At the end of the second period Brimfield trotted
+away<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[149]</a></span> to the gymnasium dazed and tired of brain, with the score 7 to 0
+against her.</p>
+
+<p>The surprising thing about the visitors was that they played as though
+they were just having an afternoon of good fun. They romped, like boys
+playing leap-frog or follow-my-leader. They romped up the field and they
+romped down the field and, incidentally, over and through and around
+their opponents. And the more care-free and happy Canterbury became, the
+more anxious and laboured grew Brimfield. The Maroon-and-Grey reminded
+one of a very staid and serious middle-aged party with a grave duty to
+perform trying to restrain the spirited antics of a small boy with no
+sense of decorum!</p>
+
+<p>When the second half began, Canterbury added insult to injury. Instead
+of booting the pigskin down the field in an honest and earnest endeavour
+to obtain distance, she deliberately and with malice aforethought,
+dribbled it on the bias, so to speak, toward the side-line. Benson,
+right end, should certainly have got it, but he was so perplexed that he
+never thought of picking it up until a Canterbury forward had performed
+the task for him and had raced nearly twenty yards down the field! It
+was an unprecedented thing to do, or, at least, unprecedented at
+Brimfield, and the audience voiced<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[150]</a></span> its disapproval strongly. But as the
+ball had gone the required ten yards there was nothing to do but
+smile&mdash;a trifle foolishly, perhaps&mdash;and accept the situation. And the
+situation was this: Canterbury had kicked off and gained over thirty
+yards without losing possession of the ball! But in one way that play
+was ill-advised. Brimfield had stood all sorts of jokes and pranks from
+the enemy with fairly good grace, but this enormity was too much.
+Brimfield was peeved! More than that, she was really angry! And, being
+angry, she forgot that for twenty minutes she had been outplayed and
+started in then and there to administer a licking to the obstreperous
+small boy.</p>
+
+<p>Even then, however, Canterbury continued to romp and enjoy herself. She
+found hard sledding, but she worked down to Brimfield's eight-yard line
+before she was finally halted. Then her right half romped back for a try
+at goal and joyously booted the ball. But, to the enormous relief of the
+onlookers, the ball went under the bar instead of over, and Canterbury
+romped back again. That third period was very evenly contested,
+Brimfield, smarting under a sense of wounded dignity, playing well
+together and allowing Canterbury no more opportunities to attempt
+scores. The visitors, still untamed, sprang strange and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[151]</a></span> weird
+formations and attacks. A favourite trick was to start a play without
+signals, while one of her men was ostensibly tying a shoe-lace yards
+away or requesting a new head-guard near a side-line. It invariably
+happened, though, that the shoe-lace was tied in time to allow the youth
+to get the ball on a pass and attempt a joyous romp around the
+opponent's end. There was no scoring in the third period, but the
+whistle blew with the pigskin down on Canterbury's twenty-five yards and
+Brimfield with four to go on third down.</p>
+
+<p>As there was no practice that afternoon, Steve and Tom saw the game from
+the grand stand, with two cronies named Draper and Westcott. Draper's
+first name was Leroy and he was called Roy. He was a tow-haired
+youngster of fifteen with very bright blue eyes and a tip-tilted nose
+that gave him a humorously impertinent look. He, like Steve and Tom, was
+a Fourth Former. His home was in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and, while
+Pittsburg was a good hundred miles from Tannersville, the fact that they
+were citizens of the same glorious commonwealth had drawn he and Steve
+together. Harry Westcott was a year older and came from a small town in
+Connecticut. He was Roy's room-mate in Torrence. He had a slim,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[152]</a></span>
+small-boned body and a good-looking face with an aquiline nose and a
+pair of very large soft-brown eyes. His dark hair was brushed straight
+back from his forehead and was always very slick. Harry was what Roy
+called "a fussy dresser" and affected knickerbockers and golf-stockings,
+neglig&eacute;e shirts of soft and delicate hues of lavender or green or blue
+and, to quote his disrespectful room-mate once more, "symphonic ties."
+Harry was the embodiment of aristocratic ease and always lent a "tone"
+to any gathering. He maintained an air of what he probably considered
+well-bred composure and tabooed enthusiasm. Harry never declared that a
+thing was "bully" or "fine and dandy"; he mildly observed that it was
+"not half bad." This pose amused him, doubtless, and entertained his
+friends, and underneath it all he was a very normal, likable chap. It
+was Roy Draper who broke the strained silence that had endured until the
+whistle put an end to the third period.</p>
+
+<p>"I wouldn't give a cent for Canterbury's chances in the next period," he
+said. "Look at Andy's face, fellows. It has the 'blood-lust' on it. When
+Andy looks that way something has just got to happen!"</p>
+
+<p>"He looks annoyed," assented Harry.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[153]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"You'd be annoyed if you had your lip cut the way his is," chuckled Roy.</p>
+
+<p>"Do you think we'll beat them?" asked Tom anxiously.</p>
+
+<p>"Nothing can save them," replied Roy conclusively. "Andy has his dander
+up."</p>
+
+<p>"It took him long enough to get it up," grumbled Steve. "He let those
+fellows run rings around us in the first half."</p>
+
+<p>"That's his foxy way. Now he's got them all tired out and we'll go in
+and rip 'em up. You watch!"</p>
+
+<p>"There's Marvin going in for Milton," announced Tom. "Say, those chaps
+haven't made a change in their line-up yet."</p>
+
+<p>"One," corrected Harry. "They put in a new right guard last period.
+They're a funny lot, seems to me. You'd think they were having the time
+of their lives."</p>
+
+<p>"I like that, though," said Roy. "After all, you know, this thing of
+playing football is supposed to be amusement."</p>
+
+<p>"It's a heap more like hard work, though," replied Harry. "Not that I
+ever played it much."</p>
+
+<p>"Did you ever play at all?" asked Roy.</p>
+
+<p>"Once or twice at grammar school. It was too fatiguing, though."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[154]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"I'll bet it was," chuckled Roy. "I'd like to see you playing, old
+thing."</p>
+
+<p>"I did, though; played right half-back. A fellow stuck his elbow into my
+face and I knocked him flat. Captain said it was part of the game, you
+know, and I shouldn't have done it. I said that any fellow who bumped my
+nose would have to look for trouble. Then the umpire put me off and the
+game lost a real star."</p>
+
+<p>"Here we go," said Steve. "Now let's see if they can carry it over."</p>
+
+<p>They didn't, however, just then. Canterbury held finely in the shadow of
+her goal and Marvin's forward pass to Captain Miller went out at the
+twelve-yards. But Canterbury was forced to punt a moment later, and
+Brimfield took up the march again. On the adversary's thirty-yard line,
+with six to go on the third down, Norton, full-back, attempted an
+impossible drop-kick&mdash;he was standing over forty yards from the
+cross-bar&mdash;and made it good.</p>
+
+<p>"What did I tell you?" demanded Roy, digging Steve with his elbow.</p>
+
+<p>"That's only three points, though," answered Steve doubtfully. "We
+couldn't make a touchdown."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[155]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"It isn't over yet," said Roy confidently. "We're getting better all the
+time."</p>
+
+<p>Canterbury gave the ball to Brimfield for the kick-off and Fowler booted
+it down to the opponent's fifteen yards. Andy Miller was under it all
+the way and upset an ambitious Canterbury back before he was well
+started. Canterbury tried two plunges and then punted from her
+twenty-five-yard line to Brimfield's fifty. Marvin caught and brought
+the stand to its feet by reeling off twelve yards across the field
+before he was downed. Then Brimfield found herself and went down the
+gridiron by steady plunges, plugging the Canterbury line for good gains
+from tackle to tackle. Norton, at full-back, was the hero of that
+period. Time after time he took the pigskin and landed it for a gain.
+Marvin, cool and heady, ran the team beautifully, and when four minutes
+of playing time remained, Brimfield was again knocking at Canterbury's
+door, the pigskin on the latter's eighteen yards.</p>
+
+<p>"First down!" proclaimed Roy triumphantly. "Here's where she goes over,
+old thing!"</p>
+
+<p>"Let her go," replied Harry. "I'm watching."</p>
+
+<p>"I hope they don't try another silly field-goal," muttered Steve.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[156]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Not on first down, they won't. Bully work, Norton! Did you see it?
+Three yards easily!"</p>
+
+<p>Then Marvin himself cut loose for four around left end and the
+Canterbury coach hustled three substitutes on. But Brimfield was not to
+be denied now. It was first down on Canterbury's seven yards, and, with
+the spectators yelling like Indians, Kendall, right half, took the ball
+on a delayed pass, found an opening outside right tackle and slipped
+through and over the line for six more points.</p>
+
+<p>Captain Miller kicked goal and the score stood 10 to 7. Another minute
+of play followed, with Brimfield again pushing the high school team
+before her, and then the game was over and the quartette on the stand
+thumped each other elatedly&mdash;all save Harry&mdash;and ambled down to join the
+throng that spread over the field on its homeward way.</p>
+
+<p>"What did I tell you?" asked Roy. "You can't fool your uncle!"</p>
+
+<p>"You hate yourself, don't you?" drawled Harry. "Come on over to the
+room, you fellows."</p>
+
+<p>Canterbury, having cheered the victor wholeheartedly, romped home.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[157]</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>CHAPTER XIII</h2>
+
+<h3>SAWYER VOWS VENGEANCE</h3>
+
+
+<p>Miter Hill School followed Canterbury the next Saturday and was an
+unexpectedly weak opponent. The contest was slow and lifeless and
+dragged its weary length along until almost twilight. Miter Hill's
+players were in poor physical condition and, since the afternoon was
+warm and close, made a poor showing. The weather affected Brimfield,
+too, although she was not as susceptible to injury as the other team.
+Miter Hill was forever getting hurt, it seemed, and the audience which
+had braved a remorseless sun and a horde of blood-thirsty midges soon
+began to grumble.</p>
+
+<p>The game was further slowed down in the last two periods by the
+substitution of half the members of the second and third squads for the
+Maroon-and-Grey. Even Tom had a three or four-minute experience on the
+'varsity, something which he had long ceased hoping for, while Steve
+played nearly all of the fourth period at right end. He did very well,
+there, although Miter Hill was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[158]</a></span> too weak in all departments of the game
+to afford any of her opponents a fair test. Toward the last the contest
+degenerated into more or less of a farce, Miter Hill tuckered and played
+out, and Brimfield, with a line-up of third and fourth substitutes,
+fumbling and mixing signals and running around like a hen with her head
+off!</p>
+
+<p>By that time those who had remained so long began to view the game as
+what it really was, a comedy of errors, and got lots of fun out of it.
+When Peters, at centre, passed the ball at least two feet above the
+upstretched hands of Harris, who wanted to punt, and at least nine
+youths raced back up the field in pursuit of it, shoving, tripping,
+falling, rolling, and when it was Peters himself who finally dropped his
+one hundred and seventy-odd pounds on it, the onlookers rocked in their
+seats and applauded wildly. Later on another dash of humour was supplied
+when Carmine poised the ball for a forward pass only to discover that no
+one of his side was in position to take it. The quarter-back shouted
+imploringly, running back and across the field, dodging two or three of
+the enemy and by some miracle holding the ball out of harm's way all the
+while. When, at last, thoroughly desperate, he heard someone shout from
+across the field to throw the ball, he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[159]</a></span> threw it, and not until the
+catcher had reeled off twenty yards or more toward Brimfield's goal did
+Carmine discover that he had been cruelly deceived by the Miter Hill
+right end! Even Mr. Robey, who had been viewing the game rather grimly,
+had to swing on his heel to hide a smile at that fiasco. But, if the
+subs didn't do much in the way of attack, they at least held the enemy
+from crossing their line, and the weird contest at last came to a close
+with the one-sided score of 26 to 0.</p>
+
+<p>On Monday there was a fine shake-up, for the Miter Hill game, if it had
+not held any thrills, had at least shown up many faults, individual and
+otherwise. Several second squad men went to the first as substitutes,
+Fowler was shifted from left tackle to left guard on the first and two
+members of the third squad were advanced to the second. These latter
+were Freer, half-back, and Hall, guard. Tom was both surprised and
+delighted, while seriously doubting the coach's wisdom. Later, when he
+found that Steve had not secured promotion as well, most of his delight
+vanished.</p>
+
+<p>"I don't see why they put me on the second," he said, "and left you on
+the third. I don't play half the game you do, Steve."</p>
+
+<p>Steve tried hard to be gracious, but only partly<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[160]</a></span> succeeded. "I dare say
+they want guards and don't want ends," he replied. "Of course you've
+been doing good work, Tom, and deserve promotion and I'm awfully glad
+you've got it, but, just the same, I don't think I'm getting a square
+deal."</p>
+
+<p>"I don't either! I wish they'd left me alone and taken you on. Peters
+says Robey will be disbanding the third squad in a week or so, too. Of
+course they'll put you on the second before that, though."</p>
+
+<p>"I don't believe they will," replied Steve morosely. "I dare say I'll be
+dropped entirely. I thought I was getting on pretty well, but Marvin
+evidently doesn't think so. I'm getting kind of sick of it, anyway, Tom.
+I wish I'd stayed at home. I could have if I'd made a good hard kick."</p>
+
+<p>That was a hard week for the 'varsity, for Coach Robey had every man on
+the team, with the possible exceptions of Miller and Innes, guessing.
+Men came in from the second squad, were tried out and usually let go
+again. All sorts of shifts in the line and back-field were tried. On
+Wednesday, Eric Sawyer, who had been looked on as a fixture at right
+guard, found himself ousted by Gafferty, from the second, and a member
+of the "bench brigade." Sawyer didn't like that at all.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[161]</a></span> It was a
+terrific blow to his pride and self-esteem, and for many days he was
+like a bear with a sore head. As a matter of fact, although Sawyer
+didn't suspect it, his deposal was in the nature of a taste of
+discipline. Sawyer had been too certain of his place and had grown
+careless. At the end of a week he went back again, with the warning that
+he would have to show more than he had been showing if he was to stay
+there. It was while he was still decorating the bench, however, that
+Steve again fell foul of him.</p>
+
+<p>The unseasonably warm weather held well into the middle of October, and
+it was one evening a day or two after Sawyer's removal from the regular
+line-up that Steve and Tom, rather fagged from an hour's study in a
+close room, picked up Roy and Harry and went over to the gymnasium for a
+dip in the tank. The swimming tank was a favourite resort of the younger
+fellows between eight and ten at night, but, for some reason, the older
+boys seldom appeared there in the evenings. To-night, though, when the
+quartette, having changed into swimming trunks, reached the tank they
+found five upper-class fellows swinging their bare legs from the side of
+the pool and amusing themselves by criticising the antics of the
+youngsters. There was Eric Sawyer, Jay Fowler and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[162]</a></span> three others whom
+neither Steve nor Tom knew save by sight. The tank was well populated,
+for the warmth of the evening made the thought of cool water very
+agreeable, and there was much noise and splashing going on.</p>
+
+<p>Steve and Harry went in from the spring-board at the deeper end of the
+pool, while Tom and Roy dived from the floor. A couple of tennis balls
+were flying around in the tank and the newcomers were soon taking their
+parts in the fun. Presently the group of older fellows, having grown
+tired of guying the "kids," dived into the water. Getting possession of
+one of the balls, they tried to keep it to themselves, and soon there
+was a merry and good-natured battle on between the five big chaps on one
+side and the younger occupants of the tank on the other. The echoing
+room rang with laughter and excited cries as the contending sides swam
+and floundered for the possession of the tennis ball. The big chaps had
+their hands full, for they were outnumbered four to one, but age and
+strength counted for them and not infrequently a youngster, rather than
+undergo a ducking at ungentle hands, yielded the ball and swam away with
+squeaks of terror. But there were others who fought valiantly enough,
+taking punishment laughingly when it came and pressing<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[163]</a></span> the older
+fellows closely. Steve was one of the more daring of the enemy and never
+hesitated to dispute the possession of the ball with anyone. Once when
+it came skipping along half the length of the tank, he went after it
+hand over hand, only to miss it when Eric Sawyer reached it an instant
+ahead of him. Sawyer, grinning, drew back the hand holding the tennis
+ball.</p>
+
+<p>"Want it, kid?" he asked.</p>
+
+<p>Steve, guessing what was coming, dived, but he was not quick enough and
+the ball landed with a round smack on his right ear. A wet tennis ball,
+thrown from the distance of a few feet, is capable of hurting
+considerably, and Steve, dashing the water from his face, felt very much
+as though he had been kicked by a mule and had difficulty in keeping the
+tears from his eyes.</p>
+
+<p>"Get it?" laughed Sawyer.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, and so will you," gasped Steve. The ball lay bobbing about a yard
+away and he grabbed it. Sawyer turned and struck out across the tank,
+only his head above water. Steve, thoroughly angry, aimed at him,
+changed his mind and swam after him, to the awed delight of the others.
+Sawyer, thinking he had removed himself from danger, turned at the side
+of the tank to look back. The next thing he knew the ball struck him
+fairly on<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[164]</a></span> the nose, and, with a howl of pain and surprise, he
+disappeared under the water.</p>
+
+<p>"Swim, Edwards!" shrieked the youngsters. "He'll get you!"</p>
+
+<p>Steve did turn away, but it seemed too much like running and so he
+paused, treading water there, while the angry face of Sawyer popped into
+view again. The ball had bounded away and been captured by one of the
+youngsters, but Sawyer didn't look for it. With a leap he started toward
+Steve. The latter realised that Sawyer meant to wreak vengeance, and
+that the matter had got past the stage of fun. Here, it seemed, was a
+time when discretion was the better part of valour, and Steve dived.</p>
+
+<p>Fortunately, he was a good swimmer. Turning quickly under water, he
+raced toward the far end of the tank. Dimly he heard shouts and laughter
+above, but he didn't come to the surface until twenty long strokes had
+taken him far away from where Sawyer, at a loss, was casting about the
+middle of the tank for him. His reappearance was heralded by shouts of
+applause from the younger fellows, many of whom, scenting real trouble,
+had scrambled out of the water. Sawyer, warned of Steve's whereabouts,
+looked down the tank, saw him and started pell-mell after him.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[165]</a></span> Again
+Steve went under, swam cautiously toward the side until he could see the
+white tiles within reach and then edged back the way he had come. He
+tried to reach the shallow end of the tank before taking breath, but the
+effort was too great, and when he stuck his head out for an instant he
+found that those at the edge of the tank had been following his
+under-water progress and were shouting and laughing down at him from
+above. More than that, however, their interest had appraised Sawyer of
+his whereabouts, and even as Steve, blinking the water from his eyes and
+replenishing his lungs, looked about him, his pursuer almost reached
+him.</p>
+
+<p>Scorning concealment now, Steve made straight for the shallow end of the
+pool. Swimming like his was a revelation to many of those who saw it and
+a hearty burst of applause followed him all the way to the ladder, which
+he gained several yards in advance of Sawyer. Steve darted up the rungs
+and ran to the side of the tank, the fellows scattering out of his path.
+Sawyer pulled himself out of the water and followed, puffing with anger
+and exertion.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, let him go, Eric," advised Fowler. "You can't catch him."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, forget it," advised others.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[166]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>But Sawyer had no idea of forgetting it. "I'll break his silly head for
+him," he growled as he followed Steve around the edge. Then began a
+chase that was both exciting and amusing. Egged on by the laughing
+spectators the two boys raced around the pool, Steve managing to keep
+always one lap ahead, slowing down when Sawyer showed signs of faltering
+and sprinting when the older boy, gathering fresh energy, went on again.
+It was a stern chase with a vengeance and might have lasted all night or
+until one or the other dropped in his tracks had not one of Sawyer's
+comrades taken a hand in the game.</p>
+
+<p>Steve, breathing hard but good for many more circuits of the track, came
+trotting along one side of the pool where the youth in question stood
+with Fowler. There was a clear space of three feet between him and the
+edge, but just as Steve drew abreast the older chap stepped forward in
+his path, and Steve, trying to dodge around him, slipped on the tiling
+and fell sidewise into the water. Sawyer, with a grunt of triumph,
+plunged in from the opposite edge and was on Steve in a twinkling.</p>
+
+<p>"Now, you fresh kid," exclaimed Sawyer angrily, seizing Steve's neck in
+a big hand as soon<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[167]</a></span> as his head came up, "you're going to get what's
+coming to you!"</p>
+
+<p>Steve, battling for breath, gasping and gurgling, tried to wrench away,
+but the clasp on his neck was too strong for his efforts and down he
+went, squirming and struggling, until his head was under water. He
+managed to reach around and get a grip of Sawyer's bathing trunks, but
+that was small advantage. The big fellow had him at his mercy. Steve's
+head was throbbing when at last he was allowed to lift it out of the
+water again, gasping for breath. But the grip on his neck didn't relax.
+He was conscious that the laughter had died away, conscious of Sawyer's
+grinning face beside him, and then down he was plunged again without
+warning, just managing to draw a little breath into his aching lungs
+before the water closed over him. It seemed that his tormentor held him
+down longer this time, and when, at last, he found the lights in his
+eyes again and could breathe once more, he was ready to give up the
+struggle. He had long since released his hold on Sawyer's trunks, and
+now his hands were clasped desperately about the other boy's wrists. And
+yet when Sawyer's growling voice said in his ear, "Had enough, kid? Beg
+my pardon?" Steve managed to shake his head.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[168]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Want more, eh?" asked Sawyer. "All right, kid!" The clasp on his neck
+tightened again and he felt himself being once more thrust downward. And
+then, suddenly, he was free, and when, fighting his way back to the
+surface, he looked dazedly, there was Tom clinging to Sawyer's neck,
+thrashing and squirming.</p>
+
+<p>"You let him be, you big bully!" Tom was saying. "You let him be!"</p>
+
+<p>"Let go of my neck, you silly little fool!" gasped Sawyer, striving to
+break the boy's hold.</p>
+
+<p>"You let him be!" gurgled Tom, half-drowned but clinging like a limpet.
+"You let him be, you big bully!"</p>
+
+<p>Then the two went under and Steve, recovering his breath, wrenched them
+apart somehow and pulled poor Tom to the side of the tank. Sawyer,
+breathing with difficulty after Tom's choking grasp about his neck,
+floundered to the edge, got a sustaining grip on the rim of the tank and
+glared angrily at the two boys.</p>
+
+<p>"I'll get you for this, you smart Alecks," he declared chokingly.
+"You're too fresh, both of you. Don't you know better than to grab a
+fellow around the neck in the water, you fool kid?"</p>
+
+<p>But Tom was too far gone to answer. "That's<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[169]</a></span> what you did, isn't it?"
+Steve demanded. "That's a funny way to talk!"</p>
+
+<p>"It is, is it?" sneered Sawyer. "I'll show you something that is funny
+some time, and don't you forget it!"</p>
+
+<p>Still growling, he swam away toward the nearer ladder, while Steve, with
+Roy and Harry and others helping, lifted Tom out of the tank and then
+followed himself. Tom was very, very sick there for a minute and the
+younger fellows were properly sympathetic and indignant. Presently they
+half carried Tom back to the locker room and helped him into his
+clothes, and then, Roy and Harry in attendance, Steve conveyed him back
+to Billings and laid him on his bed, a very weak but now quite cheerful
+Tom.</p>
+
+<p>"He nearly drowned me, didn't he?" he asked with a grin. "But I choked
+him good, you bet! Bet you his old neck will be sore for a week,
+fellows!"</p>
+
+<p>"You want to keep away from him for awhile," said Harry with a direful
+shake of his head. "He's a mean chap when he's mad."</p>
+
+<p>"Huh!" grunted Tom. "So'm I!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[170]</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>CHAPTER XIV</h2>
+
+<h3>A LESSON IN TACKLING</h3>
+
+
+<p>One direct result of that affair in the tank was that Steve found
+himself something of a school celebrity because of his swimming prowess.
+Within a few days he had good-naturedly agreed to give instruction to
+some half-dozen acquaintances and might have taken on a half-dozen more
+had he had the time for it. But there was only an odd hour or two during
+the day for swimming and he soon found that, although he got a good deal
+of fun out of instructing the others, it was taking too much of his
+time. It was Roy's suggestion&mdash;Roy being one of the most enthusiastic
+pupils&mdash;that those who wanted instruction should be on hand at a given
+hour each day. The suggestion was adopted, and Edwards's Swimming Class
+soon became a recognised institution. Five o'clock was the hour set, at
+which time the tank was not much used, and Steve, having returned from
+football practice, donned swimming trunks and repaired to the pool where
+he usually found from four to a dozen boys awaiting him, since, by<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[171]</a></span>
+attending to them all at once, he could look after a dozen as easily as
+a few. Most of the pupils were boys of from thirteen to seventeen,
+although there were two older fellows in the class, Jay Fowler and
+Hatherton Williams. Both were Sixth Formers and both were football men.
+Mr. Conklin, the physical director, gave enthusiastic endorsement and
+encouragement. Brimfield had never supplied instruction in swimming,
+something which the director had long regretted, and Mr. Conklin, could
+he have had his way, would have made attendance at Steve's swimming
+class compulsory for the younger boys and so have instituted a new
+feature in the course of physical instruction. But Steve, willing to
+teach a few fellows who could already swim the finer points of the
+science, balked at teaching the rudiments to a half-hundred water-shy
+youths who would have to be coaxed and coddled. Mr. Conklin tried his
+best to persuade him, but Steve refused firmly.</p>
+
+<p>They had a whole lot of fun during that swimming hour. Fowler and a
+younger chap named Toll were the more accomplished performers in the
+class, barring Steve himself, and every session ended with several very
+earnest races in which Fowler, allowing Toll a five-yard handicap,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[172]</a></span>
+usually nosed out the younger boy in a contest of four times the length
+of the tank. Then there was generally a free-for-all, the fellows lining
+up on the edge of the pool, diving at the word from Steve and swimming
+to the further end, where, after touching the wall, they turned and
+hustled back to the start. Sometimes when football practice had been
+more than usually gruelling, Steve stayed out of the water and
+instructed from the floor, but more often he went in with the others and
+followed them in their practice swims. Naturally it was the fancy diving
+and the racing strokes that most of the fellows wanted to learn, but
+Steve, who had never in his life before tried to teach anyone anything,
+displayed a good deal of hard common-sense as an instructor and insisted
+that each of his pupils should master one thing thoroughly before taking
+up another. The result was that, barring one or two fellows who would
+probably in any case have failed to become expert swimmers, the class
+made really remarkable progress, and there came a time, although it was
+considerably later in the school year, when both Jay Fowler and
+Hatherton Williams could equal most of Steve's feats.</p>
+
+<p>Tom started with the class, wisely deciding after his experience with
+Eric Sawyer that the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[173]</a></span> ability to keep one's head out of water was a fine
+thing to have. But Tom was not cut out for a human fish and soon gave it
+up. Roy Draper learned fairly well. He tried to induce Harry to join the
+class, but Harry preferred to stay with Tom and look on from the floor.
+When winter set in, Steve's class increased in numbers until in January
+he was conducting the natatory education of more than two dozen fellows.
+It was Mr. Conklin who arranged for an exhibition the latter part of the
+winter and Steve was very proud of his pupils' work on that occasion. It
+was held one Saturday afternoon and everyone attended, including even
+"Josh," more formally known as Mr. Joshua Fernald, the principal. There
+was fancy diving and swimming, a short game of water polo and all kinds
+of races, beside which Steve showed some six or eight different strokes,
+swam the length of the tank under water and performed other quite
+startling feats to the delight of his audience. Mr. Fernald shook hands
+with him afterwards and said several very nice things. But all this is
+far beyond my story, and I am only telling of it because it led the
+following autumn to the installation of a swimming instructor at
+Brimfield and the addition of swimming to the list of "required studies"
+for the boys of the four<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[174]</a></span> lower forms. The instructor came to the school
+twice a week and put in two very busy hours there. So you see that
+fracas between Steve and Eric Sawyer that evening strangely enough
+resulted in important consequences and, since a knowledge of swimming is
+a most useful one, worked for good.</p>
+
+<p>But there were other consequences of that fracas as well, and I must get
+back to those. Larchville Academy followed Miter Hill on Brimfield's
+schedule and administered the first defeat of the season to the
+Maroon-and-Grey. It wasn't so much that Brimfield played poorly as that
+Larchville played unusually well. The visitors presented an aggregation
+of big, well-trained youths who, most of them having been on their team
+the previous year, were far in advance of Brimfield in the matter of
+season development. Larchville's performance was what one might expect
+in November, but scarcely looked for in the second week of October. Her
+men played together all the time and her team-work stood out in strong
+contrast to that of Brimfield, who had scarcely begun as yet to develop
+such a thing. The final score was 17 to 3, and the only consolation was
+found in the fact that Larchville's end of it might well have been much
+larger. Brimfield's three points came as the result of one really
+bril<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[175]</a></span>liant advance for half the length of the field followed by a neat
+place-kick by Williams. The rest of the game was very much Larchville,
+and Brimfield was on the defence most of the time.</p>
+
+<p>And, to give credit where it belongs, it was Eric Sawyer who, back in
+his position at right guard, held his side of the line firm on two
+anxious occasions when Larchville was striving to hammer out touchdowns
+under the shadow of her opponent's goal. On the whole, Brimfield played
+good football that day and no one justly came in for adverse criticism.
+Captain Miller, at left end, was spectacular under punts and played his
+usual hard, steady game. Innes at centre was impregnable until the final
+period. Williams, if a trifle weaker than his opponent, made up for it
+by scoring the three points for his side. Benson, at right end, was less
+successful than Captain Miller, but was good on the defence. The
+back-field, although inclined to go it "every man for himself," showed
+up well, especially when the enemy was in possession of the ball.
+Milton, the first-choice quarter-back, ran the team like a general,
+while Norton, the big full-back, proved the only consistent gainer
+through the line. In spite of the fact that she had met with defeat,
+Brimfield found encouragement in that contest, and, after the first<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[176]</a></span> few
+minutes of regrets, spent the rest of the day unstintedly praising her
+warriors.</p>
+
+<p>There was only light practice the following Monday for those who had
+taken part in the Saturday game, a fact which once more allowed Coach
+Robey to give a good deal of attention to the second and third squads.
+Steve was playing right end regularly now on the third, and Tom was
+alternating at left guard on the second. The third squad was now down to
+only eleven members, and when, after a hard hour of signal work and
+fundamentals, the second and third were lined up for a ten-minute
+scrimmage, Marvin had to borrow substitutes as needed from the second.
+There was no scoring that day, but there was an awful lot of hard work.
+Steve made one or two good plays down the field, but, as usual, was weak
+on stopping the runner when he reached him. After they were dismissed,
+Marvin stopped him as he was trotting off with the others.</p>
+
+<p>"I say, Edwards, are you very tired?" he asked.</p>
+
+<p>"N-no, I guess not," Steve replied.</p>
+
+<p>"Then I wish you'd stay out a few minutes and let me try to show you
+about tackling." Steve glanced distastefully at the dummy and doubtfully
+at Marvin. But the latter smiled and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[177]</a></span> shook his head. "Never mind the
+dummy, Edwards," he said. "We'll have our fun right here. I'm going to
+be the dummy and you're to stop me. Did they take all the balls away?
+Never mind, we'll imagine the ball. Now, first of all I'm going to show
+you how I'd handle you if you were the runner. Stand where you are,
+please."</p>
+
+<p>Marvin dropped in front of Steve and threw his arms about his legs just
+above the knees. "There's your position, Edwards," he explained. "You
+see I have my body in front of you. You've not only got to work against
+my grip around your legs but you've got to push against my weight and
+resistance. Try it."</p>
+
+<p>Steve did try it, but he could only shuffle an inch or two.</p>
+
+<p>"See?" asked Marvin. "Now, then, having tackled you, it's up to me to
+put you down. If I let you come forward of your own impetus you'll fall
+toward my goal, and by stretching out your arms you'll put the ball two
+yards nearer the goal than where you stand. Of course you wouldn't risk
+holding the ball at arms' length unless there was a possibility of
+getting it across a goal-line by doing it. But even if you hold the ball
+at your stomach you'll gain a yard by falling forward.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[178]</a></span> Now my play is
+to throw you the other way&mdash;like this!"</p>
+
+<p>With a heave Marvin sent Steve toppling backward, much to that youth's
+surprise. Marvin jumped lightly to his feet, held out a hand to the
+other and pulled him up.</p>
+
+<p>"See how it's done?" he asked cheerfully. "Now you try it. Never mind
+diving; just drop where you are on your hip. That's it! Swing your arms
+around tight! Higher up, though. Remember if you're playing end the
+rules prohibit you from tackling a runner below the knees. That's
+better. Now, then, over with me!"</p>
+
+<p>But it wasn't so easy. Marvin, smuggling an <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'imaginery'">imaginary</ins> ball in his arms,
+struggled and twisted and it was all Steve could do to keep him from
+gaining ground, to say nothing of throwing him back.</p>
+
+<div class="figright" style="width: 275px;">
+<img src="images/gs03.jpg" width="275" height="400" alt="&quot;Lift!&quot; instructed the quarter-back. &quot;Lift me up and yank my feet out from under me! Use your weight and throw me back!&quot;" title="&quot;Lift!&quot; instructed the quarter-back. &quot;Lift me up and yank my feet out from under me! Use your weight and throw me back!&quot;" />
+<span class="caption">&quot;Lift!&quot; instructed the quarter-back. &quot;Lift me up and yank my feet out from under me! Use your weight and throw me back!&quot;</span>
+</div>
+
+<p>"Lift!" instructed the quarter-back. "Lift me up and yank my feet out
+from under me! Use your weight and throw me back!"</p>
+
+<p>But in trying to lift the other, Steve allowed Marvin to slip past him
+and the quarter fell forward instead of backward.</p>
+
+<p>"Try again," said Marvin. "It's got to be all one motion, so to say,
+Edwards. Get your man, wrap your arms around him and heave. Some<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[179]</a></span>times
+you can't do better than stop him. If he's coming hard, you won't be
+able to put him back. He's got to be more or less erect to make that go.
+But do it whenever you can. Now, then, once more! Down you go! That's
+the stuff! Bully work! Don't be afraid of hurting me! <i>Put me back!</i>"</p>
+
+<p>Steve actually did it that time and was so pleased that he was grinning
+all over his face when Marvin scrambled to his feet again.</p>
+
+<p>"That was a lot better. Once get the idea fixed in your head, Edwards,
+and it'll come easy. You'll do it without a thought. Once more now, and
+put some ginger into it. Here I come!"</p>
+
+<p>Marvin walked a couple of steps forward, Steve dropped and gripped his
+knees, heaved and over went the quarter. A dozen times Marvin made him
+practise it, and then,</p>
+
+<p>"All right," he said. "Now I'm going to run toward you, Edwards. I'm
+going to get by you if I can, too. You've got to do your best to stop
+me. Don't try any flying tackles, and remember that you've got to have
+one foot on the ground when you get me. All right now!"</p>
+
+<p>Steve was glad they had the gridiron practically to themselves, for he
+cut a poor figure the first three times that he tried to reach the
+elusive quar<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[180]</a></span>ter-back. Once Marvin caught him with a straight arm and
+sent him toppling out of his path, once Marvin dodged him completely,
+twirling on one heel and darting past him beyond reach, and once the
+little quarter-back wrenched himself loose after being tackled. But the
+fourth time Steve was more successful, and after that he reached the
+runner every time even if he didn't always stop him short. Even when
+Steve had his arms gripped tightly about Marvin's knees, the latter was
+almost always able to somehow make another yard or two before he was
+willing to call "Down!" But Steve learned more in that half-hour than he
+had learned all the season, and when, after awhile, the two boys,
+panting and perspiring but satisfied with themselves, walked back to the
+gymnasium, Steve had the grace to thank Marvin.</p>
+
+<p>"That's all right," replied the other. "I knew you could play the game,
+Edwards, if you could once get the hang of making a decent tackle. And I
+knew, too, that the trouble with you was that you'd just sort of made up
+your mind that you couldn't learn, that you didn't understand what I've
+been trying to show you. There won't be any third squad after the middle
+of the week, Edwards, and if you hadn't shown something more than<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[181]</a></span>
+you've been showing in the tackling line I couldn't conscientiously have
+sent you up to the second."</p>
+
+<p>"That was mighty decent," muttered Steve.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, you mustn't take it as a personal favour, Edwards," answered
+Marvin with a smile, "although I'm glad to do it for you. You see, I
+don't want to let any good material get away. And I think you are good
+material, and if there was any possibility of your being of use to the
+second squad I wanted to get you there. Now, to-morrow we'll have
+another go at it, and the next day too, and every day until you can
+tackle a runner as well as you can handle a ball or play in the line. Is
+that a bargain?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes," replied Steve heartily. "And thanks, Marvin."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[182]</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>CHAPTER XV</h2>
+
+<h3>STEVE WINNOWS SOME CHAFF</h3>
+
+
+<p>Two days later the third squad ceased to be and all but four of its
+members retired to private life. Of those four, one was Steve. Steve
+went on to the second team as substitute end. With him went Carmine,
+Peters and Saunders, while from the second a batch of half-a-dozen
+youths disappeared. That was the eighteenth of October. The candidates
+who had survived this final cut were safe to finish the season out. Of
+them some twenty-four were on the 'varsity and sixteen on the second.
+The preliminary season was ended, and with the next game, that with
+Benton Military College, which was to be played at Hastings-on-Sound,
+the serious work might be said to begin.</p>
+
+<p>The second, under Brownell, became a separate aggregation, moved to its
+own training table in the dining-hall, had its own signals and practised
+on its own gridiron. It even had its own coach, for a graduate named
+Boutelle&mdash;soon shortened to "Boots"&mdash;appeared on the scene and took
+command. "Boots" was a rather large man of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[183]</a></span> thirty-odd years who had
+graduated from Brimfield before the days of football there. He had
+learned the game very thoroughly, however, at college, and was
+enthusiastically eager to impart his knowledge. He was a friend of Mr.
+Robey, and it was understood that he was giving his services as a favour
+to the head coach. But it was soon evident that he was thoroughly
+enjoying it, and he entered into his task with heart and soul. In fact
+he was so anxious to develop a good team that one of the first things he
+did was to unwittingly fall foul of the faculty. The third day there he
+announced that until further notice there would be morning practice
+between ten and twelve for all who could attend it. Morning practice
+lasted one day. Then faculty drew the attention of Mr. Boutelle to the
+rule which forbade the use of the athletic field to students during
+recitation hours. Mr. Boutelle was disgusted and tried to argue about it
+with the principal, but had to give in finally. But in spite of being
+required to limit practice to the afternoon hours, the second came fast
+and there were some very pretty games between it and the 'varsity in
+those days.</p>
+
+<p>Steve started in as a second choice right end, a chap named Sherrard
+having first claim to the position. Tom was plugging along at right
+guard<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[184]</a></span> and doing well. He was a trifle light for the place, but he was a
+steady player and a heady one and it took him less than a fortnight to
+oust his rival from the position. Tom was a surprise both to himself and
+to Steve. Steve had never taken his chum very seriously as a football
+player, probably because Tom was not the spectacular sort, but he was
+forced to acknowledge now that the latter had beaten him at his own
+game!</p>
+
+<p>The members of the second didn't see the Benton game for the reason that
+"Boots" wouldn't consider it at all. What, waste an afternoon looking on
+when they might be holding practice? Not if he knew it! But the absence
+of some sixteen members of the second team didn't keep Brimfield from
+being well represented at that contest, for most every other fellow in
+school journeyed across to Hastings-on-Sound with the 'varsity and
+witnessed a very good, if in one way unsatisfactory, game. For Brimfield
+and Benton tussled with each other through four ten-minute periods
+without a score. Perhaps Benton had slightly the better of the argument,
+although not many Brimfieldians would acknowledge it. At least, it is
+true that Benton came nearer to scoring than her adversary when, on
+Brimfield's five-yard line, she lost possession of the ball by a fumble.
+On the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[185]</a></span> other hand, Brimfield tried one field-goal from an impossible
+angle and missed.</p>
+
+<p>The next Monday, with several of the regulars out of the 'varsity
+line-up, the second won a 6 to 0 victory, and "Boots," choosing to
+ignore the 'varsity's weakness on that occasion, requested the second to
+observe what could be accomplished by making the most of their
+opportunities to practice! The fellows, quite as well pleased as their
+coach, although not taking to themselves so much credit as he accorded
+them, smiled, and said, "Yes, sir," very politely and winked amongst
+themselves. But they liked "Boots"; liked him for his enthusiasm and for
+the tireless energy he displayed in their behalf. If you can't make the
+'varsity it is at least something to be able to help develop it, and
+that is what the second was doing, very loyally and gladly. And when in
+the process of aiding in its development it was possible to beat it, the
+second shook hands with itself and was cock-o'-the-walk for days after!</p>
+
+<p>Steve, like most others on the second, had relinquished hope of getting
+on the 'varsity. A month ago he would have scornfully refused to
+consider anything less than a position on the first team, but Steve had
+had his eyes opened not a lit<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[186]</a></span>tle. There <i>was</i> a difference between the
+sort of football played by Brimfield and the kind played by the
+Tannersville High School team, and Steve now recognised the fact.
+Perhaps he secretly still thought himself deserving of a place on the
+'varsity&mdash;frankly, I think he did&mdash;but whereas a month ago he would not
+have hesitated to make the fact known, he had since learned that at
+Brimfield it was not considered good form to blow your own horn, as the
+saying is.</p>
+
+<p>But if he was disappointed at falling short of the final goal of his
+ambition, he was nevertheless having a very good time on the second.
+There was a lot of fine fellows there and the spirit of camaraderie was
+strong, and grew stronger as the season progressed. The second was
+perhaps almost as proud of their organisation as was the 'varsity of
+theirs, and when, the week after the Benton game, they once defeated and
+twice tied the other team, you might have thought they had vanquished
+Claflin, so haughty and stuck-up did they become!</p>
+
+<p>Steve played under a severe handicap that week, for once more he and
+"Uncle Sim" were at outs. With Mr. Daley's assistance and encouragement,
+and by a really earnest period of application on his own part, he had
+successfully weathered the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[187]</a></span> previous storm and had even been taken into
+Mr. Simkins' good graces. But football is a severe taskmaster, if one
+allows it to become such, and what with a strong desire to distinguish
+himself on the second&mdash;animated to some extent by the wish to show Mr.
+Robey what he had missed for the 'varsity&mdash;and a commendable effort to
+profit by Marvin's teaching, he had soon begun to ease up on his Greek
+and Latin, which were for him the most difficult of his courses. And now
+"Uncle Sim" was down on him again, as Steve put it, and on the eve of
+the Cherry Valley contest he was in a fair way to have trouble with the
+Office. Mr. Simkins' patience, perhaps never very long, was about
+exhausted. He had reason on his side, however, for Steve was by no means
+the only student who was in difficulties at that time. On Friday morning
+Mr. Simkins had indulged in sarcasm.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, well," he said, leaning back in his chair and folding his hands,
+"I dare say it is too much to require you young gentlemen to study when
+it is such fine weather for football. What a pity it is that lessons and
+play conflict, is it not, Wilson?"</p>
+
+<p>Wilson was too canny to make audible reply, however, and the instructor
+proceeded blandly.</p>
+
+<p>"I wonder if Mr. Fernald would postpone reci<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[188]</a></span>tations until after you
+have finished football for the year. I think I'll suggest it to him.
+For, really, you know, this sort of thing is only wasting my time; and
+yours too, young gentlemen, for you might be out kicking a
+leather-covered bag of wind around the ground instead of sitting here
+cudgelling your poor brains&mdash;eh? Let us say heads, rather. The evidence
+is too slight to warrant the use of the first word&mdash;cudgelling your
+heads, then, trying to 'fake' lessons you've never looked at. I
+sympathise with you deeply. I commiserate. I&mdash;I am almost moved to
+tears. My heart goes out to you, young gentlemen."</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Simkins looked so sad and woebegone that the older boys, who knew
+him well, trembled in their shoes. The room was very silent. With Mr.
+Simkins the storm was always in proportion to the calm, and the present
+calm was indeed portentous. The instructor fought for a moment with his
+emotions. Then he sighed.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, until we have permission to discard recitations, I presume we
+must go on with them, such as they are." His gaze roved sympathetically
+over the class, most of whom showed a strong desire to escape his
+attention. Finally, "Edwards," he said softly and, as it seemed to
+Steve, maliciously, "let us proceed with the dull and un<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[189]</a></span>timely lesson.
+Kindly translate the tiresome utterances of this ignorant man who
+preferred wisdom and eloquence to athletics and football, Edwards. You
+may begin where your&mdash;hm&mdash;brilliant predecessor regretfully left off.
+For the moment, pray, detach your thoughts from the verdant meadows and
+the sprightly football, Edwards. And&mdash;ah&mdash;don't, <i>please</i> don't tell me
+that you are not prepared. Somehow that phrase afflicts my ears,
+Edwards, and were you to make use of it I should, I fear, be driven
+to&mdash;ah&mdash;strong measures. Now, Edwards, if you will be so kind."</p>
+
+<p>Well, Steve was <i>not</i> prepared, as it happened, but he knew better than
+to say so, and, putting on an expression of confidence and pleasure as
+though Mr. Simkins had offered him the rarest of privileges, he plunged
+bravely into a paragraph of Cicero's Orations. But it was hard going and
+he was soon stumbling and hesitating, casting about desperately for
+words. A long, deep sigh travelled from the platform.</p>
+
+<p>"That will do, Edwards," said Mr. Simkins sorrowfully. "Your rendering
+is novel and interesting. It is, possibly, an improvement on the
+original matter, but the question very naturally arises, Edwards,
+whether we have the right to improve on Cicero. Of course he had his
+limita<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[190]</a></span>tions, Edwards, and his faults, and yet"&mdash;Mr. Simkins shook his
+head slowly and thoughtfully&mdash;"on the whole, Edwards, I think perhaps we
+should accept him as we find him, viewing his faults with a leniency
+becoming great minds, tolerating much, Edwards, for the sake of
+the&mdash;ah&mdash;occasional golden kernel to be detected in his mass of chaff by
+such giant intellects as yours. You <i>do</i> detect an occasional kernel of
+sense, Edwards?"</p>
+
+<p>Steve, miserably pretending a huge interest in the cover of his book,
+forebore to reply.</p>
+
+<p>"You don't?" Mr. Simkins seemed both pained and surprised. "But I assure
+you they are there, Edwards, few in number perchance, but really to be
+found. Perhaps&mdash;hm&mdash;perhaps it would be a pleasant, at all events a
+profitable, occupation for you to make an earnest search for them. If
+you will see me after class, Edwards, I shall esteem it a pleasure to
+indicate a few pages of chaff for you to winnow. Thank you. Pray be
+seated."</p>
+
+<p>That was why Steve was in anything but an enviable frame of mind that
+Friday evening. Mr. Simkins had pointed out exactly four pages of chaff
+for his winnowing, and the winnowing was to be done with pen and ink and
+the "occasional golden kernels" indicated by Steve on the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[191]</a></span> margin of his
+paper. Steve was angry and depressed.</p>
+
+<p>"What's the use of trying to get along with him?" he demanded of Tom.
+"He has it in for me, and even if I had every lesson down pat he'd be
+after me all the time just the same. If it wasn't for&mdash;for the team I'd
+quit right now."</p>
+
+<p>"Don't be a chump," replied Tom good-naturedly. "You know yourself,
+Steve, you haven't been studying lately."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, where's a fellow to get time to study?" asked Steve. "Look at
+what I have to do this evening!"</p>
+
+<p>"You won't do it if you don't sit down and get started," said his chum
+soothingly. "You tackle the other stuff and then I'll help you with that
+Latin. I guess we can get through it together."</p>
+
+<p>"It'll take me an hour to do those six pages," grumbled Steve. "I wish
+Simkins would choke!"</p>
+
+<p>Steve got by on Saturday, with difficulty, but had a hard time of it
+when the instructor requested him to give his reasons for selecting
+certain passages of the immortal Cicero as being worthy of especial
+commendation. The rest of the class found it very amusing, but Steve
+failed to discern any humour in the proceedings. Fortunately, Mr.
+Simkins was merciful and Steve's martyrdom was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[192]</a></span> of short duration. After
+that, for a few days at least, Steve's Latin was much better, if not the
+best.</p>
+
+<p>The game with Cherry Valley deserves only passing mention. Viewed
+beforehand as a severe test of the Brimfield team's defence, the contest
+proved a walkover for the Maroon-and-Grey, the final score standing 27
+to 6. Cherry Valley was weak in all departments of the game, and her
+single score, a touchdown made in the fourth period, was hammered out
+when all but two of the Brimfield players were first and second
+substitutes. Of Brimfield's tallies two were due to the skill of
+Hatherton Williams, who twice placed the pigskin over the bar for
+field-goals, once from the twenty-five yards and once from near the
+forty. The Brimfield backs showed up better than at any time in the
+season, and Norton and Kendall gained almost at will. There was still
+much to criticise and Mr. Robey was far from satisfied with the work of
+the eleven as a whole, but the school in general was vastly pleased.
+Coming a week after that disappointing 0 to 0 game with the military
+academy, the Cherry Hill game was decidedly encouraging.</p>
+
+<p>So far Erie Sawyer had treated both Steve and Tom with silent contempt
+whenever he encoun<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[193]</a></span>tered them, although his scowls told them that they
+were by no means forgiven. Naturally, since Eric was on the 'varsity and
+the two chums on the second, they saw each other practically every
+afternoon on the field or in the gymnasium. But it wasn't difficult to
+avoid a real meeting where so many others were about. Roy Draper
+pretended to think that Eric was only biding his time, waiting for an
+opportunity to murder the two in cold blood, and delighted to draw
+gruesome pictures of the ultimate fate of his friends.</p>
+
+<p>"I guess what he will really do," he said on the Sunday afternoon
+following the Cherry Valley game when he and Harry Westcott were in
+Number 12 Billings, "is to decoy you both over to the Sound some fine
+day and drown you."</p>
+
+<p>"Just how will he manage it?" asked Tom, who was tumbling everything in
+the room about in his search for a mislaid book.</p>
+
+<p>"He will probably tie heavy weights to your necks and drop you into a
+deep hole in the ocean," replied Roy promptly. "Then you will be eaten
+by sharks."</p>
+
+<p>"And what would we be doing all the time he was tying the weights to
+us?" asked Steve sarcastically.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[194]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Nothing, because he'd chloroform you first," returned Roy triumphantly,
+much pleased with his readiness. "You'd be insensible."</p>
+
+<p>"Meaning without sense," murmured Harry. "It wouldn't take much
+chloroform."</p>
+
+<p>"Huh! Don't you talk!" said Steve. "You'll never have brain-fever!"</p>
+
+<p>"Ha!" scoffed Harry. "Sarcasm, the refuge of small intellects!"</p>
+
+<p>"Come on," said Tom. "It's nearly three-thirty. Bother Sawyer, anyway.
+He's not troubling me any."</p>
+
+<p>"That's all right," replied Roy, as he got up from the window-seat, "but
+when you wake up some fine morning and find yourself bathed in your own
+life's blood you'll wish you'd listened to me."</p>
+
+<p>"I can't help listening to you. You talk all the time. Besides, I
+shouldn't call it a fine morning if I woke up dead. I&mdash;I'd think it was
+a very disagreeable day! Are you coming, Steve?"</p>
+
+<p>"I suppose so," replied Steve with a groan. "I wish practice was in
+Halifax, though. I'm tired to-day." He got up from his bed, on which he
+had been lying in defiance of the rules, and stretched himself with a
+yawn.</p>
+
+<p>"You'll be tireder when the first gets through with us," said Tom
+grimly. "Robey will sick all<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[195]</a></span> his subs on us to-day, I guess; and subs
+always think they have to kill you just to show how good they are."</p>
+
+<p>"If anyone tries any funny-business with me to-day he will get in
+trouble," growled Steve as he pulled his cap on and followed the others
+through the door. "I just hope someone will try it on!"</p>
+
+<p>Tom's prediction proved correct. The first-string men were given easy
+practice and faced the second for only ten minutes in scrimmage. Then
+they were trotted off to the gymnasium and the 'varsity substitutes took
+their places. Steve relieved Sherrard at right end in the second period
+and played so poorly that he received more than one "calling-down" by
+"Boots." His temper seemed to be in a very ragged condition to-day, and
+he and Lacey, who played at left tackle on the first, got into several
+rumpuses in which hands were used in a manner not countenanced by the
+rules of football. Finally, Steve was sent off to make way for a second
+substitute, who played the position so well during the few minutes that
+remained that Steve became even more disgruntled. When practice was over
+he joined Tom, Roy and Harry&mdash;the latter pair having watched proceedings
+from the stand&mdash;and made his way to the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[196]</a></span> gymnasium in a very poor state
+of mind. Roy, who didn't believe in humouring folks, tried to twit Steve
+on his "scrapping" with Lacey, but Steve flared up on the instant and
+Roy was glad to change the subject. After that, Steve was gloomily
+silent until the gymnasium was reached.</p>
+
+<p>As chance had it, the first-string fellows had just completed dressing
+and begun to leave the building as the others arrived there, and Steve,
+leading the way through the big door, collided with a boy who was on his
+way out. There was really plenty of room for the two to pass each other,
+but Steve was not in a frame of mind to give way to anyone and the
+result was that the other chap received the full force of Steve's
+shoulder.</p>
+
+<p>"Who are you shoving?" demanded an angry voice.</p>
+
+<p>Steve turned and confronted Eric Sawyer. "Don't take all the room if you
+don't want to be shoved," answered Steve <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'belligerantly'">belligerently</ins>. Eric was
+accompanied by a younger fellow, who instantly withdrew to the safety of
+the further side of the hall. "You're too big, anyway," continued Steve.
+Tom and the others, at his heels in the open doorway, gasped and stared
+at Steve in amazement. Eric's countenance depicted a similar emotion for
+an instant, and I think he, too,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[197]</a></span> gasped. Then he sprang forward and
+gave Steve a push that sent him staggering away from the door.</p>
+
+<p>"You fresh kid!" he growled. "You keep out of my way after this or
+you'll get hurt. I've stood about all of your nonsense I mean to!"</p>
+
+<p>Steve leaped back with clenched hands and flashing eyes, but Harry
+stepped between, while Tom and Roy caught hold of Steve.</p>
+
+<p>"That'll be about all, Sawyer," said Harry quietly. "You can't fight a
+fellow a head smaller than you, you know."</p>
+
+<p>"Don't you butt in," growled Eric. "I don't intend to fight him, but
+I'll give him a mighty good spanking if he bothers me any more. Come on,
+Whipple."</p>
+
+<p>Steve, struggling against the grasps and pleas of Tom and Roy, strove to
+get between Eric Sawyer and the door. "Spank me, will you?" he said
+angrily. "You let me be, you fellows! Take your hands off me! I'll show
+him he can't push me around!"</p>
+
+<p>"I won't push you the next time," laughed Eric contemptuously. "I'll
+turn you over my knee! You, too, you other freshie." He glared at Tom,
+but Tom was too busy with Steve to make<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[198]</a></span> reply. "You want to both of you
+keep away from me after this."</p>
+
+<p>And, with a final scowl, Eric went out, followed by his companion who
+ventured a weak and ingratiating smile as he passed. By that time the
+hall was half-full of curious spectators, and Steve, finding his enemy
+gone, allowed himself to be conducted to the stairway.</p>
+
+<p>"I'm not through with him yet," he declared. "I'll teach him to push me
+around like that!"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, cut it!" said Roy disgustedly. "Don't be a silly ass, Steve. You
+began it yourself and you got what was coming to you. A nice fight you
+would put up against Sawyer!"</p>
+
+<p>"It's no affair of yours," replied Steve hotly. "No one asked you to
+butt in on it, anyway. You too, Tom! The next time you keep out of my
+affairs. Do you understand?"</p>
+
+<p>Tom said nothing, but Roy shrugged his shoulders as they entered the
+locker room. "If you want to make a fool of yourself, all right, Steve.
+I won't interfere again. Don't worry."</p>
+
+<p>"I'm no more of a fool than you are," responded Steve. "You fellows make
+me sick. Just because Sawyer's a little bigger, you let him kick you all
+over the shop."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[199]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"He's never kicked me," drawled Harry. "But if he tried to I'd run. I
+may not be a hero, but I know what's what! Put your head under the cold
+water tap, Steve."</p>
+
+<p>Steve replied to that advice with a scowl, and Harry and Roy turned back
+to make their way upstairs again and across to Torrence.</p>
+
+<p>"He acted like a silly kid," said Roy crossly.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, he was in a beast of a temper to-day, anyway. Wonder what's the
+matter with him. He's like a bear with a sore head. He had pluck to
+stand up to Sawyer, though. I'd have run."</p>
+
+<p>"So would he, probably, if he hadn't been so mad," chuckled Roy. "You
+can be awfully brave if you get mad enough!" Then he added more
+seriously: "Sawyer will get him some day surely, after this."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, Sawyer isn't as bad as he's painted, I guess," replied Harry. "The
+trouble with Steve is that he's pig-headed or something."</p>
+
+<p>"He fancies himself a bit," said Roy. "He will get over it after he's
+been here longer. You can't help liking him, though, and I'll be sorry
+if he gets out."</p>
+
+<p>"Why should he get out?" asked Harry in surprise.</p>
+
+<p>Roy shrugged. "Maybe he won't, but he will<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[200]</a></span> if he doesn't get a hunch
+and buckle down to study. 'Uncle Sim' has got it in for him hard. Some
+fine day Steve will get an invitation to the Cottage, Josh will tell him
+a few things, Steve will get lumpy and&mdash;good-night! You see if it
+doesn't turn out that way."</p>
+
+<p>"Why the dickens doesn't he study, then?" grumbled Harry. "He's got
+brains enough."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, sure, he's got the brains," answered Roy as he held open the door
+at Torrence, "but he hasn't discovered yet that there's someone else to
+think of besides Steve. If he doesn't want to do a thing he
+won't&mdash;unless he's made to. Look at the way he played to-day! Just
+because he felt lumpy he didn't think it was worth while to do anything
+but scrap with that other chap. Folks won't stand for that very long and
+some day Steve will wake up with a bang!"</p>
+
+<p>"You going over to swim?" asked Harry when they had reached their room.</p>
+
+<p>Roy shook his head gently. "Not this afternoon, I think, thanking you
+just the same. I'd be afraid Steve would pull me under water and drown
+me!" Roy chuckled as he seated himself and, thrusting his hands in his
+trousers pockets, surveyed his shoes smilingly. "Poor old Steve! He's in
+for a heap of trouble, I guess, before he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[201]</a></span> gets ready to settle down as
+a useful member of our charming little community."</p>
+
+<p>"Seems to me," said Harry, "about the best thing you do to-day is
+predict trouble for folks. You're as bad as What's-his-name's raven; you
+croak."</p>
+
+<p>"The gentleman's name was Poe," returned Roy sweetly. "But perhaps
+you've never studied American literature."</p>
+
+<p>"I thought Poe was a football hero at Princeton or somewhere," laughed
+Harry. "What did he ever do for American literature?"</p>
+
+<p>"American history was more in his line," replied Roy. "Football history.
+Find your ball and let's go down and pass. I won't croak a single,
+solitary croak, old thing."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[202]</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>CHAPTER XVI</h2>
+
+<h3>MR. DALEY IS OUT</h3>
+
+
+<p>The reason for Steve's ill-temper was the receipt that morning of a
+letter from his father. Mr. Edwards wrote that he had just been informed
+by the principal that Steve's work was far from satisfactory. "He tells
+me," wrote Mr. Edwards, "that your general attitude toward your studies
+is careless and that in Latin especially you are not keeping up with
+your class. Now I can't be worried by this sort of thing. I give you
+fair warning that if you don't mend your ways you'll be taken out of
+school and put to work here in the office, and there won't be any more
+talk about college. If Mr. Fernald had said you were not able to do the
+work, that would be another thing, but he distinctly accuses you of not
+trying and not caring. I suppose the whole amount of the matter is that
+you're paying too much attention to football. If I get another complaint
+about you this year I shall write Mr. Fernald to forbid you to play
+football or any other game until you show that you mean business. If
+that doesn't bring you<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[203]</a></span> around I shall take you out of school. Fair
+warning, Steve."</p>
+
+<p>Steve knew his father well enough to be certain that he would do just as
+he threatened, and the future looked particularly dark to him that day.
+Of course, if he had plenty of time he could master his Latin&mdash;and his
+Greek, which was troubling him less but was by no means a favourite
+course&mdash;as well as any other study, he told himself. But there was so
+much to be done! And try as he might, he could never seem to find time
+enough for study. If he gave up football it would, perhaps, be easy
+enough, but, he asked himself bitterly, what was the good of going to
+school and doing nothing but study? What was the good of knowing how to
+play football if he wasn't to have a chance to use his knowledge? It was
+all the fault of the faculty. It tried to get too much work out of the
+fellows in too short a time. But these reflections didn't help his case
+any. It was up to him to make good with Latin. Otherwise his father
+would write to Josh, as he threatened, and there'd be no more football.
+If he could get through the next month, by which time the football
+season would be at an end, it would be all right. After that he could
+give more time to lessons. He might, too, he told himself, give up those
+swim<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[204]</a></span>ming lessons. But they came at an hour when it was terribly hard to
+get a fellow's mind down to study. And, besides, he enjoyed those
+lessons. The only thing to do was to stay at home in the evenings and
+keep his nose in his books. Tom didn't have much trouble, he reflected,
+and why should he? Sometimes he got thoroughly angry with Tom for the
+ease with which that youth mastered lessons!</p>
+
+<p>To make matters worse, just at that time, there was due the last of the
+week an original composition in French, designed by Mr. Daley as a test
+for the class. French did not bother Steve much, although this was
+partly due to the fact that Mr. Daley had been very lenient with him,
+knowing that he was having trouble in the classical courses. But writing
+an original composition in French was a feat that filled Steve with
+dismay. What the dickens was he to write about? Mr. Daley had announced
+that the composition must contain not less than twelve hundred words.
+That approximated six pages in a blue-book. Steve sighed, frowned, shook
+his head and finally shrugged his shoulders. After all, there was no use
+worrying about that yet. There still remained three days for the
+composition, and the most important thing now was to make a showing<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[205]</a></span> in
+Latin. French could wait. If he didn't find time for the
+composition&mdash;well, Mr. Daley was easy! He'd get by somehow!</p>
+
+<p>So Steve pegged away hard at his Latin for several days and made a very
+good showing, and Mr. Simkins, who had been contemplating harsh
+measures, took heart and hoped that further reports to the principal
+would be unnecessary. But what with Latin and Greek and mathematics and
+history and English, that French composition was still unwritten when
+Thursday evening arrived. It had been a hard day on the gridiron and
+Steve was pretty well fagged out when study hour came. He had told
+himself for several days that at the last moment he would buckle down
+and do that composition, but to-night, with a hard lesson in geometry
+staring him in the face, the thing looked impossible. Across the study
+table, Tom was diligently digging into Greek, his French composition
+already finished and ready to be handed in on the morrow. Steve looked
+over at him enviously and sighed. He hadn't an idea in his head for that
+composition! After a while, when he had spoiled two good sheets of paper
+with meaningless scrawls, he pushed back his chair. There was just one
+course open. He would go down and tell Mr. Daley that he couldn't do it!
+After all, "Hor<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[206]</a></span>ace" was a pretty reasonable sort of chap and would
+probably give him another day or two. In any case, it was impossible to
+do the thing to-night. He glanced at his watch and found that the time
+was ten minutes to eight. Tom looked up inquiringly as Steve's chair
+went back.</p>
+
+<p>"I'm going down to see 'Horace,'" said Steve. "I can't do that French
+composition, and I'm going to tell him so. If he doesn't like it, he may
+do the other thing."</p>
+
+<p>Tom made no reply, but he watched his chum thoughtfully until the door
+had closed behind him. Then he dug frowningly for a moment with the nib
+of a pen in the blotter and finally shook his head and went back to his
+book.</p>
+
+<p>When Steve was half-way between the stairwell and Mr. Daley's door, the
+latter opened and Eric Sawyer came out. Steve was in no mood to-night to
+pick a quarrel and he passed the older fellow with averted eyes, dimly
+aware of the scowl that greeted him. When he knocked at the instructor's
+door there was no reply and, after a moment, Steve turned the knob and
+entered. At the outer door Eric had paused and looked back.</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Daley's study was lighted but empty. Satisfying himself on the
+latter point, Steve turned<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[207]</a></span> to go out. Then, reflecting that, since the
+instructor had left the lights on, he was probably coming right back, he
+decided to await him. He seated himself in a chair near the big
+green-topped table. Almost under his hand lay a blue-book, and in idle
+curiosity Steve leaned forward and looked at it. On the white label in
+the upper left-hand corner he read: "French IV. Carl W. Upton. Original
+composition." Steve viewed that blue-book frowningly, envying Upton
+deeply. Upton, whom he knew by sight, was the sort of fellow who always
+had his lessons and who was forever being held up by the instructor to
+the rest of the course as a shining example of diligence. He roomed on
+the floor above Steve. It was, Steve reflected, just like Upton to get
+his composition done and hand it in in advance of the others. He
+wondered what sort of stuff Upton had written, and lifted the blue-book
+from the table.</p>
+
+<p>"En Revanche!" he read as he turned to the first page. His lip curled.
+That was a silly title. He dipped into the story. It was something about
+a French soldier accused of cowardice by an officer. Steve, puzzling
+through the first page, grudgingly acknowledged that Upton had written
+pretty good stuff. But his interest soon waned, for some of the words
+were beyond him, and he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[208]</a></span> idly tossed the book back on the table. He
+wished, though, that that was his composition and not Upton's. He
+wondered if Mr. Daley had seen it. Somehow the position of the book, in
+the geometrical centre of the big writing-pad, suggested that Upton had
+found the instructor out and had left the book. If he had that book
+upstairs it wouldn't be hard to copy the composition out in his own
+hand-writing. It would be a whole lot like stealing, but&mdash;&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>Steve looked fascinatedly at the book for a minute. Then his hand went
+out and he was once more turning the pages of neat, close writing. Of
+course, he wouldn't really do a thing like that, but&mdash;well, it would
+solve a mighty big problem! And what a hole that self-sufficient Upton
+would be in! He couldn't prove that he had left the book in Mr. Daley's
+study, at least not unless the instructor had seen it there; and somehow
+Steve was pretty sure he hadn't. Of course a decent chap wouldn't do a
+trick like that, only&mdash;well, it would certainly be easy enough!</p>
+
+<p>Upstairs, Tom was still deep in his Greek, but he looked up as Steve
+came in. "Find him?" he asked.</p>
+
+<p>Steve shook his head. "No, he was out. I&mdash;I'll go down again." Instead
+of reseating him<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[209]</a></span>self at the table, he fidgetted aimlessly about the
+room, looked out the window, sat down on the seat, got up again, went to
+the closet, returned to the table and stood looking down on Tom with a
+frown. Tom closed his book with a sigh of relief and met his chum's
+gaze.</p>
+
+<p>"Going to tackle that composition now?" he asked encouragingly.</p>
+
+<p>"I guess so," answered Steve carelessly. "Are you through?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes. I think I'll run over to Harry's a minute. I suppose you won't
+come."</p>
+
+<p>"Not likely, with this pesky thing to do." Steve sank into his chair,
+picked up a pencil and drummed irritably on the table. "Maybe, though,"
+he went on after a moment, "I'll get up early and do it. I don't feel
+much like it to-night."</p>
+
+<p>"Just the same," returned Tom as he picked up his cap, "I'd do it
+to-night if I were you and get it over with."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, if you were me you'd had it done a week ago Tuesday," replied Steve
+with vast sarcasm. "I guess I'll go along."</p>
+
+<p>"How about your math?" asked Tom doubtfully.</p>
+
+<p>Steve shrugged. "I'll get by," he answered.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[210]</a></span> "Anyway, I don't intend to
+stay cooped up here all the evening. I'll have a go at it when I get
+back, maybe."</p>
+
+<p>"We-ell." Tom looked as though he wanted to advise against that course,
+but he didn't. Instead, "Do you mind waiting for me a minute?" he asked.
+"I want to run down and ask Mr. Daley about something, if he's back. Do
+you want to see him if he's there? I'll whistle up to you if you like."</p>
+
+<p>Steve shook his head indifferently. "I'll see him when we come back," he
+answered. "Hurry up."</p>
+
+<p>Tom was back in two or three minutes. "Still out," he announced as he
+put back on the table the French book he had taken with him. "He's
+getting a bit dissipated, I'm afraid, staying out after eight!"</p>
+
+<p>"There's a faculty meeting to-night, I think," responded Steve. "Are you
+ready?"</p>
+
+<p>He found his cap and followed Tom. In the corridor the latter glanced
+back. "Better turn out the light," he said. "They've been after the
+fellows lately about leaving it burning."</p>
+
+<p>Grumblingly Steve stepped back and snapped the switch. "Who's monitor
+here, anyhow?" he asked.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[211]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Upton," answered Tom. "And they say he's right on his job, too."</p>
+
+<p>"He would be," growled the other. "He's a regular teacher's pet." As
+they went down the stairs Steve said: "I came across Eric Sawyer in the
+hall when I went down to find 'Horace'."</p>
+
+<p>"Really?" asked Tom. "Did he&mdash;say anything?"</p>
+
+<p>"No. I didn't want any trouble with him to-night and so I made believe I
+didn't see him."</p>
+
+<p>"That's the stuff," Tom approved. "I guess if we leave him alone he
+won't bother us."</p>
+
+<p>"I'm likely to bother him before I get through with him," replied Steve
+darkly as they left the building. "He can't shove me around as he did
+and get away with it!"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, come, Steve!" expostulated Tom patiently. "You know very well you
+shoved him first. What's the use of being sore about that?"</p>
+
+<p>"He bumped into me," denied Steve. "I didn't shove."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, you gave a mighty good imitation of it," replied Tom drily.
+"Seems to me it was about an even thing, and I'd forget it, Steve."</p>
+
+<p>"Maybe you would," muttered Steve, "but I don't intend to."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[212]</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>CHAPTER XVII</h2>
+
+<h3>THE BLUE-BOOK</h3>
+
+
+<p>It was almost half-past nine when they got back to the room. An hour in
+the society of Roy and Harry had done wonders for Steve's spirits, and
+on the way upstairs he cheerfully announced that he intended to tackle
+that geometry before he went to bed. As Tom switched the light on,
+Steve's glance encountered a piece of paper on the floor. It had
+evidently been slipped in under the door.</p>
+
+<p>"Who's this from?" he muttered as he bore it to the table. "Someone was
+too lazy to open the door and come in."</p>
+
+<p>"What is it?" asked Tom, bending over Steve's shoulder.</p>
+
+<p>"It's from that idiot Durkin," chuckled the latter. "'Got just what you
+fellows need. Shoe-blacking stand, two brushes, all complete. Cheap.
+Come and see it. P. Durkin.'"</p>
+
+<p>"A shoe-blacking stand!" laughed Tom. "Say, he must have seen your
+shoes, Steve."</p>
+
+<p>"Must have seen yours, you mean!" Steve crumpled the note up and dropped
+it in the basket<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[213]</a></span> under the table. "I guess we don't want any more of
+Mr. Durkin's bargains."</p>
+
+<p>"Still, this 'Morris' chair turned out pretty well," said Tom, settling
+himself in it with a book. "And perhaps if we had that thing you'd keep
+your shoes looking better."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, there's one thing about my shoes," returned Steve good-naturedly,
+"and that is the heels are blacked. Which is more than you can say of
+yours, my smart young friend."</p>
+
+<p>Tom was about to deny the imputation when footsteps sounded in the
+corridor and there came a knock on the door.</p>
+
+<p>"Come in," said Tom very politely. That step could only be Mr. Daley's,
+he thought. And when the door opened he found his surmise correct. Mr.
+Daley looked more nervous and embarrassed than usual as he entered.</p>
+
+<p>"Good-evening, boys," he said. "I&mdash;er&mdash;I wonder if I might speak to you
+just a moment, Edwards."</p>
+
+<p>"Certainly, sir."</p>
+
+<p>"I'll get out, Mr. Daley," said Tom, rising.</p>
+
+<p>"Er&mdash;well, if you don't mind, Hall; just for a minute. Thank you so
+much."</p>
+
+<p>Tom went out, closing the door behind him, and Mr. Daley cleared his
+throat.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[214]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Will you sit down, sir?" asked Steve.</p>
+
+<p>"Er&mdash;thanks, yes, just for a minute. I&mdash;er&mdash;I believe you called this
+evening when I was out, Edwards."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir, about eight."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, yes. Sorry I was not in. I wonder if&mdash;if you happened to see a
+blue-book on my table when you were there, Edwards."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir, there was one there," replied Steve after an instant's
+hesitation.</p>
+
+<p>"Ah, then Upton was not mistaken. He says he left one. Unfortunately, I
+am not able to find it, Edwards. You&mdash;er&mdash;you don't happen to know where
+it is, Edwards?"</p>
+
+<p>"I, sir!" Steve's tone was incredulous. "Why, no, Mr. Daley. It was on
+the table when I left, and&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Er&mdash;just a moment!" Mr. Daley held up a hand, smiling nervously. "I
+don't mean to suggest that you carried the book off intentionally,
+Edwards, but it occurred to me that possibly you might have&mdash;er&mdash;taken
+it up by mistake, absentmindedly, so to say, and&mdash;er&mdash;brought it up here
+with you."</p>
+
+<p>"No, sir, I didn't." Steve looked at the instructor questioningly. "I
+don't see why you'd imagine that, sir, either."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[215]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Er&mdash;well, I knew&mdash;that is, someone told me that you were in my room,
+Edwards, and I thought&mdash;that possibly&mdash;quite by accident&mdash;you
+had&mdash;er&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"I was in your room, Mr. Daley, and I waited two or three minutes for
+you; maybe longer; and the blue-book was on the table when I went in and
+it was there when I came out."</p>
+
+<p>"You&mdash;you had a blue-book in your hand, however, did you not, when
+you&mdash;er&mdash;left?"</p>
+
+<p>"A blue-book? No, sir."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh! That is strange, Edwards. You are certain you didn't take down a
+blue-book of your own and bring it back again?"</p>
+
+<p>"Absolutely sure, sir."</p>
+
+<p>"But&mdash;er&mdash;someone saw you leave my room, Edwards, with a blue-book in
+your hand."</p>
+
+<p>Steve flushed and his voice held an angry tremor as he answered:
+"Someone was mistaken, Mr. Daley, whoever he was. Seems to me, sir, if
+the book is missing, you'd better ask that 'someone' about it."</p>
+
+<p>"Um; yes; maybe." Mr. Daley blinked embarrassedly. "I&mdash;er&mdash;I thought
+that perhaps you had brought down your French composition and had
+possibly, in leaving, taken up Upton's book with your own by mistake.
+You<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[216]</a></span>&mdash;er&mdash;you're quite sure that didn't happen, Edwards?"</p>
+
+<p>"I'm positive, because I haven't done my composition, sir."</p>
+
+<p>"Haven't done it?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, sir," replied Steve a trifle defiantly.</p>
+
+<p>"But&mdash;er&mdash;it's pretty late, and you know they are to be handed in
+to-morrow, Edwards. You are having trouble with it?"</p>
+
+<p>"I&mdash;I haven't started it yet. I&mdash;I just can't do it, Mr. Daley. I never
+could do original things like that. That's why I went down to see you. I
+wanted to ask if you'd let me have a couple more days for it. You see,
+sir, I've been having a pretty hard time with Latin, and&mdash;and there
+hasn't been any time for the composition, sir."</p>
+
+<p>"I see." Mr. Daley viewed Steve dubiously. "I'm sorry, Edwards. I'm
+afraid you are not&mdash;er&mdash;trying very hard to accomplish your work these
+days."</p>
+
+<p>"I am trying, sir, but&mdash;but the Latin&mdash;" Steve hesitated. "Mr. Simkins
+is awfully hard on me, Mr. Daley, and&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"And I am not?" Mr. Daley smiled sadly. "And so you thought you'd trust
+to my&mdash;er&mdash;good-nature, eh? Really, Edwards, you are asking a good deal,
+you know. You've had nearly<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[217]</a></span> ten days for that composition; a scant
+twelve hundred words on any subject you liked; and it seems to me that
+if you had really wanted to do it you could have found the time. I don't
+want to be hard on you, but&mdash;er&mdash;I'm afraid I shall have to insist on
+your handing in that composition not later than to-morrow noon. I have
+been very lenient with you, Edwards, very. You&mdash;er&mdash;you must see that
+yourself. But&mdash;er&mdash;this sort of thing can't go on all the term. You
+really must get down to work."</p>
+
+<p>"If I could have another day for it," begged Steve, "I could get it
+done, sir."</p>
+
+<p>"You have had ten days already; to be exact, nine and a half, Edwards. I
+don't think I should make any exception in your case. I'm sorry."</p>
+
+<p>Steve stared at his shoes, a somewhat mutinous expression on his face.
+After a moment, "It isn't fair to say I'm not trying," he broke out. "I
+<i>am</i> trying, but things are too hard here. They ask too much work of a
+fellow. Why, if I was to get B's in all my courses I'd have to study
+eight hours a day! A fellow wants to do something beside stick in his
+room and grind, Mr. Daley. He wants to get out and&mdash;and play sometimes.
+If you're on the football team you don't have any<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[218]</a></span> time in the
+afternoons and then, when evening comes, you're tired and sleepy."</p>
+
+<p>"But you have time between recitations in the morning, Edwards, to do
+some studying, do you not? Other boys manage to both work and play. Why
+can't you? Look at your room-mate. I believe that he is&mdash;er&mdash;on one of
+the football teams. He seems to get his lessons fairly well. I presume
+that he has written his composition?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir."</p>
+
+<p>"Of course. It is probably here somewhere." Mr. Daley's eyes inspected
+the pile of books at his elbow, and the corner of a blue-book met his
+gaze. "This is doubtless it." He drew it forth. "It doesn't look such a
+herculean task, Edwards. Here are seven pages, rather more than
+required, I'd say, and&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Daley ceased abruptly, and, after a moment, Steve, who had been
+gloomily regarding the floor, looked across. The instructor was
+observing him strangely.</p>
+
+<p>"Do you know whose book this is, Edwards?" he asked.</p>
+
+<p>"I suppose it's Tom's. It isn't mine," he added moodily.</p>
+
+<p>"It is Carl Upton's."</p>
+
+<p>"Carl&mdash;&mdash;" Steve stared bewilderedly.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[219]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"It seems that you must have&mdash;er&mdash;taken it after all, Edwards."</p>
+
+<p>"But I didn't, sir! Tom will tell you that&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>He faltered, and a puzzled look came into his eyes as he regarded the
+book in the instructor's hand.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, really, Edwards,"&mdash;Mr. Daley spoke lightly, but his countenance
+was grave&mdash;"you mustn't expect me to put it down to a miracle. If you
+didn't put the book here on your table, who did? Unless Hall knows
+something about it? Was he in my study this evening?"</p>
+
+<p>There was a bare instant of hesitation. Then, "No, sir," replied Steve
+steadily.</p>
+
+<p>"Er&mdash;you are sure? He might have called on me when you were out."</p>
+
+<p>"We were together all the evening, Mr. Daley."</p>
+
+<p>"Then&mdash;&mdash;" The instructor cleared his throat nervously.</p>
+
+<p>"I guess&mdash;I guess it's up to me, sir," said Steve.</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Daley sighed. "I think it must be." There was silence for a moment.
+Then, "Why?" asked Mr. Daley gently.</p>
+
+<p>"I don't know, sir."</p>
+
+<p>"You couldn't have thought of&mdash;er&mdash;making unfair use of it?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[220]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"I&mdash;&mdash;" Steve hesitated again. Finally, "Perhaps I did for a moment.
+But&mdash;I shouldn't have, sir," he added earnestly.</p>
+
+<p>"I hope not, Edwards. But&mdash;why did you take it? You&mdash;er&mdash;must have known
+that it would&mdash;er&mdash;be missed."</p>
+
+<p>"I"&mdash;Steve seemed to be searching for an answer&mdash;"I just took it to&mdash;to
+get even with Upton."</p>
+
+<p>"To get even with him? He has&mdash;er&mdash;done something, then, to&mdash;er&mdash;annoy
+you?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir. That is, well&mdash;I don't like him."</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Daley observed Steve dubiously. At last, "I wish I could believe
+that explanation, Edwards," he said. "As inexcusable as such&mdash;er&mdash;such
+an action would be, it would still be preferable to&mdash;to what I am forced
+to suspect. But the whole thing is beyond me." The instructor spread his
+hands in a gesture of despair. "I can't understand it, Edwards." After a
+minute, "It must have been an accident," continued Mr. Daley almost
+pleadingly. "You&mdash;er&mdash;you perhaps mistook the book for your own&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"I didn't have any," muttered Steve.</p>
+
+<p>"Well." Mr. Daley cleared his throat. "I&mdash;I must think it over. I&mdash;I
+scarcely know what to say, Edwards. I'm sorry, very sorry." He<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[221]</a></span> arose
+and moved to the door. "Come and see me to-morrow noon, please.
+We&mdash;er&mdash;must talk this over again. Good-night, Edwards."</p>
+
+<p>"Good-night, sir." Steve stood up until the door had closed and then
+sank back into his chair again, a very miserable look on his face.</p>
+
+<p>"What a crazy place to hide it!" he murmured.</p>
+
+<p>The door opened and Tom came in, Tom with an expression half troubled
+and half humorous. "What's up?" he asked in a low voice.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, nothing," replied Steve carelessly, avoiding Tom's eyes. "He jumped
+me because I hadn't done my comp. Says I must turn it in by noon
+to-morrow."</p>
+
+<p>"Is that all?" Tom heaved a sigh of relief. "When he asked me to get out
+I thought it was something pretty serious."</p>
+
+<p>"Isn't that old composition serious enough?" asked Steve with a laugh
+that didn't sound quite true.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, I suppose so. Look here, Steve, if you'll tackle it now, I'll help
+you all I can with it. It won't take long. What time is it?"</p>
+
+<p>"Have you done yours?" asked Steve.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes," replied the other unenthusiastically. "It's done, but&mdash;but I
+guess it's pretty rotten. If I get a C on it I'll be doing well. I
+thought<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[222]</a></span> maybe I'd go over it again, but&mdash;I guess it'll have to do."</p>
+
+<p>"Where is it?"</p>
+
+<p>"Here somewhere." Tom searched at the far end of the table and drew a
+blue-book to light. "Want to see it?"</p>
+
+<p>Steve took it and glanced over it, a puzzled frown on his forehead.</p>
+
+<p>"What's the matter?" asked Tom. "Don't you like it? I guess it is pretty
+punk, though."</p>
+
+<p>"It's all right, as far as I know," answered Steve, returning the book.
+"Only&mdash;I don't understand&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Don't understand what? Say, you're as mysterious as&mdash;as&mdash;Sherlock
+Holmes!"</p>
+
+<p>"Nothing. By the way, a funny thing happened." Steve wandered toward the
+window, his back to Tom, "When I went down to find 'Horace' I picked up
+a blue-book that was on his table and brought it up here. It was
+Upton's. I&mdash;I hadn't any recollection of doing it, but he found it lying
+on the table. Of course I felt like a fool."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh," said Tom after a moment. "That&mdash;that was funny. I didn't see you
+bring it in with you." There was a note of constraint in his voice that
+did not escape Steve.</p>
+
+<p>"I don't remember bringing it in," he replied.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[223]</a></span> "I saw it on the table
+down there and&mdash;and looked at it, had it in my hand, but I don't
+remember bringing it up."</p>
+
+<p>"Funny," said Tom lightly. "Did&mdash;did he say anything?"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, no. Of course I denied it at first, said I couldn't have taken it,
+but he said I must have, unless&mdash;unless you had. He asked if you were in
+his room and I said no."</p>
+
+<p>"But I was!" exclaimed Tom. "Don't you remember? I went down just before
+we went out. But there wasn't any blue-book on his table then. At least,
+I didn't see any."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, it doesn't matter. I told him you hadn't been there. I&mdash;I'd let
+him think so, anyway. There's no use having any more bother about the
+old thing."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, but&mdash;you're sure he wasn't waxy? Of course I didn't take the
+book; you can prove that I didn't have it when I came back; but if he's
+acting ugly about it, why&mdash;I'll tell him I was in there too. He can lay
+it on me if he wants to. I&mdash;I think I'll tell him, Steve."</p>
+
+<p>"You keep out of it," answered Steve roughly. "What's the use of having
+any more talk about it? He's got the book and there's no harm done."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[224]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Tom considered a moment. Then, "You're certain?" he asked.</p>
+
+<p>"Certain of what?"</p>
+
+<p>"That&mdash;that it's all right, that he doesn't blame you for it."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, he knows I did it, but he doesn't mind. What time is it?"</p>
+
+<p>"A quarter past ten. What are you doing?"</p>
+
+<p>Steve was ripping his bed to pieces. "I want a couple of blankets," he
+said. "Haven't we some thumb-tacks somewhere?"</p>
+
+<p>"Table drawer," replied Tom. "What's the game?"</p>
+
+<p>"I'm going to do that rotten composition." Steve climbed to a chair, and
+with the aid of push-pins draped one of the blankets over the door and
+transom. Then he pulled the window-shade close and hung the second
+blanket inside the casement. "There! Now if anyone sees a light in this
+room they'll have to have mighty good eyes. You tumble into bed, Tom,
+and try to imagine it's dark."</p>
+
+<p>"Bed? Who wants to go to bed?" asked Tom, smothering a yawn. "I'm going
+to help you with it."</p>
+
+<p>"No, you're not," replied Steve doggedly. "I'm going to do it and I'm
+going to do it all myself if it takes me until daylight. Now shut up."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[225]</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>CHAPTER XVIII</h2>
+
+<h3>B PLUS AND D MINUS</h3>
+
+
+<p>At half-past ten the next morning Mr. Daley hurried into the class-room
+where French IV was already assembled, stumbled over the edge of the
+platform&mdash;the boys would have gasped with amazement had he neglected to
+do that&mdash;and took his seat. On one corner of the table in front of him
+was a pile of blue-books. He drew it toward him and ran a hand along the
+edges of the books.</p>
+
+<p>"Has everyone handed in his composition?" he asked.</p>
+
+<p>There was no reply and he seemed surprised. "I&mdash;er&mdash;I am to understand,
+then, that you have all turned your books in?"</p>
+
+<p>Still no dissenting voice. Mr. Daley's gaze travelled over the class
+until it encountered Steve at the rear of the room. He opened his mouth,
+hesitated, closed it again, cleared his throat and finally pushed the
+pile of books aside.</p>
+
+<p>"Very well," he said. "I shall mark these<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[226]</a></span> this evening. You
+will&mdash;er&mdash;kindly get them to-morrow. Now then, 'Le Siege de Paris'; we
+left off where, Upton?"</p>
+
+<p>At a few minutes past twelve Steve knocked at Mr. Daley's door, and,
+obeying the invitation, entered. The instructor was seated at his desk,
+a litter of blue-books in front of him and a pipe in his mouth. The
+latter he laid aside as the boy appeared.</p>
+
+<p>"You said you wanted to see me, sir," said Steve.</p>
+
+<p>"Er&mdash;yes, Edwards. Sit down, please." The instructor took up his pipe
+again, hurriedly put it aside, seized a pencil and jotted nervously on
+the back of a book. Finally,</p>
+
+<p>"I&mdash;er&mdash;find your composition here," he said. "When did you write it?"</p>
+
+<p>"Between half-past ten last night and two o'clock this morning."</p>
+
+<p>"Hm!" Mr. Daley swung around in his chair, viewed the oblong of
+landscape framed by the window for a moment and swung back again. There
+was a faint smile about his eyes. "Edwards, you&mdash;er&mdash;are a bit
+disconcerting. I presume you know that the rules require you to be in
+bed with lights out at ten-thirty?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[227]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Hm! And you&mdash;er&mdash;deliberately transgressed that rule?"</p>
+
+<p>"I didn't see anything else to do, Mr. Daley. You said I must turn that
+in by noon and there wouldn't have been time this morning to do it."</p>
+
+<p>"Logically reasoned, my boy, but&mdash;&mdash;" The instructor shook his head.
+"You mustn't expect me to compliment you on your performance, Edwards.
+To perform one duty by neglecting another is hardly&mdash;er&mdash;commendable. If
+it were not that you had transgressed a rule of the school, Edwards, I
+might compliment you quite highly. Your composition&mdash;I&mdash;er&mdash;I've been
+glancing through it&mdash;is really very good. I don't mean that you have not
+made mistakes of grammar, for you have, lots of them, but&mdash;er&mdash;you have
+written a well-constructed and&mdash;er&mdash;well-expressed narrative. What
+I&mdash;er&mdash;especially like about it is the subject. You have written of
+something you know about, something close at home, so to say. I&mdash;er&mdash;I
+am not much of a swimmer myself, but I presume that the instructions you
+have laid down here are&mdash;er&mdash;quite correct. In fact, Edwards, I'll even
+go so far as to say that I fancy one might take this composition of
+yours and&mdash;er&mdash;really learn something about swimming. And&mdash;er&mdash;if<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[228]</a></span> you
+have ever tried to learn anything of the sort&mdash;golf, rowing,
+tennis&mdash;from a hand-book you will realise that that is high praise."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir. Thank you."</p>
+
+<p>"I had decided to mark your composition with a B, Edwards. Perhaps the
+many mistakes in grammar would ordinarily indicate a C, perhaps even a C
+minus, but the&mdash;er&mdash;other merits of the exercise are so pronounced that,
+on the whole, I think it deserves a B."</p>
+
+<p>"Thank you, sir."</p>
+
+<p>"Er&mdash;just a moment." The instructor held up a hand. "I said that I had
+decided to give you a B, Edwards. That, however, was before I had
+learned when this was written. I shall now give it a D minus.
+You&mdash;er&mdash;you understand why, Edwards?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir."</p>
+
+<p>"I'm sorry, but I&mdash;er&mdash;must take into consideration the facts in the
+case. And those facts are that you neglected your work until the last
+moment and then disobeyed one of the well-known rules of the school in
+order to perform it. There is one other thing I might do. I might credit
+you with a B on your exercise and report you to the Office for
+disobeying the rules. But&mdash;er&mdash;I think, on the whole, that the first
+method is the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[229]</a></span> more satisfactory. You understand, of course, that
+anything under a C in this test is equivalent to failure?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir."</p>
+
+<p>"Hm; exactly. Therefore, Edwards, you will be required to make up nearly
+a month's work in French. I shall have to ask you to prove to me that
+you are in line with the rest of the class. But you will have a full
+week to do this and I&mdash;er&mdash;I suspect that you will not find it very
+difficult." Mr. Daley took up a blue pencil and marked a large "D&mdash;" on
+the corner of the blue-book. "You might as well take this now, Edwards.
+Bring me another composition not later than a week from to-day, please."
+The instructor fluttered the leaves of a memorandum-pad and made a note
+opposite a future date. "I have not corrected it, but, as you have it to
+do over, that is not necessary."</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Daley leaned back in his chair and gazed for a minute at the table.
+Then,</p>
+
+<p>"There is one other thing, Edwards," he said hesitantly. "About last
+night, you know; the&mdash;er&mdash;the misappropriation of Upton's blue-book.
+Have you&mdash;er&mdash;thought that over?"</p>
+
+<p>"I suppose so, sir."</p>
+
+<p>"Hm! I should like to ask you one question<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[230]</a></span> and receive an absolutely
+truthful reply, Edwards."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir."</p>
+
+<p>"When you took that book to your room did you intend to&mdash;er&mdash;make a
+wrong use of it?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, sir. I saw the book on your table, Mr. Daley, and&mdash;and it did occur
+to me that it would be easy to copy it out in my own writing and&mdash;and
+turn it in as my work, sir. I read a little of it and put it back on the
+table. But I don't at all remember seeing it again after that, sir, and
+that's the truth. I haven't the slightest recollection of having it in
+my hand when I left this room or of putting it on the table upstairs.
+And&mdash;and I'd like you to believe me, sir."</p>
+
+<p>"I want to, Edwards, I want to," replied Mr. Daley eagerly.
+"And&mdash;er&mdash;to-day your story sounds much more plausible. I can imagine
+that, with the thought of your own composition in mind and doubtless
+worrying you, you might easily have&mdash;er&mdash;absentmindedly picked that book
+from the table here when you went out and taken it to your room without
+being conscious of the act. I believe that to be quite possible,
+Edwards, and I am going to think it happened just that way. I have never
+observed any signs of&mdash;er&mdash;dishonesty in you, my boy, and I don't think
+you are a liar.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[231]</a></span> We will consider that matter closed and we will both
+forget all about it."</p>
+
+<p>"Thank you, sir," replied Steve gratefully.</p>
+
+<p>"But, Edwards, this seems to me a good time to tell you that&mdash;er&mdash;that
+your attitude toward&mdash;er&mdash;your work and toward those in authority has
+not been satisfactory. You have&mdash;er&mdash;impressed me as a boy with, to use
+a vulgar expression, a grouch. Now, get that out of your system,
+Edwards. No one is trying to impose on you. Your work is no harder than
+the next fellow's. What you lack is, I presume, application. I&mdash;er&mdash;I
+don't deny that possibly you are pressed for time when it comes to
+studying, but that is your fault. Your football work is exacting, for
+one thing, although there are plenty of fellows&mdash;I could name twenty or
+thirty with whom I come in contact&mdash;who manage to play football and
+maintain an excellent class standing at the same time. So, Edwards, the
+fault lies somewhere with you, <i>in</i> you, doubtless. Now, what do you
+think it is?"</p>
+
+<p>"I don't know, Mr. Daley." Steve shook his head hopelessly. "I want to
+do what's right, sir, but&mdash;but somehow I can't seem to."</p>
+
+<p>"When you study do you put your mind on it, or do you find yourself
+thinking of other things, football, for instance?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[232]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"I guess I think of other things a good deal," replied Steve.</p>
+
+<p>"Football?"</p>
+
+<p>"I guess so; football and&mdash;and swimming and&mdash;lots of things, sir."</p>
+
+<p>"There's a time for football and a time for study, Edwards. You will
+have to first of all&mdash;er&mdash;leave football behind you when you come off
+the field. Swimming, the same way. It won't work. I've seen it tried too
+often, Edwards. You&mdash;er&mdash;you wouldn't want to have to give up football,
+I suppose?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, sir!" Steve looked up in alarm.</p>
+
+<p>"But it might come to that, my boy. You're here to learn, you know, and
+we would not be treating your parents fairly&mdash;or you either&mdash;if we
+allowed you to waste your time. Football is an excellent sport; one of
+the best, I think; but it's only a sport, not a&mdash;er&mdash;profession, you
+know. All the knowledge of football in the world isn't going to help you
+when you leave here and try to enter college. By the way, I presume you
+intend to go to college, Edwards?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir."</p>
+
+<p>"Then keep that in mind. Remember that you're getting yourself ready for
+it. Perhaps that will make your work seem better worth<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[233]</a></span> doing. How are
+you getting on with your Latin?"</p>
+
+<p>"Very well, sir, just now."</p>
+
+<p>"Better see that 'just now' becomes 'all the time,' Edwards. Why, look
+here! You can do the work set you and play football or baseball or
+anything else if you'll make up your mind to it. You're a bright, normal
+fellow, with the average amount of brains. Systematise, Edwards! Arrange
+your day right. Mark down so many hours for recitations, so many hours
+for study, so many hours for play, and stick to your schedule. You'll
+find after awhile that it comes easy. You'll find that you&mdash;er&mdash;you'll
+miss studying when anything keeps you from it. When you go out of here I
+want you to do that very thing, my boy. I want you to go right up to
+your room, take a sheet of paper and make out a daily schedule. And when
+you've got it done put it somewhere where you'll see it. And stick to
+it! Will you?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir; that is, I&mdash;I'll do my best."</p>
+
+<p>"Good!" Mr. Daley held out a hand, smiling. "Shake hands on it, Edwards.
+You may not believe it, but half of&mdash;er&mdash;doing a thing consists of
+making up your mind to it! Well, that's all, I think. Er&mdash;you'd better
+look me up this evening<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[234]</a></span> and we'll settle about that French. Good-bye.
+Hope I haven't made you late for dinner."</p>
+
+<p>Steve drew a deep breath outside the door, puckered his lips and
+whistled softly, but it was a thoughtful whistle; as thoughtful as it
+was tuneless, and it lasted him all the way upstairs and into his room.
+Tom had gone, evidently having wearied of waiting for his friend to
+accompany him to dinner. Steve's own appetite was calling pretty loudly,
+but, having slipped the blue-book out of sight under a pile on the
+table, he dropped into his chair, drew a sheet of paper to him and began
+on the schedule. It took him almost a half-hour to complete it, and he
+spoiled several sheets in the process, but it was finally done, and,
+heading it "Daley Schedule," with a brief smile at the pun, he placed it
+on his chiffonier and hurried across to Wendell.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[235]</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>CHAPTER XIX</h2>
+
+<h3>THE SECOND PUTS IT OVER</h3>
+
+
+<p>"What do you know about that?" demanded Tom the next day. "'Horace' gave
+me a B on my comp! Of course, I'm not kicking, but I'll bet he made a
+mistake. Maybe he got nervous and his pencil slipped!"</p>
+
+<p>"Seems to me," returned Steve coldly, "he knows better than you do what
+the thing is worth. He's not exactly an idiot, you know."</p>
+
+<p>Tom stared in some surprise. "I didn't say he was an idiot, did I?
+Considering the things you've said about 'Horace' I don't think you need
+take that high-and-mighty tone!"</p>
+
+<p>"Well, don't be a chump, then," replied Steve. "If Mr. Daley gave you a
+B you deserved a B."</p>
+
+<p>"Thanking you kindly," murmured Tom as he disappeared behind the pages
+of the blue-book to digest the corrections and criticisms on the
+margins. Steve's manner since the night he had remained up until morning
+to write that composition had been puzzling. He had very little to say
+to Tom, and when he did speak, spoke in a con<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[236]</a></span>strained manner quite
+unlike him. And more than once Tom had caught Steve observing him with
+an expression that he couldn't fathom. There was something up, that was
+certain, but what it was Tom couldn't imagine. It wasn't that Steve was
+cross or disagreeable. For that matter, his disposition seemed a good
+deal improved. But he was decidedly stand-offish and extraordinarily
+quiet. Tom wanted to ask outright what the trouble was, but, for some
+reason, he held back. As the days passed, Steve's manner became more
+natural and he ceased looking at Tom as though, to quote the latter's
+unspoken simile, he was a new sort of an animal in a zoo! But some
+constraint still remained, and, after awhile, Tom accepted the situation
+and grew accustomed to it. By that time he had grown too proud to ask
+for an explanation. The two chums spent less time together as a result,
+Steve becoming more dependent on Roy for companionship and Tom on Harry.
+When they were all four together, which was very frequently, it was not
+so bad, but when Steve and Tom were alone conversation was apt to
+languish.</p>
+
+<p>Tom at first was inclined to blame Steve's "Daley Schedule" for the
+change, for that schedule had quite altered Steve's existence. He<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[237]</a></span> lived
+by a strict routine which he followed with a dogged determination quite
+foreign to his ways as Tom knew them. He got up on time in the morning,
+reached the dining-hall almost as soon as the doors were opened, spent a
+scant twenty minutes there and then went directly back to his room to
+browse over his recitations for the day. Once Tom found him there
+hunched up in a corner of the window-seat while the chambermaid, viewing
+his presence distastefully, draped the furniture with bedding and did
+her best with broom and duster to discourage him from a repetition of
+the outrage. Between ten and eleven on three days a week Steve put in an
+hour of study in the room. On other days he managed to snatch two
+half-hour periods in the library between recitations. At six he was
+almost invariably awaiting the opening of the doors for dinner, and well
+before seven he was at his table again. Usually he studied until nine,
+although now and then he closed his books at half-past eight and
+followed Tom to Number 17 Torrence. Roy called him the Prize Grind and
+interestedly inquired what scholarship he was trying for. Steve accepted
+the joking with a grim smile.</p>
+
+<p>It wasn't easy. For the first few days he had to drive himself to his
+work with bit and spur.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[238]</a></span> His feet lagged and he groaned in
+spirit&mdash;perhaps audibly, too&mdash;as he approached his books. But he did it,
+and little by little it became easier, until, as Mr. Daley had
+predicted, it had become a habit with him to do certain things at
+certain hours and he was uncomfortable if his routine was disarranged. I
+don't think Steve ever got where he loved to study, but he did
+eventually reach a pride of attainment that answered quite as well. He
+found as time went on that it was becoming easier to learn his lessons
+and easier to remember them when learned, and by that time he had taught
+himself to command over his thoughts, and when he was struggling through
+a proposition in geometry he wasn't wondering whether he would beat out
+Sherrard for the position of regular right end on the second before the
+season was over. In other words, he had learned concentration.</p>
+
+<p>But all this was not yet. That first week, in especial, was hard
+sledding, and that French composition almost drove him to distraction
+and gave him brain fever before it was done. But done it was and on
+time, and, while the best that Mr. Daley would allow it was a C plus,
+Steve was distinctly proud of it. And in that week he demonstrated to
+the instructor's satisfaction that he was up with the class in French. I
+think Mr. Daley was very<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[239]</a></span> willing to be convinced and that he met Steve
+quite half-way. Latin was still a bugaboo to Steve, but it, too, was
+getting easier. On the whole, that schedule, backed by a grim
+determination, was making good.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile football pursued its relentless course. Every day the first
+and second fought it out for gradually increasing periods and every day
+the season grew nearer its close and the Claflin game, the final goal,
+loomed more distinct. Phillips School came and went and Brimfield marked
+up her fifth victory. Phillips gave the Maroon-and-Grey a hard tussle,
+and the score, 12 to 0, didn't indicate the closeness of the playing.
+For Brimfield made her first touchdown by the veriest fluke and only
+gained her second in the last few minutes of play, when Phillips,
+outlasted, weakened on her six-yard line and let Norton through. On the
+other hand, Phillips had the ball thrice inside Brimfield's twenty
+yards, missed a field-goal by the narrowest of margins and, with the
+slightest twist of the luck, might have proved the victor.</p>
+
+<p>"Boots" had hammered the second into what Mr. Robey unhesitatingly
+declared to be one of the best scrub teams he had ever seen, and there
+was more than one contest between it and the 'varsity<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[240]</a></span> that yielded
+nothing to an outside game for hard fighting and excitement. Steve and
+his rival, Sherrard, were running about even for the right end position.
+Steve's tackling had improved vastly under Marvin's tutoring, and it was
+his ability in that department that possibly gave him a shade the better
+of the argument with Sherrard. So far there had been no decided slump in
+the playing of either team, and, since a slump is always looked for at
+some time during the season, both Mr. Robey and Danny Moore were getting
+anxious. Danny almost begged the fellows to go stale a little. "It ain't
+natural," he declared. "It's got to come, so let it and have it over
+with." Neither had there been any injuries of moment. On this score
+Danny had no regrets, however. He was a good trainer and prided himself
+on his ability to condition his charges so that they would escape
+injuries.</p>
+
+<p>Of course there had been plenty of bruises&mdash;one mild case of
+charley-horse, several dislocated or sprained fingers, a wrenched ankle
+or two and any number of cuts and scrapes, but none of the injuries had
+interfered with work for more than three or four days and not once had
+any first-string member of the 'varsity missed an outside game by reason
+of them. Steve's share of the in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[241]</a></span>juries was a bruised shoulder sustained
+in a flying tackle that was more enthusiastic than scientific, and the
+thing bothered him for several days but did not keep him off the field.
+Tom, who played opposite Jay Fowler in scrimmage, was forever getting
+his countenance disfigured. Not that Fowler meant to leave his mark, but
+he was a big, powerful, hard-fighting chap and there were plenty of
+times when both parties to the practice games quite forgot that they
+were friends. Tom was seldom seen without a strip of court-plaster
+pasted to some portion of his face.</p>
+
+<p>It was four days after the Phillips game, to be exact, on the following
+Wednesday, that the first and second got together for what turned out to
+be the warmest struggle of the season in civil combat. It was a cold,
+leaden day, with a stinging breeze out of the northeast, and every
+fellow who wore a head-guard felt as full of ginger as a young colt. The
+second trotted over from their gridiron at four and found the first on
+its toes to get at them. Things started off with a whoop. The second
+received the kick-off and Marvin ran the ball back forty yards through a
+broken field before he was nailed. Encouraged by that excellent
+beginning, the scrub team went at it hammer and tongs. There was a fine
+old hole that day be<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[242]</a></span>tween Sawyer and Williams, and the second's backs
+ploughed through for gain after gain before the opposing line was
+cemented together again there. By that time the ball was down near the
+'varsity's ten yards and Captain Miller was frothing at the mouth, while
+the opposing coaches were hurling encouragement at their charges and the
+pandemonium even extended to the side-lines, where the school at large,
+in a frenzy of excitement, shouted and goaded on the teams.</p>
+
+<p>Twice the first held, once forcing Harris back for a loss, and then
+Marvin called for kick formation and himself held the ball for Brownell.
+What happened then was one of those unforeseen incidents that make
+football the hair-raising game it is. There was a weak spot in the
+second's line and, with the passing of the ball to Marvin, the 'varsity
+forwards came rampaging through. Brownell swung his leg desperately,
+trusting to fortune to get the pigskin over the upstretched hands of the
+charging enemy, but it swung against empty air. Marvin, seeing what was
+bound to happen, fearing the result of a blocked kick, snatched the ball
+aside just as Captain Brownell swung at it, rolled over a couple of
+times out of the path of the oncoming opponents, scrambled to his feet
+and, somehow, scuttled past a half-dozen<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[243]</a></span> defenders of the goal and fell
+over the line for a touchdown.</p>
+
+<p>The 'varsity afterwards called it "bull-luck" and "fluke" and several
+other belittling names, but "Boots" said it was "quick thinking and
+football, by jiminy!" At all events the second scored and then leaped
+and shouted like a band of Comanche Indians&mdash;or any other kind of Indian
+if there's a noisier sort!&mdash;and generally "rubbed it in."</p>
+
+<p>After that you may believe that the 'varsity played football! But
+nevertheless the first ten-minute period ended with the second still six
+points to the good and her goal-line intact. The teams were to play
+three periods that day and "Boots" ran four substitutes on the field
+when the next one began. One of them was Steve.</p>
+
+<p>It is no light task to play opposite the 'varsity captain and not come
+off second best, but the <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'concensus'">consensus</ins> of opinion that evening was to the
+effect that Steve had done that very thing. The wintery nip had got into
+Steve's blood, I think, for he played like a tiger-cat on the defence,
+ran like a streak of wind and tackled so hard that Coach Robey had to
+caution him. Twice in that period the first came storming down to the
+second's twenty yards and twice they were held there.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[244]</a></span> Once Milton was
+nailed on a round-the-end run and once Still fumbled a pass and Freer
+fell on it.</p>
+
+<p>Steve carried out his part of a forward-pass play with excellent
+precision later and seemingly had a clear field and a touchdown in sight
+for a moment. But Milton managed to upset him on the thirty yards, and
+the gain&mdash;Steve had negotiated four white lines before the 'varsity
+quarter got him&mdash;eventually went for naught, since Marvin fumbled a
+minute later and Sawyer squirmed through and captured the ball.</p>
+
+<p>Neither side scored nor came very near it in that period. Steve, who was
+having the time of his life, beamed joyously when the whistle, starting
+the third period, found him still in the line-up. He had feared that
+"Boots" would put Sherrard back. But Steve didn't realise the kind of a
+game he had been putting up. If he had he would have credited "Boots"
+with more sense. Tom, with two brand-new facial contusions to his
+credit, was relegated to the bench for the last round. Perhaps "Boots"
+thought it only fair to allow Gafferty some of the decorations that
+Fowler and others were handing out!</p>
+
+<p>The first tried a kicking game in order to reach striking distance and,
+since she always had the better of the argument there, forced the
+second<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[245]</a></span> slowly and very surely back past the middle of the field. Then
+Marvin, realising the futility of pitting Freer and himself against
+Norton and Williams and Milton, either one of whom could outpunt the
+second from five to ten yards, started a rushing game on his thirty-five
+yards, swinging Harris and Freer around the ends for small gains and
+himself taking the pigskin for a delayed plunge through centre that put
+the scrubs on their forty-five-yard line and gave them their first down
+of the period.</p>
+
+<p>But the next three tries pulled in only six yards, and Freer punted. For
+once he had plenty of time and the oval travelled far down into the
+enemy's territory and was caught by Kendall, who took it back a scant
+five yards before Turner, the second's left end, got past the
+hastily-formed interference and upset him. The 'varsity made four
+through the left side of the line and got her first down on a fake kick
+that caught the second napping. She again secured her distance on three
+tries, and the lines faced each other near the middle of the field.</p>
+
+<p>What happened then was never definitely explained. Whether Milton
+fumbled the pass from centre or whether Still missed the toss from
+Milton, history doesn't record. Not that it matters,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[246]</a></span> however. The fact
+is that the ball was suddenly seen to go rolling back up the field as
+though animated by a desperate desire to score a touchdown on its own
+hook. The 'varsity backs hit the line hard and went tumbling through, to
+the frenzied shouts of "Ball! Ball!" from Milton and the opponents. The
+latter, trying to get past the 'varsity and gain the bobbing pigskin,
+got so inextricably mixed up with the enemy that the ball went on
+rolling around, under the pranks of the helpful wind, for a
+heart-breaking length of time. Then, as it seemed, every fellow on the
+field started for it at once!</p>
+
+<p>Steve had made a wild attempt to get through inside of Andy Miller, but
+Miller had sent him sprawling, and when he got to his feet again he was
+one of the last in the mad rush. How it happened that Eric Sawyer, not
+overly fast on his feet, reached the pigskin first, or, at least,
+finally, is a mystery. But it was Eric who at length plunged out of the
+confusion, ball in arm, shook off three or four tacklers and started
+hot-footed toward the distant goal. By some unusual burst of speed he
+not only got a clear start of the rest, but shot past Steve before that
+youth could intercept him. Marvin had followed the others toward the
+'varsity's goal and now between Eric and the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">[247]</a></span> final white lines, some
+forty-five yards distant, lay a clear field. And Eric, spurred on by the
+knowledge that here was perhaps the one chance of his lifetime to make a
+spectacular run for half the length of the gridiron and score a
+touchdown, worked his sturdy legs as they had probably never been worked
+before!</p>
+
+<p>But he was not to go unchallenged. The enemy was hot on his track, Steve
+in the lead. And with the enemy, doing their best to upset or divert the
+pursuit, came a half-dozen of the 'varsity. It was a wildly confused
+race for a minute. Then the slow-footed ones dropped behind and the
+procession consisted of Eric, running desperately some five yards ahead
+of Steve, Steve pounding along at his heels, Williams striving to edge
+Freer toward the side of the field, Marvin leading Captain Miller by a
+scant yard, and one or two others dropping gradually away as the race
+progressed. Near the twenty-five-yard line Williams managed to upset
+Freer and went down with him in the effort, Andy Miller drew even with
+Marvin, and Eric glanced behind him for the first time, at the same
+moment heading a bit further toward the centre of the gridiron.</p>
+
+<p>That move lost him a stride of his lead, and Steve made a final spurt
+that took just about all<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">[248]</a></span> the breath left in his body. On the fifteen
+yards his hand went out gropingly, touched Eric's back and fell away.
+Near the ten-yard line Steve launched himself forward and his arms
+settled about Eric's thighs, slid down to his knees and tightened. Eric
+went down, dragged forward another yard and then, panting and weak, gave
+it up. Then Marvin settled ungently on his back, to make assurances
+doubly sure, Andy Miller threw him off very promptly and Steve rolled
+over on his back and fought for breath.</p>
+
+<p>The rest of the teams came panting up, the audience along the side-line
+howled and cheered gloriously, if a trifle breathlessly, having itself
+raced down the field in an effort to keep abreast of the drama, and
+delighted members of the second team lifted Steve to his tottering feet,
+thumped him on the back and shrieked praise into his singing ears.</p>
+
+<p>After that, with the ball on the second's eight yards, the 'varsity
+should have scored easily. And yet, so gallantly did the scrubs dig
+their toes into the trampled turf that thrice the 'varsity was held for
+a scant gain and, finally, with one down remaining, Williams dropped
+back to the twenty-yard line and dropped a field-goal.</p>
+
+<p>"Boots" was almost moved to tears and looked<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">[249]</a></span> as though he wanted to
+embrace each and every member of his team. For what was a puny three
+points when the second had six to its credit? The things that Miller
+said were extremely derogatory, while Coach Robey walked back to the
+middle of the field with a disapproving air. In the four minutes that
+remained, there was football played that <i>was</i> football! The 'varsity,
+smarting under impending defeat, went at it with a desperation that
+promised everything. That it failed of what it promised was only because
+the second, buoyed up by the knowledge of victory in its grasp, fought
+like veterans. There was some fierce playing during those two hundred
+and forty brief seconds, and the fellow who finally trudged off the
+field without a scar felt himself dishonoured. Substitutes were thrown
+into the fray by both sides, although "Boots," having fewer men to call
+on, was handicapped. Steve went out in favour of Sherrard soon after the
+kick-off, and Tom relieved Gafferty. The coaches raged and urged, the
+rival captains scolded and implored and the quarters danced around and
+acted like wild-men. And then, suddenly, the ball was seized, a whistle
+blew and it was all over. And the panting players, tense of face,
+dripping with perspiration, drew apart to view each other at first
+scowlingly and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">[250]</a></span> then with slowly spreading grins, taking toll of their
+own injuries and the enemy's.</p>
+
+<p>"Good work, second," said Mr. Robey. "That's all for to-day. Get your
+blankets and run all the way in."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">[251]</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>CHAPTER XX</h2>
+
+<h3>BLOWS ARE STRUCK</h3>
+
+
+<p>The second went off jubilantly. Steve was a hero for an hour. In the
+locker room "Boots" said some nice things to them, pointed out a few
+faults and took himself away just as the first team and its substitutes
+came piling in. Most of them looked pretty grim about the mouths.
+Evidently in the few minutes that Mr. Robey had detained them on the
+field, they had been provided with food for thought. Andy Miller
+encountered Steve on his way to the bath.</p>
+
+<p>"That was good work, Edwards," he said heartily. "You fellows certainly
+put it over us to-day." He shook his head ruefully. "We ought to have
+got that touchdown in the last period." Then he smiled grimly, and,
+"We'll get you to-morrow, though," he said with conviction. "How's
+everything with you?"</p>
+
+<p>"Fine and dandy, thanks," replied Steve heartily.</p>
+
+<p>"Good! You haven't been around to see me,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">[252]</a></span> by the way. You and Hall must
+think a confidence-man isn't a proper acquaintance."</p>
+
+<p>"We're coming around soon, Miller. The fact is, I&mdash;well, I made such a
+mutt of myself that last time&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, nonsense! That's all right, Edwards. Don't let that worry you.
+Besides, you took my advice, I guess, and that squares it. Mind if I
+give you some more, by the way?"</p>
+
+<p>"Of course not! I wish you would."</p>
+
+<p>"Only this, Edwards. On defence don't watch the ball. They'll tell you
+to, but don't do it. Watch your opponent. Watch his eyes. He will tell
+you when the ball's snapped. He's got to watch it and you haven't, and
+then if you keep your eyes on him you can guess where he's coming almost
+before he starts. It may sound cheeky for me to tell you this, because,
+as a matter of absolute fact, Edwards, you played all around me
+to-day&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, piffle, Miller!"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, you did," insisted the captain grimly. "I know it, if you don't.
+But you try what I tell you to-morrow and see what a jump you'll get on
+the other fellow. Come around and see me soon, you and Hall."</p>
+
+<p>Andy moved away and Steve hurried on to find<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">[253]</a></span> a shower before the new
+crowd claimed them all. He was pretty well fagged out this afternoon,
+and for once the thought of that swimming class didn't appeal. But after
+a tepid shower and then a hard rush of ice-cold water over his tired
+body, he felt different. Coming out of the bath he almost collided with
+Eric Sawyer. Eric had a nasty cut over his right eye that gave him a
+peculiarly ugly expression, and it was soon evident that Eric's temper
+was as ugly as his appearance.</p>
+
+<p>"Hello, fresh," he growled, scowling at Steve and barring his way in the
+narrow passage. "What call had you to butt in on me to-day?"</p>
+
+<p>"I was playing the game, that's all," replied Steve coolly.</p>
+
+<p>"You think you're a wonder, don't you? Well, you wouldn't have got me if
+I hadn't slipped. And the next time you interfere with me on the field
+or anywhere else I'll fix you for keeps. Now you mind that, you fresh
+young kid."</p>
+
+<p>"You're a wonder at making threats, Sawyer," returned Steve angrily.
+"Why don't you do something besides talk?"</p>
+
+<p>"I'd give you a good thrashing if you weren't so small," Eric growled.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, that's all right," replied Steve airily. "We can't all have piano
+legs, you know."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254">[254]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Say, you let my legs alone! For two cents I'd tell what I know about
+you, you cheater, and we'd see how long you'd stay so cocky!"</p>
+
+<p>"What you know about me?" laughed Steve. "You go right ahead and tell
+anything you want to, Sawyer. Whatever it is, it's a lie, I guess."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, is it? It's a lie that you swiped Upton's blue-book with his
+composition in it, I suppose. It's a lie that you were going to use it
+until Daley went up to your room and found it, I dare say. It's&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, it is a lie, and you know it, Sawyer," flamed Steve. "If you tell
+any story like that around&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"I'll tell what I please, kid, and you can't stop me." Several fellows
+came along the passage, viewing the two curiously, and Eric dropped his
+voice a note. "You stop bothering me, Edwards, or I will tell, and if I
+do, this place will be too hot for you. We don't like cheaters here&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>Steve sprang at him madly, but Eric stepped aside and Steve's blow went
+past.</p>
+
+<p>"None of that!" warned Eric in a low, ugly voice. "Ah, you want it, do
+you?"</p>
+
+<p>Steve hit again and Eric countered and got in a blow on the younger
+boy's neck that sent him<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255">[255]</a></span> staggering against the wall. Then arms wrapped
+themselves around Steve and a voice said:</p>
+
+<p>"Here, what's up, Eric? Cut it out, Edwards!"</p>
+
+<p>Steve, struggling, found himself in the firm grasp of Innes, the big
+first team centre-rush. "He called me a cheat!" he cried angrily. "You
+let me go, Innes!"</p>
+
+<p>"So he is a cheat," returned Eric contemptuously. "He swiped Carl
+Upton's French composition and was going to hand it in as his own if
+Daley hadn't caught him at it!"</p>
+
+<p>"That's a lie!" cried Steve. "Ask Mr. Daley himself! You're saying it
+because I kept you from making that touchdown, you&mdash;you&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Hold on, Edwards!" said Innes. "Don't call names." By this time the
+passage had filled with fellows, among them Andy Miller. Miller pushed
+forward.</p>
+
+<p>"What's up, Jack?" he asked of the centre. Innes shrugged his big
+shoulders.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, just a scrap. Run along, you fellows. It's all over."</p>
+
+<p>"It isn't over!" declared Steve, still trying to detach himself from the
+big fellow's grasp. "He's got to take it back! He's got to take it back
+or fight!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256">[256]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Cut it out, Edwards!" said Miller sternly. "Don't act like a kid.
+What's the trouble, Eric, anyway?"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, this kid got fresh with me," replied Eric with a malevolent glare
+at Steve. "Said I had piano legs&mdash;&mdash;" There was an audible snicker from
+some of the audience&mdash;"and I told him to shut up and he made a swipe at
+me and I shoved him away. That's all."</p>
+
+<p>"He said I cheated!" raged Steve.</p>
+
+<p>"So you did. You stole Upton's French comp. out of Daley's room and he
+found it on your table."</p>
+
+<p>"That's a lie! I don't know how that book got there. Mr. Daley will tell
+you&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Cut it, Edwards! I saw you carry the book out of the room myself! Now
+what do you say?"</p>
+
+<p>"I say you lie! I say&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Stop that, Edwards!" Miller turned to Eric. "You've got no right to say
+things like that, Eric, and you know it. I don't believe he did anything
+of the sort. If he had, Mr. Daley would have had him expelled. Now you
+two fellows stop squabbling. You've been at it all the fall. If you
+don't, I'll see that you both lose your positions. And that goes!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_257" id="Page_257">[257]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Then tell him to let me alone," replied Eric with a shrug.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, forget it, Sawyer," exclaimed a voice down the passage. "You're
+twice as big as he is. Let the kid alone."</p>
+
+<p>"Sure, I'll let him alone," growled Eric with an angry glare in the
+direction of the speaker. "Only he's got to stop getting fresh with me.
+I've warned him half-a-dozen times."</p>
+
+<p>"And you'll have to warn me half-a-dozen more times," responded Steve
+grimly, "if you think I'm going to stand around and be called names. If
+I were as big as you are, you wouldn't dare&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"That'll be about all from both of you," said Andy Miller. "Now beat it.
+If I hear of any more trouble from either of you while the season lasts,
+I'll have you both out of the game in a wink. If you've got to row, do
+it after we've beaten Claflin. Move on now! Get off the corner, all of
+yez!" And Andy good-naturedly pushed the fellows before him down the
+passage. Innes released Steve, but stepped between him and Eric.</p>
+
+<p>"Come on, Edwards," he said with a laugh. "Be good and get your clothes
+on. Cap will do just what he says he will, too. You take my advice, kid,
+and bury the hatchet."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_258" id="Page_258">[258]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Steve went back to his locker, and with trembling hands dressed himself.
+Harry Westcott and Tom joined him and asked in low voices about the
+trouble. But Steve was non-communicative. He was wondering how much of
+Eric Sawyer's charge the fellows who had heard it were believing.
+Finally,</p>
+
+<p>"No swimming to-day?" asked Tom.</p>
+
+<p>Steve shook his head. "No," he answered. "Tell the fellows, will you?
+I'm&mdash;I'm too tired. I'm sorry."</p>
+
+<p>"It's pretty late, anyway," murmured Harry. Together the three crossed
+the room toward the door. Already, as it seemed to Steve, fellows were
+regarding him suspiciously. Eric was not in sight, having gone on to his
+bath, for which two at least of the trio were thankful. Harry left them
+at the corner of Torrence, and Steve and Tom went on in silence to their
+room. Somehow it seemed difficult nowadays for them to find things to
+talk about. Steve resolutely sat himself down and drew his books toward
+him, while Tom, after fidgetting around for a few minutes, announced
+that he was going over to the office to see if there was any mail, and
+went out again. Steve was glad when he had gone, for he was relieved
+then of further pretence of studying. He couldn't get<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_259" id="Page_259">[259]</a></span> his mind on his
+books. The encounter with Eric Sawyer had left him irritable and
+restless, and he couldn't help wondering whether the fellows believed
+what Eric had said. He was grateful to Andy Miller for the latter's
+support, but it was doubtful if Andy's words had convinced anyone. And
+the charge was an ugly one. Steve winced when he considered it. It had
+seemed to him as he had left the locker room that already the fellows
+there had looked at him differently. He could imagine them talking about
+him and weighing Eric's story. Further reflections were interrupted by
+the reappearance of Tom, an open letter in hand and several newspapers
+sticking from a pocket.</p>
+
+<p>"Nothing for you but a couple of papers," he said. "What do you suppose
+those silly fathers of ours are doing now?"</p>
+
+<p>"Fighting a duel?" asked Steve with an attempt at humour.</p>
+
+<p>"Not quite," Tom answered, "but they're getting ready for a law-suit."</p>
+
+<p>"What about?"</p>
+
+<p>"I can't make out," replied the other disgustedly, scanning the letter
+again. "It's something about some contract for building supplies,
+though. Gee, they make me tired! Always squabbling!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_260" id="Page_260">[260]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Who's bringing the suit, your father or mine?" asked Steve.</p>
+
+<p>"Mine," said Tom hesitantly.</p>
+
+<p>"Then I don't see that you need to blame my dad for it," retorted Steve.</p>
+
+<p>"It takes two to make a quarrel, though," answered Tom sagely. "I don't
+believe my father would start anything like that unless&mdash;unless there
+was some reason for it."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, I suppose my father beat him out on a contract and he got sore,"
+said Steve, with a short laugh. Tom looked across in surprise and
+puzzlement. The tone was unlike Steve, while never before had they taken
+sides in their fathers' disagreements. Tom opened his mouth to reply,
+thought better of it and slowly returned the letter to its envelope.</p>
+
+<p>"I guess it'll blow over," he said finally. "I hope so."</p>
+
+<p>Steve shrugged his shoulders. "Let them fight it out," he said. "It may
+do them good."</p>
+
+<p>The next day it was soon evident to Steve that Eric Sawyer's story of
+the purloined blue-book was school property. Fellows whom he knew but
+slightly or not at all observed him doubtfully, others greeted him more
+stiffly&mdash;or so Steve thought&mdash;while even in the manners of such close<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_261" id="Page_261">[261]</a></span>
+friends as Roy and Harry and one or two more he fancied that he could
+detect a difference. Much of this was probably only imagination on
+Steve's part, but on the other hand there were doubtless many fellows
+who for one reason or another chose to believe the story true. Steve was
+popular amongst a small circle of acquaintances and well enough liked by
+others who knew him only to speak to, but, naturally enough, there were
+fellows in school who envied him for his success at football or took
+exception to a certain self-sufficient air that Steve was often enough
+guilty of. These, together with a small number who owed allegiance to
+Eric Sawyer, found the story quite to their liking and doubtless told
+and retold it and enlarged upon it at every telling. At all events,
+Steve knew that gossip was busy with him. More than once conversation
+died suddenly away at his approach, and he told himself bitterly that
+the school had judged him and found him guilty. He passed Andy Miller in
+the corridor between recitations, and Andy, being in a hurry and having
+a good many things on his mind at that moment, said, "Hi, Edwards!" in a
+perfunctory sort of way and went by with only a glance. Steve concluded
+that even Andy was against him now, in spite of his defence yesterday.
+In the afternoon<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_262" id="Page_262">[262]</a></span> it seemed that there was a difference in the attitudes
+of his team-mates on the second, and, so inflamed had his imagination
+become by this time, he even imagined he detected a contemptuous tone in
+"Boots'" speech to him! The result was that Steve "froze up solid," to
+use Roy's phrase, and, secretly hurt and angry, presented a scowling
+countenance to the world that was sufficient to discourage those who
+wanted and tried to let him see that they didn't believe Eric's story.</p>
+
+<p>When he got back to his room after the swimming lesson that afternoon,
+he found Tom nursing a very red and enlarged nose. He had a wet towel in
+his hand and was gingerly applying it to the inflamed feature.</p>
+
+<p>"What&mdash;where&mdash;&mdash;" began Steve.</p>
+
+<p>"Scrap with Telford," replied Tom briefly.</p>
+
+<p>"What about?" demanded Steve.</p>
+
+<p>"Nothing much."</p>
+
+<p>"Let's see your nose."</p>
+
+<p>Tom removed the towel and Steve viewed it. "He must have given you a
+peach," he said critically. "What did you do?"</p>
+
+<p>Tom smiled reminiscently. "Nothing much," he answered.</p>
+
+<p>"Huh! Let's see your knuckles. 'Nothing<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_263" id="Page_263">[263]</a></span> much,' eh? They look it! Did
+faculty get on to it?"</p>
+
+<p>Tom shook his head. "No, it was back of the gym. Just the two of us. It
+didn't last long."</p>
+
+<p>"Who got the worst of it?"</p>
+
+<p>"That depends on what you call the worst," answered Tom judicially. "I
+got this and he got one like it <i>and</i> a black eye. At least I suppose
+it's black by this time. It looked promising."</p>
+
+<p>Steve laughed. Then he said severely: "You ought to know better than
+take chances like that, Tom. Suppose faculty got on to it. Besides,
+fighting's pretty kiddish for a Fourth Former!"</p>
+
+<p>Tom viewed Steve amusedly over the wet towel. "Coming from you, Steve,
+that sounds great!" he said.</p>
+
+<p>"Never mind about me. What I do doesn't affect you. What were you
+fighting about?"</p>
+
+<p>Tom looked vacant and shook his head. "I don't know. Nothing special, I
+guess."</p>
+
+<p>"Don't be a chump! You didn't black his eye and get that beautiful nose
+for nothing, I suppose. What was it?"</p>
+
+<p>"Well, Telford said&mdash;he said&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"You're a wonder!" declared Steve. "Don't you know what he said?"</p>
+
+<p>"I forget. It was something&mdash;something I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_264" id="Page_264">[264]</a></span> didn't like. So I slapped his
+face. That was on the gym steps. He said 'Come on back here.' I said
+'All right.' Then we&mdash;we had it. Then he said he was wrong about
+it&mdash;whatever it was, you know&mdash;and we sort of apologised and sneaked
+off." Tom felt of his nose carefully. "I saw about a million stars when
+he landed here!"</p>
+
+<p>"That's the craziest stunt I ever heard of!" said Steve disgustedly.
+"And you want to hope hard that no one saw it. If faculty hears of it,
+you'll get probation, you chump."</p>
+
+<p>"I know. It won't, though. No one saw us."</p>
+
+<p>"Who's Telford, anyway?" Steve demanded.</p>
+
+<p>"Telford? Oh, he's a Fifth Form fellow."</p>
+
+<p>"What does he look like?"</p>
+
+<p>"Look like?" repeated Tom vaguely. "Oh, he's a couple of inches taller
+than I am and has light brown hair and&mdash;and a black eye!"</p>
+
+<p>"Is he the fellow who goes around with Eric Sawyer?" demanded Steve
+suspiciously. "Wear a brown plaid Norfolk? The fellow who shoved me into
+the pool the night we had that fracas with Sawyer?"</p>
+
+<p>"Did he? I don't remember. I didn't see who did that. I&mdash;I guess maybe
+he's the chap, though. I've seen him with Sawyer, I think."</p>
+
+<p>"What did he say?" asked Steve quietly.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_265" id="Page_265">[265]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Who say?"</p>
+
+<p>"Telford."</p>
+
+<p>"When?"</p>
+
+<p>"To-day! When you had the row! For the love of Mike, Tom, don't be a
+fool!"</p>
+
+<p>"I don't remember what he said."</p>
+
+<p>"Was it about&mdash;me?"</p>
+
+<p>"You? Why would it be about you?" Tom attempted a laugh.</p>
+
+<p>"Was it?" Steve persisted.</p>
+
+<p>Tom shook his head, but his gaze wandered. Steve grunted.</p>
+
+<p>"It was, then," he muttered.</p>
+
+<p>"I didn't say so," protested Tom.</p>
+
+<p>"I say so, though." Steve was silent a moment. Then, "Look here, Tom,
+there's no use your fighting every fellow who says things about me," he
+said. "If you try that, you'll have your hands full. I&mdash;I don't care
+what they say, anyway. Just you keep out of it. Understand?"</p>
+
+<p>"Sure," answered the other untroubledly.</p>
+
+<p>"Of course"&mdash;Steve hesitated in some embarrassment&mdash;"of course I
+appreciate your standing up for me and all that, but&mdash;but I'll fight my
+own battles, thanks, Tom."</p>
+
+<p>"You're welcome," murmured Tom through<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_266" id="Page_266">[266]</a></span> the folds of the towel. "Keep
+the change. I'll fight if I want to, though."</p>
+
+<p>"Not on my account, you won't," said Steve sternly.</p>
+
+<p>Tom grinned. "All right. I'll do it on my own account. Say, I'll bet
+Telford's nose is worse than mine, Steve. I gave him a bully swat!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_267" id="Page_267">[267]</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>CHAPTER XXI</h2>
+
+<h3>FRIENDS FALL OUT</h3>
+
+
+<p>On the eleventh of November Brimfield played her last game away from
+home. Chambers Technological Institute was her opponent. About every
+fellow in school went over to Long Island and witnessed a very sad
+performance by their team. The slump had arrived. That was evident from
+the first moment of play. Brimfield was outpunted, outrushed and
+outgeneraled. Chambers ran up 17 points in the first half and 13 more in
+the last, while all Brimfield could do was to make one solitary
+touchdown and a field-goal, the latter with less than thirty seconds of
+playing time left. Williams missed the goal after the touchdown by some
+ten yards. Not only was Brimfield outplayed, but she showed up
+wretchedly as to physical condition. It was a warm day and the
+Maroon-and-Grey warriors seemed to feel the heat much more than their
+opponents and were a sorry-looking lot by the end of the third period.</p>
+
+<p>The second team attended the game in a body, "Boots" for once relenting,
+and looked on in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_268" id="Page_268">[268]</a></span> stupefied sorrow while their doughty foe was
+humiliated and defeated.</p>
+
+<p>"Gee, I wish Robey would put us in in the next half," sighed Gafferty to
+Steve after the second period had reached its sad conclusion. "I'll bet
+you we'd put up twice the game the 'varsity has."</p>
+
+<p>"I don't see what ails them," responded Steve quite affably. The
+calamitous drama unfolding before him had for the moment made him forget
+his r&ocirc;le of aloofness and cynical indifference. "Why, even Andy Miller
+is up in the air! He hasn't caught a pass once, and he's had four
+chances, and he's missed enough tackles to fill a book!"</p>
+
+<p>"One grand slump," said Gafferty. "That's what it is, Edwards, one
+wonderful, spectacular, iridescent slump! And the only person who is
+pleased is Danny, I guess. He's been begging the 'varsity fellows to get
+stale and be done with it. And now they've obliged him. Too bad, though,
+they couldn't have slumped the first of the week. It's fierce to be
+beaten by a tech school!"</p>
+
+<p>In the third period Coach Robey hustled the best of his substitutes on
+in the hope of stemming the tide of defeat, and, while the new men
+showed more dash and go, they couldn't stop the triumphant advance of
+the black-and-orange enemy.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_269" id="Page_269">[269]</a></span> To make matters worse, when it was all
+over, Benson, who played right end, had a strained ligament in his
+ankle, Williams was limping with a bad knee and Quarter-back Milton had
+to be helped on and off the cars like a confirmed invalid. There wasn't
+a regular member of the 'varsity who could have stood up against a hard
+gust of wind five minutes after the final whistle had blown!</p>
+
+<p>The school returned to Brimfield disgruntled, disappointed and critical.
+There was scarcely a fellow on the train who didn't have a perfectly
+good theory as to the trouble with the eleven and who wasn't willing and
+eager to explain it. As for the game with Claflin, now just a fortnight
+distant, why, it was already as good as lost! Anyone would have told you
+that. The only point of disagreement was the size of the score. That
+ran, according to various estimates, from 6 to 0 to 50 to 3. It was a
+wonder they allowed Brimfield that 3! But all this was on the way home.
+Gradually the reaction set in and hope crept back. After all, a slump
+was something you had to contend with. It happened to every team some
+time in the season. Perhaps it was lucky it had come now instead of
+later. Of course, Chambers Tech was only a fair-to-middling team and
+Brimfield ought to have beaten her hands down, but since she<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_270" id="Page_270">[270]</a></span> hadn't,
+there was no use in worrying about it. By the time supper was over that
+evening, the stock of the Brimfield Football Team had risen to close to
+par, and anyone who had had the temerity to even suggest the possibility
+of a victory for Claflin would have been promptly and efficaciously
+squelched!</p>
+
+<p>The Chambers game resulted in a shake-up. That it was coming was hinted
+on Monday when only a few of the substitutes on the first were given any
+work and four of the second team fellows were lifted from their places
+and shifted over to what represented the 'varsity that day. These four
+were Trow and Saunders, tackles; Thursby, centre, and Freer, half-back.
+On Tuesday the first-string 'varsity men were back at work, with the
+exception of Benson, whose ankle was in pretty bad condition. Thursby
+was given a try-out at centre and Saunders at left tackle in the short
+scrimmage that followed practice. Thursby showed up so brilliantly that
+many predicted the retirement of Innes to the bench. Saunders failed to
+impress Coach Robey very greatly and he and Freer and Trow went back to
+the second the next day. The slump was still in evidence and the work
+was light until Thursday. Benson was still on crutches and his place was
+being taken<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_271" id="Page_271">[271]</a></span> by Roberts. Thursby ran Innes such a good race for the
+position of centre-rush that a substitute centre named Coolidge suddenly
+found his nose out of joint and faced the prospect of viewing the
+Claflin game from the bench.</p>
+
+<p>The school held its first mass meeting on Wednesday evening of that week
+and cheered and sang and whooped things up with a fine frenzy. The
+discouragement of the Chambers game was quite forgotten. Andy Miller, in
+a short speech, soberly predicted a victory over Claflin, and the
+audience yelled until the roof seemed to shake. Coach Robey gave a
+r&eacute;sum&eacute; of the season, thanked the school for its support of the team,
+pledged the best efforts of everyone concerned and, while refusing to
+say so in so many words, hinted that Brimfield would have the long end
+of the score on the twenty-fifth. After that the football excitement
+grew and spread and took possession of the school like an epidemic.
+Recitations became farces, faculty fumed and threatened&mdash;and bore it,
+and some one hundred and fifty boys fixed their gaze on the twenty-fifth
+of November and lived breathlessly in the future.</p>
+
+<p>There was a second mass meeting on Saturday, a meeting that ended in a
+parade up and down the Row, much noise and a vast enthusiasm. Brim<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_272" id="Page_272">[272]</a></span>field
+had met Southby Academy in the afternoon and had torn the visitors to
+tatters, scoring almost at will and sending the hopes of her adherents
+soaring into the zenith. To be sure, Southby had presented a rather weak
+team, but, as an offset to that, Brimfield had played without the
+services of the regular right end, without her captain and with a
+back-field largely substitute during most of the game. There was nothing
+wrong with Andy Miller, but it was thought best to save him for the
+final conflict. The last fortnight of a football season is a hard period
+for the captain, no matter how smoothly things have progressed; and
+Brimfield had had a particularly fortunate six weeks. Andy Miller was
+not the extremely nervous type, but, nevertheless, he had lost some
+fourteen pounds during the month and was far "finer" than Danny Moore
+wanted to see him. So Andy, dressed in "store clothes," saw the Southby
+game from the side-line, hobnobbing with the coaches and Joe Benson,
+still on crutches, and with Norton, who, after smashing out two
+touchdowns in the first period, was also taken out to be saved.</p>
+
+<p>There was no trace of the slump left, and the final score that Saturday
+afternoon was 39 to 7, and the school was hysterically delighted, which<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_273" id="Page_273">[273]</a></span>
+accounts for the added enthusiasm which kept them marching up and down
+the Row in the evening until the patience of a lenient faculty was
+exhausted, and Mr. Conklin, prodded into action by a telephone message
+from the Cottage, appeared and dispersed the assembly.</p>
+
+<p>The second team was to go out of business on Thursday, and several
+members of it were eager to end the season with a banquet. Freer and
+Saunders dropped in on Steve and Tom Sunday afternoon to talk it over
+and win their support. It was a nasty day, rainy and blowy and cold, and
+most of the fellows were huddling indoors around the radiators. Steve
+and Tom, on opposite sides of the table, were chewing the ends of their
+pens and trying to write their Sunday letters when the visitors came.
+Steve was studiedly haughty, as, to his mind, became one who was
+unjustly suspected of dishonesty. The visitors seemed puzzled by his
+manner and presently addressed themselves almost entirely to Tom, who,
+anxious to atone for his room-mate's churlishness, was nervously affable
+and unnaturally enthusiastic.</p>
+
+<p>"We don't see," explained Saunders, "why we shouldn't be allowed to have
+a banquet after we quit training. We deserve it. We've done as<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_274" id="Page_274">[274]</a></span> much, in
+a way, as the 'varsity fellows to win from Claflin. We've been the goats
+all the season and it seems to me we ought to get something out of it.
+What we want to do is to go to Josh and get him to give us permission to
+have a blow-out in the village Thursday night."</p>
+
+<p>"Or here," supplemented Freer, "if he won't let us go to the village.
+What do you fellows think?"</p>
+
+<p>"I think it's a good scheme," answered Tom. "And we might get one over
+on the 'varsity, too. I mean we'd have our banquet and lots of fun
+whether we won from Claflin or not, while the 'varsity, if it loses the
+game, doesn't enjoy its banquet very much, I guess."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, will you fellows come around to Brownell's room to-night after
+supper? Al is willing enough, but, being captain, he doesn't want to
+start the thing himself. We're going to see all the fellows this
+afternoon and then have a sort of a meeting this evening about eight.
+You'll come, Edwards?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, thanks."</p>
+
+<p>"All right. Come on, Jimmy. We've got several of the fellows to see
+yet."</p>
+
+<p>"There wouldn't be very many of us, would there?" asked Tom. "Now that
+Robey has<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_275" id="Page_275">[275]</a></span> pinched Thursby there's only about fifteen left on the team."</p>
+
+<p>"Sixteen, but we thought we'd get Robey to come if he would, and
+'Boots,' of course, and maybe Danny. That would make nineteen in all."</p>
+
+<p>"Where would you have it? Is there a hotel in the village?"</p>
+
+<p>"Not exactly, but there's a sort of a boarding-house there; 'Larch
+Villa,' they call it. They'd look after us all right. They've got a fine
+big dining-room which we could have all to ourselves. We haven't talked
+price with them yet, but Al says we could probably get a good feed for
+about a dollar and a half apiece. That wouldn't be so much, eh?"</p>
+
+<p>"Cheap, I'd call it," said Freer.</p>
+
+<p>"We'd have beefsteak and things like that, you know," continued Saunders
+enthusiastically, "things that are filling. No froth and whipped cream,
+you know! And lots of gingerale!"</p>
+
+<p>"Sounds good," laughed Tom. "I wish it was to-night. Do you think Mr.
+Fernald will let us?"</p>
+
+<p>"I don't see why not. I spoke to Mr. Conklin about it and he said he
+would favour it if Josh came to him about it. If he won't let us go to
+the village, we thought maybe he'd let us have<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_276" id="Page_276">[276]</a></span> our feed here after the
+regular supper, if we paid for it ourselves. Well, you fellows show up
+about eight. Don't forget, because we want to get the whole bunch there
+and talk it all over and appoint a committee to see Josh."</p>
+
+<p>Tom was silent for a minute after the visitors had departed. Then,
+hesitatingly, "Steve," he said, "what's the good of acting like that
+with fellows?"</p>
+
+<p>"Like what?" asked Steve.</p>
+
+<p>"You know well enough. Freezing up and talking as if you had a mouthful
+of icicles. You might be&mdash;be decently polite when fellows come in. Freer
+is a dandy chap, and Saunders is all right, too. But you treated them as
+if they were&mdash;were a couple of cut-throats."</p>
+
+<p>"I wasn't impolite," denied Steve. "As long as those fellows choose to
+think what they do about me, you can't expect me to slop over with
+them."</p>
+
+<p>"You haven't any way of knowing what they think about you," said Tom
+vigorously. "You take it for granted that every fellow in school
+believes that yarn of Sawyer's. I don't suppose a dozen fellows ever
+gave it a second thought."</p>
+
+<p>"I know better. Don't you suppose I can tell? Almost every chap I know
+treats me differently<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_277" id="Page_277">[277]</a></span> now. Even&mdash;even Roy&mdash;and Harry&mdash;act as if they'd
+rather not be seen with me!"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, piffle!" exclaimed Tom indignantly. "That's a rotten thing to say,
+Steve! Why, you might as well say that I believe the yarn!"</p>
+
+<p>"You?" Steve laughed meaningly. "You wouldn't be likely to."</p>
+
+<p>"Then neither would Roy or Harry. They haven't known you as long as I
+have, but they know you wouldn't do a thing like that."</p>
+
+<p>"I don't see why not," replied Steve stubbornly. "The book was found on
+this table. And Sawyer says he saw me with it. I guess it would be
+natural for them to believe what Sawyer says."</p>
+
+<p>"They don't, though, as I happen to know," replied Tom stoutly. "Even if
+you did bring the book up here, that doesn't mean that you were going
+to&mdash;to use it. What really happened, I suppose, was that you took it up
+without thinking and didn't realise you had it when you came back."</p>
+
+<p>Steve stared at him incredulously. "Well, of all the cheek!" he gasped.</p>
+
+<p>"What do you mean?" asked Tom.</p>
+
+<p>"I mean that that's a fine thing for you to get off," answered Steve
+indignantly. "You'll be<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_278" id="Page_278">[278]</a></span> saying next that you saw me bring the book in
+here that night!"</p>
+
+<p>"I didn't, but&mdash;hang it, Steve, the thing <i>was</i> here! You told me so
+yourself. I thought you confessed that you brought it up without
+knowing."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, cut it," said Steve wearily. "I'm willing to be decent about it,
+Tom, but I don't want to listen to drivel like that."</p>
+
+<p>"Drivel?" repeated the other, puzzled. "Say, what's the matter with you,
+anyway, Steve? I don't say you meant to cheat with the old book; I know
+mighty well you didn't; I told Telford so and convinced him of it, too;
+but I don't see why you need to get so hot under the collar when I&mdash;when
+I simply remind you that you <i>did</i> bring the book up here!"</p>
+
+<p>"So <i>I</i> brought it up, did I?" asked Steve with an ugly laugh.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, didn't you? Who did, then? You know well enough I didn't."</p>
+
+<p>"Do I? How do I know it? Look here, Tom, we might as well have a
+show-down right now. I did not bring that blue-book into this room. I
+did not take it out of 'Horace's'. But 'Horace' found it on this table,
+poked under a pile of books. Now, then, what do <i>you</i> know about it?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_279" id="Page_279">[279]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Tom stared in wide-eyed amazement for a moment. "You&mdash;you mean to say
+you think I did it!" he gasped finally.</p>
+
+<p>Steve shrugged his shoulders.</p>
+
+<p>"But&mdash;but you were here when I came back from downstairs, Steve! You saw
+that I didn't have it!"</p>
+
+<p>"I didn't see anything of the sort. I didn't notice whether you had
+anything in your hands when you came in. Why should I? You might have
+slipped it under your coat. There's no use trying that game, Tom."</p>
+
+<p>"Then why&mdash;why did you tell 'Horace' you took the book yourself if you
+knew you didn't?"</p>
+
+<p>"Because one of us must have, you idiot."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, I see," answered Tom thoughtfully. "You wanted to keep me out of
+it, eh? Look here, Steve, what would I want with Upton's composition? My
+own was written two days before."</p>
+
+<p>Steve shrugged his shoulders again impatiently. "That puzzled me. I
+didn't know. You did say afterwards, though, that your own comp. was
+pretty rotten. I didn't know but what&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"You have a fine opinion of me, haven't you?" asked Tom bitterly.
+"You've known me ever<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_280" id="Page_280">[280]</a></span> since we were kids at kindergarten and you think
+that of me! Thanks, Steve!"</p>
+
+<p>"Well, what&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Now you hold on! I'm going to tell you something." Tom was on his feet
+now, his hands on the edge of the table, his gaze bent sternly on his
+chum who was seated across the littered surface. "I didn't even see that
+blue-book of Upton's. I'll swear it wasn't on Mr. Daley's table when I
+went down there. I know nothing of how it got into this room. I tell you
+this on my word of honour, Steve. Do you believe me?"</p>
+
+<p>Steve's gaze met Tom's troubledly, then shifted. "Oh, if you say so, I
+suppose I'll have to. But if you didn't bring the book up here&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"That means you don't believe me," said Tom quietly. "Very well. Now,
+one more thing, Steve." Tom's eyes were blazing now, though his face was
+white. "Don't you speak to me unless you have to from now on, until you
+come to me and tell me that you believe what I've told you!"</p>
+
+<p>"But, Tom, you can see yourself that it's mighty queer! If you&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"You heard what I said! Perhaps you think I owe you something for trying
+to shield me from Mr. Daley. I don't, though. When you set me down for a
+cheat you more than squared that ac<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_281" id="Page_281">[281]</a></span>count. That's all. After this I
+don't want you to speak to me."</p>
+
+<p>Steve shrugged his shoulders angrily. "That goes," he said. "When you
+want me to speak to you, you'll ask me, Tom! And don't you forget it!"</p>
+
+<p>Both boys went back to their letters in silence. After a while Steve put
+on a raincoat and tramped down the stairs and over to Hensey. He meant
+to call on Andy Miller, but Andy was out and only the saturnine Williams
+was in the room. Although Steve had grown to like Williams very well,
+yet, in his present mood, the right tackle was not the sort of company
+Steve craved, and after a few minutes of desultory football talk he went
+on. He would have called on Roy and Harry, but now that he and Tom had
+quarrelled they would, he thought, side with Tom. In the end he found
+himself in the gymnasium. Several fellows were splashing about in the
+tank and Steve joined them. For an hour he forgot his troubles in
+performing stunts to the envious appreciation of the others in the pool.
+Applause was grateful to him that afternoon, and when he had dressed
+himself again and, avoiding the room, had gone across to Wendell to wait
+for the doors to open for supper, he felt better. Perhaps, he told
+himself, Tom really<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_282" id="Page_282">[282]</a></span> didn't know anything about that plaguey book, but
+even so he needn't get so cocky about it! Besides, someone must have put
+the book on their table and&mdash;well, the evidence was certainly against
+Tom!</p>
+
+<p>It wasn't much fun eating supper with Tom at his elbow as grim and stiff
+as a plaster statue. Fortunately, Steve was well into his meal before
+Tom came in, and meanwhile there were others of the second team to talk
+to if he wanted. With no Tom to converse with he found it difficult to
+persist in his r&ocirc;le of haughty indifference toward the others.
+Besides&mdash;and it came to him with rather a shock&mdash;what they thought of
+him was no more than he had been thinking of Tom! Hang it, it was all
+pretty rotten! He'd like to choke Eric Sawyer!</p>
+
+<p>It didn't take the rest of the fellows at the training table long to
+make the discovery that the two friends were at outs. Trow, a
+pale-faced, shock-haired chap, took delight in trying to engage them
+both in conversation at the same time, thereby increasing the
+embarrassment. Steve was heartily glad when he had finished his supper
+and could leave the table. Returning to his room under the circumstances
+was not appealing, but there seemed nowhere else to go. There was the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_283" id="Page_283">[283]</a></span>
+library, of course, but it was a dismal place on a Sunday evening, and
+he didn't want to read. But, as it proved, he needn't have considered
+avoiding the room, for Tom didn't return after supper, and Steve
+finished his letter home in solitude. At eight he went over to Al
+Brownell's room in Torrence, not because he was especially interested in
+the project to be discussed, but because he had agreed to attend the
+gathering and was glad, besides, to get away from Number 12 Billings.
+Life in Number 12 didn't promise to be very delightful for awhile, he
+thought dolefully.</p>
+
+<p>In Brownell's room Steve carefully took a position as far distant from
+Tom as was possible. There was a lot of talk and a good deal of fun, and
+in the end Steve found himself chosen one of a committee of five to call
+on the principal and request the permission they desired. At a little
+after nine he walked back to Billings alone. Tom didn't return until ten
+and then, with never a word between them, they undressed and went to
+bed. Steve didn't get to sleep very easily that night. More than once he
+was sorely tempted to speak across the darkness and tell Tom that he did
+believe him and that he was sorry. And I think he would have done it,
+too, in the end if Tom had not fallen asleep just then and announced the
+fact in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_284" id="Page_284">[284]</a></span> the usual melodic manner. Whereupon Steve frowned, punched his
+pillow and flopped over.</p>
+
+<p>"It isn't bothering him any," he thought. "If he wants me to speak to
+him, he'll have to say so. Cranky chump!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_285" id="Page_285">[285]</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>CHAPTER XXII</h2>
+
+<h3>STEVE GETS A SURPRISE</h3>
+
+
+<p>Mr. Fernald was surprisingly complaisant on Monday when the committee
+from the second team waited on him at the Cottage. He gave them
+permission to hold their banquet in the village and even said several
+nice things to them about their share in the development of the
+'varsity. He warned them against rowdyism, told them they must be back
+promptly at nine o'clock and said he hoped they'd have a good time!
+After which, much surprised and not a little embarrassed, the committee
+backed out of the room and returned joyfully to spread the tidings. A
+second committee, headed by Saunders, had already been appointed to
+arrange for the banquet in case permission was secured and by Tuesday
+everything was complete. I may say here that the event duly came off on
+Thursday evening and was a big success. But as neither Steve nor Tom was
+present, our interest in the banquet is slight.</p>
+
+<p>On Monday the <i>Review</i> came out. The school paper was published on the
+twentieth of the month,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_286" id="Page_286">[286]</a></span> and the December issue contained, among other
+features, a rather interesting r&eacute;sum&eacute; of the football season by Mr.
+Robey and a list of the games played to date. The coach's article was
+too long to reproduce, but the summary of the season's contests was
+brief enough to be set down here:</p>
+
+
+
+<div class='center'>
+<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="The Season's Contests">
+<tr><td align='left'>Sept. 30&mdash;Brimfield 10; Thacher 3</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>Oct. 4&mdash;Brimfield 10; Canterbury 7</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>Oct. 7&mdash;Brimfield 26; Miter Hill 0</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>Oct. 14&mdash;Brimfield 3; Larchville 17</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>Oct. 21&mdash;Brimfield 0; Benton 0</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>Oct. 28&mdash;Brimfield 27; Cherry Valley 6</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>Nov. 4&mdash;Brimfield 12; Phillips 0</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>Nov. 11&mdash;Brimfield 9; Chambers 30</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>Nov. 18&mdash;Brimfield 39; Southby 7</td></tr>
+</table></div>
+
+<p>Brimfield had played nine games, of which she had won six, lost two and
+tied one, not a bad record, as the <i>Review</i> rather complacently pointed
+out, for a school whose football history dated back but a few years. But
+Brimfield didn't waste much time contemplating past performances. Had
+the team won every game in its schedule by an overwhelming score, the
+season would still be a dismal failure if it lost to Claflin, just as,
+if it finally won its big game, the school would rise up and call it
+blessed even had it lost every other contest of the season. In other
+words, Claflin was the only foe that really counted, and the Claflin
+game was the final test by which the Brimfield Football Team stood or
+fell.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_287" id="Page_287">[287]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Claflin School, at Westplains, New York, some twelve miles distant from
+Brimfield, was a larger school in point of enrolment, a very much older
+school and far more "select." I don't intend to imply by that term that
+the Claflin students were a finer set of fellows than those at
+Brimfield. Doubtless they would have averaged up about the same. But
+Claflin liked to be considered "select" and so I might as well accord
+her the distinction. Claflin had been educating the youth of New York
+and surrounding states for almost a hundred years, and nowadays fathers
+applied for admission for their boys about as soon as the boys were
+born. The school was in that respect like a club with a long waiting
+list. If a boy wasn't "entered" by the time he was five or six years old
+at the latest, he stood small chance of getting in when the time came.</p>
+
+<p>Claflin had won from Brimfield three years on end, or ever since they
+had been playing together. She had started out by according Brimfield a
+mid-season date. The following year she had placed the game a week later
+and last year she had put it last on her schedule, Brimfield having by
+then proved herself an adversary of real merit. Oddly enough, Claflin
+had for some time been without a special rival and had gladly bestowed
+the honour<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_288" id="Page_288">[288]</a></span> on the Maroon-and-Grey as soon as the latter had shown
+herself worthy. This fall Claflin had had an unusually successful
+season, having played seven games and won all but the last, that with
+Larchville. Larchville, who had defeated Brimfield 17 to 3, had also
+taken the measure of Claflin to the tune of 12 to 6. Brimfield read of
+it in the Sunday papers and took comfort. After all, Claflin was not
+unbeatable it seemed. Her defeat by Larchville, coupled with Brimfield's
+overwhelming victory over Southby, lent next Saturday's game a roseate
+glow, viewed from a Brimfield view-point. In fact, by Monday Brimfield
+was almost confident of at last winning from the Blue, and the question
+of a proper celebration of the victory was up for discussion. Of course
+it should be a whopping big bonfire, with a parade and speeches and
+singing and plenty of music! But Brimfield had never yet celebrated such
+a stupendous event and consequently there were no precedents to guide
+them. Neither was it known what attitude faculty would take in regard to
+such an affair. But a few choice spirits in the upper forms made
+tentative arrangements to the extent of picking out a likely spot in a
+corner of the athletic field for the fire and locating such loose
+material as might come in handy as fuel.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_289" id="Page_289">[289]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Monday's practice was short and easy. Even the second had an off-day.
+The 'varsity players were given a blackboard lecture in the meeting-room
+in the gymnasium after supper and were put through an examination on
+plays and signals. On Tuesday the practice was as stiff as ever. Coach
+Robey was not altogether satisfied with the defence, and there were
+forty-five minutes of the hardest sort of scrimmage in which the second
+was given the ball at various distances from the 'varsity goal and told
+to put it over. The field was closed to spectators that day and it was
+hard hammer-and-tongs football all the way. "Boots" drove the second
+with whip and spurs and the second responded nobly. But the best it
+could do was to drop a field-goal over the bar in the third period of
+the scrimmage, after having been held a half-dozen times by a desperate
+adversary. Steve played about as well that afternoon as he had ever
+played in his life. For once he had no worries on his mind. To be sure,
+there was still his falling-out with Tom and his quarrel with the school
+at large, but those things seemed rather to lend him a new strength than
+to bother him. He played with a dash and a reckless disregard for life
+and limb that made Coach Robey observe him with a new interest. Tom
+performed with his cus<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_290" id="Page_290">[290]</a></span>tomary steadiness and more than once put it over
+on Fowler and on Churchill, who substituted him. They were some three
+dozen very tired youths who finally straggled back to the gymnasium when
+the work was over.</p>
+
+<p>On Wednesday the last real practice of the season was to be held, since
+the Thursday performance was more in the nature of an exhibition for the
+school than real work, and on Friday afternoon the team was to journey
+over to Oakdale, on the Sound, and remain there until Saturday forenoon.
+But the weather proved unkind on Wednesday. In the middle of the
+forenoon the wind veered around to the south and a drizzle of rain set
+in. By three o'clock the drizzle had grown into a very respectable
+downpour and the gridiron was slow and slippery. But Mr. Robey was not
+to be deterred and, with Danny Moore anxiously hovering about like a hen
+with a batch of ducklings, the 'varsity was put through a half-hour of
+signal work, punting and catching. Then the second, wet and muddy, came
+across to the first team gridiron and the two elevens leaped at each
+other again. Danny followed close behind, cautioning and scolding, and
+more than one player was dragged out of the m&ecirc;l&eacute;e and sent off to the
+gym in spite of the coach's pleas and protestations.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_291" id="Page_291">[291]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"I'll not have them hurted," reiterated Danny stubbornly. "'Tis no sort
+of a day for hard work, Coach. I've got 'em through this far an' I'll
+not be havin' them breakin' their legs an' arms for the sake of a bit of
+practice, sir."</p>
+
+<p>"Hang their arms and their legs!" fumed Mr. Robey. "They might as well
+not have any as start the game Saturday half-baked! Give me a chance,
+Danny!"</p>
+
+<p>"'Tis takin' big chances, sir, playin' 'em on this sort of a field."</p>
+
+<p>"Then we'll take chances!" growled the coach. "Now get in there, first,
+and rip it up! Show what you can do! You've got six to go on third down;
+put it over! Wait a minute! Thursby! Get in there for Innes and hold
+that centre of the line steady."</p>
+
+<p>"Trot all the way in, my boy, and get a good rubbin'," directed Danny to
+the discomforted Innes. "Hi! Put your blanket on! Are you crazy?"</p>
+
+<p>"Play lower there, Hall! Throw them back, second!" entreated "Boots."
+"Don't let them have an inch!"</p>
+
+<p>Then the first piled through Brownell for three yards, slipping in the
+mud, panting, grunting to the accompaniment of thudding feet and the
+<i>swish</i><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_292" id="Page_292">[292]</a></span> of wet canvas. Above the players a cloud of steam hovered as
+they disentangled themselves. Danny darted into the confusion. Benson
+was on his back, thrashing his arms.</p>
+
+<p>"Water!" bawled Danny.</p>
+
+<p>A helper raced on with a slopping pail. Danny's fingers went exploring.</p>
+
+<p>"Ankle," groaned Benson, and Danny shot a triumphantly accusing look at
+Coach Robey. In a minute Benson was being helped off and the game was on
+again, but Mr. Robey showed a distinct aversion to meeting the trainer's
+glance. Later, in the gymnasium, it was known that Benson had hurt the
+bad ankle again and would not be able to play the game through on
+Saturday, even if he was allowed to get into it at all. Coach Robey
+accepted the tidings with a shrug and a scowl.</p>
+
+<p>"Fine!" he said sarcastically. "Claflin's left end is the best player
+they've got. Roberts will stand a fine chance against him! Look here,
+Danny, I thought you said Benson's ankle was all right?"</p>
+
+<p>"So I did! And so it was all right!" sputtered Danny. "But I didn't say
+he could go out an' play on a field like that to-day, did I?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_293" id="Page_293">[293]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"All right. It can't be helped now. Where's Captain Miller?"</p>
+
+<p>Danny bent his head backward toward the rubbing room. "In there," he
+answered shortly.</p>
+
+<p>"Heard about Benson?" asked the coach.</p>
+
+<p>Andy, looking a trifle pale and tired, nodded silently as the rubber
+kneaded his back. Mr. Robey frowned a moment.</p>
+
+<p>"You'll have to change over," he said finally. Andy grunted agreement.
+"And we'll have to take Turner or Edwards from the second to-morrow and
+beat him into shape."</p>
+
+<p>"Edwards is the better," said Andy.</p>
+
+<p>"I suppose so. If he played the way he played yesterday and to-day he
+might have a chance against Mumford. Still&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"I'd better take that end," said Andy. "Let Roberts start the game at
+left and then put in Edwards&mdash;unless Benson mends enough."</p>
+
+<p>"He won't," said the coach pessimistically. "You can't play end with a
+sore ankle. He's out of it, Andy. Tough luck, too. I'll find Edwards and
+tell him to join the squad to-night. He's got to learn signals and plays
+and&mdash;&mdash;" The coach's voice dwindled into silence and he gloomed
+frowningly out the window. "I wish now I'd let Danny have his way," he
+lamented. "We could<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_294" id="Page_294">[294]</a></span> have run through plays indoors and had a hard
+practice to-morrow. Well&mdash;&mdash;" He shrugged his shoulders again and his
+gaze came back to Andy. "How are you?" he asked. "You look a bit
+fagged."</p>
+
+<p>"I'll be all right after supper," replied the captain. "I'll be glad
+when Saturday night comes, though." And he smiled a trifle wanly as he
+slipped off the table.</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Robey grunted. "So will I. Somehow, this year seems to mean more,
+Andy. Still, there's no use in worrying about it. Much better not think
+of it any more than you can help."</p>
+
+<p>"I know," agreed Andy as he wrapped a big towel about his glowing body
+and moved toward the door, "but when you're captain it&mdash;it's a whole lot
+different. There's Edwards over there. Shall I call him?"</p>
+
+<p>The coach nodded. "I think so. He's better than Turner, isn't he? Left
+end is Turner's position, though."</p>
+
+<p>"Edwards'll take to it quick enough. He's got more bulldog than Turner
+has, too. I guess he's the man for us. Oh, Edwards! Will you come over
+here a minute?"</p>
+
+<p>Steve pushed his way through the crowded aisles, past Thursby who winked
+and grinned and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_295" id="Page_295">[295]</a></span> whispered "You're going to catch it!" past Tom who
+turned his head away as he approached, past Eric Sawyer, a big hulk in a
+crimson bathrobe, who scowled upon him, and so to where, by the rubbing
+room door, the captain and coach awaited him. It was Mr. Robey who
+brusquely made the announcement. The coach was anxious and tired to-day
+and his voice was harsh.</p>
+
+<p>"Edwards, you join the 'varsity to-night. We may have to use you at left
+end. Benson's pretty badly hurt, I understand. Be upstairs at
+eight-fifteen promptly. You've got to learn the signals and about
+fifteen plays before Saturday. Tell your coach I've taken you, please."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir." Steve's eyes, round and questioning, turned to the captain.
+Andy smiled a little.</p>
+
+<p>"Rather sudden, eh?" he asked. "Do your best to learn, Edwards. Get the
+signals and plays down pat. There isn't much time, but you can do it if
+you'll put your mind on it. You wanted to make the 'varsity, you know,
+and now you've done it, and here's your chance to make good, Edwards.
+But you've got to work like thunder, old man!" He laid a hand on Steve's
+shoulder and his fingers tightened as he went on. "Everyone's got his
+hands full right now, you see, and there's no one to coach you much.
+You've got to buckle down<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_296" id="Page_296">[296]</a></span> and learn things yourself. You can do it, all
+right. And on Saturday, if you get in&mdash;and I can't see how you can help
+it&mdash;you've got to play real football, Edwards. Think you can do all
+that?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes." Steve's heart was thumping pretty hard and his breathing was
+uncertain, as though he had raced the length of the field with a pigskin
+tucked in the crook of his arm, and his gaze sought the floor for fear
+those two would read the almost tragic ecstasy that shone in them.
+"Yes," he repeated, "I'll learn. And I'll&mdash;I'll play!"</p>
+
+<p>"All right. You'd better join the 'varsity table to-night. See Lawrence
+about it. That's all." Coach Robey nodded and turned away. Andy Miller,
+following, paused and stepped back. One hand clutched the folds of the
+big towel about him, the other was stretched out to Steve.</p>
+
+<p>"I'm glad, Edwards," he said in a low voice as Steve's hand closed on
+his. Steve nodded. He wasn't quite certain of his voice just then.
+"You'll do your best for us, won't you, old man?"</p>
+
+<p>Steve gulped. "I&mdash;I'll play till I drop," he muttered huskily.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_297" id="Page_297">[297]</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>CHAPTER XXIII</h2>
+
+<h3>DURKIN SHEDS LIGHT</h3>
+
+
+<p>Steve felt frightfully lonely that evening. He wanted so much to talk
+over his good fortune with Tom. But Tom, very grave of countenance, sat
+in frozen silence across the table and never so much as glanced his way.
+Had he done so he might have caught one of the wistful looks bent upon
+him and, perhaps, relented. Not being able to discuss the amazing thing
+which had happened to him, detracted at least half the pleasure, Steve
+sadly reflected. Of course Tom knew of it, for Steve had sat at the
+'varsity training table at supper-time and he could still hear in
+imagination the buzz of interest that had filled the hall when, somewhat
+consciously skirting the second team table, he had walked to the corner
+and sank into a seat between Fowler and Churchill. They had been very
+nice to him at the 'varsity table. Only Roberts, who might be expected
+to view his appearance with misgivings, had eyed him askance. Poor Joe
+Benson was confined to the dormitory. Thursby, himself only a recent
+addition to the big<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_298" id="Page_298">[298]</a></span> squad, grinned at Steve from the length of the long
+table in a way which seemed to say: "They had to have us! I guess we
+fellows on the second team are pretty bad, what?"</p>
+
+<p>But now, back in his room, with his books spread out before him and his
+mind in a strange tumult of elation and fear and dejection, he hardly
+knew whether to be glad of or sorry for his promotion. Study, at all
+events, was quite out of the question to-night, but luckily he was well
+enough up in his lessons to be able to afford one hour of idleness. He
+considered writing home to his father and recounting the story of his
+good fortune to him, for it seemed that he must talk to someone about
+it, and he even dragged a pad of paper toward him and unscrewed his
+fountain pen. But, after tracing meaningless scrawls for several
+minutes, he gave it up. He didn't want to write a letter; he wanted to
+talk to Tom!</p>
+
+<p>He saw the hands of his watch creep toward the hour of eight, after
+which he might give up pretence of study, don a sweater and a pair of
+canvas "sneakers" and go over to the gymnasium. The thought of that and
+of the next three days put him in a blue funk. What if he couldn't learn
+the signals, or, having learned them, forgot them in the game? What if
+he disappointed Andy and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_299" id="Page_299">[299]</a></span> Coach Robey when the time came? He had visions
+of getting his signals mixed, of fumbling the ball at critical moments,
+of losing the game through his stupidity. There were times when he
+devoutly hoped that Joe Benson would recover the use of that ankle and
+get into the contest so that he [Steve] might not be called on to take
+part!</p>
+
+<p>Then, at last, eight o'clock struck sonorously in the tower of Main
+Hall, and he closed his books with a sigh of relief, piled them up and
+went to the closet. When he was ready to go out Tom was still bent over
+his studies. Steve hesitated a moment with his hand on the knob. He
+wanted Tom to wish him luck. He wondered if Tom guessed how sort of
+lonesome and scared he felt. But Tom never even raised his eyes and so
+Steve went out, closing the door softly behind him, and made his way
+through a dripping rain to the lighted porch of the gymnasium. Only a
+half-dozen fellows were there when he reached the meeting room. The
+settees had been moved aside and the floor was empty and ready for them.
+Steve nodded to the others and perched himself on one of the low
+windowsills to wait. In twos and threes the players stamped up the
+stairs, laughing, jostling. Milton and Kendall, entering together,
+seized each other and began to waltz over the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_300" id="Page_300">[300]</a></span> floor. Steve wondered how
+they could take such a serious business so light-heartedly. Then Joe
+Lawrence, the manager, a football under his arm, came in with Williams
+and, glancing at his watch, began calling the roll. In the middle of it
+Coach Robey and Andy Miller and Danny Moore arrived. More lights were
+turned on and Mr. Robey swung the blackboard on the platform nearer the
+front.</p>
+
+<p>"We'll try Number Six," he announced. Very quickly and surely he
+scrawled the formation on the board, added curving lines and dotted
+lines, dropped the chalk and faced the room. "All right, Milton.
+First-string fellows in this and the rest of you watch closely."</p>
+
+<p>"Line up!" chirped Milton. "Formation A!" The players sprang to their
+places, their rubber-soled shoes patting softly on the boards.
+"21&mdash;14&mdash;63&mdash;66!" called the quarter. "21&mdash;14&mdash;63&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>The backs, who had shifted to the left in a slanting tandem, trotted
+forward, the ball was passed, the line divided and Still slipped
+through.</p>
+
+<p>"Norton, you were out of position," said Mr. Robey. "Look at the board,
+please. Your place is an arm's length from left half. You've got to
+follow closely on that. Try it again, please."</p>
+
+<p>So it went for nearly an hour, the substitutes<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_301" id="Page_301">[301]</a></span> gradually taking the
+places of the first-string players. Steve, who had had the signals
+explained to him earlier, managed to get through without mistakes, but
+as an end he had little to do in the drill. After the coach had watched
+them go through some fourteen plays, the settees were dragged out into
+the floor again, the players seated themselves and the coach drew
+diagrams and explained them and examined the squad in signals as he went
+along. It was all over at a little after nine, but not for Steve. Andy
+Miller took him back to his room with him and for a good half-hour Steve
+was coached on formations, plays and signals. When, finally, he went
+back to Billings his head was absolutely seething and it was long after
+eleven before sleep finally came to him. When it did, it was a restless
+and disturbed slumber that was filled with dreams and visions.</p>
+
+<p>He awoke earlier than usual the next morning, feeling almost as tired as
+when he had gone to bed. But, although he strove to snatch a nap before
+it was time to get up, sleep refused to return to him. His mind was too
+full. Across the room Tom was snoring placidly, both arms clutched about
+a pillow and his face almost buried from sight. Steve envied him his
+untroubled state of mind. Then he began to go over what he had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_302" id="Page_302">[302]</a></span> learned
+the evening before and found himself in a condition of panic because for
+the life of him he couldn't remember half of the stuff that had been
+hammered into his tired brain! Steve was not the only fellow at training
+table that morning who showed a distaste for the excellent breakfast
+that was served. More than one chap looked pale and anxious and only
+trifled with the food before him. Steve stumbled through recitations,
+earning a warning look from "Uncle Sim," managed to observe more or less
+faithfully the schedule he had set for himself and turned up at dinner
+table with a very good appetite. After dinner he wrote a notice and
+posted it on the bulletin board in the gymnasium.</p>
+
+<p>"No Swimming Classes until Monday. S. D. Edwards."</p>
+
+<p>The school turned out to a boy that afternoon and paraded to the field
+to watch the final practice. Massed on the grand stand, they sang their
+songs and cheered the players and the team all during a half-hour of
+signal drill and punting. There was no scrimmage until the first-string
+men had trotted off the field. Then the 'varsity substitutes and the
+second team faced each other for fifteen minutes and the second scored a
+field-goal. Steve played at left end on the substitute<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_303" id="Page_303">[303]</a></span> eleven, made one
+or two mistakes in signals and failed at any time to distinguish
+himself. But the game was slow and half-hearted, for the substitutes
+were continually warned against playing too hard and so risking injury.
+When it was over, the second cheered the 'varsity, the subs cheered the
+second and the spectators formed two abreast again and trailed across
+the field to the gymnasium and there once more cheered everyone from
+Captain Miller and Coach Robey down to the last substitute&mdash;who was
+Steve&mdash;Danny Moore and Gus, the rubber. It had drizzled at times during
+the afternoon, but before the final "Rah, rah, Brimfield! Rah, rah,
+Brimfield! Rah, rah, Brim-f-i-e-l-d!" had died away, the clouds broke in
+the west and the afternoon sun shone through. This was accepted joyfully
+as a good omen and the crowd outside the gymnasium broke into a chorus
+of ecstatic "A-a-ays!"</p>
+
+<p>Practice was over early, and at half-past four Steve, parting from
+Thursby at the corner of Wendell, made his way along the Row, half
+wishing that he had not cancelled the swimming hour to-day. At the
+entrance to Torrence a voice hailed him from the doorway, and "Penny"
+Durkin, wild of hair and loose-limbed, stepped out.</p>
+
+<p>"Hello," said Durkin. "Say, I've got the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_304" id="Page_304">[304]</a></span> dandiest rug upstairs you ever
+saw, Edwards. It's a regular Begorra."</p>
+
+<p>"What's a Begorra?" asked Steve with a smile.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, it's one of those rare Oriental rugs, you know."</p>
+
+<p>"You mean Bokhara," laughed Steve.</p>
+
+<p>Durkin blinked. "Something like that," he agreed. "Anyway, it's a peach.
+Come up and have a look at it."</p>
+
+<p>"No, thanks. I'm not buying rugs to-day."</p>
+
+<p>"Tell you what I'll do," pursued Durkin, undismayed. "I'll fetch it over
+to your room and you can see how it looks. It's got perfectly wonderful
+tones of&mdash;of old rose and&mdash;and blue and&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Nothing doing, Durkin. We don't need any rugs."</p>
+
+<p>"You're missing a bargain," warned the other. "Say, I've still got that
+shoe-blacking stand I told you about. No, I didn't tell you, did I? I
+left a note under your door one evening, though. Did you get it?"</p>
+
+<p>"Note? Why, yes, I think so. Yes, we got it. I'd forgotten."</p>
+
+<p>Durkin chuckled. "That was the time I gave Sawyer the scare."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_305" id="Page_305">[305]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"How?" asked Steve idly.</p>
+
+<p>"Didn't he tell you?"</p>
+
+<p>"Sawyer? Not likely." And Steve smiled.</p>
+
+<p>"That's so, I did hear that you and he were scrapping one day. You used
+to be pretty chummy, though, didn't you?"</p>
+
+<p>"Never," replied Steve with emphasis. Durkin blinked again and looked
+puzzled.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, he was trying to find you that night. So I supposed&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"What night?"</p>
+
+<p>"The night I went to tell you about that shoe-blacking stand. It's
+almost as good as new, Edwards&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"You say Sawyer was looking for me that night? How do you know? He
+couldn't have been, because I'd met him earlier in the hall downstairs."</p>
+
+<p>"I don't know. He said he was. Anyhow, he was in your room&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Sawyer?" demanded Steve incredulously. "Eric Sawyer?"</p>
+
+<p>Durkin nodded.</p>
+
+<p>"You're crazy," laughed Steve.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, he was," answered the other indignantly. "He came out just as I
+was tucking that note under the door and fell over me and let out a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_306" id="Page_306">[306]</a></span>
+yell you could have heard half-way to New York. You see, I didn't know
+there was anyone there. I knocked at first and thought I heard someone
+moving around in there. Then I tried the door and it was locked&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"You had the wrong room," said Steve. "We never lock our door except
+when we go to bed."</p>
+
+<p>"Wrong room nothing! You got the note, didn't you? Well, I didn't leave
+any notes anywhere else."</p>
+
+<p>"But&mdash;now, look here, Durkin. I want to get this right. You say you went
+to our room and knocked and&mdash;&mdash; Was there a light there?"</p>
+
+<p>"No. The transom was dark. When I couldn't get in I went back down the
+corridor to where the light is and scribbled that note. Then I went back
+and tucked it under the door. I guess I didn't make much noise because I
+had a pair of rubber-soled shoes on and so Sawyer didn't hear me.
+Anyway, he opened the door just then and it was fairly dark there and he
+nearly broke his silly neck on me. Scared me, too, for the matter of
+that! I didn't think there was anyone in there. Say, is there anything
+up? You look sort of funny."</p>
+
+<p>"N-no, nothing much. You're sure it was Sawyer who came out?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_307" id="Page_307">[307]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Of course I'm sure. He let out a yell and picked himself up and began
+to scold. Wanted to know what I meant by it and I said I was sticking a
+note under your door and he said 'Oh!' and something about wanting to
+see you and waiting for you. Then he said he guessed you weren't coming
+back yet and he'd go on."</p>
+
+<p>"What time was this, Durkin?"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, a little after eight, I suppose; half-past, maybe. I stopped to see
+Whittaker on the floor below, I remember. He said he'd look at that
+stand, but he never did. If you want a bargain, Edwards, now's your
+chance. I'll let you have it for a dollar and a quarter. It cost two and
+a half. I bought it from&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, confound your old stand! Look here, Durkin, will you tell Mr. Daley
+just what you've told me if I want you to?"</p>
+
+<p>"Eh?" asked Durkin in alarm. "Oh, I don't know. I don't want to get
+anyone into trouble. I&mdash;I'd rather not, I guess. You see, Sawyer&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"If you will, I&mdash;I'll buy your old shoe-blacking stand or your rug
+or&mdash;or anything you like!" said Steve earnestly. "Will you?"</p>
+
+<p>"Why, maybe I might if you put it that way. The rug's two dollars."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_308" id="Page_308">[308]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"All right," answered Steve impatiently. "Where are you going to be for
+the next hour?"</p>
+
+<p>"Upstairs, practising. Come and see it any time you like. It really is a
+peach, Edwards, and it's scarcely worn at all. It&mdash;it's a prayer rug,
+too, and they're scarcer than hens' teeth nowadays!"</p>
+
+<p>But Steve was already yards away and Durkin shrugged his shoulders and
+turned back into Torrence.</p>
+
+<p>"Wonder what's up," he murmured. "I'd hate to get Sawyer into a scrape.
+Still, if he will buy that rug&mdash;&mdash;"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_309" id="Page_309">[309]</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>CHAPTER XXIV</h2>
+
+<h3>THE DAY BEFORE THE BATTLE</h3>
+
+
+<p>Tom was attiring himself in his Sunday best. It was almost six o'clock
+and one of Hoskins' barges was to leave Main Hall at half-past with the
+members of the second team, for this was the evening of the banquet in
+the village. Tom didn't feel unduly hilarious, however. He was sorry
+that the football season was over, for one thing, for he loved the game.
+And then existence of late had been fairly wearing and mighty
+unsatisfactory. His quarrel with Steve was a tiresome affair and he
+didn't see just how it was to end. For his part, in spite of the fact
+that his chum had hurt him a good deal by his mean suspicion of him, he
+was ready to make up, only&mdash;well, he had some pride, after all, and it
+did seem as if the first overtures should come from Steve. No, on the
+whole, Tom wasn't looking forward to the banquet with any great amount
+of enjoyment. If Steve was going to be there, too&mdash;&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>Someone came hurrying down the corridor, the room door flew open and
+there stood Steve him<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_310" id="Page_310">[310]</a></span>self, a radiant and embarrassed look on his face,
+his gaze searching the room for Tom. His face fell a little as he found
+the room apparently empty, and then lighted again as his glance
+discovered Tom at the closet door, Tom half-dressed and with a pair of
+trousers dangling over his arm. Out went Steve's hand as he turned.</p>
+
+<p>"I'm sorry, Tom," he said simply. "I was a beast."</p>
+
+<p>Tom took the hand that was offered and squeezed it hard.</p>
+
+<p>"That's all right," he stammered. "So was I."</p>
+
+<p>"No, you were right, Tom," answered Steve convincedly. "I hadn't any
+business suspecting you of a thing like that. And&mdash;and I want to tell
+you first that I knew I was wrong a long time ago, before this happened.
+You believe that, don't you?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, Steve, but&mdash;what is it that's happened?"</p>
+
+<p>"It's all clear as daylight," said Steve, grinning happily as he seated
+himself on the bed and tossing his cap toward the table. "It was Sawyer
+did it. He put up the whole job. He fessed up when 'Horace' got at him.
+Durkin met him coming out and&mdash;&mdash;"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_311" id="Page_311">[311]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Hold on!" begged Tom. "I don't quite get you, Steve!"</p>
+
+<p>Steve laughed. "Sort of confused narrative, eh? Well, listen, then. Drop
+those trousers and sit down a minute."</p>
+
+<p>"All right, but the barge leaves at half-past&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Never you mind the barge, old man! You're not going in it. I'll come to
+that later, though."</p>
+
+<p>"Take your time," said Tom, dropping into a chair. "I love to hear your
+innocent prattle."</p>
+
+<p>"Shut up! It's like this, Tom. I met Durkin awhile ago and he got to
+talking about that shoe-blacking stand. Remember the note he left here
+that night?" Tom nodded. "Well, it came out that while he was putting it
+under our door Eric Sawyer walked out and fell over him."</p>
+
+<p>"Out of here?"</p>
+
+<p>"Right-o! Sawyer said he'd been waiting to see me. Now you remember I'd
+seen him coming out of Daley's room earlier, eh? Well, it seems that
+Sawyer saw a chance to put up a game on me. So after I'd gone upstairs
+again, he sneaked back to 'Horace's' room, got that confounded blue-book
+of Upton's and waited his chance. After we'd left the room he came up
+here and slid the thing among some books on the table there.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_312" id="Page_312">[312]</a></span> While he
+was in here Durkin came along and knocked and Sawyer slipped over and
+locked the door. Then he waited until he thought Durkin had gone and
+unlocked the door again and came out. But old Durkin had written a note
+to us down under the light and come back with it and he was putting it
+under the door when Sawyer came out and fell over him. Of course, when
+Durkin told me that I had a hunch what had happened and I hot-footed it
+to 'Horace.' He confessed that it was Sawyer who had told him he'd seen
+me carrying off the book. So he streaked off after Sawyer, found him
+somewhere and took him to Durkin's room. Sawyer&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Were you there too?" asked Tom excitedly.</p>
+
+<p>"No, he told me to wait in his study for him. He was back in about a
+half-hour looking sort of worried. Of course Sawyer had to own up. He
+told 'Horace' that he'd just done it for a joke, but 'Horace' didn't
+believe him for a cent. And there you are!" Steve ended in breathless
+triumph. Tom viewed him round-eyed.</p>
+
+<p>"What&mdash;what about Sawyer?" he asked.</p>
+
+<p>"I don't know for certain, but I think Sawyer's on pro. Anyway, Tom, I
+know this much: You don't go to any old banquet to-night."</p>
+
+<p>"I don't? Why don't I?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_313" id="Page_313">[313]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Because I met Lawrence downstairs a few minutes ago. He was looking for
+you."</p>
+
+<p>"Wh-what for?" asked Tom faintly.</p>
+
+<p>"Robey says you're not to break training, Tom! You're to report at the
+'varsity table to-night for supper!" Whereupon Steve, his eyes dancing,
+jumped from the bed and pulled Tom to his feet. "What do you say to
+that, old Tommikins?" he exulted.</p>
+
+<p>Tom, dazed, smiled weakly. "Do you mean&mdash;do you mean they want me to
+<i>play?</i>" he murmured.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, no," scoffed Steve, pushing him toward the bed on which he subsided
+in a heap. "They want you to carry the footballs and sweep the gridiron!
+Of course they want you to play, you old sobersides! Don't you see that
+with Sawyer on pro there's a big hole in the line? I suppose they'll
+give Churchill the first chance at it, but he won't last the game
+through. Think of both you and I making the 'varsity, Tom! How's that
+for luck, eh? Not bad for the old Tannersville High School, is it? I
+guess we've gone and put Tannersville on the map, Tom!"</p>
+
+<p>"Gee, I'm scared!" muttered Tom, looking up at Steve with wide eyes.
+"I&mdash;I don't believe I'll do it!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_314" id="Page_314">[314]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"You don't, eh? Well, you're going to do it! Get your old duds on and
+hurry up. It's after six."</p>
+
+<p>"I'll have to tell Brownell I'm not going to the feast." Tom gazed
+fascinatedly at his best trousers draped across the chair back. "Anyway,
+I wasn't keen on going&mdash;without you," he murmured.</p>
+
+<p>"There's only one drawback," said Steve a few minutes later, when they
+were on their way to supper. "And that is that I promised Durkin to buy
+a rug from him."</p>
+
+<p>"A rug? We don't need any rug, do we?" asked Tom.</p>
+
+<p>"Not a bit. But this is a genuine Begorra; Durkin says so himself. And I
+agreed to buy it if he'd tell 'Horace' about Sawyer. Unless&mdash;unless
+you'd rather have the shoe-blacking stand, Tom?"</p>
+
+<p>"I would. If we had that, perhaps you'd keep your shoes decent!"</p>
+
+<p>Steve tipped Tom's cap over his eyes. "Rude ruffian!" he growled
+affectionately.</p>
+
+<p>There was no practice at Brimfield Friday, for as soon as the last
+recitation of the day was over the 'varsity team and substitutes piled
+into two of Hoskins' barges in front of Main Hall to be<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_315" id="Page_315">[315]</a></span> driven over to
+Oakdale, some five miles distant. The school assembled to see them off,
+and there was much hilarity and noise. Joe Lawrence, note-book in hand,
+flustered and anxious, mounted the steps and called the names of the
+squad members.</p>
+
+<p>"Benson!"</p>
+
+<p>"Here," responded Benson from where, at the far end of one of the
+barges, he sat, crutches in hand, looking a bit disconsolate.</p>
+
+<p>"Churchill, Corcoran, Edwards, Fowler, Gleason, Guild, Hall, Harris,
+Innes&mdash;Innes?"</p>
+
+<p>"Coming fast!" shouted a voice from the edge of the throng, and the big
+centre, suit-case in hand, pushed his way toward the barges.</p>
+
+<p>"Right through!" laughed the fellows. "Hit the line, Innes! A-a-ay!"</p>
+
+<p>"Kendall," continued Lawrence. "Lacey, Marvin, Miller, Milton, McClure,
+Norton, Roberts, Still, Thursby, Williams!"</p>
+
+<p>"All present and accounted for," announced a voice in the crowd. "Home,
+James!"</p>
+
+<p>Coach Robey and "Boots" appeared. Danny Moore, who with Gus, the rubber,
+sat on the driver's seat surrounded with suit-cases, took the bags, Joe
+Lawrence and Tracey Black, assistant manager, squeezed into the already
+overcrowded<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_316" id="Page_316">[316]</a></span> barges, Blaisdell, baseball captain, called for a cheer
+and, amidst a thunderous farewell, the squad, grinning and waving,
+disappeared down the drive, through the gate and out on to the road.</p>
+
+<p>Oakdale was fairly deserted at this time of year. Most of the summer
+cottages were closed, but the little hotel kept open the year around,
+and when, at four o'clock, the barges pulled up in front of it, fires
+were snapping in the open fireplaces and everything was in readiness for
+the squad's reception. Followed a very merry and rather boisterous time
+while the fellows, bags in hand, sought their rooms to don their togs
+and report for light practice on the lawn. There was only signal drill
+to-day, and that was brief. Afterwards the centres practised passing and
+the kickers limbered up a little, but by five the work was over and the
+fellows were free to do what they liked. Some gathered around the two
+big fireplaces in the hotel, others went for strolls along the road, and
+still others, Steve and Tom amongst the number, sought the little cove
+nearby where a diminutive and rather pebbly beach curved from point to
+point and a boat-landing stuck out into the quiet water. The trees and
+grass went almost to the edge and there were com<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_317" id="Page_317">[317]</a></span>fortable benches along
+the bank from which one might look across the Sound to the Long Island
+shore or watch the boats pass. It had been a fair, mild day and the
+light still held. Steve and Tom sauntered down to the float and Steve
+dipped an inquiring hand into the water.</p>
+
+<p>"Say, that isn't a bit cold," he announced. "What do you say to a swim,
+Tom?"</p>
+
+<p>"Fine, only we haven't any suits."</p>
+
+<p>"Maybe they've got some at the hotel. Let's ask." On the way up they met
+Norton, Williams and Marvin. "Come on in swimming, fellows," called
+Steve.</p>
+
+<p>"Can we?" asked Norton. "Who says so?"</p>
+
+<p>"Why not? We're going to see if we can find some trunks or something."</p>
+
+<p>"All right. You'd better ask the coach, though." This from Marvin. "He's
+in the office, I think. If you find any trunks bring some for us,
+Edwards."</p>
+
+<p>The clerk was rather dubious at first, but eventually returned with a
+miscellaneous collection of bathing togs from which the boys finally
+evolved three pairs of trunks and two suits. Meanwhile Mr. Robey had
+given hesitant permission.</p>
+
+<p>"If the water's very cold, Edwards, don't try<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_318" id="Page_318">[318]</a></span> it, please. And, in any
+case, don't stay in more than ten minutes. That goes for all of you."</p>
+
+<p>There was a bathing pavilion farther along, reached from the little
+beach by a flight of wooden steps, and to this the five boys proceeded,
+examining the attire the clerk had provided with much amusement.</p>
+
+<p>"I won't be able to swim a stroke," declared Norton. "I'll just be
+doubled up laughing at Hath in that blue-striped thing he has there."</p>
+
+<p>"Huh," growled Williams, "I don't think you'll get any prizes for beauty
+yourself!"</p>
+
+<p>By this time the news of their exploit had gone out and other fellows
+were hurrying to the hotel to seek bathing suits. A few secured them and
+the rest followed down to watch. When they met outside, dressed for the
+plunge, the five went off into gales of laughter. Hatherton Williams in
+a blue-and-white-striped suit many sizes too small for him cut a
+ridiculous figure, while Norton, whose faded red trunks had lost their
+gathering string, held his attire frantically with one hand and implored
+a pin! Tom's trunks were strained to the bursting point and Steve's were
+inches too large for him. Only Marvin had fared well, being dressed in
+what he called "a real classy two-piece<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_319" id="Page_319">[319]</a></span> suit." The two pieces didn't
+match in either colour or material, but they nearly fitted and, unlike
+Hatherton Williams' regalia, were innocent of holes. Norton declared
+that he was extremely glad it was getting dark, since otherwise if the
+pin one of the onlookers had supplied him with gave way, he'd have to
+stay in the water.</p>
+
+<p>Steve and Marvin led the way to the float and they all plunged in. Tom,
+shaking the water from his head, faced Steve accusingly when he had
+regained his breath. "Thought you said it wasn't cold!" he shrieked.
+"It's freezing! Br-r-r!"</p>
+
+<p>"Move around and get warm," advised Norton, striking out. "It isn't bad
+when you get used to it."</p>
+
+<p>But Tom, accustomed to the tempered water of the school tank, groaned
+and refused to be optimistic. "Bet it isn't a bit over forty-five," he
+muttered.</p>
+
+<p>Steve was already well out in the cove, pursued by Norton. Some of the
+boys who had failed to find suits had launched a decrepit rowboat and,
+with one broken oar, were splashing about near the float. Far out in the
+Sound a big white steamer passed eastward, her lights showing white in
+the gathering darkness and the strains<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_320" id="Page_320">[320]</a></span> from her orchestra coming
+faintly across the quiet water. The boys in the rowboat stopped
+skylarking to discuss what steamer it was, and Marvin, who had swam up
+behind and laid hands on the gunwale, told them that it was the
+<i>Lusitania</i> and that if they didn't agree with him he'd tip them over.
+Discussion ceased at once. The four mariners instantly declared that he
+was right. Churchill even went so far as to say that he had known it was
+the <i>Lusitania</i> all the time; that he could always tell her by her
+funnels. Innes, who was seated in the stern and filling his position to
+the limit, acknowledged that for an instant&mdash;oh, the merest fraction of
+a second!&mdash;he had thought the steamer was the <i>Ne'er-do-well</i>, Berlin to
+Kansas City, but that he had seen his mistake almost instantly! By which
+time, the <i>Priscilla</i>, New York to Fall River, had passed out of sight,
+and Marvin, merely tipping the boat until the water ran in a bit over
+one side, just as a mark of esteem, swam off before Guild could reach
+him with the broken oar.</p>
+
+<p>Tom and Williams were paddling about not far off the landing, Tom
+floating on his back most of the time and complaining about the
+temperature of the water, when Norton swam up, puffing and blowing.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_321" id="Page_321">[321]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Where's Steve?" asked Tom. Norton nodded toward the Long Island shore.</p>
+
+<p>"Somewhere out there," he answered. "He was too much for me. I had to
+quit. The chump swims like a&mdash;a dolphin. I'm going in, fellows. I'm
+getting cold."</p>
+
+<p>"I guess we'd all better," agreed Williams. "Hello! What's that?"</p>
+
+<p>"<i>Help!</i>" From somewhere beyond the mouth of the little cove the cry
+came, sharp, imperative, and was repeated again while they listened.</p>
+
+<p>"It's Edwards," muttered Norton uneasily. "I suppose he's only trying to
+get a rise out of us. He can swim like&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Must be," agreed Williams. "Can you see him?"</p>
+
+<p>The cove was dim now and the surface of the water beyond held a sheen of
+light that confused the vision.</p>
+
+<p>"I'm not sure," muttered Norton. "I thought I did&mdash;for a minute."</p>
+
+<p>"Who was that yelling out there?" shouted one of the fellows in the
+boat.</p>
+
+<p>"Must be Edwards," answered Williams. "Can you see him?"</p>
+
+<p>"No. Do you suppose&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"<i>Help!</i> This way!" The cry came again,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_322" id="Page_322">[322]</a></span> fainter now, and someone in the
+boat seized the broken oar and began to churn the water with it, sending
+the crazy craft circling about in its length.</p>
+
+<p>"He's in trouble!" cried Norton. "Cramps, probably. I'm off, Hath. Will
+you come? Where's Hall?"</p>
+
+<p>"He started a minute ago," answered Williams, striking out with long
+hard sweeps of legs and arms. "There he is, ahead."</p>
+
+<p>"Come on with that boat, you fellows!" shouted Norton. "And hurry it
+up!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_323" id="Page_323">[323]</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>CHAPTER XXV</h2>
+
+<h3>TOM TO THE RESCUE</h3>
+
+
+<p>"We've only got one oar," answered a desperate voice.</p>
+
+<p>"Put it over the stern and scull it," directed someone on the float.
+There was a splash in reply, and Innes, who had promptly vacated his
+seat, crawled dripping to the landing. Hatherton, Williams, Norton and
+Marvin were already swimming desperately toward the mouth of the cove,
+while several fellows on land were running hard to the point, following
+the curving shore. The rowboat was at last under way, but making slow
+progress. Norton was the best swimmer of the trio, or, at least, the
+fastest, and Williams and Marvin were soon hopelessly in the rear. But
+Norton, if he could distance the other two, found that he was gaining
+but slowly on Tom, who, swimming as he had never swam before, as he
+didn't know he could swim, was already well out toward the mouth of the
+cove.</p>
+
+<p>His limbs were aching already, and his lungs were hurting as he fought
+his way through the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_324" id="Page_324">[324]</a></span> water and against a slow-coming tide. But the only
+thought that possessed him was that Steve was in trouble out there,
+perhaps drowning, and that he must get to him. The water splashed into
+his eyes and blinded him, for Tom was not an adept swimmer, and not once
+could he so much as sight Steve. Neither was the appeal for help
+repeated and Tom's heart sank. Behind him, as he was dimly aware, others
+were following, and he wished they would hurry. Once, when he was
+opposite the points, he tried to call, but his lungs were too tired to
+respond in more than a whisper. Then he was past the gloom of the cove,
+the water was alight with the afterglow and little choppy waves dashed
+against him. Gasping, he paused an instant, brushed one arm against his
+dripping face and looked about him. For a moment nothing met his anxious
+gaze. Then a darker spot on the darkening water appeared a dozen yards
+away and Tom went on desperately, panic-stricken for fear that when he
+reached it it would prove to be only a bit of driftwood.</p>
+
+<div class="figleft" style="width: 272px;">
+<img src="images/gs04.jpg" width="272" height="400" alt="It was Steve, Steve on his back, with only his head and shoulders above the water" title="It was Steve, Steve on his back, with only his head and shoulders above the water" />
+<span class="caption">It was Steve, Steve on his back, with only his head and shoulders above the water</span>
+</div>
+
+<p>But it wasn't. It was Steve, Steve on his back, with only his head and
+shoulders above the water, eyes closed in a dead-white face and his arms
+weakly moving now and then as though in an unconscious endeavour to keep
+the helpless body<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_325" id="Page_325">[325]</a></span> afloat. A great wave of relief and joy almost stopped
+Tom's heart for an instant. Then his hand went out and caught one of
+Steve's wrists.</p>
+
+<p>"It's all right, Steve," he gasped weakly. "Don't grab me. They're
+coming with the boat."</p>
+
+<p>There was no reply from Steve, and Tom, pulling the arm over his
+shoulder, as he had seen Steve himself do so many times in the tank when
+illustrating the way to rescue a drowning person, felt the weight of the
+inert form on his back as he turned and strove to swim slowly back
+toward the cove. To swim with one arm, even to keep himself afloat so,
+was no light task for Tom, and now, with the weight of Steve's body
+bearing him down, he found the struggle too much for him. He
+relinquished all attempts to swim and centred his efforts in keeping
+afloat. If only Norton and the rest would come! He listened. There was a
+splashing somewhere nearby, but it was too dark now to see a dozen feet
+away. Tom drew all the breath he could find into his lungs and let it
+out in a weak shout.</p>
+
+<p>"Help!" he gasped. "Here!"</p>
+
+<p>Then there was an answering hail from close by, a mighty churning of the
+water and a dim form plunged alongside.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_326" id="Page_326">[326]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Have you got him?" cried Norton. "Give him to me, Hall. Hath! Over
+here!"</p>
+
+<p>Tom didn't relinquish quite all his burden, though. He still had one of
+Steve's arms around his neck when, a minute later, Marvin and Williams
+having reached them meanwhile, the rowboat appeared out of the darkness.
+It was no light task to get Steve into the boat, but it was accomplished
+somehow, and then, Tom dragging astern, hands clutching the gunwale
+grimly, and the others, too, claiming at least partial support from the
+boat, the rescuers turned shoreward. Wisely, Churchill, who handled the
+oar, headed the boat toward the nearer point, and when the keel
+grounded, eager hands were waiting to lift Steve out and hurry him back
+to the hotel. Tom crawled out of the water and subsided on the bank,
+still fighting for breath and feeling rather sick at his stomach.
+Between Fowler and Milton he was lifted and half carried, weakly
+protesting that he could walk all right and promptly crumpling up when
+they allowed him to try.</p>
+
+<p>Steve had been taken up to the room he was occupying, and Danny Moore
+was administering to him when Tom was brought in and laid on his bed.
+Steve was already talking weakly and Danny was telling him to keep
+still.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_327" id="Page_327">[327]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Don't be talking," he said. "Fit that bottle to your back and keep
+covered up. You'll be fine in an hour. An' who've you got there? Well,
+if it ain't my old friend Jim Hall!"</p>
+
+<p>Tom smiled faintly as Danny bent over him.</p>
+
+<p>"An' so you been tryin' to drown yourself too, have you?" continued
+Danny. "Well, well,'tis queer tastes you have, the two of you! Drink a
+bit o' this, Jim, and lie still."</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Robey came in and Danny nodded reassuringly to him. "They'll be fine
+as fiddles in an hour, Coach. Now you boys scatter out o' here an' leave
+them have a bit nap."</p>
+
+<p>Tom didn't remember much for awhile after that, for he must have fallen
+promptly to sleep. When he awoke, the light was turned low and Steve was
+sitting on the edge of the bed. On a chair beside him was a tray from
+which appetizing odours curled toward him. Tom blinked sleepily.</p>
+
+<p>"Hello," he murmured. "What's up?"</p>
+
+<p>"I am and you're not," answered Steve. "I've brought you some supper.
+Are you hungry?"</p>
+
+<p>Recollection returned then and Tom observed his chum anxiously.</p>
+
+<p>"Are you all right!" he demanded. "Did they say you could get up?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_328" id="Page_328">[328]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Of course. You can too after you eat. But you were asleep and Danny
+said you might as well have it out. How are you feeling?"</p>
+
+<p>Tom sat up experimentally and took a deep breath. "All right," he
+answered stoutly, although as a matter of fact he was full of stiff
+spots and queer aches. "And&mdash;and I'm hungry."</p>
+
+<p>"Good stuff!" laughed Steve. He lifted the tray to Tom's lap and took
+the covers from the dishes. "There isn't an awful lot here," he added
+apologetically, "but Danny said you'd be better if you didn't eat such a
+big supper. Do you mind?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, I guess there's enough. That soup smells good. What's that there?
+Roast beef? Fine!" And Tom fell diligently to work.</p>
+
+<p>Steve watched in silence a moment. Then,</p>
+
+<p>"I say, Tom," he said.</p>
+
+<p>"Huh?" asked the other, his mouth full.</p>
+
+<p>"You know I&mdash;I'm much obliged."</p>
+
+<p>Tom nodded carelessly. "All right," he said in a gruff voice. "It wasn't
+anything. Norton and Williams and those others did it."</p>
+
+<p>"You got there first," said Steve. "I guess if you hadn't I&mdash;I wouldn't
+have waited for the rest. It was mighty plucky, and&mdash;and I&mdash;&mdash;"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_329" id="Page_329">[329]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Oh, cut it," growled Tom. "It wasn't anything, you ass. What the
+dickens did you go away out there for anyway?" Tom became indignant.
+"Haven't you got any sense?"</p>
+
+<p>"Not much," laughed Steve. Then, soberly, "It's the first time I ever
+had cramps, and I don't ever want them again! I thought I was a goner
+there for a while, Tom. They caught me right across the small of my back
+and I couldn't any more move my legs than I could fly. All I could do
+was shout and wiggle my arms a bit, and the pain was just as though
+something&mdash;say a swordfish&mdash;was cutting me in two!" Steve shook his head
+soberly. "It&mdash;it was fierce, Tom!"</p>
+
+<p>"Serves you right! You had no business swimming way out there in water
+like that and scaring us all to pieces!" Tom was very severe as to
+language, but the effect was somewhat marred by the fact that he had
+filled his mouth with food. Nevertheless, Steve took the rebuke quite
+meekly. All he said was:</p>
+
+<p>"And think of you rescuing me, Tom! Why, you aren't any sort of a
+swimmer! But it certainly was mighty pluck&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>Tom pointed a fork at Steve and interrupted indignantly. It was
+necessary to head Steve off from further expressions of gratitude. "I
+like<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_330" id="Page_330">[330]</a></span> your cheek!" said Tom. "Can't swim! How do you suppose I got out
+there to you, you silly chump? You didn't see any water-wings or
+life-preservers floating around, did you? Or do you think I walked?
+Can't swim! Well, of all the&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"You know what I mean, Tom. I meant you couldn't swim&mdash;er&mdash;well, that
+you weren't a wonder at it!"</p>
+
+<p>"Huh!" grunted Tom. "Don't you talk about swimming after this. You
+weren't doing much of it when I got to you!"</p>
+
+<p>"No one can swim when he has cramps," responded Steve meekly. "How was
+the supper?"</p>
+
+<p>Tom gazed at the empty dishes. "All right&mdash;as far as it went. I'm going
+to get up. What time is it and what's going on downstairs?"</p>
+
+<p>"Nothing much just now. We just got through supper. They're taking the
+chairs and tables out of the dining-room so we can have signal drill at
+eight. Mr. Robey said you were to get into it if you felt all right.
+There's someone else downstairs who wants to see you too." And Steve
+grinned wickedly. "I told him I'd try to arrange an interview."</p>
+
+<p>"Who is it?" asked Tom suspiciously.</p>
+
+<p>"His name is Murray."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_331" id="Page_331">[331]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"I don't know any Murray. What is this, a joke?"</p>
+
+<p>"Far from it, Tom. Mr. Murray is a newspaper man. He came over to get
+the line-up for to-morrow's game from Mr. Robey and got here just as
+they were talking about that silly stunt of mine. He laid around and
+waited for me and got it all out before I knew he was a newspaper chap.
+Now he wants to see you. I <i>think</i> he wants your photograph, Tom!"</p>
+
+<p>"You were a silly ass to talk to him, Steve. He will go and put it in
+the paper, I suppose."</p>
+
+<p>"Wouldn't be surprised," agreed Steve, smiling. "He seemed to think he
+had a fine yarn. Of course I laid it on pretty thick about your heroism
+and all that."</p>
+
+<p>Tom viewed him darkly as he got into his coat. "If you did
+I'll&mdash;I'll&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Take me back to the Sound and drop me in again! No, I didn't, Tom, but
+he does know all about it and of course he will put it in the papers.
+'Boots' says the&mdash;the Something-or-Other Press will get hold of it and
+send it all over the country. I've been wondering whether we ought to
+telegraph the folks so they won't have a fit if they read about it
+to-morrow."</p>
+
+<p>"What's the use? They'll know you're all<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_332" id="Page_332">[332]</a></span> right. Bet you that Mr.
+Newspaper Man doesn't catch me, though! Who's that hitting the ivories?"</p>
+
+<p>"Gleason, I guess. He was playing before supper. He's fine, too. Knows a
+whole bunch of college songs and stuff from the musical shows. We're
+going to have a concert after practice. They say Danny Moore can sing
+like a bird. Andy was telling me that last year they had a regular
+vaudeville show here. Everybody did something, you know; sang or danced
+or spoke a piece. It must have been lots of fun. I wish&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>Steve, who had been wandering around the room, hands in pockets, paused
+as he caught the expression on Tom's face. "What's the matter?" he
+asked.</p>
+
+<p>"That's what I want to know," replied Tom. "Seems to me you're mighty
+chatty all of a sudden. Is it the effect of the bath?"</p>
+
+<p>Steve smiled, sighed and shook his head. "Tom," he said, "I've just got
+to talk or do something this evening. I&mdash;I'm as nervous as a&mdash;a cat!
+Ever feel that way?"</p>
+
+<p>Tom viewed him scornfully as he patted his tie into place. "Have I? Why,
+you silly chump, I'm scared to death this minute! Whenever I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_333" id="Page_333">[333]</a></span> think
+about&mdash;about to-morrow I want to run down to the ocean and swim straight
+across to Africa!"</p>
+
+<p>"Honest?" Steve brightened perceptibly. "But you don't show it, Tom."</p>
+
+<p>"What's the good of showing it? All I hope is that the barge will make
+so much noise going back to-morrow that you won't hear my knees knocking
+together!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_334" id="Page_334">[334]</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>CHAPTER XXVI</h2>
+
+<h3>AT THE END OF THE FIRST HALF</h3>
+
+
+<p>Saturday dawned clear and crisp, with a little westerly breeze stirring
+the tops of the leafless trees and fluttering the big maroon flag with
+the grey B that hung from the staff at the back of the grand stand. That
+was not the only flag displayed, for here and there all along the Row
+small banners hung from windows, while to add to the patriotic effect
+all the red and grey cushions in school were piled against the casements
+to lend their colour. There were few recitations that morning and there
+might just as well have been none, I fancy. The squad got back from
+Oakdale at one-thirty, after an early dinner, and were driven directly
+to the gymnasium, pursued by the school at large with vociferous
+greetings.</p>
+
+<p>Claflin began to put in an appearance soon after that. Hitherto
+Brimfield had travelled to Westplains to meet her rival, and this was
+the first time that the Blue had invaded the Maroon-and-Grey fastness.
+Hoskins did a rushing business that day, for Claflin had sent nearly her
+en<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_335" id="Page_335">[335]</a></span>tire population with the team, and many of the visitors were forced
+to walk from the station. There was an insouciant, self-confident air
+about the Claflin fellows that impressed Brimfield and irritated her
+too. "You'd think," remarked Benson, watching from a window in the gym
+the visitors passing toward the field, "that they had the game already
+won! A stuck-up lot of dudes, that's what I call them!" But Benson was
+not in the best of tempers to-day and possibly his judgment was warped!</p>
+
+<p>The Claflin team arrived in one of Hoskins' barges and took possession
+of the meeting-room upstairs to change into their togs. They were a
+fine-looking lot of fellows, and they, too, had that same air of
+confidence that Benson had found annoying. By a quarter past two the
+stage was set. The grand stand was filled to overflowing, the settees
+and chairs, which had been brought out to supplement the permanent
+seats, were all occupied, and many spectators were standing along the
+ropes. Over the stand the big maroon-and-grey banner floated lazily in
+the breeze. The field had been newly marked out and the cream-white
+lines shone dazzlingly in the sharp sunlight. It was a day for light
+wraps and sweaters, but many visitors, arriving in motor cars that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_336" id="Page_336">[336]</a></span> were
+now parked behind the gymnasium, were clad in furs. It was distinctly a
+social occasion, for fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, aunts and
+uncles had descended upon the school in numbers and half the fellows
+were parading around before the hour set for the game with admiring
+relatives or friends, showing their rooms and the dining-hall and the
+gymnasium, and looking all the time a bit bored at the fuss and secretly
+enjoying it. Harry Westcott was seen with his father and sister in tow,
+while Roy Draper was surrounded by an enthusiastic flock of female
+relatives.</p>
+
+<p>Overhead a clear blue sky, scarcely so much as flecked with a cloud,
+arched radiantly. The breeze was much too light to place a handicap on
+either goal, and when, at a quarter after two, the visiting team trotted
+across from the gymnasium, ducked under the rope at the end of the grand
+stand and started to warm up it was seen that the long punts she sent
+away showed scarcely any influence from the wind. Of course Claflin,
+banked at the east end of the stand, greeted her warriors royally, and,
+of course, Brimfield gave them a hearty cheer, too. But that acclaim was
+nothing to the burst of applause that went up when the home team, twenty
+strong, led by Andy<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_337" id="Page_337">[337]</a></span> Miller, romped on. Then Brimfield shouted herself
+hoarse and made such a clamour that the cheer which the Claflin leaders
+evoked a moment later sounded like a whisper by comparison.</p>
+
+<p>Ten minutes of brisk signal work, punting, catching and goal-kicking
+followed, and then, while along the road an occasional screech from a
+belated automobile sounded, the teams retired to opposite sides of the
+field, the maroon-and-grey megaphones, which had been keeping time to a
+song sung by some hundred and thirty youths, died away and the
+comparative quiet that precedes the beginning of battle fell over the
+field. The officials met on the side line and then, accompanied by
+Captain Miller, walked to the centre of the field. From the farther side
+a blue-sleeved and blue-stockinged youth advanced to meet them. A coin
+spun, glittering, in the air, fell, rolled and was recovered. Heads bent
+above it, the group broke up and Andy Miller waved to his players. Then
+blankets and sweaters were cast aside and ten maroon-sleeved youths
+gathered about their leader. There was a low-voiced conference and the
+team scattered over the east end of the field. Brimfield had won the
+toss, had given the kick-off to Claflin and Captain Burrage<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_338" id="Page_338">[338]</a></span> had chosen
+the west goal and what slight advantage might come from a breeze at his
+back.</p>
+
+<p>Andy Miller and the two coaches had arranged the line-up the evening
+before. There had been some indecision as to filling one or two
+positions for the start of the game, and the line-up as it was presented
+when the whistle blew held several surprises for the school. Here it is,
+and the Claflin list as well:</p>
+
+
+
+<div class='center'>
+<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="Positions">
+<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Brimfield</span>.</td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Claflin</span>.</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>Roberts, l. e.</td><td align='right'>r. e., Chester</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>Lacey, l. t.</td><td align='right'>r. t., Mears</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>Fowler, l. g.</td><td align='right'>r. g., Colwell</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>Innes, c.</td><td align='right'>c., Kenney</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>Hall, r. g.</td><td align='right'>l. g., Johnson</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>Williams, r. t.</td><td align='right'>l. t., Bentley</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>Miller, r. e.</td><td align='right'>l. e., Mumford</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>Milton, q. b.</td><td align='right'>q. b., Ainsmith</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>Harris, l. h. b.</td><td align='right'>r. h. b., Burrage</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>Kendall, r. h. b.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; </td><td align='right'>l. h. b., Whittemore</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>Norton, f. b.</td><td align='right'>f. b., Atkinson</td></tr>
+</table></div>
+
+<p>"Are you ready, Brimfield? Ready, Claflin?"</p>
+
+<p>The whistle piped, a Claflin linesman stepped forward, swung a long leg
+and the battle was on. Williams caught the ball on the thirty-yard line.
+On a fake kick play Miller tried Claflin's right tackle and made but two
+yards. Norton punted to Claflin's thirty, where Burrage fumbled the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_339" id="Page_339">[339]</a></span>
+ball and Ainsmith recovered it. Claflin at once punted out of bounds to
+Brimfield's forty-five-yard mark. Kendall made three yards around the
+enemy's right end and then, on the next play, failed at the line. Milton
+tried a forward pass to Miller, but the ball grounded and Norton kicked
+to Claflin's twenty-yard line.</p>
+
+<p>Two tries by the Blue netted little and she again punted and the ball
+was Brimfield's on her own forty-seven yards. Harris failed to gain
+through Claflin's left tackle and Brimfield was penalised fifteen yards
+for holding. On a criss-cross against left tackle Harris was tackled for
+a loss and Norton then punted to Whittemore and the latter ran the ball
+back fifteen yards before he was stopped. On a try through Hall the
+Blue's full-back failed to gain. But on a second attempt at the other
+side of centre he smashed through for seven yards. A delayed pass by the
+Claflin quarter gave his side first down on Brimfield's thirty-five-yard
+line. Atkinson again tried Hall and gained less than a yard. Ainsmith
+attempted the Brimfield left end and was thrown by Harris for a
+five-yard loss. Captain Burrage tried Brimfield's right end and failed.
+With one down left and fifteen yards to gain Burrage tried a forward
+pass. It was successfully captured, but the dis<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_340" id="Page_340">[340]</a></span>tance was short and the
+pigskin went to Brimfield on her thirty-eight yards.</p>
+
+<p>Norton punted on first down and Claflin returned it. Kendall misjudged
+the ball and it rolled to the Maroon's twelve yards. Milton fell on it
+there. Kendall and Norton gained two yards each through centre, and
+Norton punted to Brimfield's forty-five yard line, where Burrage made a
+fair catch.</p>
+
+<p>The stands grew very quiet while the Claflin quarter-back poised the
+ball. Then Burrage stepped forward and sent it speeding away. But the
+kick was short and Norton caught the ball on his five-yard line and,
+behind excellent interference, ran it back to the thirty-yard line
+before he was thrown by Chester. From there Norton punted to the Blue's
+thirty and Claflin returned the punt on first down to her adversary's
+forty yards. Harris caught it, but was nailed in his tracks by Mumford,
+who made a spectacular tackle which won applause from friend and foe
+alike. Time was called for an injury to Mumford, but he was soon on his
+feet again.</p>
+
+<p>Claflin was penalised for off-side on the next play. Norton went through
+right guard for first down and Brimfield shouted joyously. Kendall
+failed to gain. Norton made a yard and then<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_341" id="Page_341">[341]</a></span> dropped back to kick
+formation. The play, however, proved to be a forward pass to Roberts.
+Roberts was out of position and the pigskin was intercepted by the
+Claflin quarter. It was then the Blue's ball on her forty-five yards.
+Hall let the runner through for a yard and Claflin pulled off a
+successful forward pass to her left end on Brimfield's thirty-nine-yard
+line. The Blue's full-back was stopped in an attempt on the opposite
+right tackle and a penalty for off-side brought the ball to near the
+middle of the field. Claflin then punted to Brimfield's seven yards and
+the whistle sounded the end of the first quarter.</p>
+
+<p>The stand cheered while the players traversed the field to line up under
+the shadow of the west goal.</p>
+
+<p>Brimfield thrust Norton at the Claflin centre when the play began again
+and the big full-back made three yards. Then he dropped behind his
+goal-line and punted, the ball going out of bounds at the twenty-four
+yards. Claflin cheered loudly as the teams lined up.</p>
+
+<p>Claflin's full-back made a yard through the centre, but lost the
+distance when, on the next down, he went against Lacey. Captain Burrage
+dropped back to kicking position on the thirty-five-yard line and once
+more Brimfield's goal was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_342" id="Page_342">[342]</a></span> in danger. The pass was straight and true.
+Burrage dropped the ball and swung his foot. But two Brimfield forwards
+had broken through and as the ball left the ground Andy Miller blocked
+it. There was a mad scramble for the pigskin, Williams at last falling
+on it on his twenty-five yards. Norton punted poorly, the ball going
+diagonally across the gridiron, and it was Claflin's first down on
+Brimfield's twenty-eight yards. Atkinson came through centre for a yard,
+and then Burrage once more dropped back for a try at goal. The attempt
+looked rather desperate, for the kicker was standing almost on the
+forty-yard line, but Brimfield's supporters held their breaths until the
+Claflin half-back had swung his long leg. Then a vast shout of relief
+went up from where the maroon-and-grey megaphones waved tumultuously,
+for Burrage had made a bad mess of the drop-kick and the ball rolled
+along the ground and was captured by a Brimfield back.</p>
+
+<p>Still went in for Harris, who had been hurt in the scramble. On the
+second down, with seven to go, Norton received the ball at full speed
+from Milton, broke through the Claflin line and, pursued by the wild
+cheers of the Brimfield spectators, made fifty-five yards through a
+broken field, at last landing the ball on Claflin's twenty-<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_343" id="Page_343">[343]</a></span>yard line.
+It looked as though Brimfield's moment of victory was at hand. Time was
+taken out for a Claflin injury and eventually Atkinson was replaced by a
+substitute. Brimfield made two tries at the enemy's right end and gained
+four yards. Williams dropped out of the line and retreated to Claflin's
+twenty-five-yard line. The ball was almost opposite the middle of the
+cross-bar when it went back to him on the pass from centre, but Innes
+had thrown it low and Williams was hurried by the Blue's forwards, who
+came crashing through. The ball went three yards wide of the left-hand
+upright and Brimfield in the stand groaned.</p>
+
+<p>Claflin put the ball in play on her twenty-five yards and Whittemore
+punted to Milton on Brimfield's forty-five. Milton plunged back some
+twelve yards before he was brought down. Norton punted on second down to
+the Blue's ten yards and the ball was run back ten by the Claflin
+quarter. The game then became a punting duel and after three exchanges
+Kendall, getting the ball on his own thirty-five-yard line, ran it back
+to the opponent's forty, dodging beautifully through a broken field and
+throwing off at least a half-dozen tacklers. Brimfield tried Claflin's
+left tackle twice and totalled five yards. A penalty,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_344" id="Page_344">[344]</a></span> however, set her
+back ten yards, and Norton punted again to Claflin's twenty yards.
+Gleason was sent in by Coach Robey in place of Lacey. Claflin failed to
+gain and Whittemore punted to Still on the Maroon's forty-four yards.
+Norton tried the enemy's centre and failed of a gain and then punted out
+of bounds at Claflin's fifteen. Claflin sent in a substitute right end
+and Coach Robey put Corcoran in for Kendall. Claflin punted to midfield
+and Corcoran made one yard through the enemy's centre. An off-side play
+by the Blue gave Brimfield five yards and took the ball to the Blue's
+forty. Still gained two at left tackle and the half ended with the
+pigskin on Claflin's thirty-eight yards, the score 0 to 0.</p>
+
+<p>The teams trotted off, blanket-draped, toward the gymnasium, the
+substitutes trailing along behind, and the stand broke into excited
+discussion of the game. So far the honours had been fairly even,
+although toward the end of the second period the ball had remained in
+Claflin territory most of the time. In fact, after Williams' try for
+goal, the pigskin had never been nearer to Brimfield's last white mark
+than her thirty-five-yard line. Claflin averaged some four and a half
+pounds more than the home team, but in spite of that an unbiased critic
+would have given Brim<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_345" id="Page_345">[345]</a></span>field the honours in the attacking game. Her play
+seemed smoother, her men better drilled. Neither team had shown great
+ability at line-plunging, although Norton's fine rush of fifty-five
+yards and Kendall's run of twenty-five gave Brimfield the benefit of the
+ground-gained figures. Each side had good reason to claim the ultimate
+victory, and each did so, meanwhile cheering and singing and working the
+enthusiasm up to a fine pitch.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_346" id="Page_346">[346]</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>CHAPTER XXVII</h2>
+
+<h3>STEVE SMILES</h3>
+
+
+<p>Steve caught up with Tom on the way to the gymnasium. Tom was a
+disreputable looking object. His upper lip had been cut and had swollen
+to almost twice its normal size, and he had lost half an inch of skin
+from one cheek. When he smiled, which he did as Steve grabbed him by the
+arm, the effect was absolutely diabolical.</p>
+
+<p>"You're the goods, Tommikins!" exclaimed Steve, squeezing the arm he
+held. "They didn't make an inch through you. You were great!"</p>
+
+<p>"They got through once or twice," mumbled Tom.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, for a yard or so," scoffed Steve. "Who gave you that peach of a
+mouth, Tom?"</p>
+
+<p>"Johnson, I think." He touched it gingerly. "It feels as big as a
+house."</p>
+
+<p>"You're a blooming hero, Tom. Say, Marvin told me the New York papers
+have got all about that business at Oakdale yesterday. He didn't see it,
+but someone told him. Wouldn't you love<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_347" id="Page_347">[347]</a></span> to read what they say? I'm
+going to get the papers as soon as the game's over."</p>
+
+<p>"Silly rot," mumbled Tom. They were waiting for the throng ahead to get
+through the doorway. When they followed Tom paused a moment in the
+hallway, his gaze following the striped legs of the Claflin players as
+they went up the stairs. Steve tugged at his arm.</p>
+
+<p>"Come on, slow-poke! What's the matter?"</p>
+
+<p>"Nothing. That is, I was just thinking how rotten those fellows will
+feel if they get beaten."</p>
+
+<p>"Maybe they won't," said Steve soberly. "If they don't, think how rotten
+we'll feel!"</p>
+
+<p>Tom smiled, wincing with the twinge from his swollen lip. "I suppose
+someone's got to feel bad. Come on."</p>
+
+<p>In the locker room and in the rubbing room beyond all was bustle. The
+rubber was hard at work over the table and Danny Moore was already busy
+with surgeon's plaster and medicated gauze and nasty smelling lotion.
+There was very little talk as yet. Fellows sank on to benches and
+wearily relaxed their tired muscles. Mr. Robey and "Boots" were
+consulting in low tones by one of the grated windows. Tom eased himself
+to a seat and began to strip down one torn woollen<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_348" id="Page_348">[348]</a></span> stocking, displaying
+an abrasion along the shin bone that brought an exclamation from Steve.</p>
+
+<p>"Shut up," said Tom. "Swipe a bunch of that absorbent cotton from Danny
+for me, will you? If he sees this he will make a fuss about it. I don't
+want it to get stiff on me. Hi, Fowler, how is it?"</p>
+
+<p>"All right," replied the left-guard, working a bunch of bleeding
+knuckles experimentally. "It was hot work, though. Can we hold them next
+half, Hall?"</p>
+
+<p>"Sure! They're as tired as we are, I guess. Besides, we had them on the
+run there toward the last."</p>
+
+<p>Tom dragged himself off to the wash-room to bathe his leg with the
+cotton Steve had brought.</p>
+
+<p>"Ten minutes more," announced Lawrence.</p>
+
+<p>"Hurry in to the table, you fellows," called Danny. "Williams, come here
+and let me see that knee of yours."</p>
+
+<p>"It's all right now, Danny," said Williams. But he limped across and was
+freshly bandaged. Mr. Robey left the window and sought Captain Miller,
+while "Boots," consulting the scribbled notes in his little book, went
+from player to player, criticising and advising.</p>
+
+<p>"Five minutes!" called Lawrence.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_349" id="Page_349">[349]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Hurry up, fellows," said Coach Robey. "Don't let's keep them waiting.
+Everyone all right? Just a word then. You fellows played well, and I
+want to tell you so. You made mistakes; everyone does. Never mind that
+now. You've got another chance. That's the main thing. We're going to
+win this game. We're going to score two touchdowns and we're going to
+hold them off, fellows. You can do it if you make up your minds to. I
+want every one of you to go back on the field looking as though you'd
+just come out of a Turkish bath and hadn't done a lick of work. I want
+every mother's son of you to smile from the time you leave this building
+until the last whistle blows. If I see one of you who isn't smiling I'll
+pull him out! We want to make those fellows understand right away that
+we're going to win, that we <i>know</i> we're going to win and that we can't
+help being happy about it! But you've got to do more than smile. You've
+got to work like the dickens! You've got to work just about twice as
+hard as you've been working. Any one of you who thinks he can't do that
+say so now." Mr. Robey's eyes searched the earnest, attentive faces
+around him. "All right. Now, there's just one important criticism I've
+got to make. You fellows were slow. Milton was slow<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_350" id="Page_350">[350]</a></span> in getting his
+signals off and the rest of you were slow in starting. If you'll speed
+up you'll get the jump on those fellows every time. I want to see you do
+it. I want to see you <i>jump!</i> I'll pull out the first man of you who
+doesn't start the instant the play begins. Understand that, please. I'll
+forgive mistakes, but I won't stand for slowness. All right. Here's the
+line-up: Edwards, Gleason, Fowler, Thursby, Hall, Williams, Miller,
+Milton, Still, Kendall, Norton. How much time is there, Joe?"</p>
+
+<p>"About three minutes," answered Lawrence.</p>
+
+<p>"All right. On the trot now!"</p>
+
+<p>The cheer leaders leaped to their places as the teams came hustling back
+to the field and waved their megaphones and dropped them and beat time
+with clenched hands as the cheers burst forth.</p>
+
+<p>"<i>Rah, rah, Brimfield! Rah, rah, Brimfield! Rah, rah, Brimfi-e-ld!</i>"</p>
+
+<p>"<i>Claflin! Claflin! Claflin! Rah, rah, rah, Claflin! Claflin! Claflin!</i>"</p>
+
+<p>And then Fowler had thudded the ball away with a long swing of his foot
+and the last half had begun.</p>
+
+<p>The Claflin full-back pulled the ball out of the air, quick interference
+formed about him and he came charging back up the field.
+Five&mdash;ten<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_351" id="Page_351">[351]</a></span>&mdash;fifteen yards! Then Miller pulled him down with a savage
+tackle and the two teams faced each other. Umpire and referee dodged out
+of the way, Ainsmith called his signals and a back tore at Williams. The
+secondary defence sprang to the point of attack. There was an instant of
+confused heaving and swaying. Then the whistle sounded and the lines
+straightened again.</p>
+
+<p>"Second down! Seven to gain!"</p>
+
+<p>Steve, profiting by Miller's advice, kept his gaze fixed on the face of
+the opposing end who was edging out into the field. Then the ball was in
+play and the Claflin end came tearing down upon him, dodged to the right
+and then strove to slip past him inside. But Steve met him squarely with
+his shoulder and sent him sprawling. Behind him the teams were off under
+a punt and he recovered himself and raced along. It was Milton's ball on
+his thirty-yard line. Brimfield punted on first down and Claflin tore
+off three yards through centre and then kicked. Neither team was able to
+gain consistently through the line and each punted on second or third
+down. Brimfield had a trifle the better of the exchanges, aided a little
+by the breeze which had freshened since the beginning of the game. With
+the ball on Claflin's forty-two yards a fumble was recovered by
+Ain<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_352" id="Page_352">[352]</a></span>smith for a loss of seven yards, and on third down Claflin attempted
+a forward pass which was intercepted by Captain Miller and carried to
+Claflin's thirty-yard mark. Brimfield cheered encouragingly and Norton
+smashed through left tackle for four. Kendall added two more and on a
+wing shift Still made the distance and the ball was down on the Blue's
+twenty yards. Two yards through centre by Norton was followed by a wide
+end run and the loss of four yards, Still being captured by Captain
+Burrage. Norton failed to gain at the line and Williams dropped back to
+kick.</p>
+
+<p>Milton followed to hold the ball for him and Brimfield held her breath.
+Thursby passed low to the quarter and when the ball arose it bounded
+away from a charging Claflin forward and went dancing and rolling back
+up the field. It was finally secured by Gleason on Claflin's
+thirty-three yards. Three tries by the Maroon netted but six and again
+Williams went back. This time the kick was short and Claflin secured the
+ball on her five-yard line and ran it in to the thirteen. Claflin made
+four around Steve's end and three through Williams. Then Whittemore
+punted to midfield.</p>
+
+<p>Brimfield returned to her line-smashing and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_353" id="Page_353">[353]</a></span> secured first down on the
+Blue's thirty-six yards. There a forward pass to Captain Miller grounded
+and Milton made a short punt to the Blue's ten yards. Steve upset
+Burrage in his tracks. Claflin tried the Brimfield centre twice for four
+yards and punted to the fifty-yard line. Milton came back twelve and
+Kendall added six around the enemy's left end. Norton secured first down
+through right guard. Time was called and Danny Moore scurried on with
+his pail. Milton was injured and led off, Marvin taking his place. A
+forward pass to Captain Miller netted twelve yards. Marvin carried the
+ball through centre for two and Kendall met a stone wall when he tried
+to get past Johnson. Norton made a yard through left tackle and Williams
+dropped back to the twenty-yard line. The Brimfield supporters were
+cheering wildly, imploring a touchdown, but it seemed that a field goal
+was the best they were to have.</p>
+
+<p>"Get through and block it!" implored the Claflin quarter.</p>
+
+<p>"Hold that line!" shrieked Marvin.</p>
+
+<p>Back came the ball, Williams swung his leg, ran back and to the right
+and passed to Steve. But the ball went wide and settled into the arms of
+the Claflin right end. Dodging and feinting<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_354" id="Page_354">[354]</a></span> that speedy youngster tore
+off thirty-five yards before he was brought down and the ball was
+Claflin's on Brimfield's forty yards. The Blue found her stride again
+then and plunged through Fowler twice for good gains, finally securing
+her distance on the Maroon's twenty-eight. Fowler, who was staggering,
+was taken out and McClure came on. Claflin tried Steve's end and made
+four yards and then, on a fake kick formation, got three more through
+centre. Burrage tried a drop-kick for goal from the thirty-yard line,
+but McClure broke through and blocked it, the ball going to the Blue on
+Brimfield's thirty-eight yards. Two tries at the line gave Claflin three
+yards and Ainsmith shot the ball away to Mumford at the far side of the
+field. Miller stopped the runner after a twelve-yard gain. Claflin
+worked the ball back toward the centre of the field in two downs and
+then, faking a kick, gained two yards through Hall. It was third down,
+with three to go, and again Burrage tried a placement. The ball went
+wide and came back to the twenty-five-yard line. Norton punted on second
+down and time was called after Claflin had caught and run back five.</p>
+
+<p>Churchill replaced Tom at right guard when the last quarter started and
+Lacey returned to the game at left tackle. Claflin put Atkinson<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_355" id="Page_355">[355]</a></span> back at
+full and trotted in a substitute right tackle. On the first play
+Ainsmith smashed through the Brimfield line for ten yards, and then
+added two more. The weak place was Williams. Atkinson got four and then
+two through the centre. With the pigskin on Brimfield's forty yards an
+intricate wing shift failed to fool the Maroon and Whittemore was
+stopped after a gain of a yard, the ball going to Brimfield.</p>
+
+<p>Marvin gained two through left tackle and Norton punted. Claflin ran
+back to her thirty-four yards. On the next play Claflin was set back
+fifteen yards for holding and, after an attempted forward pass which
+grounded, punted to the Maroon's forty-five. Marvin caught and dodged
+back fifteen yards before he was stopped. On the first play he shot the
+ball to Steve, and Steve, making a good catch, reeled off ten before he
+was brought down. Another forward pass to Captain Miller gained five.
+Norton plunged at the line for three and Kendall failed to gain. With
+the ball on Claflin's twenty-two yards Williams went back. It was a
+fake, however, Marvin taking the ball for a straight plunge through
+centre, which gave Brimfield first down on Claflin's eighteen. Norton
+plugged the centre for two and Kendall swept around the Blue's left end
+for three more.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_356" id="Page_356">[356]</a></span> With the pigskin on Claflin's thirteen-yard line a
+score seemed certain. But Norton was stopped for no gain and once more
+Williams dropped back to kick.</p>
+
+<p>Williams, however, was badly tuckered and was so slow in getting the
+ball away that again Claflin blocked and the ball was captured by
+Mumford on the twenty-five-yard line. Claflin punted on first down and
+the ball went out of bounds at the Blue's forty. Norton kicked to
+Claflin's fifteen and Ainsmith ran back to his thirty-six, receiving a
+salvo of applause from the blue section of the stand. Claflin made four
+around Miller's end and on the next play was presented with five,
+Brimfield being detected off-side. Atkinson made six through Williams
+and followed it with two more past Lacey. On a fake kick Ainsmith got
+through Thursby for three, taking the ball across the centre line for
+first down. A forward pass to right end was upset by Steve and Claflin
+punted on second down. Kendall caught on his twenty-five and was stopped
+at the thirty. Brimfield made seven in two plunges at the left side of
+the opposing line and then Still fumbled. Marvin recovered and Norton
+kicked to Claflin's thirty. Steve and Miller upset Ainsmith where he
+caught. Claflin was now playing on the defensive and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_357" id="Page_357">[357]</a></span> kicked on first
+down. The punt was short and Kendall got it on Claflin's forty-eight
+yards and made ten before he was caught.</p>
+
+<p>The timer announced four minutes to play. Claflin sent in a new
+quarter-back and Coach Robey replaced Williams with Gleason. Williams
+was groggy and had to be carried off the field. From the grand stand
+came imploring cries from Brimfield for a touchdown and equally
+imploring shouts of "Hold 'em! Hold 'em!" from Claflin.</p>
+
+<p>Still took the pigskin on a criss-cross and made four around Claflin's
+right end. Norton shot through centre for the rest of the distance,
+placing the ball on the Blue's twenty-eight. With Williams out of the
+game it was a touchdown or nothing. Kendall and Still plugged the left
+of the Blue's line for two yards each and Norton got around the other
+end for three. With three to go on third down Marvin worked a delayed
+pass and made first down on the Blue's seventeen yards. The time-keeper
+announced three minutes left. Thursby gave place to Coolidge. Norton
+plunged through right tackle for five, but someone had held and
+Brimfield was set back fifteen. Kendall tried the Claflin left end and
+gained four on a long run across the field. Marvin took the ball for a
+plunge through centre, but was thrown<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_358" id="Page_358">[358]</a></span> back for a loss. Norton was
+forced to punt and put the ball out of bounds at the five-yard line.</p>
+
+<p>The time-keeper announced one minute left and Claflin punted from behind
+her goal-line, the ball going high and being caught by Marvin on the
+Blue's thirty yards. Brimfield, desperate for a score, lined up quickly
+and Norton struck the Claflin centre and piled through for ten yards.
+The Blue was weakening. Kendall added four and Still made a yard at left
+tackle. On the fifteen-yard line Marvin sent McClure back as if to try
+for a goal. Evidently Claflin accepted the bluff in good faith, for,
+although there were cries of "Fake!" the Claflin ends played well in.
+Marvin called his signals once, hesitated and pulled Kendall closer in
+to protect the kicker. Then, "Signals!" he shouted. "16&mdash;34&mdash;27&mdash;19!" He
+glanced sharply around the back-field. "16&mdash;34&mdash;27&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>Back went the ball, but not to McClure. The quarter had it and was
+stepping back out of the path of the plunging players. Then his arm shot
+out and off went the ball, arching to the left, over the end of the
+battling, swaying lines, straight and far and true to where a lithe
+figure stood with upraised hand near the Blue's ten-yard line. Too late
+Claflin saw her error.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_359" id="Page_359">[359]</a></span> Steve ran a step forward, felt the pigskin
+settle into his outstretched hands, whirled on his heel and sped toward
+the goal-line. The Claflin right end was almost on him as he crossed the
+five-yard mark, but when desperate arms settled about Steve's legs and
+brought him crashing to earth he was well over that last white line and
+the day was won! Frantic blue-stockinged youths dropped mercilessly down
+upon him and drove the breath from his body, in his ears was a wild and
+terrific clamour of frenzied joy and faintly a whistle shrilled. Steve,
+his nose buried in the soft sod, clutched the ball tightly beneath him
+and smiled in the darkness.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_360" id="Page_360">[360]</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>CHAPTER XXVIII</h2>
+
+<h3>THE CHUMS READ A TELEGRAM</h3>
+
+
+<p>The tumult was over, although from the Row came at times a wild shout of
+exultation from some enthusiastic youth. In 12 Billings, Steve and Tom
+were dressing for the banquet. There was no feverish hurry in their
+movements. Tom sat for minutes at a time with a shirt draped across his
+knees and smiled fatuously through swollen lips. There was plenty of
+time. The banquet was not to be until seven, and it was now still but a
+little past six. When they spoke they spoke slowly, lazily, as though
+nothing much mattered, as though Fate had given them everything they
+wanted and nothing was left to be desired. Steve, dreamily slipping a
+belt through the loops of his best trousers, said:</p>
+
+<p>"Tom, when I look at you I'm ashamed of myself. There you are with a
+face like a war map and one leg all bunged up, and here am I without a
+scratch. I've got a bum wrist, but it doesn't show." And Steve scowled
+at the offending member.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_361" id="Page_361">[361]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Tom grinned. "You can have my mouth if you want it," he said. After a
+minute he spoke again. "I was glad about Benson," he said.</p>
+
+<p>Steve nodded. "So was I."</p>
+
+<p>Tom laughed. "Yes, you looked it!"</p>
+
+<p>"Well, I didn't know why Robey was taking me out, of course. It seemed
+after I'd made that touchdown that he'd ought to let me play the game
+out. Benson was rather&mdash;rather pathetic when he hobbled on. I'm glad
+he's got his letter, though."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, and there's only one thing I'm not glad about," responded Tom
+thoughtfully, beginning to squirm into his shirt. "I'm not glad we
+missed that goal. I wanted that extra point."</p>
+
+<p>"How could we help missing it? Andy isn't any goal kicker, and all the
+others were afraid to try, I suppose. What's the odds, though! We won,
+and six to nothing is good enough, isn't it?"</p>
+
+<p>"Mm&mdash;yes; seven to nothing would have looked better, though."</p>
+
+<p>"And you're the fellow," scoffed Steve, "who was almost crying awhile
+back because Claflin would feel bad if we licked her!"</p>
+
+<p>Tom only grunted. Steve went into a day<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_362" id="Page_362">[362]</a></span>dream with one leg in his
+trousers until, presently, Tom laughed softly.</p>
+
+<p>"What are you choking about?" asked Steve.</p>
+
+<p>"Just thinking. Remember, Steve, coming on in the train how we were
+talking about what&mdash;what it would be like here?"</p>
+
+<p>"N&mdash;no," answered Steve. "Were we?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes. I remember you said that in the stories the hero was always
+suspected of something he hadn't done and you said you'd bet that if
+anyone tried that on you you'd make a kick."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, what of it?"</p>
+
+<p>"You didn't, though. Some of the fellows thought you'd swiped that
+blue-book that time and you didn't make a murmur."</p>
+
+<p>"Because&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Because you thought I'd done it and was trying to shield me. I know.
+Then you said that in the stories the hero saves someone from drowning
+and the football captain puts him into the big game and he wins it by a
+wonderful run the length of the field."</p>
+
+<p>"That's right, isn't it? All the school stories have it like that, don't
+they?"</p>
+
+<p>"I know."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, then&mdash;&mdash;"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_363" id="Page_363">[363]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"The funny thing is that it happened like that to us, Steve, or pretty
+nearly. I don't mean that I&mdash;I actually saved you from drowning,
+but&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"You sure did, though!"</p>
+
+<p>"Anyway, it was something like that, wasn't it? And then you went and
+won the game in the last minute of play, just as they do in the
+stories."</p>
+
+<p>"I didn't make any run the length of the field," denied Steve. "All I
+did was catch the ball and go ten yards with it. Nothing wonderful about
+that."</p>
+
+<p>"Still, it's all pretty much like the story-writers tell it, after all,
+eh? That's what struck me as funny."</p>
+
+<p>"Huh! It doesn't seem to me much like it is in the stories. Say, we
+forgot about the papers, Tom!"</p>
+
+<p>"What papers?"</p>
+
+<p>"The New York papers, with the account of the thrilling rescue at
+Oakdale, with your picture&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"He didn't get any picture of me," said Tom grimly.</p>
+
+<p>"He made you talk, though," laughed Steve.</p>
+
+<p>"He'd make anyone talk," Tom grunted.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_364" id="Page_364">[364]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"By Jove!" He jumped suddenly to his feet, and with more animation than
+had been displayed in Number 12 for a half-hour hurried to the closet.</p>
+
+<p>"What's up?" asked Steve in surprise.</p>
+
+<p>"Telegram," came in smothered tones from Tom. "Here it is. Lawrence
+handed it to me in the gym after the game. Said it came at noon, but
+Robey wouldn't let him give it to me. Bet you it's from my dad."</p>
+
+<p>Tom tore the end from the yellow envelope and there was silence in the
+room for a moment. At last, with a queer expression on his battered
+countenance, he walked across and held the message out to Steve. "It's
+for you, too," he said quietly.</p>
+
+<p>Steve took it and read: "Tannersville, Pa., Nov. 25. Morning papers have
+account of Oakdale scrape grateful to you for your rescue of Steve God
+bless you show this to Steve your father joins me in love to you both.
+John T. Edwards."</p>
+
+<p>Steve let the telegram fall and stared blankly at Tom.</p>
+
+<p>"What&mdash;do&mdash;you know&mdash;about that?" he gasped. "They've made it up, Tom!"</p>
+
+<p>Tom nodded gravely. "It&mdash;it&mdash;&mdash;" A slow<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_365" id="Page_365">[365]</a></span> smile overspread his face.
+"Honest, Steve, that's better than winning the game!"</p>
+
+<p>"You bet it is! And you did it!"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, no." Tom's eyes twinkled merrily. "You did it yourself, Steve, by
+trying to get drowned!"</p>
+
+
+<h2>THE END</h2>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>THE OUTDOOR CHUMS SERIES</h2>
+
+<h3>By CAPTAIN QUINCY ALLEN</h3>
+
+
+<p>The outdoor chums are four wide-awake lads, sons of wealthy men of a
+small city located on a lake. The boys love outdoor life, and are
+greatly interested in hunting, fishing, and picture taking. They have
+motor cycles, motor boats, canoes, etc., and during their vacations go
+everywhere and have all sorts of thrilling adventures. The stories give
+full directions for camping out, how to fish, how to hunt wild animals
+and prepare the skins for stuffing, how to manage a canoe, how to swim,
+etc. Full of the spirit of outdoor life.</p>
+
+
+
+<div class='center'>
+<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="THE OUTDOOR CHUMS">
+<tr><td align='left'>THE OUTDOOR CHUMS</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>Or The First Tour of the Rod, Gun and Camera Club.</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><br />THE OUTDOOR CHUMS ON THE LAKE</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>Or Lively Adventures on Wildcat Island.</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><br />THE OUTDOOR CHUMS IN THE FOREST</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>Or Laying the Ghost of Oak Ridge.</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><br />THE OUTDOOR CHUMS ON THE GULF</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>Or Rescuing the Lost Balloonists.</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><br />THE OUTDOOR CHUMS AFTER BIG GAME</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>Or Perilous Adventures in the Wilderness.</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><br />THE OUTDOOR CHUMS ON A HOUSEBOAT</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>Or The Rivals of the Mississippi.</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><br />THE OUTDOOR CHUMS IN THE BIG WOODS</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>Or The Rival Hunters at Lumber Run.</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><br />THE OUTDOOR CHUMS AT CABIN POINT</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>Or The Golden Cup Mystery.</td></tr>
+</table></div>
+
+<div class='center'><br /><b>12mo. Averaging 240 pages. Illustrated. Handsomely bound in Cloth.</b></div>
+
+<hr style='width: 25%;' />
+
+<div class='center'><span class="smcap">Grosset &amp; Dunlap, Publishers, New York</span></div>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>THE BOBBSEY TWINS BOOKS</h2>
+
+<div class='center'>For Little Men and Women</div>
+
+<h3>By LAURA LEE HOPE</h3>
+
+<div class='center'>Author of "The Bunny Brown" Series, Etc.</div>
+
+<hr style='width: 25%;' />
+
+<div class='center'><b>12mo. DURABLY BOUND. ILLUSTRATED. UNIFORM STYLE OF BINDING</b></div>
+
+<hr style='width: 25%;' />
+
+<p>Copyright publications which cannot be obtained elsewhere. Books that
+charm the hearts of the little ones, and of which they never tire.</p>
+
+
+
+<div class='center'>
+<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="THE BOBBSEY TWINS">
+<tr><td align='left'>THE BOBBSEY TWINS</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>THE BOBBSEY TWINS IN THE COUNTRY</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT THE SEASHORE</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT SCHOOL</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT SNOW LODGE</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>THE BOBBSEY TWINS ON A HOUSEBOAT</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT MEADOW BROOK</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT HOME</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>THE BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>THE BOBBSEY TWINS ON BLUEBERRY ISLAND</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>THE BOBBSEY TWINS ON THE DEEP BLUE SEA</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>THE BOBBSEY TWINS IN THE GREAT WEST</td></tr>
+</table></div>
+
+
+<hr style='width: 25%;' />
+
+<div class='center'><span class="smcap">Grosset &amp; Dunlap, Publishers, New York</span></div>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>THE GIRLS OF CENTRAL HIGH SERIES</h2>
+
+<h3>By GERTRUDE W. MORRISON</h3>
+
+<hr style='width: 25%;' />
+
+<div class='center'><b>12mo. BOUND IN CLOTH. ILLUSTRATED. UNIFORM STYLE OF BINDING.</b></div>
+
+<hr style='width: 25%;' />
+
+<p>Here is a series full of the spirit of high school life of to-day. The
+girls are real flesh-and-blood characters, and we follow them with
+interest in school and out. There are many contested matches on track
+and field, and on the water, as well as doings in the classroom and on
+the school stage. There is plenty of fun and excitement, all clean, pure
+and wholesome.</p>
+
+
+<div>
+THE GIRLS OF CENTRAL HIGH<br />
+Or Rivals for all Honors.<br />
+</div>
+
+<div class="blockquot"><p>A stirring tale of high school life, full of fun,
+with a touch of mystery and a strange initiation. </p></div>
+
+
+<div>
+THE GIRLS OF CENTRAL HIGH ON LAKE LUNA<br />
+Or The Crew That Won.<br />
+</div>
+
+<div class="blockquot"><p>Telling of water sports and fun galore, and of
+fine times in camp. </p></div>
+
+
+<div>
+THE GIRLS OF CENTRAL HIGH AT BASKETBALL<br />
+Or The Great Gymnasium Mystery.<br />
+</div>
+
+<div class="blockquot"><p>Here we have a number of thrilling contests at
+basketball and in addition, the solving of a
+mystery which had bothered the high school
+authorities for a long while. </p></div>
+
+
+<div>
+THE GIRLS OF CENTRAL HIGH ON THE STAGE<br />
+Or The Play That Took the Prize.<br />
+</div>
+
+<div class="blockquot"><p>How the girls went in for theatricals and how one
+of them wrote a play which afterward was made over
+for the professional stage and brought in some
+much-needed money. </p></div>
+
+
+<div>
+THE GIRLS OF CENTRAL HIGH ON TRACK AND FIELD<br />
+Or The Girl Champions of the School League.<br />
+</div>
+
+<div class="blockquot"><p>This story takes in high school athletics in their
+most approved and up-to-date fashion. Full of fun
+and excitement. </p></div>
+
+
+<div>
+THE GIRLS OF CENTRAL HIGH IN CAMP<br />
+Or The Old Professor's Secret.<br />
+</div>
+
+<div class="blockquot"><p>The girls went camping on Acorn Island and had a
+delightful time at boating, swimming and picnic
+parties. </p></div>
+
+
+<hr style='width: 25%;' />
+
+<div class='center'><span class="smcap">Grosset &amp; Dunlap, Publishers, New York</span></div>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH SERIES</h2>
+
+<h3>By GRAHAM B. FORBES</h3>
+
+
+<p>Never was there a cleaner, brighter, more manly boy than Frank Allen,
+the hero of this series of boys' tales, and never was there a better
+crowd of lads to associate with than the students of the School. All
+boys will read these stories with deep interest. The rivalry between the
+towns along the river was of the keenest, and plots and counterplots to
+win the champions, at baseball, at football, at boat racing, at track
+athletics, and at ice hockey, were without number. Any lad reading one
+volume of this series will surely want the others.</p>
+
+
+
+<div class='center'>
+<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH">
+<tr><td align='left'>THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>Or The All Around Rivals of the School</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><br />THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH ON THE DIAMOND</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>Or Winning Out by Pluck</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><br />THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH ON THE RIVER</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>Or The Boat Race Plot that Failed</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><br />THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH ON THE GRIDIRON</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>Or The Struggle for the Silver Cup</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><br />THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH ON THE ICE</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>Or Out for the Hockey Championship</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><br />THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH IN TRACK ATHLETICS</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>Or A Long Run that Won</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><br />THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH IN WINTER SPORTS</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>Or Stirring Doings on Skates and Iceboats</td></tr>
+</table></div>
+
+
+<div class='center'><br /><b>12mo. Illustrated. Handsomely bound in cloth, with cover design and
+wrappers in colors.</b></div>
+
+<hr style='width: 25%;' />
+
+<div class='center'><span class="smcap">Grosset &amp; Dunlap, Publishers, New York</span></div>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>THE BUNNY BROWN SERIES</h2>
+
+<h3>By LAURA LEE HOPE</h3>
+
+<div class='center'>Author of the Popular "Bobbsey Twins" Books</div>
+
+<hr style='width: 25%;' />
+
+<div class='center'>
+Wrapper and text illustrations drawn by<br />
+FLORENCE ENGLAND NOSWORTHY<br />
+</div>
+
+<hr style='width: 25%;' />
+
+<div class='center'><b>12mo. DURABLY BOUND. ILLUSTRATED. UNIFORM STYLE OF BINDING.</b></div>
+
+<hr style='width: 25%;' />
+
+<p>These stories by the author of the "Bobbsey Twins" Books are eagerly
+welcomed by the little folks from about five to ten years of age. Their
+eyes fairly dance with delight at the lively doings of inquisitive
+little Bunny Brown and his cunning, trustful sister Sue.</p>
+
+<p>Bunny was a lively little boy, very inquisitive. When he did anything,
+Sue followed his leadership. They had many adventures, some comical in
+the extreme.</p>
+
+
+
+<div class='center'>
+<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE">
+<tr><td align='left'>BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE ON GRANDPA'S FARM</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE PLAYING CIRCUS</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE AT CAMP REST-A-WHILE</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE AT AUNT LU'S CITY HOME</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE IN THE BIG WOODS</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE ON AN AUTO TOUR</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE AND THEIR SHETLAND PONY</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE GIVING A SHOW</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE AT CHRISTMAS TREE COVE</td></tr>
+</table></div>
+
+
+<hr style='width: 25%;' />
+
+<div class='center'><span class="smcap">Grosset &amp; Dunlap, Publishers, New York</span></div>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS SERIES</h2>
+
+<h3>BY VICTOR APPLETON</h3>
+
+<hr style='width: 25%;' />
+
+<div class='center'><b>UNIFORM STYLE OF BINDING. INDIVIDUAL COLORED WRAPPERS.</b></div>
+
+<hr style='width: 25%;' />
+
+<p>Moving pictures and photo plays are famous the world over, and in this
+line of books the reader is given a full description of how the films
+are made&mdash;the scenes of little dramas, indoors and out, trick pictures
+to satisfy the curious, soul-stirring pictures of city affairs, life in
+the Wild West, among the cowboys and Indians, thrilling rescues along
+the seacoast, the daring of picture hunters in the jungle among savage
+beasts, and the great risks run in picturing conditions in a land of
+earthquakes. The volumes teem with adventures and will be found
+interesting from first chapter to last.</p>
+
+
+
+<div class='center'>
+<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS">
+<tr><td align='left'>THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS IN THE WEST</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS ON THE COAST</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS IN THE JUNGLE</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS IN EARTHQUAKE LAND</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS AND THE FLOOD</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS AT PANAMA</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS UNDER THE SEA</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS ON THE WAR FRONT</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS ON FRENCH BATTLEFIELDS</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>MOVING PICTURE BOYS' FIRST SHOWHOUSE</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>MOVING PICTURE BOYS AT SEASIDE PARK</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>MOVING PICTURE BOYS ON BROADWAY</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS' OUTDOOR EXHIBITION</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS' NEW IDEA</td></tr>
+</table></div>
+
+
+<hr style='width: 45%;' />
+
+<div class='center'><span class="smcap">Grosset &amp; Dunlap, Publishers, New York</span></div>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>THE EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW SERIES</h2>
+
+<hr style='width: 25%;' />
+
+<div class='center'><b>May be had wherever books are sold. Ask for Grosset &amp; Dunlap's list</b></div>
+
+<hr style='width: 25%;' />
+
+
+
+<div class='center'>
+<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="THE EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW SERIES">
+<tr><td align='left'>BIRDS EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">By Neltje Blanchan. Illustrated</span></span></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><br />EARTH AND SKY EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">By Julia Ellen Rogers. Illustrated</span></span></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><br />ESSAYS EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Edited by Hamilton W. Mabie</span></span></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><br />FAIRY TALES EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Edited by Hamilton W. Mabie</span></span></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><br />FAMOUS STORIES EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Edited by Hamilton W. Mabie</span></span></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><br />FOLK TALES EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Edited by Hamilton W. Mabie</span></span></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><br />HEROES EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Edited by Hamilton W. Mabie</span></span></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><br />HEROINES EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Coedited by Hamilton W. Mabie and Kate Stephens</span></span></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><br />HYMNS EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Edited by Dolores Bacon</span></span></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><br />LEGENDS EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Edited by Hamilton W. Mabie</span></span></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><br />MYTHS EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Edited by Hamilton W. Mabie</span></span></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><br />OPERAS EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">By Dolores Bacon. Illustrated</span></span></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><br />PICTURES EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">By Dolores Bacon. Illustrated</span></span></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><br />POEMS EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Edited by Mary E. Burt</span></span></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><br />PROSE EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Edited by Mary E. Burt</span></span></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><br />SONGS EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Edited by Dolores Bacon</span></span></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><br />TREES EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">By Julia Ellen Rogers. Illustrated</span></span></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><br />WATER WONDERS EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">By Jean M. Thompson. Illustrated</span></span></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><br />WILD ANIMALS EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">By Julia Ellen Rogers. Illustrated</span></span></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><br />WILD FLOWERS EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">By Frederic William Stack. Illustrated</span></span></td></tr>
+</table></div>
+
+<hr style='width: 25%;' />
+
+<div class='center'><span class="smcap">Grosset &amp; Dunlap, Publishers, New York</span></div>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>CHARMING BOOKS FOR GIRLS</h2>
+
+<div class='center'>May be had wherever books are sold. Ask for Grosset &amp; Dunlap's list</div>
+
+<div><br />
+<span class="u">WHEN PATTY WENT TO COLLEGE</span>, By Jean Webster.<br />
+Illustrated by C. D. Williams.<br />
+</div>
+
+<div class="blockquot"><p>One of the best stories of life in a girl's
+college that has ever been written. It is bright,
+whimsical and entertaining, lifelike, laughable
+and thoroughly human. </p></div>
+
+
+<div>
+<span class="u">JUST PATTY</span>, By Jean Webster.<br />
+Illustrated by C. M. Relyea.<br />
+</div>
+
+<div class="blockquot"><p>Patty is full of the joy of living, fun-loving,
+given to ingenious mischief for its own sake, with
+a disregard for pretty convention which is an
+unfailing source of joy to her fellows. </p></div>
+
+<div>
+<span class="u">THE POOR LITTLE RICH GIRL</span>, By Eleanor Gates.<br />
+With four full page illustrations.<br />
+</div>
+
+<div class="blockquot"><p>This story relates the experience of one of those
+unfortunate children whose early days are passed
+in the companionship of a governess, seldom seeing
+either parent, and famishing for natural love and
+tenderness. A charming play as dramatized by the
+author. </p></div>
+
+
+<div>
+<span class="u">REBECCA OF SUNNYBROOK FARM</span>, By Kate Douglas Wiggin.<br />
+</div>
+
+<div class="blockquot"><p>One of the most beautiful studies of
+childhood&mdash;Rebecca's artistic, unusual and
+quaintly charming qualities stand out midst a
+circle of austere New Englanders. The stage
+version is making a <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'phenominal'">phenomenal</ins> dramatic record. </p></div>
+
+
+<div>
+<span class="u">NEW CHRONICLES OF REBECCA</span>, By Kate Douglas Wiggin.<br />
+Illustrated by F. C. Yohn.<br />
+</div>
+
+<div class="blockquot"><p>Additional episodes in the girlhood of this
+delightful heroine that carry Rebecca through
+various stages to her eighteenth birthday. </p></div>
+
+
+<div>
+<span class="u">REBECCA MARY</span>, By Annie Hamilton Donnell.<br />
+Illustrated by Elizabeth Shippen Green.<br />
+</div>
+
+<div class="blockquot"><p>This author possesses the rare gift of portraying
+all the grotesque little joys and sorrows and
+scruples of this very small girl with a pathos
+that is peculiarly genuine and appealing. </p></div>
+
+
+<div>
+<span class="u">EMMY LOU:</span> Her Book and Heart, By George Madden Martin.<br />
+Illustrated by Charles Louis Hinton.<br />
+</div>
+
+<div class="blockquot"><p>Emmy Lou is irresistibly lovable, because she is
+so absolutely real. She is just a bewitchingly
+innocent, <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'hugable'">huggable</ins> little maid. The book is
+wonderfully human. </p></div>
+
+<hr style='width: 25%;' />
+
+<div class='center'><i><b>Ask for complete free list of G. &amp; D. Popular Copyrighted Fiction</b></i></div>
+
+<hr style='width: 25%;' />
+
+<div class='center'><span class="smcap">Grosset &amp; Dunlap, 526 West 26th St. New York</span></div>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>THE CHILDREN'S<br />
+&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; CRIMSON SERIES</h2>
+
+<hr style='width: 25%;' />
+
+<div class='center'><b>May be had wherever books are sold. Ask for Grosset &amp; Dunlap's list</b></div>
+
+<hr style='width: 25%;' />
+
+
+<h3>The Editors; and What the Children's<br />Crimson Series Offers Your Child</h3>
+
+<p>In the first place, "The Children's Crimson Series" is designed to
+please and interest every child, by reason of the sheer fascination of
+the stories and poems contained therein.</p>
+
+<p>To accomplish such an end, a vast amount of patient labor, a rare
+judgment, a life-long study of children, and a genuine love for all that
+is best in literature, are essential factors of success.</p>
+
+<p>Kate Douglas Wiggin (Mrs. Riggs) and Nora Archibald Smith possess these
+qualities and this experience. Their efforts, as pioneers of
+kindergarten work, the love and admiration in which their works are held
+by all young people, prove them to be in full sympathy with this unique
+piece of work.</p>
+
+<p>Let all parents, who wish their little ones to have their minds and
+tastes developed along the right paths, remember that once a child is
+interested and amused, the rest is comparatively easy. Stories and poems
+so admirably selected, cannot then but sow the seeds of a real literary
+culture, which must be encouraged in childhood if it is ever to exercise
+a real influence in life.</p>
+
+<hr style='width: 25%;' />
+
+<div class='center'><span class="smcap">Edited by Kate Douglas Wiggin and Nora Archibald Smith</span></div>
+
+
+
+<div class='center'>
+<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="Children's Classics">
+<tr><td align='left'><br /><br />THE FAIRY RING: <i>Fairy Tales for Children 4 to 8</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><br />MAGIC CASEMENTS: <i>Fairy Tales for Children 6 to 12</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><br />TALES OF LAUGHTER: <i>Fairy Tales for Growing Boys and Girls</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><br />TALES OF WONDER: <i>Fairy Tales that Make One Wonder</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><br />PINAFORE PALACE: <i>Rhymes and Jingles for Tiny Tots</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><br />THE POSY RING: <i>Verses and Poems that Children Love and Learn</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><br />GOLDEN NUMBERS: <i>Verses and Poems for Children and Grown-ups</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><br />THE TALKING BEASTS: <i>Birds and Beasts in Fable</i></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 14em;"><span class="smcap">Edited by Asa Don Dickinson</span></span></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><br />CHRISTMAS STORIES: "<i>Read Us a Story About Christmas</i>"</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 14em;"><span class="smcap">Edited by Mary E. Burt and W. T. Chapin</span></span></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><br />STORIES AND POEMS FROM KIPLING: "<i>How the Camel Got His Hump," and other Stories</i></td></tr>
+</table></div>
+
+<hr style='width: 25%;' />
+
+<div class='center'><span class="smcap">Grosset &amp; Dunlap, Publishers, New York</span></div>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS SERIES</h2>
+
+<h3>By LAURA LEE HOPE</h3>
+
+<div class='center'>Author of "The Bobbsey Twins Series."</div>
+
+<hr style='width: 25%;' />
+
+<div class='center'><b>12mo. BOUND IN CLOTH. ILLUSTRATED. UNIFORM STYLE OF BINDING</b></div>
+
+<hr style='width: 25%;' />
+
+<p>The adventures of Ruth and Alice DeVere. Their father, a widower, is an
+actor who has taken up work for the "movies." Both girls wish to aid him
+in his work and visit various localities to act in all sorts of
+pictures.</p>
+
+<div>
+THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS<br />
+Or First Appearance in Photo Dramas.<br />
+</div>
+
+<div class="blockquot"><p>Having lost his voice, the father of the girls
+goes into the movies and the girls follow. Tells
+how many "parlor dramas" are filmed. </p></div>
+
+
+<div>
+THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS AT OAK FARM<br />
+Or Queer Happenings While Taking Rural Plays.<br />
+</div>
+
+<div class="blockquot"><p>Full of fun in the country, the haps and mishaps
+of taking film plays, and giving an account of two
+unusual discoveries. </p></div>
+
+
+<div>
+THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS SNOWBOUND<br />
+Or The Proof on the Film.<br />
+</div>
+
+<div class="blockquot"><p>A tale of winter adventures in the wilderness,
+showing how the photo-play actors sometimes
+suffer. </p></div>
+
+
+<div>
+THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS UNDER THE PALMS<br />
+Or Lost in the Wilds of Florida.<br />
+</div>
+
+<div class="blockquot"><p>How they went to the land of palms, played many
+parts in dramas before the camera; were lost, and
+aided others who were also lost. </p></div>
+
+
+<div>
+THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS AT ROCKY RANCH<br />
+Or Great Days Among the Cowboys.<br />
+</div>
+
+<div class="blockquot"><p>All who have ever seen moving pictures of the
+great West will want to know just how they are
+made. This volume gives every detail and is full
+of clean fun and excitement. </p></div>
+
+
+<div>
+THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS AT SEA<br />
+Or a Pictured Shipwreck that Became Real.<br />
+</div>
+
+<div class="blockquot"><p>A thrilling account of the girls' experiences on
+the water. </p></div>
+
+
+<div>
+THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS IN WAR PLAYS<br />
+Or The Sham Battles at Oak Farm.<br />
+</div>
+
+<div class="blockquot"><p>The girls play important parts in big battle
+scenes and have plenty of hard work along with
+considerable fun. </p></div>
+
+<hr style='width: 25%;' />
+
+<div class='center'><span class="smcap">Grosset &amp; Dunlap, Publishers, New York</span></div>
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+
+<div class='tnote'><h3>Transcriber's Notes</h3>
+<p>Obvious punctuation errors repaired.</p>
+
+<p>The remaining corrections made are indicated by dotted lines under the corrections.
+Scroll the mouse over the word and the original text will <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'apprear'">appear</ins>.</p>
+</div>
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+<pre>
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Left End Edwards, by Ralph Henry Barbour
+
+*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LEFT END EDWARDS ***
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+</pre>
+
+</body>
+</html>
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+The Project Gutenberg EBook of Left End Edwards, by Ralph Henry Barbour
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: Left End Edwards
+
+Author: Ralph Henry Barbour
+
+Illustrator: Charles M. Relyea
+
+Release Date: February 24, 2007 [EBook #20650]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LEFT END EDWARDS ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Suzanne Shell, Emmy and the Online Distributed
+Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+LEFT END EDWARDS
+
+[Illustration: The "Forward Pass"]
+
+
+
+
+LEFT END EDWARDS
+
+BY
+
+RALPH HENRY BARBOUR
+
+AUTHOR OF
+
+THE HALF-BACK, ETC.
+
+WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY
+
+CHARLES M. RELYEA
+
+[Illustration]
+
+NEW YORK
+
+GROSSET & DUNLAP
+
+PUBLISHERS
+
+Made in the United States of America
+
+          COPYRIGHT, 1914, BY
+          DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY
+
+
+
+
+CONTENTS
+
+
+          CHAPTER                                  PAGE
+
+               I FATHERS AND SONS                    3
+
+              II OFF TO SCHOOL                      13
+
+             III STOP THIEF!                        24
+
+              IV OUT FOR BRIMFIELD!                 40
+
+               V NUMBER 12 BILLINGS                 51
+
+              VI CLUES!                             62
+
+             VII THE CONFIDENCE-MAN                 73
+
+            VIII IN THE RUBBING ROOK                86
+
+              IX BACK IN TOGS                       98
+
+               X "CHEAP FOR CASH"                  112
+
+              XI "HOLD 'EM, THIRD!"                125
+
+             XII CANTERBURY ROMPS ON--AND OFF      142
+
+            XIII SAWYER VOWS VENGEANCE             157
+
+             XIV A LESSON IN TACKLING              170
+
+              XV STEVE WINNOWS SOME CHAFF          182
+
+             XVI MR. DALEY IS OUT                  202
+
+            XVII THE BLUE-BOOK                     212
+
+           XVIII B PLUS AND D MINUS                225
+
+             XIX THE SECOND PUTS IT OVER           235
+
+              XX BLOWS ARE STRUCK                  251
+
+             XXI FRIENDS FALL OUT                  267
+
+            XXII STEVE GETS A SURPRISE             285
+
+           XXIII DURKIN SHEDS LIGHT                297
+
+            XXIV THE DAY BEFORE THE BATTLE         309
+
+             XXV TOM TO THE RESCUE                 323
+
+            XXVI AT THE END OF THE FIRST HALF      334
+
+           XXVII STEVE SMILES                      346
+
+          XXVIII THE CHUMS READ A TELEGRAM         360
+
+
+
+
+ILLUSTRATIONS
+
+
+  The "Forward Pass"                                _Frontispiece_
+
+                                                         FACING PAGE
+
+  Steve slipped on the tiling and fell sidewise into the water
+    (page 166)                                                     80
+
+  "Lift!" instructed the quarter-back. "Lift me up and yank my
+    feet out from under me! Use your weight and throw me back!"   178
+
+  It was Steve, Steve on his back, with only his head and
+    shoulders above the water                                     324
+
+
+
+
+LEFT END EDWARDS
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I
+
+FATHERS AND SONS
+
+
+"Dad, what does 'Mens sana in corpore sano' mean?"
+
+Mr. Edwards slightly lowered his Sunday paper and over the top of it
+frowned abstractedly at the boy on the window-seat. "Eh?" he asked.
+"What was that?"
+
+"'Mens sana in corpore sano,' sir."
+
+"Oh!" Mr. Edwards blinked through his reading glasses and rustled the
+paper. Finally, "For a boy who has studied as much Latin as you have,"
+he said disapprovingly, "the question is extraordinary, to say the
+least. I'd advise you to--hm--find your dictionary, Steve." And Mr.
+Edwards again retired from sight.
+
+Steve, cross-legged on the broad seat that filled the library bay, a
+seat which commanded an uninterrupted view up and down the street,
+smiled into the open pamphlet he held.
+
+"He doesn't know," he said to himself with a chuckle. "It's something
+about your mind and your body, though. Never mind." He idly fluttered
+the leaves of the pamphlet and glanced out into the street to see if any
+friends were in sight. But it was Sunday afternoon, and rainy, and the
+wide, maple-bordered street, its neat artificial stone sidewalks
+shimmering with moisture, was quite deserted. With a sigh Steve went
+back to the pamphlet. It bore the inscription on the outer cover:
+"Brimfield Academy," and, below, in parenthesis, "William Torrence
+Foundation."
+
+"What does 'William Torrence Foundation' mean, dad?" asked the boy.
+
+Again Mr. Edwards lowered his paper, with a sigh. "It means, as you will
+discover for yourself if you will take the trouble to read the
+catalogue, that a man named William Torrence gave the money to establish
+the school. Now, for goodness sake, Steve, let me read in peace for a
+minute!"
+
+"Yes, sir. Thank you." Steve turned the pages, glanced again at the
+"View of Main Building from the Lawn" and began to read. "In 1878
+William Torrence, Esq., of New York City, visited his native town of
+Brimfield and interested the citizens in a plan to establish a school on
+a large tract of land at the edge of the town which had been in the
+Torrence family for many generations. Two years later the school was
+built and, under the title of Torrence Seminary, began a successful
+career which has lasted for thirty-two years. Under the principalship of
+Dr. Andrew Morey, the institution increased rapidly in usefulness, and
+in 1892 it was found necessary to add two wings to the original
+structure at a cost of $34,000, also the gift of the founder. Dr.
+Morey's connection with the school ended four years later, when the
+services of the present head, Mr. Joshua Fernald, A.M., were secured.
+The death of Mr. Torrence in 1897, after a long and honoured career,
+removed the school's greatest friend and benefactor, but, by the terms
+of his will, placed it beyond the reach of want for many years. With new
+buildings and improvements made possible by the generous provisions of
+the testament the school soon took its place amongst the foremost
+institutions of its kind. In 1908 the charter name was changed to
+Brimfield Academy--William Torrence Foundation, the course was
+lengthened from four years to six and the present era of well-deserved
+prosperity was entered on. Brimfield Academy now has accommodations for
+260 boys, its faculty consists of 19 members and its buildings number 8.
+Situated as it is----"
+
+Steve yawned frankly, viewed again the somnolent street and idly turned
+the pages. There were several pictures, but he had seen them all many
+times and only the one labelled "'Varsity Athletic Field--Gymnasium
+Beyond" claimed his interest for a moment. At last,
+
+"They've got a peach of an athletic field, dad," he observed
+approvingly. "I can see six goals, and that means three gridirons. And
+there's a baseball field besides. The catalogue says that 'provision is
+also made for tennis, boating and swimming,' but I don't see any tennis
+courts in the picture."
+
+"All right," grunted his father from behind the paper.
+
+"I wonder," continued Steve musingly, "where you get your boating and
+swimming. It says that Long Island Sound is two and a half miles
+distant. That's a long old ways to go for a swim, isn't it?"
+
+Mr. Edwards laid the paper across his knees and regarded the boy
+severely. "Steve," he said, "about the only thing I've heard from you
+since that catalogue arrived is the athletic field and the gymnasium.
+I'd like to refresh your mind on one point, my son."
+
+"Yes, sir?" said Steve without much eagerness.
+
+"I'd like to remind you that you are not going to Brimfield Academy to
+play football or baseball, or to swim. You're going there to study and
+learn! I don't propose to spend four hundred and fifty dollars a year,
+besides a whole lot for extras, to have you taught how to kick a
+football or make a home-hit. And----"
+
+"A home-run, sir," corrected Steve humbly.
+
+"Or whatever it is, then. I expect you to buckle down when you get there
+and learn. Remember that you've got just two years in which to prepare
+yourself for college. If you aren't ready then, you don't go. That's
+flat, my boy, and I want you to understand it. So, if you have any idea
+of football and tennis as your--er--principal courses you want to get it
+right out of your head. Now, for a change, suppose you have a look at
+the studies in front of you, and don't let me hear anything more about
+the gymnasium or the--the what-do-you-call-it field."
+
+"All right, sir." Steve obediently turned the pages back. "Just the
+same," he said to himself, "he didn't know what 'mens sana in corpore
+sano' meant any better than I did! Bet you _he_ didn't kill himself
+studying when _he_ went to school!" With a sigh he found the "Courses of
+Study" and read: "Form IV. Classical. Latin: Vergil's Aeneid, IV--XII,
+Cicero and Ovid at sight, Composition (5). Greek: Xenophon's Hellenica,
+Selections, Iliad and Odyssey, Selections, Sight Reading, Reviews,
+Composition (5). German (optional) (4). French: Advanced Grammar and
+Composition, Le Siege de Paris, Le Barbier de Saville----"
+
+At that moment a shrill whistle sounded outside the library window and
+Steve's eyes fled from the pamphlet to the grinning face of Tom Hall set
+between two of the fence pickets. The Catalogue of Brimfield Academy was
+tossed to the further end of the seat, and Steve, nodding vigorously
+through the window, jumped to his feet.
+
+"I'm going for a walk with Tom, sir," he announced half-way to the hall
+door. Mr. Edwards, smothering a sigh of relief, glanced at the weather.
+
+"Very well," he said. "Don't get your feet wet. And--er--be back before
+it's dark."
+
+Steve disappeared into the dim hallway and Mr. Edwards gave honest
+expression to his sense of relief by elevating his feet to the seat of a
+neighbouring chair, dropping the newspaper and, with a luxurious sigh,
+composing himself for his Sunday afternoon nap. But peace was not yet
+his, for a minute or two later Steve came hurrying in again. Mr. Edwards
+opened his eyes with a frown.
+
+"Sorry, sir," said Steve, "but Tom wants to see the catalogue."
+
+His father nodded drowsily and Steve, securing the pamphlet, stole out
+again with creaking Sunday shoes. Very quietly the front door went shut
+and peace at last pervaded the house. In the library, Mr. Edwards,
+dropping into slumber, was dimly conscious of a last disturbing thought.
+It was that he was going to miss that boy of his a whole lot after next
+week!
+
+"It's all right," declared Tom Hall as he took the catalogue from Steve
+with eager fingers. "At least, I'm pretty sure it is. He said at dinner
+that he'd think it over, and when he says that it means--that it's all
+right. What do you say, eh?"
+
+"_Bully!_" That was what Steve said. And he said it not only once but
+several times and with varying degrees of enthusiasm and volume. And, as
+though fearing his chum would doubt his satisfaction, he accompanied
+each "_Bully!_" with an emphatic thump on Tom's back. Tom, choking and
+coughing, squirmed out of the way.
+
+"Here! Ho-ho-hold on, you silly chump! You don't have to kill a fellow!"
+
+"Won't it be dandy!" exclaimed Steve, beaming. "We can room together!
+And--and----"
+
+"You bet! And we can have a bully time on the train, too. Gee, I never
+travelled as far as that alone!"
+
+"I have! It's lots of fun! You eat your meals in a dining-car and
+there's a smoking-room where you can sit and chin as late as you want to
+and you get off at the stations and walk up and down the platform and
+you tip the negro porters and----"
+
+"Wouldn't it be great if we both made the football team, Steve? Of
+course, you'll make it anyway, and I might if I had a little luck.
+Townsend said last year I didn't do so badly, you know, and if----"
+
+"Of course you'll make it! We both will; next year anyway. I'll bet
+they've got lots of fellows on the team no better than you are, Tom.
+Wait till I show you the athletic field. It's a corker!" And Steve's
+fingers turned the pages of the school catalogue eagerly. "How's that?"
+he demanded at last in triumph.
+
+They paused under a dripping tree while Tom viewed the picture, Steve
+looking over his shoulder.
+
+"It's fine!" sighed Tom at last. "Gee, I hope--I hope he lets me!"
+
+"Let's go over there now so you can show him this," suggested Steve.
+But Tom shook his head wisely.
+
+"Not now," he said. "He don't like to be disturbed Sunday afternoons.
+He--he sort of has a nap, you see."
+
+"Just like dad," replied Steve. "Bet you when I get as old as that I
+won't stick around the house and go to sleep. Say, Tom, what does 'Mens
+sana in corpore sano' mean?"
+
+"A sound mind in a sound body," replied Tom promptly. "Why?"
+
+"It's in here and I asked dad and he didn't know." Steve chuckled. "He
+made believe he was peevish with me, so's he wouldn't have to fess up.
+Dad's foxy, all right!"
+
+"Well, you ought to have known, Steve," said Tom severely.
+
+"Sure," agreed Steve untroubledly. "That's what he said. Let's take that
+a minute. I want to show you the picture of the campus."
+
+"Let's sit down somewhere and look it over," said Tom. "I told father
+that it was a school where they were terribly strict with the fellows
+and you had to study awfully hard all the time. I wonder if it is."
+
+"I don't believe so," answered Steve. "They say so much about football
+and baseball and things like that you can tell they aren't cranky about
+studying. And look at the pictures of the different teams in here.
+There's the baseball nine, see? Pretty husky looking bunch, aren't they?
+And--turn over--there you are--there's the football team. Some of those
+chaps aren't any bigger than I am, or you, either. Good looking
+uniforms, aren't they? Say, dad gave me a lecture on not thinking I was
+going there to just play football. Fathers are awfully funny sometimes!"
+
+"You bet! I wonder--I wonder--would you mind if we tore out a couple of
+these pictures before he sees it? I'm afraid he might think there was
+too much in it about athletics."
+
+"No, tear away! Here, I'll do it. We'll take the pictures of the teams
+out. How about the athletic field? Better tear that out too, do you
+think?"
+
+"Well, maybe, just to be on the safe side, you know. Don't throw 'em
+away, though. We might want to look at them again. Let's go over to the
+library where we can talk, Steve."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II
+
+OFF TO SCHOOL
+
+
+Possibly you are wondering why two boys, each of whom was possessed of a
+perfectly good home of his own, should select the Tannersville Public
+Library as a place in which to converse. The answer is that Steve's
+father and Tom's father were in the same line of trade, wholesale
+lumber, and had a few years before fallen out over some business matter.
+Since that time the two men had been at daggers drawn during office
+hours and only coldly civil at other times. Steve was forbidden to set
+foot in Tom's house and Tom was as strictly prohibited from entering
+Steve's. Had the fathers had their way at the beginning of the quarrel
+the boys would have ceased then and there to have anything to do with
+each other. But they had been close friends ever since primary school
+days and, while they reluctantly respected the dictum as to visiting at
+each other's residences, they had firmly refused to give up the
+friendship, and their fathers had finally been forced to sanction what
+they could not prevent.
+
+At the time this story opens, the quarrel between the two men, each a
+prominent and well-to-do member of the community, still continued, but
+its edge had been dulled by time. Both Mr. Edwards and Mr. Hall took
+active parts in municipal affairs and so were forced to meet often and
+to even serve together on various committees. They almost invariably
+took opposite sides on every question, but they did not allow their
+personal quarrel to interfere with their public duties.
+
+The boys had at first found the condition of affairs very irksome, but
+had eventually got used to it. It was hard not to be able to run in and
+out of each other's houses as they had done when they had first known
+each other, but there were plenty of opportunities to be together away
+from home and they made the most of them and were well-nigh inseparable.
+Mr. Edwards had declared, when announcing the fact in the preceding
+spring, that Steve was to go to boarding school, that he was sending the
+boy away to remove him from the questionable association of Tom Hall.
+But Steve gave little credence to that statement, for he knew that
+secretly his father thought very well of Tom. The real reason was that
+Steve had not been making good progress at high school, owing
+principally to the fact that he gave too much time to athletics and not
+enough to study. Mr. Edwards concluded that at a boarding school Steve
+would be under a stricter discipline and would profit by it. Steve's
+mother had died many years before, and his father, while perfectly able
+to command a large army of employees, was rather helpless when it came
+to exercising a proper authority over one sixteen-year-old boy!
+
+Naturally enough, Tom, when he had learned of his chum's impending
+departure in the fall for boarding school, began a vigorous campaign to
+secure parental permission to accompany him. Mrs. Hall had soon yielded,
+but Mr. Hall had held out stubbornly until almost the last moment. "I
+guess," he had said more than once, "you see enough of that Edwards boy
+without going off to the same boarding school with him! If you want to
+go to some other school I'll consider it, Tom, but I'm blessed if I'll
+have you tagging after Steve Edwards the way you propose!" But in the
+end he, too, capitulated, though with ill-grace, and for a week there
+were not two busier persons in all Tannersville than Steve and Tom.
+Steve had taken time by the forelock and had accumulated most of the
+necessary outfit, but Tom had to attend to all his wants in six
+weekdays, and there was much scurrying around the shops by the two
+lads, much hurry and worry and bustle in the Hall mansion. You had to
+take with you such a lot of silly truck, you see! Or, at least, that is
+the way Tom put it. The catalogue informed them that they must provide
+their own sheets, pillow-cases, spreads, towels, napkins and laundry
+bags, as well as take with them a knife, fork and spoon each. Steve
+sarcastically wondered if the school gave them beds to sleep in! The
+situation was further complicated by the eleventh-hour discovery on the
+part of Mrs. Hall that Tom's clothing, while quite good enough for
+Tannersville, would never do for Brimfield Academy, and poor Tom had to
+be fitted to new suits of clothes and shoes and hats and various other
+articles of apparel.
+
+They were to leave early Monday morning, for in that way they could
+reach Brimfield before dark. Both boys, who had set their hearts on a
+night in a sleeping-car, with all its exciting possibilities, begged to
+be allowed to make their start Monday evening, which would allow them to
+arrive at school Tuesday forenoon in plenty of time. But neither Steve's
+father nor Tom's would listen to the suggestion.
+
+"Then I'll get there a whole day before school opens," grumbled Tom,
+"and have to stay there all alone Monday night."
+
+"It won't hurt you a bit," replied Mr. Hall. "And the catalogue says
+that students will be received any time after Monday noon. I'm not going
+to have you two reckless youngsters travelling around the country
+together at night."
+
+Tom, recognising the inevitable, said no more.
+
+There was a somewhat awkward ten minutes at the station, for both Mr.
+Edwards and Mr. Hall, the latter accompanied by his wife, went down to
+see the boys off. The men nodded coldly to each other and then the odd
+situation of two boys who were to travel together side by side taking
+leave of their parents at opposite ends of the same car developed.
+Tannersville is not a large town and those who were on the platform that
+morning when the New York express pulled in understood the dilemma and
+smiled over it. Steve and Tom were both rather relieved when the
+good-byes were over and the train was pulling out of the station.
+
+"Blamed foolishness," muttered Steve as he met Tom where their bags were
+piled on one of the seats.
+
+"Yes, don't they make you tired?" agreed the other. "Say, how much did
+you get?"
+
+Steve thrust his fingers into a waistcoat pocket and drew out a
+carefully folded and very crisp ten-dollar bill, and Tom whistled.
+
+"I only got seven," he said; "five from father and two from mother. I
+guess that will do, though. The only things we have to pay for are
+dinner and getting across New York. Got your ticket safe?"
+
+Ensued then a breathless, panicky minute while Steve searched pocket
+after pocket for the envelope which contained his transportation to
+Brimfield, New York. The perspiration began to stand out on his
+forehead, his eyes grew large and round and his gaze set, Tom fidgetted
+mightily and persons in nearby seats, sensing the tragedy, grinned in
+heartless amusement. Then, at last, the precious envelope came to light
+from the depths of the very first pocket in which he had searched and,
+with sighs of vast relief, the two boys subsided into the seat. By that
+time Tannersville was left behind and the great adventure had begun!
+
+There are lots of worse things in life than starting off to school for
+the first time when you have someone with you to share your pleasant
+anticipations and direful forebodings. It is an exciting experience, I
+can tell you! The feeling of being cast on your own resources is at once
+blissfully uplifting and breathtakingly fearsome. Suppose they lost
+their way in New York? Suppose they were robbed of their tickets or
+their pocket money? You were always hearing about folks being robbed on
+trains, while, as for New York, why, every fellow knew that it was
+simply a den of iniquity! Or suppose the train was wrecked? It was Tom
+who supplied most of these direful contingencies and Steve who
+carelessly--or so it seemed--disposed of them.
+
+"If we lost our way we'd ask a policeman," he said. "And if anyone
+pinched our money or our tickets we'd just telegraph home to the folks
+and wait until we heard from them."
+
+"Where'd we wait?" asked Tom with great interest.
+
+"Hotel."
+
+"They wouldn't let us in unless we had money, would they?" Tom objected.
+"Maybe we could find the United States consul."
+
+"That's only when you're abroad," corrected Steve scathingly. "There
+aren't any United States consuls in the United States, you silly chump!"
+
+"I should think there ought to be," Tom replied uneasily. "What time do
+we get to New York?"
+
+"Two thirty-five, if we're on time. We ought to be. This is a peach of a
+train; one of the best on the road. Bet you she's making a mile a minute
+right now."
+
+"Bet you she isn't!"
+
+"Bet you she is! I'll ask the conductor."
+
+That gentleman was approaching, and as they yielded their tickets to be
+punched Steve put the question. The conductor leaned down and took a
+glance at the flying landscape. "About forty-five miles an hour, I
+guess. That fast enough for you, boys?"
+
+"Sure," replied Tom. "But he said we were going a mile a minute."
+
+"No, we don't make better than fifty anywhere. You in a hurry, are you?"
+
+"Only for dinner," laughed Steve. "Where do we get dinner, sir?"
+
+"There's a dining-car on now," was the reply. "Or you can get out at
+Phillipsburg at twelve-twenty-three and get something at the lunch
+counter. We stop there five minutes."
+
+"Me for the dining-car," declared Steve when the conductor had moved on.
+"What time is it now, I wonder."
+
+It was only a very few minutes after eight, the discovery of which fact
+occasioned both surprise and dismay. "Seems as though it ought to be
+pretty nearly noon, doesn't it?" asked Tom.
+
+"Yes. What time did you have breakfast? I had mine at half-past six."
+
+"Me too. Let's go through the train and see if we can find some apples
+or popcorn or something."
+
+The trainboy was discovered in a corner of the smoking-car and they
+purchased apples, chocolate caramels and salted peanuts, as well as two
+humorous weeklies, and found a seat in the car and settled down to
+business. They were both frightfully hungry, since excitement had
+prevented full justice to breakfasts. It was horribly smoky in that car,
+but Steve declared that he liked it, and Tom, although his eyes were
+soon smarting painfully, pretended that he did too.
+
+"I suppose we'll have to smoke at school," said Tom without enthusiasm.
+
+Steve considered the question a moment. "I don't believe we will unless
+we want to," he replied at last. "We can say it's because we're in
+training, you know. They don't allow you to smoke when you're trying for
+the football team or anything like that."
+
+Tom sighed his relief. "It makes me horribly squirmy," he said. "I
+thought, though, that if all the fellows did it, you know, I'd better,
+too. In all the stories about boarding schools I've ever read, the
+fellows smoke on the sly and get found out. Don't see much fun in that,
+though, do you?"
+
+"No." Steve devoured the last of his apple and started on the peanuts.
+"I don't believe those stories very well, anyway. There's always a
+goody-goody hero that gets suspected of something he didn't do and knows
+who really did it all the time and won't tell. And then he saves another
+fellow from drowning or something and it turns out that it was that
+fellow who did it, you know, and he goes and fesses up to the principal
+and the principal asks the hero's pardon in class and the captain of the
+football team comes to him and begs him to play quarter-back or
+something, which he does, and the school wins its big game because the
+hero gets the ball and runs the length of the field with it and scores a
+touchdown. I guess boarding school isn't really very much like that,
+Tom. I guess there's a heap more hard work to it than those fellows who
+write the stories tell you about. Anyway, we'll soon find out."
+
+"Still, I guess some of those things do happen sometimes," said Tom a
+trifle wistfully, unwilling to relinquish the story-book romance.
+"Fellows do get wrongly accused of--of things, and they do rescue other
+fellows from drowning--sometimes, and fellows do win football games. I'd
+like to do that and be a hero!"
+
+"Sure! So would I. Bet you, though, there won't be any of that kind of
+stuff at Brimfield. I dare say we'll wish ourselves out of it long
+before Christmas! If anyone wrongly accuses me of anything you can bet
+I'll make a kick. You won't see me getting punished for what some other
+fellow's done. That's all right in stories, but not for yours truly! Not
+a bit of it, Tom!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III
+
+STOP THIEF!
+
+
+They descended on the dining-car at twelve o'clock promptly, being
+unable to remain away any longer, and gave an excellent imitation of a
+visitation of locusts performing their well-known devastating act. If
+any two travellers by land or sea ever received their money's worth in
+food it was Steve and Tom. They took the menu card and briskly demanded
+everything in order, and when, having finished their dessert, they made
+the discovery that a criminally careless waiter had deprived them of
+pineapple sherbert, they immediately and indignantly saw to it that the
+omission was corrected. Afterwards, groaning with happiness and
+repletion, they dragged themselves back to their own car and subsided on
+the seat in beatific silence.
+
+An hour later they came out of their stupor to stare eagerly, excitedly
+out at the indications of the approaching metropolis. Meadows strung
+with enormous and glaring signboards gave place to towns and presently
+there came a pause at a station where other trains whisked in and out
+with amazing frequency. Then on again, and they were suddenly dipping
+into a tunnel, conscious of an unpleasant pressure against their
+eardrums. Tom's expression of bewildered alarm moved a kind-hearted
+neighbour across the car aisle to lean over and explain smilingly that
+the train was now running under the river, a piece of information but
+little calculated to remove Tom's fears had he given the slightest
+credence to it, which he didn't.
+
+"I guess," he muttered resentfully close to Steve's ear, "he thinks
+we're a couple of 'greenies' for fair! Going under a river!"
+
+And then, almost before Tom's indignation had given way again to alarm,
+the tunnel was left behind and they were in New York at last, a
+dimly-lighted, subterranean New York filled with hurrying crowds,
+bustle, noise, confusion and importunate porters. Even though the two
+boys emerged to the platform in a somewhat dazed condition, they had no
+intention of wasting perfectly good pocket money having their bags
+carried for them, and so started out to find the office of the baggage
+transfer company quite bravely. For a minute they had only to follow the
+hurrying throng of fellow-passengers, but soon this throng divided and
+went separate ways and Steve and Tom, resting their arms by depositing
+their hand luggage on the lower step of an apparently interminable
+flight of broad stairs, looked about for someone to question. But
+everyone seemed in a terrible hurry, and when, at last, Steve ventured
+to put a query to a benevolent-looking elderly gentleman who clutched a
+tightly-rolled umbrella in one hand and an afternoon paper in the other,
+he almost had his head bitten off! In the end, they proceeded up the
+stairway and at last came upon a returning porter who gave them their
+direction. By the time they had reached the transfer company's office
+they had walked so far that Tom wondered whether most of the city was
+not contained inside the station!
+
+Presently, though, he saw that it wasn't. For they found themselves
+standing outside the terminal on a street that stretched, apparently,
+for millions of miles in each direction! They had received detailed
+advice from the man in the transfer company's office as to the best
+method of reaching the Grand Central Station, and the directions had
+sounded quite easy to follow. But now the feat didn't look so simple,
+for the man had told them to take a car going in a certain direction and
+there wasn't a car in sight! Moreover, when Tom came to look for
+car-tracks there weren't any! He pointed out the fact to Steve, and
+Steve, at first a bit dismayed, at last shrugged his shoulders and
+observed his chum pityingly.
+
+"You don't suppose all the cars in this town run on tracks, do you?" he
+asked.
+
+"What do they run on then?"
+
+"Why--er--you wait and see!"
+
+"That's all right, but it's almost three o'clock and our train goes from
+the other station at a quarter-past, and----"
+
+"Well, we'll ask someone," said Steve. But, oddly enough, there was no
+one to ask. For a town as large as New York that block of street was
+strangely deserted. A team or two passed and an elderly woman crept by
+on the opposite sidewalk, but no one came near them. Finally Steve
+muttered:
+
+"Looks to me as if we were on the wrong street. Maybe there are two
+doors to this old station, Tom."
+
+"Of course there are! Let's walk down to that corner. There goes a car
+now!" And Tom, as though his future happiness depended on catching that
+particular car, seized his bag and started down the street at a run.
+Steve followed more leisurely, and when he reached the corner Tom was
+talking to a policeman. It was all very simple. They had made the
+mistake of leaving the terminal by a wrong exit and had emerged on to a
+cross-town street. After that it was easy. A car lumbered up, the
+policeman stopped it for them, they climbed aboard, were hurled half the
+length of the aisle and fell into seats. A few minutes later they
+transferred to a cross-town line without misadventure.
+
+"They certainly make you step lively in this town," panted Tom,
+clutching a strap and narrowly avoiding a seat in the lap of a very
+stout lady. "Glad I don't have to live here!"
+
+Steve, however, whose eyes were darting hither and thither in a
+desperate effort to lose none of the sights, was more favourably
+disposed toward the city. Even when, owing to a blockade at one of the
+street intersections, it became evident that they could not possibly
+make the three-fifteen train to Brimfield, Steve refused to be troubled.
+"Maybe," he said, "we'll have time to walk around a bit and see
+something. Say we do it, anyway, Tom?"
+
+"No, sir, this place is too blamed big! First thing we'd know we'd be
+lost for fair and never would get to Brimfield. When I get to that
+station I'm going to sit down and stay there!"
+
+When they did reach it the three-fifteen train had been gone nearly ten
+minutes, and inquiry at a window labelled "Information" elicited the
+announcement that the next train available for them would not leave
+until three-fifty-eight, since Brimfield, it seemed, was not a
+sufficiently important station to be served by all the trains.
+
+"That gives us half an hour," said Steve eagerly. "Let's check our bags
+somewhere and go out and look around."
+
+"Yes, and get lost! No, sir, not for mine!"
+
+"Oh, don't be such a scarecrow! Come on!"
+
+But Tom was obdurate. "You go if you want to," he said, "but I'm going
+to sit down right here and wait. You can leave your bag and I'll look
+after it. Only, if you don't get back by a quarter to four I'm going to
+the train, and I'll take your bag with me."
+
+"All right. I just want to go out front awhile. I'll be back in ten
+minutes. You stay here. And keep your eye on the bags, Tom. I guess
+there's a lot of sneak-thieves around here." And Steve looked about him
+suspiciously, his glance finally falling on Tom's left-hand neighbour, a
+youth of perhaps nineteen years upon whose good-looking face rested an
+amused smile. Instantly, however, the paper he was holding was raised to
+hide his face, and Steve frowned. The fellow was, thought Steve,
+altogether too well-dressed and slick-looking to be honest, and that
+smile disturbed him. He leaned down and whispered in Tom's ear:
+
+"Look out for the fellow next to you! I think he's a crook!"
+
+Tom turned an alarmed glance to his left and a disturbed one on Steve.
+"I--I guess," he said with elaborate carelessness, "I'll sit over there
+where it's lighter." Whereupon he gathered the bags up and literally
+fled across the waiting-room, Steve at his heels. In his new location,
+out of sight of the suspected youth, he said hoarsely: "I reckon he was
+a pickpocket, don't you?"
+
+"You can't tell," responded Steve, shaking his head knowingly. "Anyway,
+you want to keep an eye on those bags every minute. I'll be right back,
+though. Want to see my paper?" And Steve handed an _Evening Sun_,
+purchased on the car, to his chum and wound his way through the throng
+toward the entrance.
+
+Left to himself, Tom looked at the clock and saw that the hour was
+three-thirty-two, glanced apprehensively about him in search of possible
+malefactors, dragged the bags closer to his feet and unfolded the paper.
+But he couldn't find much to interest him in it. Besides, he had to look
+at the clock every few minutes, and whenever a man in a uniform
+appeared with a megaphone and announced the impending departure of a
+train Tom had heart disease, seized both bags and crouched ready for
+instant flight until he was assured that the word "Brimfield" was not
+among the list of stations enunciated through the trumpet. It was after
+he had sunk back with a sigh of relief on finding that a train for
+"Pittsburgh, Chicago and the West" was not his that he discovered that
+an empty seat at his right had been occupied during his strained
+interest in the announcer. Glancing around he saw that the occupant was
+the well-dressed, good-looking youth who had been seated next to him
+before. The youth seemed very interested in the paper he was reading,
+his gaze being apparently fixed on a column headed "Tiger's Football
+Players Report," but Tom refused to be deceived. Only the fact that a
+grey-coated station policeman was standing within hail kept him from a
+second flight. Steve, he reflected nervously while he wound both feet
+around the bags, would return in a minute or two and then they could go
+to the train. Tom devoutly wished himself and the bags there now. Once
+he was conscious of the fact that the youth beside him was glancing his
+way, but he pretended not to be aware of it. Then his neighbour spoke.
+
+"Princeton ought to have a pretty good team this year," he observed
+genially. Tom, his heart in his mouth, nodded.
+
+"Y-yes," he said.
+
+"Interested in football?" went on the other. Tom dared a quick glance at
+the smiling face and shook his head.
+
+"No, thank you. I mean--yes, a little." He didn't want to talk because
+he had read that confidence men always engaged their victims in
+conversation before selling them counterfeit money or leading them to
+gamble away their savings. Tom's eyes darted anxiously about in search
+of Steve and he wondered how soon the smooth-voiced stranger would call
+him by name or ask after the folks in Tannersville. He hadn't long to
+wait!
+
+"It's a great game," pursued the other. Then, after a short pause: "Say,
+I've met you before, haven't I? Your face looks familiar."
+
+"No," answered Tom shortly, digging his feet convulsively against the
+bulging sides of the bags on the floor.
+
+"My mistake, then. I thought perhaps you were from Tannersville,
+Pennsylvania."
+
+Tom almost jumped, although he had been expecting some such remark. It
+was, he reflected agitatedly, absolutely marvellous the way these
+fellows learned things! In a moment the fellow would tell him his name!
+
+The fellow didn't, though. He only said:
+
+"Tannersville is a fine town. Ever been there?"
+
+Tom shook his head energetically. "Never!" he fibbed.
+
+"Oh!" The confidence-man--for Tom had fully decided that such he
+was--seemed disappointed. But he wasn't discouraged. "Which way are you
+travelling?" he asked.
+
+Tom did a lot of thinking then in a fragment of a minute.
+
+"Philadelphia," he blurted.
+
+"Philadelphia! Why, say, you're in the wrong station. You ought to go to
+the Pennsylvania Terminal. I guess you're a stranger here, eh? Tell you
+what I'll do. You come with me and I'll put you on a car that'll take
+you right there."
+
+"I--I've got to wait for a friend," muttered Tom desperately, sending an
+appealing glance toward the policeman who had now begun to saunter
+slowly away.
+
+"That so? Well----" The other got up with a glance at the clock and
+reached down for his suit-case. Tom's gaze followed the direction of
+that hand closely. It was, he thought, odd that a confidence-man should
+carry a suit-case, but that might be only an attempt to avert suspicion.
+The bag held the inscription "A. L. M., Orange, N. J." Probably the bag
+had been stolen. Tom fixed that inscription firmly in his mind. "I'll
+have to be going," said "A. L. M." "Sorry I can't be of assistance to
+you, kid. I thought that maybe if you were going my way, out to
+Brimfield, I could give you a hand with your bags."
+
+Tom gasped! How did he know about Brimfield?
+
+"Thanks," he muttered. "I--I'll get on all right." Standing there in
+front of him "A. L. M." looked very youthful to be such a deep-dyed
+villain and Tom felt a bit sorry for him. But the villain was smiling
+broadly and, as it seemed to Tom, a trifle mockingly.
+
+"Better keep a sharp lookout for crooks," advised the other. "There are
+lots of 'em about here. See that old chap over there with the basket of
+fruit in his lap?" The stranger moderated his voice and leaned toward
+Tom. Tom, turning his head a trifle to follow the other's gaze, felt one
+of the bags between his feet move and made a grab toward it. But the
+stranger had not, apparently, touched it, unless with a foot. "That," he
+was saying, "is Four-Fingered Phillips, one of the cleverest
+confidence-men in New York. Well, so long!"
+
+The other moved away, walking nonchalantly past the station policeman
+who had now wandered back to his post. Tom held his breath. But the
+policeman, although he undoubtedly followed the youth with his gaze for
+a moment, failed to act, and Tom was not a little relieved. Even if the
+fellow was a crook he seemed an awfully decent sort and Tom was glad he
+hadn't been arrested.
+
+It was getting perilously near a quarter to four now and still Steve had
+not returned. Tom watched the long hand crawl toward the figure IX, saw
+it reach it and pass. He would, he decided then, give Steve another five
+minutes. His gaze fell on "Four-Fingered Phillips" and he viewed that
+gentleman perplexedly. He didn't look in the least like a
+confidence-man. He appeared to be about sixty years of age, eminently
+respectable and slightly infirm. He clutched a basket of fruit and an
+ivory-headed cane and seemed quite oblivious to everything about him.
+New York, reflected Tom, with something like a shudder, must be a
+terribly wicked place! And then, while he was still striving to discern
+signs of depravity under the gentle and kindly exterior of the elderly
+confidence-man, a young woman, leading a little boy of some three or
+four years of age and bearing many bundles, hurried up to "Four-Fingered
+Phillips," spoke, helped him to his feet and guided him away toward the
+train-shed. Tom sighed. It was too much for him! Of course he had read
+of female accomplices, but it didn't seem that a four-year-old child
+could be a part of the game! For the first time he wondered whether "A.
+L. M.," perhaps chagrined at his failure to decoy Tom to some secret
+lair, had deceived him about "Four-Fingered Phillips"!
+
+Then it was ten minutes to four, good measure, and Tom, in a sudden
+panic, seized his bags, gazed about him despairingly and made for the
+train-shed. He had given Steve fair warning, he told himself, and now he
+could just fend for himself. But his steps got slower and slower as he
+approached the gate and when he reached it he set the bags down, got his
+ticket out and waited. After all, it would be a pretty mean trick to
+leave Steve. At least, he'd wait there until the last moment. The
+minutes passed and the hands on the clock further along the barrier
+crept nearer and nearer to the time set for the departure of the
+Brimfield accommodation. Tom wondered when the next train after this one
+would leave.
+
+"Going on this train, son?" asked the gateman.
+
+"Yes," answered Tom, and took a step toward the gate. Then he stopped
+and shook his head. "No, I guess not," he muttered. "When does the next
+one go, sir?"
+
+"Where to?" asked the gateman, punching the ticket of a late arrival.
+
+"Brimfield."
+
+"Four-twelve." The gate closed and the matter was irrevocably settled.
+Tom took his bags and hurried back to the waiting-room and found his
+place again. No Steve was in sight!
+
+"I'll give him ten minutes," said Tom savagely. "Then I'll go. And--and
+I won't come back the next time!"
+
+And then, just as the clock announced the hour Steve appeared, a little
+flushed and breathless, but smiling broadly.
+
+"Gee, you ought to have been with me, Tom!" he said excitedly. "There
+was a peach of a fire just around in the next street! Seven engines and
+a hook-and-ladder and hundreds of hose-carts and one of those
+water-towers! And most of the engines were automobiles, Tom! It was
+corking!"
+
+"Maybe it was," replied Tom coldly. "I'm going to Brimfield on the
+four-twelve. What you going to do? Find another fire?"
+
+"Why, no. When I saw I'd lost that other train I thought I might as
+well wait and see the fire out. There's lots of time, anyway. We'll have
+plenty of school before we get through with it, Tom."
+
+"That's all right," responded Tom bitterly, "but you're way off if you
+think it's any fun for me sitting around here and waiting for you while
+you have a good time going to fires!"
+
+"You said you didn't want to go----"
+
+"Well, what if I did?" demanded Tom, working himself into a very
+respectable fit of anger. "I _didn't_ want to go. But that's no reason
+why you should leave me alone for the rest of the day to--to stave off
+robbers and thieves and confidence-men and--and all!"
+
+"Oh, well, come on," said Steve. "We haven't done anything but lose a
+train----"
+
+"We've lost two trains!"
+
+"And the man says there's another at twelve minutes after."
+
+"And we'll lose that if you stand here talking much longer," declared
+Tom peevishly. "Take up your bag and come along. There's only six or
+seven minutes."
+
+"Where is it? Haven't you got it?"
+
+"Got what?"
+
+"My bag," said Steve crossly.
+
+"Isn't it staring you in the face?" asked Tom disgustedly, indicating
+the suit-case against the seat. "Are you blind?"
+
+"That? That isn't mine. Where----" Steve looked at the bag in Tom's hand
+and then around the floor. "_Where's mine?_"
+
+"What!" Tom was gazing in stupefied amazement at the bag between them.
+
+On the end appeared the legend: "A. L. M., Orange, N. J."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV
+
+OUT FOR BRIMFIELD!
+
+
+Just as the conductor, snapping his watch shut, waved his hand to the
+engineer of the four-twelve two boys hurried down the platform and, with
+the assistance of a negro porter, climbed to the last platform of the
+moving train. From there, much out of breath, they entered the car,
+pushed aside a curtain and sank on to the seats of the smoking
+compartment. And as he did so each set a suit-case between his legs and
+the front of the seat in a way that suggested that only over his dead
+body could that bag be removed!
+
+The first of the two, the one with his back to the engine, was a
+nice-looking youth of fifteen--almost sixteen, to be quite
+accurate--with a broad-shouldered, slim-hipped body that spoke of the
+best of physical condition. He had a pair of light-brown eyes, a short
+straight nose, a nice mouth and a rather sharp chin. His face was
+tanned, and slightly freckled as well, and he was tall for his age. His
+full name was Stephen Dana Edwards.
+
+His companion was an inch shorter, a little heavier in build, although
+quite as well-conditioned physically, and was lighter in colouring. His
+hair was several shades less dark than his friend's, although it, too,
+was brown, his eyes were grey and under the sunburn his skin was quite
+fair. His full name was Thomas Perrin Hall.
+
+Good, healthy, frank-looking youths both of them under normal
+conditions, but at this present moment very far from appearing at their
+best. Each face held an expression of gloom and resentment; on Mr.
+Stephen Edwards' countenance sat what might well be termed a scowl. And,
+after a minute, by which time the train had plunged into the tunnel and
+the travellers had somewhat recovered their breaths, the latter young
+gentleman gave voice to a remark which went well with his expression.
+
+"I like the way you looked after it," he said with deep sarcasm. Mr.
+Thomas Hall, returning the other's scowl, drummed with his heels on the
+suit-case.
+
+"Why didn't you stay and look after it yourself?" he asked angrily. "It
+isn't my fault that you went off chasing after fire-engines."
+
+"I didn't chase after fire-engines. You said you'd watch my bag and----"
+
+"I did watch it!"
+
+"Oh, yes, fine! Let someone pinch it right under your eyes! I notice you
+managed to keep your own bag all right!"
+
+"Oh, dry up!" growled Tom.
+
+Silence ensued until a conductor appeared and demanded tickets. Yielding
+their transportation, the boys were informed that they were in a parlour
+car and must pay twenty-five cents apiece to ride to Brimfield. Tom laid
+hold of his bag with a sigh, but Steve unemotionally produced a quarter
+and so Tom followed suit. When the conductor had disappeared again
+through the curtain Steve said:
+
+"Why didn't they tell us this was a parlour car? How were we to know?"
+
+"They just wanted our money, I suppose," replied Tom bitterly.
+"Everybody in this place is after your money. I wish I was home!"
+
+"So do I," agreed Steve gloomily. More silence then, until,
+
+"I don't see how he ever did it," remarked Tom. "I had both bags between
+my feet. He was certainly slick. I suppose when he told me to look at
+'Four-Fingered Phillips' I sort of turned around and switched my legs
+away from the bags. But he must have been mighty quick."
+
+"Of course he was quick," said Steve contemptuously. "I warned you
+against that fellow."
+
+"That's all right, but I'll bet he'd have played the same trick if it
+had been you instead of me," replied Tom warmly.
+
+"I'll bet he wouldn't!"
+
+"All right!" Tom shrugged his shoulders and looked out the window. They
+had the compartment to themselves, which, in view of the remarks which
+were passed, was fortunate.
+
+"It isn't all right, though," pursued Steve. "That bag had all my things
+in it: pajamas, brushes and comb and collars and handkerchiefs and--and
+everything! I'd like to know what I'm going to sleep in!"
+
+"I dare say we'll get our trunks to-night," said Tom soothingly. "If we
+don't you can have my pajamas."
+
+"What'll you wear?" asked Steve more graciously.
+
+"Anything. I don't mind. I say, Steve, let's see what's in the bag he
+left!"
+
+"Would you?" asked Steve doubtfully.
+
+"Why not? He's got yours, hasn't he?"
+
+Steve lifted the suit-case to the seat beside him and tried the catch.
+It was not locked and opened readily. There wasn't a great deal in it: a
+pair of lavender pajamas at which Steve sniffed sarcastically, a
+travelling case fitted with inexpensive brushes and things and marked
+"A. L. M.," a pair of slippers, a magazine, a soiled collar, one clean
+handkerchief and a grey flannel cap with a red B sewed on the front
+above the visor.
+
+"Wonder whose they are," mused Tom, as Steve spread the trousers of the
+pajamas out and viewed them dubiously. They were several sizes two large
+for Steve, but they might do if his trunk didn't come in time. "I
+suppose that fellow swiped this bag, found there wasn't anything
+valuable in it and thought he'd swap it for another."
+
+"Maybe there was something valuable in it when he got it," said Steve.
+He tossed the things back and closed it again. "It's a pretty good
+suit-case; better than mine. Do you suppose it would do any good to
+advertise?"
+
+"I don't suppose so. Besides, that cop said that he'd have them search
+the pawnshops. If the police don't find it I guess an advertisement
+wouldn't do any good, Steve."
+
+"Well, I suppose there's no use crying over spilled milk," replied the
+other, setting the suit-case back in its place. "After all I can buy new
+things for five dollars or so and I guess father will send me the money
+when I tell him about it."
+
+Tom frowned thoughtfully. Finally, "Say, Steve, if you won't tell him
+how it happened I'll pay for what you lost myself."
+
+"What for?"
+
+"I--I'd rather he didn't know, that's all."
+
+"Oh! Well, I won't tell him you had anything to do with it, Tom. You
+didn't, either," he added after a moment. "It wasn't your fault, Tom.
+It--it would have happened to me just the same way, I'll bet."
+
+"You could just say that the bag was stolen, couldn't you?" asked Tom
+more cheerfully. "I mean you needn't go into particulars, you know. It
+doesn't really matter _how_ it happened as long as it _did_ happen."
+
+"No, of course not. I'll just say it was stolen while we were waiting
+for the train. I guess five dollars will be enough. Let's see. Pajamas
+cost two and a half, brushes----"
+
+"You getting off at Brimfield, gentlemen?" asked the porter, putting his
+head through the curtains and waving a brush at them.
+
+"Yes. Are we there?" asked Tom startledly.
+
+"Pretty near, sir. Want me to brush you off, sir?"
+
+"I guess so." By the time that ceremony had been impressively performed
+and two dimes had changed places from the boys' pockets to the porter's,
+the train was slowing down for the station. A moment later they had
+alighted and were looking about them.
+
+The station was small and attractive, being of stone and almost covered
+with vines, and beyond it, across the platform, several carriages were
+receiving passengers. A man in a long and shabby coat accosted them.
+
+"Carriage, boys? Going up to the school?"
+
+"Yes," replied Steve. "How much?"
+
+"Twenty-five cents apiece. Any trunks?"
+
+"Two. Can you take them up with us?"
+
+"I'll have 'em up there in half an hour. Just you give me the checks."
+
+"The checks," murmured Steve, a look of uneasiness coming to his face.
+
+"Haven't you got them?" asked Tom anxiously.
+
+Steve nodded. "I've got them all right," he said grimly, "but these are
+the transfer company's checks. We--we forgot to get new ones at the
+station!"
+
+"Thunder!" said Tom disgustedly. "Now what'll we do?"
+
+"I'll look after it, gentlemen," said the driver comfortingly. "I'll
+have the agent telegraph the numbers back and they'll send 'em right
+along. It'll cost about half a dollar."
+
+"Will we get them to-night?" asked Steve.
+
+"You might. I wouldn't like to promise, though. Anyway, they'll be along
+first thing in the morning. Thank you, sir. Right this way to the
+carriage. I'll look after the bags."
+
+"Not mine, you won't," replied Tom grimly, tightening his clasp on it.
+"I wouldn't trust the President of the United States with this bag.
+Anyway," he added as he followed Steve and the driver across the
+platform to a ricketty conveyance, "not if he lived in New York!"
+
+By that time all the other carriages had rolled away, and while they
+waited for their driver to arrange with the station agent about the
+trunks they examined their surroundings. There wasn't much to see. The
+station was at the end of a well-shaded street, and beyond, across the
+right of way, the country seemed to begin. There were one or two houses
+within sight, set back amidst trees, and at the summit of a low hill the
+wheel of a windmill was clattering merrily. There were many hills in
+sight, all prettily wooded, and, on the whole, Brimfield looked
+attractive. They searched vainly for a glimpse of the school buildings,
+and the driver, returning just then, explained in reply to their
+inquiry, that the school was nearly a mile away.
+
+"You could have seen it from the train if you'd been looking," he added.
+"It's about a quarter of a mile from the track on the further side
+there. Get-ap, Abe Lincoln!"
+
+Their way led down the straight and shaded street which presently began
+to show houses on either side, houses set in small gardens still aflame
+with autumn flowers and divided from the road by neat hedges or
+vine-clad fences. Then there were a few stores clustering about the
+intersection of the present street and one running at right angles with
+it, and a post-office and a fire-house and a diminutive town hall. The
+old horse turned to the right here and ambled westward.
+
+"You boys are sort of late," observed the driver conversationally.
+
+"Why, school doesn't begin until to-morrow, does it?" asked Tom.
+
+"No. I meant you was late for to-day. About twenty boys came this
+afternoon, most of 'em on the train before this one. There was Prouty
+and Newhall and Miller and a lot of 'em. You're new boys, though, ain't
+you?"
+
+They acknowledged it and the driver nodded.
+
+"Thought I didn't remember your faces. I got a good memory for faces, I
+have. Well, you're coming to a fine school, boys, a fine school! I guess
+there ain't another like it in the country. I been driving back and
+forth for nigh on twelve years and I know it pretty well now. Know lots
+o' the boys, too. Nice fellers, they be. Always have a good word for me.
+Generous, they be, too. Always handin' me a tip and thinkin' nothing of
+it."
+
+Steve nudged Tom with his elbow. "That's fine," he said. "You must be
+pretty rich by now."
+
+"Rich? Me rich?" The driver shook his head sorrowfully. "No, sir, there
+ain't much chance o' gettin' rich at this business, what with the high
+cost of feed and all. No, gentlemen, I'm a poor man and I don't never
+expect to be aught else. Get-ap, Abe Lincoln!"
+
+The village, or what there was of it, had been left behind now and the
+road was winding slightly uphill through woodland. The sun was slanting
+into their faces, casting long shadows. Now and then a gate and the
+beginning of a well-kept driveway suggested houses set out of sight on
+the wooded knolls about them. The carriage crossed the railroad track
+and the driver pointed ahead of him with his whip.
+
+"There's the school," he said; and the boys craned forward to see.
+
+"Gee, but ain't it big!" muttered Steve.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V
+
+NUMBER 12 BILLINGS
+
+
+The woods had given way to open fields, and they could follow with their
+eyes the course of the road ahead as it turned to the left and ran,
+almost parallel to the railroad, past where a pair of stone gate-posts
+guarded the entrance to the Academy. From the gate a drive went winding
+upward, hidden now and then by trees and shrubs, to where, at the crest
+of a hill, a half-dozen buildings looked down upon them with numberless
+windows.
+
+"That's Main Hall," said Tom, "the big one in the centre. I remember it
+in the catalogue."
+
+"And that's the gym at this end," added Steve. "It's a pretty good
+looking place, isn't it? What's the building where the tall chimney is,
+driver?"
+
+"Torrence. There's rooms upstairs and a dining-room on the first floor.
+That chimney's from the kitchen at the back. Then the building in the
+middle's Main Hall, as they call it. That was the original building. I
+remember when there wasn't any others. The one to the left of it's
+Hensey Hall. The fellows that lives there are called 'Chickens,'"
+chuckled the man. "Then there's Billings beyond Hensey, and The Cottage,
+where Mr. Fernald lives, is just around the corner, like. You can see
+the porch of it if you look."
+
+But they couldn't, for at that moment the carriage turned to enter the
+gate and their view was cut off by a group of yellowing beeches.
+
+Presently the carriage stopped in front of a broad flight of stone steps
+and the boys climbed out.
+
+"Fifty cents, gentlemen," said the driver as he lifted the bags out.
+"Thank you, sir. Thank _you_, sir! I'll have your trunks up first thing
+in the morning. Just walk right in through the door and you'll find the
+office on your right. They'll look after you there. Much obliged,
+gentlemen. Any time you want a rig or anything you telephone to Jimmy
+Hoskins. That's me. Good-night, gentlemen, and good luck to you!"
+
+Steve had contributed an extra quarter, which doubtless accounted for
+Mr. Hoskins' extreme affability. Bags in hand they climbed the well-worn
+granite steps and entered a dim, unlighted corridor. An open door on the
+right revealed a room divided by a railing, in front of which were a
+half-dozen wooden chairs and beyond which were two desks, some filing
+cabinets, a book-case, a letter-press, some chairs and one small,
+middle-aged man with a shining bald head which was raised inquiringly as
+Steve led the way to the railing.
+
+"How do you do, boys," greeted the sole occupant of the office in a
+thin, high voice. "What are the names, please?" As he spoke he took a
+card from a pile in front of him and dipped a pen in the ink-well.
+
+"Stephen D. Edwards, sir."
+
+"Full name, please."
+
+"Stephen Dana."
+
+"Very good. Place of residence?"
+
+"Tannersville, Pennsylvania."
+
+"A wonderful state, Pennsylvania. Parents' names, please."
+
+"Charles L. Edwards. My mother isn't living."
+
+"Tut, tut, tut!" said the school secretary regretfully and
+sympathetically. "A great misfortune, Edwards. Now, you are entering by
+certificate?"
+
+"Yes, sir, from the Tannersville High School."
+
+"And your age?"
+
+"Fifteen; sixteen in----"
+
+"Fifteen will do, thank you." He drew out a drawer in a small cabinet
+set at the left of the broad-topped desk and ran his fingers over the
+indexed cards within it, finally extracting one and laying it very
+exactly above the one on which he had been setting down the information
+supplied by Steve. For a moment he silently compared the two. Then he
+nodded with much satisfaction. "Quite so, quite so," he said. "You will
+room in Billings Hall, Number 12, Edwards. You are provided with linen
+and other articles required?"
+
+"Yes, sir, but my trunk hasn't got here yet."
+
+"Quite so. One moment." He drew a telephone toward him, pressed a button
+on a little black board set at one end of the desk, glanced at the clock
+between the two broad windows and spoke into the transmitter: "Mrs.
+Calder? Edwards, 12 Billings, hasn't his trunk yet. Will you have his
+room made up, please? Eh? Quite so! Yes, 12 Billings. Just a moment." He
+turned to Steve. "May I ask whether the young gentleman with you is your
+room-mate, Hall?"
+
+"Yes, sir."
+
+"And his trunk, too, is missing?"
+
+"Yes, sir."
+
+"Quite so. Yes, Mrs. Calder, both beds, please. Thank you." He hung up
+the receiver and pushed the instrument aside. "That is all, Edwards. I
+trust you will like the school. Should you want anything you may come
+to me here or you will find your Hall Master, Mr. Daley, in Number 8
+Billings. Now, if you please, Hall."
+
+Tom, in turn, answered the little man's interrogations and at last they
+were free to seek their room.
+
+"Billings is the last dormitory to your right as you leave this
+building," said the secretary, "and you will find Number 12 on the
+second floor at the further end. Supper is served at six o'clock in the
+dining-room in Wendell, which is the last building in the other
+direction. As we have very few students with us yet, the supper hour is
+shortened and it will greatly assist if you will be prompt."
+
+The boys thanked him and sought their room. A broad flagstone walk ran
+the length of the row of six buildings and along this they strode past
+the first building, which was Hensey, to the one beyond. The dormitories
+were uniform in material and style of architecture, each being three
+stories in height, the first story of stone and the others of red brick.
+The entrance was reached by a single stone step, above which hung an
+electric light just beginning to glow wanly in the early twilight.
+Inside, two slate steps led to the first floor level and here a
+fireproof door divided the staircase well from the corridor. A flight of
+stone stairs took them to the second floor. "Rooms 11 to 20" was
+inscribed on the door and Steve pushed it open and led the way down to a
+very clean, well-lighted corridor to Number 12. There could be no
+mistake about it, for the figures were very plainly printed on the white
+door. Under the room number was a little metal frame which they
+afterwards discovered was for the purpose of holding a card bearing the
+names of the occupants. Steve pushed the door open and, followed by Tom,
+entered.
+
+There was still enough light from the one broad window to see by, but
+Steve found a switch near the doorway and turned on the electricity. It
+was a pretty forlorn looking place at first glance, but doubtless the
+fact that the two beds were unmade, that the window-seat was empty of
+cushions and that the two slim chiffoniers and the desk-table were bare
+had a good deal to do with that first impression. The boys set their
+bags down and looked about them rather dejectedly. Finally,
+
+"I suppose when we get our things around it'll look different," murmured
+Tom.
+
+Steve grunted and tried a bed. "That feels pretty good," he said. "I
+hope Mrs. Thingamabob won't forget to make it. Which side do you want?"
+
+"I don't care," replied Tom. "There isn't any difference, I guess."
+
+There didn't appear to be. The door was at the right as you entered, and
+beside it was a good-sized closet. The room was about fifteen feet long,
+from closet to window, by some twelve feet wide. A brown grass rug
+filled most of the floor space. The wainscoting, of clean white pine,
+ascended four feet and ended in a narrow ledge or shelf, devised, as
+they afterwards discovered, to hold photographs or small pictures which
+the rules prohibited them from placing on the walls. The walls were
+painted a light buff. The furniture consisted of two single-width beds,
+two chiffoniers, a study table and two straight-backed chairs. The beds
+were against the opposite walls, the table in the geometrical centre of
+the rug, the chiffoniers occupied a portion of the remaining wall space
+on each side and the two chairs were set between beds and bureaus. The
+window was in a slight bay and there was a six-foot seat below it. The
+room was lighted by a two-lamp electrolier above the table, but from one
+socket depended a green cord, suggesting that a previous occupant had
+used a drop light.
+
+"I wonder," said Steve, "where we are supposed to wash."
+
+"Let's look for the bathroom," suggested Tom. So they returned to the
+silent corridor and presently discovered a commodious bath and wash-room
+at the farther end. There were six set bowls and four tubs there, and
+Tom thought it was pretty fine. Steve, however, was in a mood to find
+fault and he objected to the bathroom on several different counts. For
+one thing, it was too far away. Then, too, he didn't see how twenty
+fellows were going to wash at six bowls. Tom, however, promptly
+demonstrated how one fellow could do it by returning to Number 12 and
+bringing back his wash-cloth. In his absence Steve had been
+experimenting with the liquid soap apparatus with which each bowl was
+supplied, and by the time Tom got back was able to tell him why he
+didn't approve of them! By the time they had both cleaned up it was time
+to find the dining-hall, and so, leaving the light burning in brazen
+disregard of a notice under the switch, they clattered downstairs again
+and set off for the other end of the Row, as the line of buildings was
+called.
+
+Two or three boys were standing on the steps of Wendell when they
+reached it and they were aware of their frankly curious gaze as they
+passed them. The dining-hall wasn't hard to find, for its double doors
+faced them as they entered the building. They left their caps on one of
+the big racks outside and rather consciously stepped inside the doorway.
+It was a huge room, seemingly occupying the entire first floor of the
+building, and held what appeared to be hundreds of tables. Only four of
+them were occupied now, two across the hall from the door and two at one
+end. A boy of about seventeen or eighteen, wearing an apron and carrying
+a tray of dishes, saw them, and, setting down his burden, conducted them
+to one of the tables nearby. There were already five boys at the board
+and they each and all stared silently while Steve and Tom slid into
+their chairs. The newcomers surmised that they, too, were new boys, for,
+unlike the fellows at the next table beyond, who were laughing and
+chatting quite light-heartedly, they applied themselves grimly and
+silently to their food and seemed to view each other with deep distrust.
+
+Steve and Tom, striving against the embarrassment that held them,
+conversed together in whispers. "It's a whaling big room," said Steve.
+"Just like a hotel, isn't it? Wonder what we get to eat."
+
+"Bet you I'll eat it, whatever it is," replied Tom. "I'm as hungry as a
+bear!"
+
+They weren't left long in doubt, for a second waiter appeared very
+promptly and set their repast before them. There was cold roast beef, a
+baked potato apiece, toasted muffins, milk and cocoa, preserves and
+cookies. By the time they were half through their supper most of the
+others had finished and hurried away, removing much of the embarrassment
+of the situation. Steve ventured to stretch his legs comfortably under
+the table and turn his head to regard the occupants of the tables at the
+far end of the hall.
+
+"I guess some of those are teachers," he said. "Gee, but I'd like some
+more meat. Would you ask for it?"
+
+"I don't know. No one else did. These muffins are bully, only there
+aren't enough of them. I wonder if we'll sit here regularly."
+
+"I don't suppose so. We'll probably be shoved to one of those tables
+over there by the wall. What time do you suppose they have breakfast?
+We'll have to ask someone, I guess. Didn't he say something about a Hall
+Master?"
+
+"Yes, in Number 8. We'll stop and ask him when we go back." There was a
+scraping of chairs at the end of the room and several older boys and
+two or three men came down the room toward the door. Steve and Tom
+turned to look and suddenly Tom seized his companion's arm.
+
+"It's him!" he exclaimed.
+
+"Who?" asked Steve.
+
+"Or--anyway it looks lots like him," continued Tom breathlessly.
+
+"Who looks like what?" demanded the other impatiently.
+
+"Why, the tall fellow just going out now! See him? He--he looks just
+like the fellow in the station, the fellow who took your bag! The
+confidence-man!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI
+
+CLUES!
+
+
+"The confidence-man?" asked Steve incredulously. "Oh, you run away and
+play, Tom! What would he be doing here? Don't be a silly goat!"
+
+"Well, I suppose it isn't he, but--but he certainly looked just like
+him."
+
+"Pshaw, I saw him too, didn't I? Well, that chap doesn't look anything
+like him."
+
+"Then you didn't look at the fellow I meant," returned Tom doggedly.
+"I--I believe it was he, Steve!"
+
+"Oh, sure," said Steve sarcastically, "and the fellow behind him is a
+famous second-story burglar and the man with the flannel trousers on,
+who looks like a teacher, is a popular murderer. He escaped from Sing
+Sing this morning. And the little man with the grey moustache----"
+
+"That's all right," replied Tom earnestly, "but you'll find I'm right.
+It--it was he, I tell you! There couldn't be two people as much alike!"
+
+"You'd better follow him then," laughed Steve, "and ask him for my
+suit-case. Tell him I want my pajamas, will you?"
+
+But Tom refused to treat the matter so lightly. He was evidently quite
+convinced that he was really on the trail of the thief, and all Steve's
+ridicule failed to move him from that conviction. He was too anxious to
+begin the search for the "confidence-man" to do justice to the rest of
+his supper, and when, at last, they were once more outside the building
+he gazed up and down the Row eagerly and was disappointed to find that
+neither his quarry nor anyone else was visible in the half-darkness. As
+they passed Torrence Hall, however, an open window on the first floor
+sent a flood of light across the walk, and Tom, crossing the narrow
+strip of turf that divided building from pavement, raised himself on his
+tiptoes and looked into the room. The next instant a face appeared with
+disconcerting suddenness within a foot of his own and the occupant of
+the room, who had been reclining on the window-seat, enquiring abruptly:
+
+"Well, fresh, what do you want?"
+
+"N-Nothing, thanks," stammered Tom, withdrawing quickly.
+
+"Keep your head out of my window then," was the indignant response, "or
+I'll come out there and teach you manners!"
+
+Tom hurried away into the friendly darkness and joined Steve, who was
+chuckling audibly.
+
+"Did you find him, Tom?"
+
+"No." And then, as Steve continued to be amused, Tom said with spirit;
+"I should think you'd be enough interested to help a fellow instead of
+giggling like a silly goat!"
+
+"Oh, I'm not a Sherlock Holmes," replied Steve airily. "Detecting isn't
+in my line."
+
+"I should think you'd want to get your bag back, though. I tell you that
+was really the fellow, Steve. Don't you believe me?"
+
+"Oh, yes!"
+
+"You don't, though," said Tom bitterly. "All right, then. You find your
+own bag. I'm through."
+
+"Oh, don't say that!" begged Steve. "You were doing so nicely. Look,
+there's a lighted window up there, Tom. If you get a ladder now----"
+
+"Aw, cut it!" growled Tom.
+
+Mr. Daley was in when they rapped at the door of Number 8, on the first
+floor of Billings, and, accepting his invitation to enter, they found
+themselves in a very cosy, lamp-lighted, nicely furnished study, from
+which a smaller room, evidently a bedroom, opened. Mr. Horace Daley was
+a young man with an embarrassed manner and a desire to appear quite at
+ease. He shook hands heartily, stumbled through a few words of welcome
+and arranged chairs for them. He asked a good many questions, invariably
+remarking "Fine!" with deep enthusiasm after every answer and smiled
+jovially at all times. But the boys saw that he was much more
+embarrassed than they were and were secretly pleased and amused. When at
+last the instructor had finished the usual questions and was searching
+around in his mind for more, Steve began asking for information.
+Breakfast, responded Mr. Daley, was at seven-thirty and ran half an
+hour. Chapel was at eight-fifteen usually, although there would be none
+to-morrow, as school did not officially begin until noon. The first
+recitation hour was nine o'clock. Dinner ran from twelve-thirty to
+one-thirty. Recitations began again at two and lasted until half-past
+three. Supper was at six. Between seven and eight the students were
+required to remain in their rooms and study, although on permission of
+the House Master one could study in the library instead. All lights were
+supposed to be out at ten-thirty. And Mr. Daley hoped the boys would
+get on swimmingly and become very fond of Brimfield.
+
+"I--ah--I want you to feel that I am ready and anxious to help you at
+any time, fellows. I--ah--want you to look on me as--ah--as a big
+brother and come to me in your--ah--perplexities and troubles, should
+you have any, and of course there are bound to be--ah--little worries at
+first. One has to accustom oneself to any--ah--new environment. Don't
+hesitate to call on me for advice or assistance. Sometimes an older
+head--ah--you see what I mean?"
+
+Steve replied that they did and thanked him and, with Tom crowding at
+his heels, withdrew.
+
+"He's a funny dub," confided Steve, as they made their way up to the
+next floor. "Guess he must be new here. What does he teach, Tom?"
+
+"Modern languages, I think the catalogue said. His first name is
+Horace."
+
+"Horace!" Steve chuckled. "It ought to be Percy. Hello, they've fixed
+the beds up."
+
+The room looked far more habitable when Steve had switched the light on.
+Tom sighed luxuriously as he stretched himself out on one of the beds.
+"Bet you I'm going to do a tall line of sleeping to-night, Steve," he
+said. "This bed isn't half bad, either."
+
+"Well, don't put your feet all over the spread," replied Steve. "Get up
+out of that and unpack your bag, you lazy duffer."
+
+"I will in a minute. I'm tired. Say, what do you think of this place,
+anyway, Steve?"
+
+"The school? Oh, I guess it'll do. You can't tell much about it yet, I
+suppose. I'm going to snoop around to-morrow after breakfast and see the
+sights. I suppose things will be a lot different when the crowd comes. I
+guess we're the only fellows in this dormitory to-night."
+
+"Scared?" asked Tom, with a grin. "Remember Horace is downstairs to
+protect you."
+
+"Huh! Bet you he'd crawl under the bed if he saw a burglar! I wonder if
+the rest of the faculty is like him."
+
+"Oh, I dare say he's all right when you get to know him," said Tom, with
+a yawn. "Say, pull down that window, Steve. It's getting chilly in
+here."
+
+"Get up and move around and you won't feel chilly," replied Steve
+unsympathetically. "Gee, I wish I had my pajamas and things."
+
+"You might have had them by this time if you'd helped me look for that
+fellow," said Tom. "I'm just as certain as I am that I'm lying here
+that the fellow we saw in the dining-hall was the fellow who swiped your
+suit-case!"
+
+"Oh, forget that," said Steve disgustedly. "Common-sense ought to tell
+you that a sneak thief you saw in New York wouldn't be having his supper
+here at Brimfield!"
+
+"He was, though," replied the other stubbornly.
+
+"Oh, run away! Don't you suppose there are two people who look alike in
+this world?"
+
+"Not as much alike as those two."
+
+"Why, you didn't even get a good look at the fellow in the dining-hall.
+He had his back turned to you."
+
+"Not when I saw him first, he didn't," answered Tom with a vigorous
+shake of his head. "I saw his face before he turned at the doorway and
+_it was him_!"
+
+"You mean it was he, you ignoramus. All right, Tom, have your own way
+about it. Only someone ought to warn the principal about him. Why, he
+might run off with a couple of the buildings some night!"
+
+"Enjoy yourself," murmured Tom. "But you'll find I was right some day,
+you old pig-headed chump!"
+
+"When I do I--I'll make you a present," answered Steve, with a grin.
+
+"Any present you'd give me wouldn't cut much figure, I guess," said the
+boy on the bed contemptuously.
+
+"Is that so? Say, what'll I do with this bag?" Steve laid the suit-case
+in question on his bed and threw open the lid. "The pajamas look clean,
+anyway," he continued as he viewed them. "I suppose I'll have to wear
+them." He drew the cap out and set it on his head. "Wonder what the B
+stands for, Tom."
+
+"What bee?" asked Tom lazily.
+
+"The B on this cap," replied the other, studying it.
+
+Tom suddenly sat up on the bed. "Why, Brimfield, of course!" he
+exclaimed in triumph. "There now! Was I right or wasn't I?"
+
+"Shucks! It might stand for anything: Brown, Brooklyn, beans,
+brownbread, basketball----"
+
+"Yes, and Brimfield! And aren't the Brimfield colours maroon-and-grey,
+and isn't that cap grey, and isn't that B maroon?"
+
+"It's red."
+
+"So is maroon, a brownish-red." Tom had deserted his bed and was turning
+the cap about eagerly. "This belongs to some fellow here who has won
+his letter, Steve," he said with deep conviction.
+
+"Some fellow who has _lost_ his letter, you mean," replied Steve with a
+laugh. "All right; it will save me from buying a cap when I make the
+football team. How does it look on me?"
+
+"It's too big," said Tom. "It's about a seven, I guess. That's what that
+fellow would wear, I think." Tom frowned thoughtfully. "Are there any
+more clues?" he asked, dropping the cap and seizing the pajamas
+excitedly.
+
+"Sure! There are brushes in the case and they mean that the fellow has
+hair on his head, Tom. So there's no use looking for a bald-headed man,
+eh? That's what they call 'the process of elimination,' isn't it? Say,
+what are you trying to do with those things? Ruin them? Please remember
+that I've got to wear them to-night."
+
+"Looking for laundry marks," replied Tom. "But there aren't any. I guess
+they're new ones." He dropped the pajamas regretfully and turned his
+attention to the other objects in the bag. "A magazine," he muttered.
+
+"'Fine'!--as Horace would say. The man can read. Therefore he is not
+blind. Elimination again! At this rate we'll know all about him in a
+minute, Tom. Gee, but you're a wise guy. Have a look at the collar and
+tell me the fellow's name. Go on!"
+
+"It begins with an M, anyway," muttered Tom, studying the object in
+question.
+
+"Ha!" exclaimed Steve melodramatically. "The net is closing! He has hair
+on his head, is not blind, wears purple pajamas and spells his name with
+an M! The rest is easy, Tom. Put your hat on and we'll go out and get
+him."
+
+"Oh, shut up, you silly goat!" Tom had the magazine in his hands again
+and was glancing through it. Suddenly, with an exclamation, he thrust it
+into Steve's hands. "There! Hold it up and let it fall open itself,
+Steve!"
+
+"All right. What about it?"
+
+"Look where it opened!"
+
+"Page 64."
+
+"Yes, but what's there?"
+
+"'Men Who Have Made Football History, by----'"
+
+"There you are! Don't you see! That's what he was reading. He's a
+football man and that B is his football letter!"
+
+"Oh! But, say, Tom, you're forgetting that this suit-case is supposed to
+have been stolen from someone else. Then what?"
+
+"We don't know that it was. We just thought so. It looks now as if it
+really belonged to the fellow."
+
+"And he went and swapped it for mine? What would he do that for?"
+
+"Maybe he thought yours might have something valuable in it," faltered
+Tom. "Maybe--say, Steve, perhaps he got yours by mistake!"
+
+"Sure!" replied the other sarcastically. "Reached down and dragged it
+from under your feet, thinking all the while it was his. Sounds very
+probable--I don't think!"
+
+"Well, you can see for yourself----"
+
+"What was that?" interrupted Steve.
+
+"What was what?"
+
+"I thought I heard a knock at the door." They listened. It sounded
+again. Steve hustled the things back into the bag and slammed the lid
+shut in a twinkling. Then, "Come in!" he called.
+
+The door opened and a tall youth stepped inside. He carried a suit-case
+in one hand. Tom gasped. It was the "confidence-man"!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII
+
+THE CONFIDENCE-MAN
+
+
+"Hi," greeted the visitor, with a smile, as he slid the suit-case across
+the floor and faced the two boys. "Want to swap bags?"
+
+"That--that's mine!" exploded Steve. "Where'd you get it?"
+
+The visitor pulled a chair out from the wall and seated himself
+nonchalantly. "And that," he responded, nodding at the bag on the bed,
+"is mine. I didn't think the pajamas would fit you and I was mighty sure
+yours wouldn't fit me. So I dropped around to make an exchange."
+
+"You're the fellow in the station!" exclaimed Tom accusingly.
+
+"Right-o! I'm the 'sneak-thief.'"
+
+"I knew it!" declared Tom triumphantly. "I saw you in the dining-hall
+and told Steve it was you and he wouldn't believe it!"
+
+"Wouldn't he?" laughed the visitor.
+
+"I suppose it's some sort of a silly joke," said Steve bewilderedly.
+"Would you mind telling me why you--why you took my bag?"
+
+"Glad to, Edwards. You _are_ Edwards, aren't you? I thought so. And this
+chap's Hall? Well, my name's Miller. So now we know each other. Would
+you mind sitting down, you fellows?"
+
+Steve sank on to the bed and Tom retreated to the unoccupied chair, from
+where he viewed Miller with fascinated attention.
+
+"It was this way, you fellows," explained Miller. "I may be a bit
+thin-skinned, but I don't like being called a sneak-thief. Edwards here
+told you, Hall, to look after your bags because there were sneak-thieves
+around. And then he looked at me very impolitely. After he went away I
+saw that you really did suspect me of being something of the sort and it
+occurred to me that it might be amusing to teach you chaps not to pass
+compliments."
+
+"I didn't mean you to hear me," said Steve confusedly.
+
+"I couldn't help it, as you spoke right out," replied Miller drily.
+"Well, so when Hall changed his seat I went along and tried to talk to
+him. But he was foxy, Hall was. He wasn't going to be fooled! When it
+got to be train time I spun him a yarn about a harmless old man across
+the room and got him to look at him. Then I changed the bags. I thought
+you fellows would take the same train and I meant to give you back your
+bag then. But you weren't on it and so I suppose you were looking around
+the station for me. Was that it?"
+
+"I didn't get back in time," said Steve. "We didn't find out about the
+bags until the train had gone. Then we did look around, and we told a
+policeman, and----"
+
+Miller put his head back and laughed delightedly. "Bully!" he cried.
+"You chaps are wonders!"
+
+"Well, what would you have done?" asked Tom indignantly. "How were we to
+know that it was a joke?"
+
+"Oh, I'd have done the same thing, of course," answered the other
+soothingly. "Only the idea of the New York police department being on
+the lookout for me struck me as a bit humorous."
+
+"Tom says you asked him about Tannersville," said Steve. "How did you
+know he was from there?"
+
+"Not difficult," chuckled Miller. "It's on the end of his bag. And I
+knew he was coming to Brimfield because there was a tag on the handle. I
+couldn't make out your names, but I could see 'Brimfield, N. Y.' all
+right."
+
+Steve and Tom smiled foolishly. "I never thought of that," murmured
+Tom. "We--we thought you were a confidence-man!"
+
+"So I thought you thought," laughed Miller. "Well, here's your property,
+Edwards. I dare say it was rather a mean joke to play on you, but you
+sort of invited it, you see."
+
+"I don't care now that I've got it back," responded Steve
+philosophically. "Tom was certain you were the fellow who took my bag
+when he saw you in dining-hall and he was all heated up about it. Wanted
+to arrest you at once, I guess."
+
+"Well, I was right, though, wasn't I?" demanded Tom. "You said it
+couldn't be the same chap. But I _knew_!"
+
+"Yes, you're some sleuth," agreed Steve. "You were right and I was
+wrong, as you always are."
+
+"How about that present you were to give me?" inquired Tom.
+
+"You'll get it, all right; just before Christmas." Then, to Miller:
+"We--I had your things out of your bag," he said apologetically. "I
+thought I'd have to wear those pajamas."
+
+"They'd have been a bit large, I guess," laughed Miller. "Still, they
+are brand-clean and you could have wrapped them around you a few times
+and turned them up at the feet and hands. Well, how have you chaps
+found everything? All right?"
+
+"Yes, thanks," said Steve. "We forgot to check our trunks at the Grand
+Central Station, though, and so we're sort of hard-up for things to
+wear."
+
+"Too bad." Miller smiled. "I guess you chaps haven't travelled around
+much, eh?"
+
+"Not much. This is the first time we've ever been so far east."
+
+"Well, I don't blame you for getting a bit confused in New York. It's a
+tough old place to get around in unless you know the ropes. If you need
+collars or anything maybe I can help you out. I suppose, though, mine
+wouldn't fit."
+
+"We'll get on all right, thanks," replied Steve. "Our trunks will surely
+be along in the morning. The man who drove us up here had the agent
+telegraph back for them and said he'd fetch them as soon as they came."
+
+"Jimmy Horse? He will if he doesn't forget."
+
+"This fellow said his name was Hoskins, I think," said Tom.
+
+"Yes, we call him Jimmy Horse. He will probably be along with them
+before noon. Just depends on whether he remembers them and how busy he
+is. Still, not many fellows get here before the eleven o'clock train
+and so he ought to find time to bring the trunks. If he doesn't show up
+soon after breakfast you'd better telephone to him. The booth's in Main
+Hall, around the corner from the office. I suppose you saw old 'Quite
+So'?"
+
+"Who?" asked Steve.
+
+"Mr. Brooke, the secretary. We call him 'Quite So' because he's always
+saying that. Didn't you notice?"
+
+"I did," said Tom. "I thought maybe he was Mr. Fernald, though."
+
+"No, you won't see Josh much. He lives around the corner there in The
+Cottage. You'll be lucky if you don't see him, too. When you call on
+Josh it's usually because you've been and gone and done something. He
+will be at Faculty Reception to-morrow evening, though. That's in Upper
+Hall at eight o'clock. Better go, fellows; everyone does. Have you met
+your Hall Master, Mr. Daley?"
+
+"Yes, we stopped in at his room after supper," answered Steve. "Is
+he----" He hesitated.
+
+Miller laughed. "Go on and say it, Edwards! Is he what?"
+
+"I was going to ask if he was liked."
+
+"Oh, yes, Daley's all right. Rather shy, but he's young yet. This is
+only his second year. You'll like him better when you've known him
+awhile. What form are you fellows in?"
+
+"Fourth. At least, we hope we are."
+
+"Oh, you'll make it. They'll put you in, anyway, and then drop you back
+if you don't keep up. That's a pleasant little trick of theirs here.
+You'll have Daley in French and German. Take my advice and don't have
+fun with him just because you can. Most of the new fellows try to make
+life a burden to him because he gets kind of rattled and tries to
+swallow his tongue when he talks. But they're generally sorry for it
+later. He stands about so much and then--bing! Off you go to Josh! And
+here's another tip, fellows. Always be dead serious with 'Uncle Sim.'
+That's Mr. Simkins, Greek instructor. If you can look as if you'd lost
+all your friends and bitten your tongue you'll make a big hit with him.
+He doesn't know a joke even when it's labelled and can't stand any
+flippancy. I made a pun in class once; I've forgotten what it was, but
+it was a bright and scintillant little effort; and Uncle Sim told me I'd
+end on the gallows. He's never forgotten that and still views me with
+deep suspicion."
+
+"We will try to remember," laughed Steve. "I suppose you are in the
+Sixth Form?"
+
+"Yes, this is my last year here. I ought to have been out last year, but
+I slipped a cog when I first came and got dropped a form. You see, I
+made the mistake of thinking that the principal branches were Football,
+Baseball and Hockey. When I'd woke up to the fact that a little
+attention to mathematics and languages and such foolishness was required
+it was too late, and--plop!--sound of falling!"
+
+Steve recalled a similar warning of his father's and silently made up
+his mind then and there to not make Miller's mistake.
+
+"Do you play football?" asked Tom. "I mean, are you on the team?"
+
+"Yes, I--I'm on the team." Miller's smile had an odd quality that
+puzzled Tom at the moment. "You chaps know the game?"
+
+"Steve has played more than I have," replied Tom. "He was on our high
+school team at left end last year. He's pretty good, Steve is. I didn't
+make the 'Varsity, but I played a couple of years with the scrubs."
+
+"Tom plays a good game," said Steve. "I suppose it's pretty hard to get
+on the team here."
+
+"About the same as anywhere," answered Miller. "If you show the goods
+you're all right." He viewed Steve speculatively and then turned an
+appraising gaze on Tom. "You chaps look pretty fit for this time of
+year. What do you weigh, Edwards?"
+
+[Illustration: Steve slipped on the tiling and fell sidewise into the
+water]
+
+"About a hundred and thirty-eight."
+
+"You look solid, too," said Miller approvingly. "You chaps show up in
+togs day after to-morrow at four. Look me up and I'll see that you get a
+good chance to show what you can do. Where have you played, Hall?"
+
+"At tackle, mostly. I played half a little last fall."
+
+"You look rather likely, I think. Don't be disappointed if you don't
+make the first or second this year, fellows. Keep going. There's your
+hall team. Try for that. You'll get lots of good fun and experience. I
+tell you this not to discourage you but because we've kept a lot of last
+year's fellows and it's going to be harder than usual to break into the
+first team, I guess. And that means that a good many of the second team
+fellows will be disappointed and will have to stay where they are. Hard
+on them, but lucky for the school. I don't know whether you chaps
+understand the football situation with us?"
+
+"I don't believe so," replied Steve.
+
+"Well, it's like this. When I came here four years ago there wasn't any
+team. Before that, five or six years before, they'd played, but about
+that time football got into disfavour and the faculty stopped it. I
+believe they allowed the hall teams to play, but that didn't last long.
+My second year here they lifted the ban and we started a team. Of course
+it didn't amount to much that first year and we got licked right and
+left. The next year, though, we did a good deal better, and last year we
+turned out a mighty good team. We lost only two games out of nine and
+tied one. Unfortunately, though, one of the games we lost was the game
+with Claflin, which is our big game of the year. Claflin has beaten us
+three years running now and this year we're out for revenge with a
+rolling R. Considering that we've played only three seasons, we've got a
+pretty good start. Our coach is a dandy, a chap named Robey; played with
+Brown the year they downed Pennsy; and he's been building up this year's
+team ever since he started in. At first we didn't have more than forty
+candidates to choose from. Last year about sixty fellows turned out and
+this fall I guess we'll have nearer eighty. Robey started the hall teams
+up again year before last and that helped a lot. The best of the hall
+team chaps went into the second last year, and now, this year, we've got
+fellows with three years' experience behind them. So, you see, Edwards,
+we haven't got much football history at Brimfield and our system is
+still pretty new, but we're getting on! And this fall if we don't lick
+Claflin--well, if we don't, I'll have missed my guess."
+
+Miller's lean, good-looking face had lighted up with enthusiasm during
+his recital, and, when he had ended, as though impatient to begin the
+campaign which was to end in the rout of the enemy, he got up and took a
+turn the length of the room. He didn't look the least bit in the world
+like a confidence-man to-night and the two boys marvelled at their
+earlier suspicions. Miller was tall, lean with the leanness of muscles
+unhampered by useless flesh, and lithe. He had very clear brown eyes, a
+straight nose and high cheek bones that somehow reminded Steve of the
+engraved portrait of John C. Calhoun that hung in the library at home.
+Altogether, from the top of his well-shaped head to the soles of his
+rubber-shod feet, he was good to look at, clean-cut, well-groomed,
+healthy and very much alive. Steve found himself wishing that some day
+he might find himself playing shoulder to shoulder with Miller. He hated
+to think what would happen to the enemy in such a case!
+
+Miller paused at the table, thrust his hands into his pockets and
+smiled a trifle apologetically. "Well, that's the way it is, you chaps,"
+he went on. "So, whether you make the first or the second or neither,
+you keep on playing and trying. There's another year coming for you
+fellows; two of them, in fact. Keep that in mind, and if you don't get
+what you want this year keep plugging. And don't fail to come out
+Wednesday and do your best. You'll get a fair show and if you can play
+the game well enough you'll get places. Now I must run along with my
+bag. I'm glad to have met you chaps. If I can help you in any way don't
+fail to call on me. You'll find me in 7 Hensey. Come and see me anyway.
+Miller's the name. And, by the way, I'm glad you chaps took my little
+joke so decently and didn't get waxy about it. If you had, I'd probably
+have told it around and you'd have got a lot of joshing. As it is, no
+one knows it and no one will. Good-night."
+
+And Miller, his suit-case in hand, smiled, nodded and went out. They
+could hear him whistling merrily until the landing door had closed
+behind him.
+
+"I meant to ask him what position he played," said Steve regretfully.
+"I'll bet he's a corker, though!"
+
+"I'll bet you he is," agreed Tom warmly.
+
+"And he seemed a rattling good sort, too, didn't he?"
+
+"Yes. And I'm glad I lost my bag. If I hadn't we mightn't have known
+him, seeing that he's a Sixth Form fellow."
+
+"I guess he's sort of prominent," mused Tom. "He gives you the idea of
+being someone, doesn't he?"
+
+"Oh, he's someone, all right! Do you think he really wants us to call on
+him, Tom? Or--or was he just being polite?"
+
+"Both, I guess. I don't suppose we'd better call unless he asks us
+again. We don't want to act fresh, you know. Besides," and Tom smiled
+mischievously, "I'm not sure we ought to associate with him."
+
+"Why not?" asked Steve incredulously.
+
+"Well, seeing that he's a confidence-man----"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII
+
+IN THE RUBBING ROOM
+
+
+After breakfast the next morning, a breakfast eaten with excellent
+appetites, the two boys set out on a sightseeing tour about the school.
+They went first to the gymnasium. The big front door was locked, but
+Steve was not to be denied and eventually gained entrance through a
+little door at the rear which led into the boiler-room and from there
+found their way into the main basement where were situated the big
+swimming tank, a commodious baseball cage and a bowling alley. On the
+floor above they found themselves in a square hall, entered from the
+front door, from which other doors led to the gymnasium, the locker and
+bathrooms and a small office bearing the sign "Physical Director." From
+the hall a fireproof stairway ascended with a turn to the running-track
+and a large room which was evidently used as a meeting hall. Settees
+were neatly arranged in front of a platform, a row of low windows
+admitted a flood of morning sunshine and against the walls hung many
+photographs of athletic teams. Most of them showed groups of track and
+field men, although a few were of hockey sevens and there were three
+football teams in evidence. The explorers paid more attention to these
+photographs than the others, and Steve, whose patriotism was already
+strong, read the inscriptions on the lower margins with disfavour.
+
+"Huh!" he grumbled. "'Brimfield 0; Claflin 12'; 'Brimfield 3; Claflin
+11'; 'Brimfield 6; Claflin 9.' Bet you next time it'll be some
+different, Tom!"
+
+"Rather!" said Tom stoutly. "Let's go on down and see the gym."
+
+They tried the chest-weights and tested the bars and experimented with
+about everything they found down there, and then went into the adjoining
+compartment and peered into the shower-baths and passed on the merits of
+the steel lockers.
+
+"The fellow who built this gym knew what he was doing," declared Steve
+approvingly. "Some of these lockers have got things in them," he
+continued, peeping into one. "There's a bat in here, and a towel and
+some clothes."
+
+Tom had wandered through a doorway at the end of the locker compartment
+and now summoned Steve to join him. There was a high table in the centre
+of the small room and a set of metal shelves alongside which held
+numerous bottles and boxes. "It's the rubbing room," said Steve. "Here,
+get busy, Tom!" And he hoisted himself to the table and stretched out on
+his back.
+
+"Yes, sir," said Tom. "Where's it hurt you? This the spot?"
+
+And Tom began such an enthusiastic manipulation of Steve's ribs that the
+latter set up a howl and precipitately tumbled off the table. It was at
+that moment that an unpleasant voice startled them.
+
+"Beat it, you fresh kids! You've got no business in here!"
+
+The speaker was a heavy-set youth of perhaps nineteen years of age. He
+had closely-cropped ashy-brown hair over a round face from which a pair
+of pale-blue eyes glowered upon them. He was standing in the doorway and
+his hands were thrust into the pockets of a pair of very wide-hipped
+knickerbockers. Somehow, standing there with his sturdy, golf-stockinged
+legs well apart and his loose trousers pulled out at the sides, he
+reminded Tom of a clown at a circus, and Tom made the mistake of
+grinning. The big youth caught sight of the grin and stepped into the
+rubbing room with a deepening scowl on his face.
+
+"Wipe it off!" he said threateningly.
+
+Steve and Tom looked at the table.
+
+"Wipe what off?" asked Tom, at a loss.
+
+"Wipe that grin off your ugly face," answered the other. "And get out of
+here, both of you, and stay out. If you don't, I'll throw you out!"
+
+This somewhat astounding threat caused an exchange of surprised glances
+between the culprits. Neither Steve nor Tom were quarrelsome, nor had
+they had more than a boy's usual share of fist battles, but the bullying
+speech and attitude of the round-faced youth was so uncalled for and
+exasperating that Steve's temper got the better of him for the moment.
+
+"We weren't doing any harm here," he declared indignantly. "And we'll
+get out, but we're not afraid of you, even if you have got piano legs!"
+
+The big fellow pulled his hands from his pockets with an angry growl
+and, clenching his fists, strode toward the boys. But at that instant
+footsteps sounded in the locker room, and the bully's hands dropped and
+he turned his head toward the door just as a small, red-haired and
+freckle-faced little Irishman came into sight.
+
+"Hello, Eric the Red," he said jovially. "An' what might you be doin'
+down here, me boy?"
+
+"I'm telling these fresh kids to get out of here," replied the youth.
+"Any objections?"
+
+The little Irishman seemed surprised, and he smiled, but the boys noted
+that his small and rather greenish eyes narrowed.
+
+"None at all, at all, me boy. If I had I'd very soon tell you, d'ye see?
+But what harm are they doin'? Sure, if I don't mind them bein' here, why
+would you?"
+
+"They haven't any business in this room, and you know it, Danny. They're
+too fresh, anyway."
+
+"Well, that's what we all are at some time. Let the boys be. Was you
+wantin' anything, boys?"
+
+"No, we were just looking around the place. This door was open and we
+came in. We didn't know there was any harm in it," concluded Steve.
+
+"No more there was," said Danny soothingly.
+
+"They were rough-housing all over the place," growled the big fellow.
+"If you can stand it I can, though. Only"--and he turned a wrathful gaze
+on Steve--"if you ever get fresh with me again you'll get the licking
+that's coming to you, kid." He turned away toward the locker room. "Say,
+Danny, got a key to my locker? I've lost mine and I want to get into it
+a minute."
+
+"I have not," replied Danny cheerfully. "You'll have to have one fitted,
+me boy."
+
+"Hasn't anyone a master-key?" demanded the other.
+
+"They have not. Find Patsy; he'll fit one for you in ten minutes."
+
+"That's a funny state of things," grumbled the big fellow. "They ought
+to have duplicates on hand. Somebody's always losing a key, and----"
+
+The rest was lost as the youth disappeared into the further room. Danny
+winked gravely at the two boys.
+
+"Who is he?" asked Steve curiously.
+
+"Him? His name's Sawyer, Eric Sawyer. He is sufferin' from a terrible
+complaint, boys, an' it makes him that cross a bear would run away from
+him, I'm thinkin'!"
+
+"What's the trouble with him?"
+
+"He has what the doctors do be callin' an ingrowin' grouch," replied
+Danny soberly. "'Tis due to over-exposure of the ego, they tell me,
+resultin' in an inflamed condition of the amoor proper, that same bein'
+French an' maybe beyond your comprehension."
+
+The boys laughed and Danny swung himself to the table and patted it
+invitingly. "Sit down, boys, an' tell me all about it," he said. "Who
+may you be, now?"
+
+"His name is Hall and mine is Edwards," replied Steve, as he and Tom
+followed Danny's example and swung their feet from the table. "We're new
+boys."
+
+"I suspected as much," replied Danny drily. "An' where might be your
+place of residence?"
+
+"Tannersville, Pennsylvania."
+
+"Think o' that now!" marvelled Danny. "Sure, you're a long ways from
+home. Is this place you say anywhere near Philadelphia?"
+
+"Oh, no, it's a long ways from there. It's out in the western part of
+the state."
+
+"I was in Philadelphia once to see the games at the college over there,"
+pursued Danny. "It's a fine town."
+
+"Would you mind--telling us who you are?" asked Tom.
+
+"I would not. I have no unseemly pride. My name is Mister Daniel Parnell
+Moore, and I have the extraordinary honour of bein' the trainer at this
+institution o' learnin' and Fine Arts, the Fine Arts bein' athletics,
+football, baseball, hockey _an'_ tinnis. An' now you know!"
+
+"Thank you," said Tom politely. "I hope you didn't mind my asking you."
+
+"Not a bit! You may ask me anything you like, Jim."
+
+"My name isn't Jim," replied Tom, with a smile.
+
+"It ain't?" The trainer seemed surprised. "Sure, he said your last name
+was Hall, didn't he? An' I never seen a Hall whose front name wasn't
+Jim."
+
+"I'm sorry," laughed Tom, "but mine isn't; it's Tom."
+
+Danny Moore shook his head sadly. "An' you," he said, turning to Steve,
+"maybe you'll be tellin' me next your name ain't Sam?"
+
+"It's Steve."
+
+"It might be," agreed Danny doubtfully. "But all the Edwardses I ever
+knew was Sams. But I'm not disputin' your word, d'ye mind! 'Tis likely
+you know, me boy. An' what do you think o' this rural paradise o'
+knowledge?"
+
+"I guess we like it pretty well, what we've seen of it," answered Steve.
+"Have you been here long?"
+
+"Two years; this is my third. It's a nice schools, as schools go. I
+never had much use for them, though. In the Old Country we never held
+with them much when I was a lad. I dare say you boys'll be tryin' to
+play football like all the rest of them?"
+
+"We're going out for the team," said Steve, "although I guess, from what
+a fellow told us last night, we don't stand much show. He said that most
+of the last year's players were back this fall."
+
+"That's so. We lost but four by graduation. They were some o' the best
+in the bunch, though. 'Tis queer how the ones that is gone is always the
+best, ain't it? Who was this feller you was talkin' to?"
+
+"His name is Miller. Do you know him? I suppose you must, though."
+
+"Miller? Do you mean Andy Miller?"
+
+"I don't know. He didn't tell us his other name."
+
+"The initials were A. L. M., though," reminded Tom.
+
+"That's right. Is he a pretty good player?"
+
+"He does fairly well," answered Danny Moore carelessly. "Not that I pay
+much heed to him, though. I see him around sometimes. I wouldn't think
+much of what he tells you, though. I don't. If you see him I'd be
+obliged if you'd tell him that."
+
+But there was a twinkle in Danny's eye and Steve resolved to tell Miller
+no such thing. "What position does he play?" he asked.
+
+Danny frowned thoughtfully. "It might be end, right or left. I forget. I
+pay no heed to the likes o' him. He's only the captain, d'ye see?"
+
+"Captain!" exclaimed the two boys startledly, eyeing each other in
+amazement.
+
+"Sure," said Danny. "An' why not?"
+
+"Er--there's no reason," replied Steve, "only--he didn't say anything
+about being captain."
+
+"And why would he be after incriminating himself?" Danny demanded.
+
+The boys digested this news in silence for a moment. Then,
+
+"Does that fellow who was just in here play?" asked Tom.
+
+"He does. He plays right guard, and he plays it well. I'll say that for
+him. Well, it's catchin' no fish I am sittin' here gassin' with you
+fellers. Make yourselves to home. I must be gettin' on."
+
+"I guess we'll go, too," said Steve.
+
+They followed the trainer up the stairway to the hall above. There he
+pulled a bunch of keys from his pocket and unlocked the big front door
+for them. "Now, look at that, will you?" he exclaimed in amazement as he
+turned a small key over between his fingers. "I wouldn't be surprised if
+that key would fit them lockers down there. Ain't that a pity, an' him
+wantin' it all the time?"
+
+The boys smiled and agreed gravely that it was. Danny sighed, shook his
+head and dropped the keys back into his pocket. "If you have trouble
+with him," he said to Steve, "hit for his head, boy, for you'll make no
+impression on the body of him."
+
+"Thanks, but I don't expect he will bother me again."
+
+"I know. I'm only tellin' you. A word to the wise, d'ye mind? Good luck
+to you, boys."
+
+"Thanks. We're much obliged to you, Mr. Moore."
+
+"Mr. Moore! Help! Listen." And Danny bent confidentially. "I won't be
+mindin' if you call me Mister Moore when we're by ourselves, d'ye see;
+but don't be doin' it in the presence of others. Them as didn't know
+might think I was one of the faculty, d'ye see. Call me Danny an' save
+me self-respect!"
+
+When the door had closed behind them on the grinning countenance of
+Danny, Steve looked at his watch and exclaimed startledly.
+
+"Nearly ten o'clock!" he said. "And we promised to telegraph to the
+folks this morning. Let's see if the trunks have come and then hustle to
+the telegraph office."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX
+
+BACK IN TOGS
+
+
+Brimfield Academy was in full swing. The term was a day old and one
+hundred and fifty-three youths of various ages from twelve to twenty had
+settled down, more or less earnestly, to the school routine. In 12
+Billings trunks had been unpacked and the room had taken on a look of
+comfort and coziness, although several things were yet lacking to
+complete its livableness. For instance, an easy-chair of some sort was a
+crying necessity, a drop-light would help a lot, and a cushion and some
+pillows on the window-seat were much needed. Tom argued that if the
+window-seat was furnished they would not require an easy-chair, but
+Steve held out for the added luxury.
+
+Both boys, Steve by a narrower margin than he suspected, had made the
+Fourth Form, and this afternoon, as they expeditiously changed into
+football togs, their glances more than once stole to the imposing piles
+of books on the study table, books which hinted at many future hours of
+hard work. Steve, pulling on a pair of much worn and discoloured canvas
+trousers, sighed as his eye measured again the discouraging height of
+his pile. It was almost enough to spoil in advance the pleasure he
+looked forward to on the gridiron!
+
+The athletic field lay behind the school buildings and was a fine level
+expanse of green turf some twelve acres in extent. There were three
+gridirons, a baseball diamond, a quarter-mile running-track and a round
+dozen of tennis courts there. A well-built iron-framed stand, erected in
+sections, and mounted on small wide-tread wheels could be moved about as
+occasion required, and at present was standing in the middle of the
+south side of the football field. On the whole Brimfield had reason to
+be proud of her athletic equipment, field and gymnasium, as well as of
+her other advantages.
+
+The scene along the Row as the two friends clattered out of Billings was
+vastly different from that presented the afternoon of their arrival. Now
+the walk was alive with boys, heads protruded from open casements and
+wandering couples could be seen lounging along the gate drive or over
+the sloping lawn that descended to the road. First practice had been
+called for four o'clock and the big dial in the ivy-draped tower of Main
+Hall pointed its hands to three-forty when Steve and Tom turned into
+the path between Torrence and Wendell leading to the gymnasium and the
+field beyond. Already, however, the fellows were turning their steps
+that way, some in playing togs but more in ordinary attire, the latter,
+yielding to the lure of a warm September afternoon, bent on finding an
+hour's entertainment stretched comfortably at ease along a side line or
+perched on the stand.
+
+"That's pretty, isn't it?" asked Tom, as they looked across the nearer
+turf to where the broad expanse of playing ground, bordered on its
+further side by a wooded slope, stretched before them. The early frosts
+had already slightly touched the trees over there, and hints of
+russet-yellow and brick-red showed amongst the green. Nearer than that,
+more colour was supplied by an occasional dark red sweater amongst the
+groups loitering about the edge of the gridiron.
+
+"It surely is pretty," agreed Steve. "I wonder if Miller's there yet. He
+told us to look him up, you know."
+
+"Maybe he will give us a send-off to the coach," suggested Tom. "He
+could, you know, since he is captain. I guess it won't do us any
+harm--me, anyway--to have someone speak a word for us, eh?"
+
+"Wonder what the coach is like," said Steve, nodding agreement. "Miller
+seemed to think he was pretty good. That's a dandy turf there, Tom;
+level as a table. They haven't marked the gridiron out yet, though."
+
+"I suppose they don't need it for a day or two," replied the other,
+trying not to feel self-conscious as he neared the crowd already on
+hand. "I don't see Miller, do you?"
+
+Steve shook his head, after a glance about him, and, rolling his hands
+in the folds of his sweater, not because the weather was cold but
+because that was a habit of his, seated himself at the bottom of the
+stand. Tom followed him and they looked about them and conversed in low
+voices while the throng grew with every minute. So far neither had made
+any acquaintances save that of Andy Miller--unless Eric Sawyer could be
+called such!--and they felt a little bit out of it as they saw other
+boys joyously hailing each other, stopping to shake hands or exchange
+affectionate blows, or waving greetings from a distance. They had made
+the discovery, by the way, that the proper word of salutation at
+Brimfield was "Hi"! It was invariably "Hi, Billy"! "Hi, Joe"! and the
+usual "Hello" was never heard. Eventually Steve and Tom became properly
+addicted to the "Hi"! habit, but it was some time before they were able
+to keep from showing their newness by "Helloing" each other.
+
+The stand became sprinkled with youths and the turf along the edge of
+the gridiron held many more. A man of apparently thirty years of age,
+wearing a grey Norfolk suit and a cap to match, appeared at the corner
+of the stand just as the bell in Main Hall struck four sonorous peals.
+He was accompanied by three boys in togs, one of them Captain Miller.
+The coach was a clean-cut chap with a nice face and a medium-sized, wiry
+figure. He had sandy hair and eyebrows that were almost white, and his
+sharp blue eyes sparkled from a deeply tanned face upon which, at the
+moment, a very pleasant smile played. But even as Steve and Tom watched
+him the smile died abruptly and he pulled a black leather memorandum
+book from a pocket and fluttered its leaves in a businesslike way.
+
+Miller had predicted that this fall some eighty candidates would appear,
+but he had evidently been over-sanguine. Sixty seemed nearer the correct
+number than eighty. But even sixty-odd looked a good many as they
+gradually gathered nearer the coach. Steve and Tom slipped from their
+places and joined the throng.
+
+"Last year's first and second team players take the east end of the
+field," directed Mr. Robey. "All others remain here. I'm going to tell
+you right now, fellows, that there's going to be a whole lot of hard
+work this fall, and any of you who don't like hard work had better keep
+away. This is a good time to quit. You'll save your time and mine too.
+All right now! Take some balls with you, Milton, and warm up until I get
+down there. Now, then, you new men, give me your names. Where's
+Lawrence? Not here yet? All right. What's your name and what experience
+have you had, my boy?"
+
+One by one the candidates answered the coach's questions and then
+trotted into the field where Eric Sawyer was in command. Andy Miller and
+Danny Moore stood at the coach's elbow during this ceremony, and when,
+toward the last, Steve and Tom edged up, they were greeted by both.
+
+"Here's the fine lad," said Danny, who caught sight of Steve before
+Miller did. "Mr. Sam Edwards, Coach, a particular friend of mine."
+
+Steve, rather embarrassed, started to say that his name was not Sam, but
+Miller interrupted him.
+
+"So here you are, Edwards? Glad to see you again. I've been looking for
+you and Hall to drop in on me. How are you, Hall? Robey, these two have
+had some experience on their high school team and I think they'll bear
+watching. Shake hands with Mr. Robey, Edwards."
+
+"Glad to know you," said the coach. "What's your position, Edwards?"
+
+"I've been playing end, sir."
+
+"End, eh? You look fast, too. We'll see what you can do, my boy. And
+you,--er----"
+
+"Jim Hall," supplied Danny. "Another close friend o' me boyhood, sir,
+an' a fine lad, too, be-dad!"
+
+"Tackle, sir, mostly," replied Tom.
+
+"It's a relief to find a couple who aren't bent on being backs," said
+the coach with a smile to Miller. "All right, fellows. We'll give you
+all the chance in the world. Report to Sawyer now."
+
+Steve and Tom, with the parting benediction of a portentious wink from
+Danny Moore, joined the thirty-odd candidates of many ages and sizes
+who, formed in two rings, were passing footballs under the stern and
+frowning regard of Eric Sawyer. They edged their way into one of the
+circles and were soon earnestly catching and tossing with the rest. If
+Sawyer recognised them as the boys who had aroused his ire in the
+rubbing room the day before, he showed no sign of it. It is probable,
+though, that their football attire served as a sufficient disguise.
+Sawyer apparently took his temporary position as assistant coach very
+seriously and bore himself with frowning dignity. But it was not at all
+beneath his dignity to call erring candidates to order or to indulge in
+a good deal of heavy satire at the expense of those whose inexperience
+made them awkward. Neither Steve nor Tom, however, fell under the ban of
+his displeasure.
+
+Falling on the ball followed the passing, and, in turn, gave place to
+starting and sprinting. For this they were formed in line and Sawyer,
+leaning over a ball at one end of the line, snapped it away as a signal
+for them to leap forward. By that time the warmth of the day and the
+exertion had tuckered a good many of them out and Sawyer found much
+fault with the performances.
+
+"Oh, get moving, you chap in the black shirt there! Watch the ball and
+dig when I snap it! That's it! Go it! _Hard!_ All right for you, but
+about a dozen of you other chaps got left entirely. Now get down there
+and throw your weight forward. Haven't any of you ever practised starts
+before? Anyone would think your feet were glued down! Get in line again.
+Ready now! Go, you flock of ice-wagons!"
+
+Fortunately for the softer members of the awkward squad, practice was
+soon over to-day, and Steve and Tom somewhat wearily tramped back with
+the rest across to the gymnasium, determined to have the luxury of a
+shower-bath even if they would have to get back into their togs again
+after it.
+
+"We'd better see about getting lockers," said Steve. "I wonder where you
+go."
+
+"They cost a dollar a year," answered Tom, who knew the contents of the
+school catalogue by heart, "and if we don't make the team we won't need
+the lockers."
+
+"Sure we will. If we use the swimming pool we'll need a place to keep
+our clothes. And even if we don't make the big teams we'll play with the
+Hall, probably. Wish we had them now and didn't have to go back to the
+room to change. I'm tired, if you care to know it!"
+
+"So am I," panted Tom. "Sawyer worked us hard for a warm day."
+
+"Yes, and did you notice that fat fellow? There he is ahead there, with
+the striped stockings. He was just about all in and puffing like a
+locomotive."
+
+"He was probably tender," said Tom.
+
+"Yes, he--Tender! That'll do for you!" said Steve indignantly, aiming a
+blow at Tom's ribs which was skilfully evaded. "Let's stop at the
+office in here and see if we can get lockers."
+
+They could. Moreover, Mr. Conklin, the physical director, informed them,
+to their deep satisfaction, that the charge of one dollar each would be
+placed on their term bill if they wished. They wished with instant
+enthusiasm and departed, keys in hand, to find their lockers. They found
+the room thronged with fellows in various stages of undressing, while
+from the baths came deep groans and shrill shrieks and the hiss and
+splash of water. Their lockers were side by side at the farther end of
+the last aisle; and, after making certain that the keys fitted them,
+they began to get out of their clothes, only to make the discovery when
+partly disrobed that they had no towels.
+
+"I'm going to ask someone to lend me one," said Steve. "You can use an
+end of it if I get it. I'm going to have that shower or bust."
+
+A cheerful-faced youth draped in a frayed bathrobe came up at that
+moment and Steve sought counsel of him.
+
+"Towel? I'd lend you one in a minute, but mine are all soiled. You can
+see for yourself." He nodded toward the open door of his locker on the
+floor of which lay a pile of what were evidently bath towels. "I forgot
+to send them to the wash before I went away in the spring. If you ask
+Danny he might let you have one. I guess he's around somewhere."
+
+Steve found the trainer leaning against the doorway of the rubbing room.
+"'Tis Sam Edwards!" greeted Danny. "An' how did it go to-day, me boy?"
+
+"Pretty good, thanks. Could you lend me a couple of towels,
+Mister--er--Danny?"
+
+"I doubt have I got any, but I'll look an' see," and Danny disappeared
+into the room behind him.
+
+"Here you are, Sam," he said in a moment. "They're small but select.
+Fetch 'em back when you're through with 'em, if you please. They're
+school property, d'ye mind, and it's me that's answerable for them."
+
+Steve promised faithfully to restore them and bore them back in triumph
+to where Tom had paused in his undressing to await the result of the
+errand. A minute later they were puffing and blowing in adjoining baths,
+with the icy-cold water raining down on their glowing bodies. A brisk
+drying with the borrowed towels, a return to their uninviting togs and
+they were ready to be off. Steve couldn't find Danny, but he left the
+towels on the table in the rubbing room and he and Tom climbed the
+stairs again. In the hall above there was a large notice board and Tom
+stopped to glance at some of the announcements pinned against it.
+
+"Here a minute, Steve," he said. "Look at this." He laid a finger on a
+square of paper which bore in almost illegible writing this remarkable
+notice: "What Will You Give? Dirt Cheap! Terms Cash! One fine oak Morris
+chair, good as new. Three cushions, very pretty. One pair of skates.
+Eight phonograph records. Large assortment of bric-a-brac. Any fair
+offer takes them! Call early and avoid disappointment. Durkin, 13
+Torrence."
+
+"Is it a joke?" asked Steve doubtfully.
+
+"No, there are lots of them, see." Sure enough, the board held fully a
+dozen similar announcements, although the others were not couched in
+such breezy language. There were chairs, cushions, tables, pictures,
+golf clubs, rugs and all sorts of things advertised for sale, while one
+chap sought a purchaser for "a stuffed white owl, mounted on a branch,
+slightly moth-eaten. Cash or exchange for books."
+
+Steve laughed. "What do you know about that?" he asked. "Say, why don't
+we look at some of the things, Tom? Maybe we could save money. Let's
+call on Mr. Durkin and look at his Morris chair, eh?"
+
+"All right. Come ahead. Anything else we want?"
+
+"I don't suppose we could pick up a cushion that would fit our
+window-seat, but we might. I'll write down some of the names and rooms."
+
+"We might buy the white owl, Steve. Ever think you'd like a white owl?"
+
+"Not with moths in it, thanks," replied Steve. There was pen and ink on
+the ledge outside the window of the physical director's office and Steve
+secured paper by tearing a corner from one of the notices. When he had
+scribbled down the addresses that sounded promising they set off for
+Torrence Hall. Number 13 was on the second floor, and as they drew near
+it their ears were afflicted by most dismal sounds.
+
+"Wha-what's that?" asked Tom in alarm.
+
+"Fiddle," laughed Steve. "Wonder if it's Mr. Durkin."
+
+The wailing sounds ceased as Steve knocked and a voice called "Come in!"
+When they entered they saw a tall, lank youth standing in front of a
+music-rack close to the window. He held a violin to his chin and waved
+his bow in greeting.
+
+"Hi!" he said. "Sit down and I'll be right with you. I've got one bit
+here that's been bothering me for an hour." He turned back to his music,
+waved his bow in the air, laid it across the strings and drew forth
+sounds that made the visitors squirm in the chairs they had taken. One
+excruciating wail after another came from the tortured instrument, the
+lank youth bending absorbedly over the notes in the failing light and
+apparently quite oblivious to the presence of the others. Finally, with
+a sigh of satisfaction, he laid his bow on the ledge of the stand, stood
+his violin in a corner of the window-seat and turned to the visitors.
+
+He was an odd-looking chap, tall and thin, with a long, lean face under
+a mop of black hair that was badly in need of trimming. His near-sighted
+eyes blinked from behind the round lenses of a pair of rubber-rimmed
+spectacles and his rather nondescript clothes seemed on the point of
+falling off of him.
+
+"Sorry to keep you waiting," he said politely, "but it's getting dark
+and I did want to get that thing before I quit. Want to buy something?"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X
+
+"CHEAP FOR CASH"
+
+
+"Yes, we saw that you had a Morris chair," replied Steve. He glanced
+perplexedly around the room. There was no Morris chair in sight, nor
+were any of the other articles advertised to be seen. "That is, if
+you're Durkin."
+
+"That's me. The chair is downstairs in the storeroom. It's a corking
+chair, all right, and you're sure to want it. I'm sorry, though, you
+didn't get around before it got so dark, because the light down there
+isn't very good."
+
+"Well, we could come again in the morning," said Steve. "There's no
+hurry."
+
+"I think you'd better see it now," said Durkin with decision. "It is a
+bargain and if you waited someone might get ahead of you. We'll go
+down."
+
+"Er--well, how much is it?"
+
+"All cash?"
+
+"Why, yes, I suppose so."
+
+"It makes a difference. Sometimes fellows want to pay part cash and part
+promise, and sometimes they want to trade. If you pay cash you get it
+cheaper, of course."
+
+"All right. How much for it?"
+
+Durkin looked the customers over appraisingly. "Let's have a look at it
+before we talk about the price," he said. "If I said five dollars now,
+when you haven't seen it, you might think I was asking too much."
+
+"I surely would," replied Steve firmly. "If that's what you want for it
+I guess there's no use going down to see it."
+
+"I didn't say that was the price," answered Durkin. "I'll make the price
+all right. You fellows come and see it." And he led the way out into the
+corridor. Steve glanced questioningly at Tom, and Tom smiled and
+shrugged his shoulders.
+
+"Well, all right," said Steve. "Let's see it."
+
+Durkin led the way to the lower hall and then down a pair of dark and
+very steep stairs to the basement. "You wait there," he instructed,
+"until I switch the light on. Now then, this way."
+
+Durkin took a key from a nail and unlocked the door of a room
+partitioned off in a corner of the basement. The boys waited, and
+Durkin, having disappeared into the gloom of the storeroom, presently
+reappeared, dragging after him a very dusty brown-oak chair with a slat
+back, broad arms and a much-worn leather seat.
+
+"There you are," he said triumphantly, pushing the object into the faint
+gleam of light which reached them from the foot of the stairs. "There's
+a chair that'll last for years."
+
+"But you said it was a Morris chair," exclaimed Tom. "That's no Morris
+chair!"
+
+"Oh, yes, it is," Durkin assured them earnestly. "I bought it from him
+myself last June."
+
+"Bought it from whom?" asked Steve derisively.
+
+"From Spencer Morris, of course. Paid a lot for it, too. Have a look at
+it. It's just as good as it ever was. The leather's a little bit worn at
+the edges, but you can fix that all right. It wouldn't cost more than
+half a dollar, I suppose, to put a new piece on there."
+
+"Look here," said Steve disgustedly, "you're a fakir! What do you
+suppose we want with a relic like that? You said you had a Morris chair
+and now you pull this thing out to show us. Is that all you've got?"
+
+"Oh, no, I've got a lot of good things in there," answered Durkin
+cheerfully, peering into the gloomy recesses of the storeroom. "How
+about some pictures, or a pair of fine vases, or----"
+
+"Have you another arm-chair?" asked Steve impatiently.
+
+"No, this is the only one. I've got some dandy cushions, though, for a
+window-seat. Let me show you those." And Durkin was back again before
+Steve could stop him. Tom was grinning when Steve turned an indignant
+look upon him.
+
+"Morris chair!" growled Steve. "Silly chump!"
+
+"Here you are!" Durkin came proudly forth, heralded by a cloud of
+pungent dust, and tossed three cushions into the chair. "Look at those
+for bargains, will you? Fifty cents apiece and dirt cheap."
+
+"We don't want cushions," growled Steve disgustedly. But Tom was
+examining them and presently he looked across at his chum. "We might buy
+these, Steve. They're not so bad."
+
+Steve grudgingly looked them over. Finally, "We'll give you twenty-five
+cents apiece for them," he said.
+
+"Twenty-five! Why, they're worth a dollar!"
+
+"All right, you keep them."
+
+Durkin hesitated and sighed. Finally, as the boys showed a strong
+inclination to seek the stairway, "Give me a dollar for the lot," he
+said. Steve questioned Tom with his eyes and Tom nodded.
+
+"All right," said Tom, "but it's more than they're worth."
+
+"You'd have to pay a dollar and a half if you bought them new," said
+Durkin. "Honest! Now, about that chair----"
+
+"Nothing doing!" interrupted Steve decisively.
+
+"It's a good chair, and comfortable--say, sit down and just try it, will
+you?" Durkin removed the cushions and Steve, with a shrug, seated
+himself. When he got out Tom took his place. It _was_ comfortable.
+
+"How much?" asked Steve carelessly.
+
+"Three-fifty, and dirt----"
+
+"Give you a dollar and a half."
+
+Durkin looked so pained that Tom quite pitied him. But he only said
+patiently: "You don't want to buy, you fellows; you're looking for
+gifts. That chair at three dollars is a real, genuine bargain, and----"
+
+"You said three and a half before," Tom corrected.
+
+"Did I? Well, it ought to be three and a half, but you may have it for
+three, even if I lose money on it."
+
+"No fear," grunted Steve. "We'll split the difference and call it two."
+
+"Make it two-fifty and it's yours."
+
+"Couldn't do it. Two or nothing."
+
+"All right," said Durkin placidly. "Take it along. Now let me show
+you----"
+
+"No, sir!" laughed Steve. "You don't show us another thing, Durkin. Pile
+the cushions on here, Tom, and take hold."
+
+"Wait till I lock this door and I'll give you a lift," said Durkin.
+
+Between them they got the chair upstairs and outdoors. Then Steve paid
+three dollars to Durkin and the transaction was completed.
+
+"Thank you," said Durkin. "And, say, if you want anything else, you come
+and see me. I've got a lot of good stuff down there. And if you want to
+sell anything any time I'm your man. I'll pay you good prices, fellows.
+So long."
+
+The two boys felt rather conscious as they carried the chair along the
+Row, but although they passed a good many fellows on the way, no one
+viewed their performance with more than mild interest. As they were
+about to lift their burden through the entrance of Billings, however,
+the door opened from inside and a tall boy with a 'varsity football cap
+on the back of his head almost ran into them. Drawing aside to avoid
+them, his eyes fell on the chair and he stopped short.
+
+"Back again!" he exclaimed delightedly. "Good old article. Where'd you
+find it, fellows?"
+
+"Bought it from a fellow named Durkin, in Torrence," replied Steve.
+
+"So 'Penny' had it?" The chap lifted the cushions heaped on the seat of
+the chair and viewed it interestedly. "Well, you got a chair with a
+history," he said. "That belonged to me three years ago. I bought it
+from a fellow named Lansing, and he got it second-hand from a shop in
+White Plains. I sold it to Spencer Morris and I suppose Penny got it
+from him. And the old article looks 'most as good as new! Do you mind
+telling me how much you paid for it?"
+
+"Two dollars," said Steve. "He wanted three at first."
+
+The tall chap laughed. "Two dollars! What do you know about that? I paid
+a dollar and a half for it and sold it to Morris for a dollar. I'll bet
+Penny didn't give Spencer more than fifty cents for it. He's a wonder,
+he is! Those cushions aren't bad. I'll give you a half for the red one."
+
+"We don't want to sell, thanks," said Steve.
+
+"Well, if you do, let me know. I'm in 4. My name's Fowler." And he
+nodded and went on. Up in their room, when they had set the arm-chair
+down and placed it to their liking, Steve said:
+
+"Think of that long-haired idiot getting two dollars out of us for this
+thing. I've a good mind to go back and tell him what I think of him."
+
+"What's the difference?" asked Tom. "It's a perfectly good chair, and if
+we hadn't met that Fowler chap we'd never known we'd been stung. It's
+worth two dollars, anyway, no matter what Durkin paid for it."
+
+"I suppose it is," granted Steve. "And it _is_ comfortable. Look here;
+we'll have to have another one now, or we'll be scrapping to see who
+gets this!"
+
+"Not if we can find a cushion for the window-seat," said Tom. "We might
+see some more of those fellows you have on your list."
+
+"To-morrow," said Steve. "It's almost supper time. I guess we didn't do
+so badly for three dollars. Wasn't it funny, though, we should have run
+into a fellow who used to own it? Wonder who Fowler is."
+
+"I saw him at the field this afternoon," replied Tom. "I guess he's on
+the first team. We could have made sixteen cents if we'd sold him the
+cushion he wanted."
+
+"You're as bad as Durkin!" laughed Steve. "Wonder why he called him
+'Penny,' by the way. The fellow had a regular second-hand shop down
+there, didn't he? Do you suppose all that truck in there belonged to
+him?"
+
+"I don't know. I know one thing, though, and that is that I'm mighty
+glad I don't room with Durkin and have to listen to that fiddling of
+his!"
+
+"That's not much worse than your snoring," replied Steve unkindly.
+
+The next day further search revealed a cushion which just fitted the
+window-seat, not surprising in view of the fact that the window-seats
+throughout the dormitories were fairly uniform in size. The cushion cost
+them two dollars. It was covered with faded green corduroy and in places
+was pretty well flattened out by much service. But it answered their
+purpose and really looked quite fine when in place. Tom cast doubts on
+the positive assertion of the seller that it was filled with genuine
+hair, but Steve said that didn't matter as long as it was comfortable.
+They piled their three pillows on it and stretched themselves out on it,
+one at a time, and voted it good enough for anyone. There was a good
+deal of dust in it, but, as Steve said, if they were careful about
+getting up and down they wouldn't disturb it! By this time Number 12
+began to look quite sumptuous. They had placed several framed pictures
+and many photographs and trinkets against the walls and had draped the
+tops of the chiffoniers with towels. They had also made up a list of
+things to bring back with them after the Christmas holidays, a list that
+included all sorts of articles from a waste-basket to an electric
+drop-light. The latter they had not been able to find in their
+bargain-hunting and could not purchase in the village even if they had
+sufficient money. Their pocketbooks were pretty lean by the time they
+had been there a week, for, beside the expenditures for furnishings,
+they had, between them, paid two dollars for a year's subscription to
+the school monthly, and had made quite an outlay for stationery. Tom, in
+fact, was practically bankrupt and had sent an "S. O. S.," as he called
+it, to his father.
+
+Meanwhile, every afternoon save Sunday they donned their togs and toiled
+on the gridiron. Mr. Robey was already bringing order out of chaos and
+the sixty-odd candidates now formed a first, second and third squad.
+Steve and Tom both remained in the latter for the present, nor did Tom
+entertain much hope of getting out of it until he was dropped for good.
+Steve had made something of a reputation as a player at home, and his
+former team-mates there firmly expected to hear that he had made the
+Brimfield 'varsity without difficulty and was showing the preparatory
+school fellows how the game ought to be played. Tom, too, expected no
+less for him, and perhaps, if the truth were known, Steve entertained
+some such expectations himself! But Tom wasn't deceived as to his own
+football ability and was already wondering whether, when he was dropped
+from the 'varsity squad, he would be so fortunate as to make his hall
+team.
+
+But there was a surprise in store for both of them. The first cut came
+about ten days after the opening of school, and the candidates dwindled
+from sixty-odd to a scant fifty. Steve's surprise lay in the fact that
+he was not promoted to the second squad, Tom's to the even more
+startling circumstance that he survived the cut!
+
+Eric Sawyer had been relieved from his superintendence of the awkward
+squad and had gone to his old position of right guard on the first team.
+The third squad was now under the care of a youth named Marvin, a
+substitute quarter-back on last year's second team. He was a cheerful,
+hardworking little chap and the "rookies" took to him at once. He was
+quick to find fault, but equally quick to applaud good work, and under
+his charge the third squad, composed now of some fourteen candidates,
+began to smooth out. A half-hour session with the tackling dummy was now
+part of the daily routine and many a fellow who had thought rather well
+of himself suffered humiliation in the pit. Steve was one of these.
+Tackling proved to be a weak point with him. Even Tom got better results
+than he did, and every afternoon Steve would scramble to his feet and
+wipe the earth from his face to hear Marvin's patient voice saying: "Not
+a bit like it, Edwards. Don't shut your eyes when you jump. Keep them
+open and see what you're doing. Once more, now; and tackle below the
+knees." And then, when the stuffed figure had been drawn, swaying
+crazily, across the square of spaded turf once more, and Steve had
+leaped upon it and twisted his arms desperately and convulsively about
+it, "That's a little better," Marvin might say, "but you'd never stop
+your man that way."
+
+Steve was getting discouraged about his tackling and a little bit
+incensed with Marvin. "He takes it out on me every time," he confided to
+Tom one afternoon after practice. "Lots of the fellows don't do it a bit
+better and he just says 'Fair, Jones' or 'That's better, Freer,' and
+that's all there is to it. When it comes my turn, he just makes up his
+mind I'm not going to do it right and then rags me. Didn't I do it just
+as well as you did to-day, Tom?"
+
+Tom, intensely loyal though he was, had to shake his head. "Maybe you
+did, Steve; I don't do it very well myself, but you--you don't seem to
+get the hang of it yet. You will, of course, in a day or two. I don't
+believe Marvin means to rag you, though; he's an awfully decent fellow."
+
+But Tom's day or two stretched into a week or two, and one by one
+fellows disappeared from the awkward squad, some to the private walks of
+life and the consolation of hall football and some, fewer in number
+these, to the squad ahead. Brimfield played its first game of the year
+one Saturday afternoon with Thacher School, and came through with flying
+colours. But Thacher presented a line-up considerably younger and
+lighter than Brimfield's, and the victory brought no great glory to the
+Maroon-and-Grey. Steve and Tom watched that contest from the side-line,
+Tom with absorbed interest and Steve rather disgruntedly. His visions
+had not included any such situation as this!
+
+That evening Steve made his first big mistake.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI
+
+"HOLD 'EM, THIRD!"
+
+
+The term was a fortnight old when Thacher went down in defeat, 10 to 3,
+and by that time both Steve and Tom had made acquaintances here and
+there, and so when, after study hour that Saturday night, Steve
+announced carelessly that he was "going around to Hensey to see a
+fellow," Tom took it for granted that his chum was off to look up some
+new friend. Perhaps, since they usually made calls together, he wondered
+a little that Steve didn't ask him along, but he didn't mind being left
+out on this particular occasion since he was having a good deal of
+trouble just then with trigonometry and wanted to put in more time on
+Monday's lesson.
+
+When Steve entered Hensey he passed into the first corridor and knocked
+on the door of Number 7. The card there held the names: "Andrew Loring
+Miller--Hatherton Williams." A voice bade him enter and Steve walked in.
+Andy Miller and his room-mate were both in, Andy sprawled on the
+window-seat, which was much too short for his long body, and Williams
+seated at the study table. Andy jumped up as the visitor entered.
+
+"Glad to see you, Edwards," he said cordially. "Shake hands with
+Williams. Hat, this is Edwards of the fourth. Sit down, won't you?"
+
+Williams, who was a heavy, dark-complexioned youth of eighteen with a
+flat nose and a broad mouth, shook hands politely, murmuring something
+that Steve took to mean that he was pleased to meet him, and sank back
+to his seat. Steve took the easy-chair that Andy pushed forward.
+
+"Well, how are you?" asked the football captain genially. "Haven't run
+across any more confidence-men, I hope."
+
+Steve smiled none too heartily and cast a glance toward Williams. But
+the latter's blank expression showed that the allusion meant nothing to
+him and proved that, as far as Williams was concerned, Miller had kept
+his promise of secrecy.
+
+"No, not yet," answered Steve. "I thought I'd just drop in a minute and
+call."
+
+"Of course. Glad you did. How's your friend?"
+
+"Tom! He's fine, thanks. I--he wasn't through studying, so I didn't wait
+for him."
+
+"And how's football going?" asked Andy. "Getting on pretty well?"
+
+"I think so. Not so very well, though. I--I don't seem to please Marvin
+very well with tackling."
+
+"Oh, you'll get onto that all right," said Andy cheerfully. "Fact is, I
+don't think a fellow ever really learns much at the dummy. It's dumping
+a chap in real playing that shows you what's wanted. Don't you think so,
+Hat?"
+
+"Dummy practice is a good thing," answered Williams morosely.
+
+He sat tilted back on the chair, hands in pockets, staring at the floor.
+He seemed a gloomy sort of fellow, Steve thought, and was relieved when
+Williams added: "Guess I'll run over to Johnny's for a minute," and,
+muttering something about being glad to have met the visitor, found a
+cap and wandered out.
+
+"I suppose," said Steve, when the door had closed, "it's necessary for a
+fellow to learn how to tackle, but it seems to me that if you aren't
+awfully good at it you might get a chance to show what you can do
+besides that."
+
+"I guess I don't quite understand what you mean," responded Andy.
+
+"I mean that if I can't tackle the dummy well enough to please Marvin,"
+answered Steve a trifle bitterly, "I do as well as lots of other
+fellows, and--and it doesn't seem fair to keep me back just for that.
+Lots of fellows have been taken on to the second squad that can't play
+as well as I can, Miller."
+
+"Oh! I see." Andy's eyes narrowed a little and he looked at Steve more
+intently. "You mean that you aren't getting a fair show, Edwards?"
+
+"It doesn't seem so to me. I played with my high school team for two
+years at left end and--and did pretty well. Of course, I don't say that
+I'm as good as some of the fellows here, but I do think that I'm as good
+as--as a lot of them; and a heap better than three or four that have
+gone to the second squad lately. I don't get a chance to show what I can
+do where I am now, Miller. Marvin doesn't even let me into signal drill
+more than half the time, and then he puts me at half or tackle and I've
+never played either of those places. And when I told him so the other
+day he just laughed and said that one place was as good as another on
+the third! And he rags me every day about my tackling and--and I don't
+think it's fair! If he will give me a chance I'll pick up tackling all
+right. You say yourself that a fellow learns it more from playing than
+from dummy work."
+
+"So I did," said Andy thoughtfully. Then, after a moment: "Look here,
+Edwards, I think you've got a wrong idea in your head. If Marvin isn't
+satisfied with your tackling, it's because you don't do it right.
+Marvin's a good man and he knows football. Now, if you expect to play
+end you ought to know how to tackle, Edwards. What's the good of getting
+down the field, no matter how fast you may be, if you can't stop the man
+with the ball when you get there?"
+
+"I can stop him! I've played for two years and----"
+
+"What you've done before, Edwards, isn't any criterion with us. You may
+have been a regular wonder in--what's the place? Tannerstown----"
+
+"Tannersville. I don't say I was a wonder, but----"
+
+"Just a minute! You may have been a star on your high school team and
+yet not worth a copper cent to us, Edwards. I never saw your team play,
+but it's pretty likely that their brand of football and ours are
+different."
+
+"I think we play as good football as you fellows played to-day," said
+Steve.
+
+"Maybe. I'm not especially proud of the game we put up this afternoon.
+But that isn't the sort of football we play in mid-season, my friend.
+I'm sorry you think you aren't getting a fair deal, Edwards, but you
+mustn't expect me to interfere with Marvin. I couldn't do it. The most I
+can do is give you a little piece of advice which you won't care for
+probably. It's this: Do as you're told to do, Edwards, and do it as hard
+as you know how! Just as soon as you show Marvin that you are ready to
+go into the second squad, you'll get there. And don't get it into your
+head that Marvin has it in for you or doesn't know what he is doing.
+Marvin's a particularly bright young man. If he wasn't he wouldn't have
+the third squad to weed out, for that's a job that requires a whole lot
+more patience and brains than any other job I know of on a football
+field."
+
+Andy paused, and Steve, who was gloomily regarding a scarred knuckle,
+made no reply.
+
+"Use your head, man," continued the captain in a lighter tone. "You
+don't suppose, do you, that we are letting anything good get by us as
+long as we've got eyes to see with? Not much! You probably have an idea
+that Marvin is keeping you off the second. He isn't. You're keeping
+yourself off. Mull that over, Edwards. And don't--don't do this again."
+
+Steve looked a question.
+
+"I mean don't come to me or to Mr. Robey with any hard-luck stories. It
+isn't done. If I didn't know you a little, Edwards, I'd think you were
+pretty poor stuff. But I guess you didn't stop to consider how it would
+look. As you have done it, I'm glad you came to me instead of Mr. Robey.
+He wouldn't have liked it a bit." After a pause: "How's Hall getting
+on?"
+
+"Pretty well, I guess," replied Steve. He stood up and frowned at the
+green globe of the reading lamp for a moment. Then, "I'm sorry I said
+anything, Miller," he remarked. "I guess it wasn't quite a fair thing to
+do. Only I thought--maybe----"
+
+"You thought," said Andy cheerfully, "that perhaps I'd give you a lift.
+Didn't you, Edwards?"
+
+"I suppose so."
+
+"In other words, you wanted me to advance you over the next man on the
+strength of our acquaintance. Sounds as though you had rather a punk
+impression of me, Edwards."
+
+"I haven't! I--I suppose, though, I didn't stop to figure it out much.
+It seemed to me that Marvin wasn't giving me a fair show, and here it is
+the last of September already, and I'm just where I started----"
+
+"That's your fault, not Marvin's," responded Andy with a smile. He
+walked over and laid a hand on the younger boy's shoulder. "Brace up,
+Edwards," he said kindly. "Don't waste your time looking for favours.
+Don't want them. Buckle down and grit your teeth and just show Marvin
+and the rest of us that you're so good he can't keep you on the third!
+That's your line, old man. And now, just as a bit of encouragement, I'll
+tell you that Robey and I have noticed your work in the field and we've
+liked it. You carry yourself like a veteran and you follow the ball
+well, and we both expect big things from you some day. Perhaps you won't
+make good this year, but there's next year and the year after. Put your
+nose back on the grindstone, Edwards, grin hard and tell Marvin to turn
+faster!"
+
+"All right," laughed Steve. "Thanks. I guess you're right. And--and I'm
+not sorry now I came."
+
+"Good! Now sit down again and let's have a chin. How do you like the
+school? Have you met many of the fellows yet?"
+
+"You're making the same mistake, Edwards," said Marvin the next Monday
+afternoon. He spoke a trifle wearily. "Get your body in _front_ of the
+runner and not at one side. Bind his legs together with your arms, then
+block him with your body and lift him back. If you do that he's _got_
+to stop, and when he falls he will fall towards his own goal and not
+yours. Try it over now."
+
+And when Steve had tried it over, Marvin glanced at him sharply. It
+seemed to him that for almost the first time the candidate had really
+tried! He hadn't made a clean tackle, but he had profited by the
+instruction that had been heaped upon him for two weeks, and little
+Marvin mentally patted himself on the back and was very pleased with
+himself, for Marvin, although he would probably never play through a big
+game, and knew it, was as unselfishly devoted to the interests of the
+team as any fellow there.
+
+"That's a heap better, Edwards," he said eagerly. "Now see if you can't
+do it just right the next time."
+
+After that it seemed to Marvin that Steve tried harder and it seemed to
+Steve that the little quarter-back was more appreciative. On Tuesday, as
+the squad jogged away from the tackling pit, Marvin said:
+
+"Edwards, let me see you after practice, will you?"
+
+Steve, assenting, examined Marvin's face doubtfully. A week ago he would
+have expected trouble from such a request, but to-day Marvin's face held
+only good-will and a sort of eager friendliness, and while Steve
+wondered more than once during the remainder of practice what Marvin
+wanted of him he had no unpleasant forebodings.
+
+There was to be a game on the morrow, the only mid-week contest of the
+season, and the first squad was released early. That gave Coach Robey a
+chance to give undivided attention to the second and third and he made
+the most of it. He and Andy Miller, the latter trailing a grey blanket
+after him, joined the third squad when the first team and substitutes
+had trotted away to the gymnasium and at once displayed a flattering but
+embarrassing interest. The Third was practising signals, eleven men in
+the line-up and two or three more following and watching. Marvin was
+driving them from a position at the rear, occasionally darting into the
+line, to correct a fault or illustrate a play. Unfortunately, Carmine,
+who was at quarter, noticed the coach's advent and immediately got
+flustered. When two plays had gone wrong Mr. Robey said:
+
+"Marvin, you get in there and play quarter for a minute and give that
+man a chance to remember his signals. You come back here and look on,
+son."
+
+After that the squad ran through plays with vim and snap. Now and then
+there was a mix-up, but the signals went pretty well. After each play
+the coach or Captain Miller, or sometimes both, criticised and
+explained. The plays were few and simple; straight plunges by the backs
+with an occasional forward pass; but almost every time the critics found
+some fault to correct. Steve was playing at left tackle, fighting
+valiantly against an imaginary opponent, and once, trotting back to his
+position after a short charge over the turf, he caught the eyes of Andy
+and Mr. Robey fixed on him speculatively. He hoped as he settled down
+again and listened for the signals that Captain Miller had not told the
+coach of that visit on Saturday night! He wanted to forget that himself
+and he wanted Andy Miller to forget it.
+
+"That'll be all, Marvin," said Mr. Robey presently. He clapped his
+hands. "Everyone in, please!" he called. The players flocked to the
+bench and picked up sweaters and blankets, while Mr. Robey and Andy
+conversed over the coach's little black book. Finally: "We'll have a
+short scrimmage, fellows," he announced. "Second squad take the east
+goal and kick off to the third. Pick out your men, Brownell. You too,
+Marvin. Who do you want to start?"
+
+It was the first scrimmage for the third squad fellows and they raced on
+eagerly. Steve was sent in as left tackle again and Tom beside him at
+guard. The pigskin soared away from the toe of a second squad forward,
+was gathered in by a third squad half-back near the twenty-yard line and
+was down five yards further on. "Line up, Third!" piped Carmine shrilly.
+"Give it to 'em hard now!"
+
+There wasn't the finished skill displayed by the 'varsity team, but
+there was enough enthusiasm to almost make up for the lack of science.
+Back came the ball, the forwards sprang together, a half darted past
+right tackle, spinning like a top, faltered, went on, was stopped short
+by the Second's backs and borne back, grunting "Down! Down!" with all
+the breath left in his body.
+
+"Second down!" proclaimed Joe Lawrence, the manager, jumping into the
+melee. "Six to go."
+
+Mr. Robey and Andy Miller followed the teams closely, watching and
+shouting directions, the coach on the third squad side and Andy behind
+the second.
+
+"Good work, you fellow!" applauded Andy, darting up to slap the half on
+the back and send him back to his place breathless but grinning. "That's
+the way to do it! Now, then, once more. You've got six to go. Let me see
+you get it. Play lower, you fellows in the line! Get down there! Lift
+'em and throw 'em back! That's the ticket!"
+
+But the gain was scant and Carmine walked back to kick.
+
+"Get through and block this!" panted the second's quarter, dodging back
+and forth for a likely opening.
+
+"You fellow on the end there!" cried Andy. "Play back further and stop
+that tackle!"
+
+"Watch for a forward pass!" warned a second squad back. "Spread out,
+Billy!"
+
+"Hold 'em!" shouted Carmine.
+
+Then came the signals, back sped the ball--a poor pass--the second came
+tearing through, Carmine dropped the ball and swung his leg and away it
+floated. A second squad back caught it near the side-line, tucked it
+under his arm and started back. The third squad's right end had been
+blocked and now, eager to make up for lost time, he overran and missed
+his tackle entirely and the second's back came speeding up the field
+near the side-line, a hastily-formed interference guarding him well. Ten
+yards, fifteen, twenty, and then Carmine wormed through and brought the
+runner to earth.
+
+"That's one on you, right end," said Andy sternly. "You got boxed to
+the king's taste that time. Now, third, see what you can do on the
+defence."
+
+"Draw your line in, Carmine," called Marvin. "Look where you are, man!
+The ball's almost on the twenty yards! Peters, close up there! Now push
+'em back, third!"
+
+"Who's that right end, Dick?" asked Andy of Marvin.
+
+"Chap named Holt. He isn't very good."
+
+"How would it do to try Edwards there? He looks clever."
+
+"That's his position, Andy, but the kid can't tackle. I'll give him a
+try, though. That's rotten, third! Blaisdell, where were you then? For
+the love of mud, man, watch the ball! Five yards right through you! Now
+get back there and stop them!"
+
+"Second down, five to go," called Lawrence. "You left end on the second,
+you were off-side then. Next time I'll penalise you. Watch out for it."
+
+"Same formation!" piped the second's quarter. "Make it good, fellows!
+Let's score now!"
+
+"Hold 'em, third! Don't give 'em an inch. Get down there, Peters!"
+
+"Third down!" called Lawrence a moment later. "You've got three and a
+half to go, second!"
+
+"That's the stuff!" cried Carmine jubilantly, dealing blows of approval
+on the bent backs of the forwards. "That's the way to stop 'em! Now once
+more, third!"
+
+Then, "Fourth down and a yard and a half to go," announced Lawrence.
+
+"Kick formation!" called the attacking quarter. "Simmons back!"
+
+"Block this! Block it! Get through now, fellows!"
+
+"Hold hard there, second!" There was a moment of silence. Then the ball
+shot back. Simmons caught it waist-high, dropped it, kicked and went
+down under the charge of the desperate second squad players. But the
+ball sailed over the cross-bar and the second had scored.
+
+"That'll do, Holt," said Marvin. "Edwards, you play right end.
+Saunders!" A substitute struggled out of his sweater and came racing on.
+"Go in at left tackle, Saunders. Pearse, you'd better kick off."
+
+The game went on, the second squad bringing the pigskin back twelve
+yards on the kick-off and then hammering through for fifteen more before
+the third forced them to punt. Carmine caught on his thirty-five yards,
+made a short gain and was downed. Twice the third got through for a yard
+or two and then Carmine again fell back to kick. This time the pass was
+a good one and Carmine got off an excellent punt that went over the head
+of the opposing quarter-back and bobbed along toward the goal. The left
+half scuttled to his assistance and, when the ball was in the quarter's
+arms, threw himself in front of the first of the foe. But that
+particular adversary was canny. He twisted aside, leaped over the
+stumbling half and dived for the runner. It was a poor tackle and the
+man with the ball struggled on for three yards after he was caught, but
+the ball was down on the second's twenty-seven yards, and Steve, picking
+himself up from the recumbent enemy, heard Marvin shouting: "A rotten
+tackle, Edwards, but fine work down the field!" And, "Good stuff, you
+end!" approved the coach, while Tom, beaming, patted him ungently on the
+back.
+
+The scrimmage was over a minute later, and, although the second had
+triumphed by that goal from the field, the third trotted back to the
+gymnasium feeling very well pleased with themselves. They had had their
+baptism by fire and had acquitted themselves well. Steve and Tom,
+panting but happy, had almost reached the gymnasium when Steve
+recollected his engagement with Marvin.
+
+"I've got to go back," he said in dismay. "I promised Marvin to see him
+after practice."
+
+"There he comes now," said Tom, nodding toward where the little quarter
+was approaching with Mr. Robey and Andy Miller. Steve stopped beside the
+path and Tom fell back to wait for him.
+
+"I forgot you wanted me to wait, Marvin," said Steve apologetically, as
+the trio came up.
+
+"Oh, that's all right, Edwards. I forgot myself. Another day will do
+just as well. I didn't know we were to have scrimmage to-day."
+
+"You keep up that stuff you showed to-day, Edwards," said Mr. Robey,
+"and we'll have you on the second the first thing you know." Then his
+glance passed Steve to Tom. "You too, Hall. I watched you. You're doing
+well. Keep it up."
+
+The three went on, and Steve and Tom silently followed. Neither spoke
+until they reached the steps. Then,
+
+"I'm awfully glad," said Tom.
+
+"So am I," replied Steve heartily. "Bet you you'll make the second
+before the week is out."
+
+"I meant about you, Steve," said Tom simply.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII
+
+CANTERBURY ROMPS ON--AND OFF
+
+
+But existence at Brimfield Academy wasn't all football, by any means,
+nor all fun. There was a lot of hard work mixed up with the play, and
+both Steve and Tom found that an immense amount of study was required of
+them. They each had thirty recitations a week, and in both Greek and
+Latin their preparation at high school had, not unnaturally, been
+deficient. That meant hard sledding for a while. Tom realised the fact
+before Steve would, and so spared himself some trouble. Steve resented
+the extra study necessary and for the first fortnight or so trusted to
+luck to get him through. And for a time luck stood by him. He had a way
+of looking wise in class that imposed for a while on "Uncle Sim," as Mr.
+Simkins was called, but after Steve had fallen down three or four times
+the instructor scented the truth of the matter and then Steve's life
+became a burden to him. Mr. Simkins took delight, it seemed, in calling
+on him at the most unexpected moments until, one day, in sheer
+desperation, Steve gave utterance to the answer "not prepared." That
+was to Uncle Sim what a red rag is to a bull! There was a scathing
+dressing-down then and there, followed by a visit that evening from Mr.
+Daley. Steve was secretly uneasy, for more than one story of summary
+justice on the part of the Greek and Latin instructor had reached him,
+but he presented a careless front to the Hall Master. Mr. Daley was
+plainly eager to help, but, as usual, he was embarrassed and nervous,
+and Steve, who had taken a mild dislike to him, resented his
+interference.
+
+"The stuff's too hard," he said in answer to Mr. Daley's inquiries.
+"Look at the lesson we had to-day, sir; all that and this, over to here;
+sight reading, too. And two compositions so far this week! I just didn't
+have time for it last night, and so when he called on me to-day I told
+him I wasn't prepared. And then he--he ragged me in front of the class
+and gave me a page and a half to write, beside to-morrow's lesson. I
+can't do it, and that's all there is to it!"
+
+"Er--yes, yes, I see. I'm sorry, Edwards. Now, let us have a look at
+this. Yes, there's quite a lot of it. You--ah--you didn't have much
+Latin before you came here, I take it?"
+
+"Had enough," growled Steve, "but nothing like this. I've had Caesar and
+some Cicero. I never had any luck with Latin, anyway." And Steve viewed
+the open book with distaste.
+
+"It's the quantity, then, you find--ah--difficult," said Mr. Daley. "As
+far as grammar is concerned, I take it you are--ah--well grounded,
+Edwards?"
+
+"I suppose so. But look at the length of the lesson we have!"
+
+"Yes. Very true. But, of course, to complete a certain amount of work in
+the year it is--ah--necessary to do quite a good deal every day. Now
+maybe you--ah--haven't been really setting your mind on this. I know in
+my own case that I very often find myself--ah--skimping, so to speak; I
+mean going over a thing without really getting the--ah--the meat out of
+it. I'm almost certain that if you really settled your mind on this,
+Edwards, that you'd get along very well with it. Suppose now that you
+give twice as much time to it to-night as you usually do. If some other
+study must suffer, why, let it be your French and I will let you by
+to-morrow if you aren't well prepared. And--ah--I wish when you've been
+over this you'd come down and let me--ah--go over it with you lightly. I
+think--I think that would be an excellent idea, Edwards."
+
+"Oh, I'll try it," grumbled Steve, "but it isn't any use. And look at
+what I've got to translate for him!"
+
+"Yes, yes, I see. Well--ah--bring your book down after awhile and we'll
+see what can be done. How are you getting on, Hall?"
+
+"Pretty well, sir. I find it a bit stiff, too, but maybe after awhile
+I'll get the hang of it."
+
+"That's the way to talk!" exclaimed the instructor approvingly.
+"That--ah--that is the right attitude, Hall. Make up your mind that it
+will come and it _will_ come. We all have our--our problems, and the
+only way to do is to--ah--face them and ride straight at them. So often,
+when we reach them, we find them--ah--we find them so very much more
+trivial than we had supposed. They're like--like hills seen from a
+distance that look terrifically steep. When we--ah--reach them we find
+them easy grades after all. You see what I mean? Yes, yes. Well, I shall
+expect you in my study later, Edwards. I want you--both of you, that
+is--to realise that I am very eager to be of assistance at any time.
+Possibly I can't help very much,--but--ah--I am most willing, boys."
+
+"Silly chump," growled Steve when the door had closed behind Mr. Daley.
+"I wish--ah--he'd--ah--mind his own--ah--business!"
+
+But Tom didn't smile. "I think the chap means to be awfully decent,
+Steve," he said thoughtfully. "The trouble is, I guess, he's scared to
+death of the fellows. You can see that in class."
+
+"He's a regular granny," replied Steve. "Wish he had this stuff to do. I
+guess he wouldn't be so light and airy about it!"
+
+"You'll go down and let him help you, though, won't you?" asked Tom
+anxiously.
+
+"Oh, I suppose so. He can do the whole thing if he wants to. Where is my
+dictionary?"
+
+With Mr. Daley's help, freely offered and grudgingly accepted, Steve
+weathered that crisis. And secretly he was grateful to the Hall Master,
+though he still pretended to believe and possibly did half believe that
+the latter was a sort of mollycoddle. Tom told him indignantly once that
+since Mr. Daley had been so awfully decent to him he ought to stop
+poking fun at him. To which Steve cheerfully made answer that even a
+mollycoddle could be decent at times!
+
+Brimfield played Canterbury High School on a Wednesday afternoon in
+early October and had a good deal of a scare. Canterbury romped on to
+the field like a bunch of young colts, and continued to romp for the
+best part of three ten-minute periods, long after Brimfield had decided
+that romping was no longer in good taste! Led by a small, wiry,
+red-headed quarter-back, who was likewise captain, and directed from the
+side-line by a coach who looked scarcely older than the big youth who
+played centre for them, the Canterbury team took the most astounding
+liberties with football precedents. They didn't transgress the rules,
+but they put such original interpretations on some of them that Mr.
+Conklin, who was refereeing, and Mr. Jordan, instructor in mathematics,
+who was umpiring, had their heads over the rules-book nearly half the
+time! Now and then they would march to the side-line and consult the
+Canterbury coach. "Where do you get your authority for that play?" Mr.
+Conklin would ask a trifle irritably. Thereupon, silently but with a
+twinkle in his eye, the coach would gravely take the book, flip the
+pages, lay a finger on a section and return it.
+
+"Hm," Mr. Conklin would say. "Hm; but that seems to be in direct
+contradiction of another rule over here!"
+
+"Quite likely," the coach would reply indifferently. "There are quite a
+few contradictions there. Of course, you may accept either rule you
+like, gentlemen."
+
+Disarmed in such wise, the officials invariably decided the play to be
+legal, and Quarter-back Milton, of Brimfield, would protest volubly and
+get very, very red in the face in his attempt to carry his point and, at
+the same time, omit none of the respect due a faculty member! It was
+hard on Milton, that game, and several times he nearly had apoplexy.
+
+Then, too, Canterbury did the most unexpected things at the most
+inopportune moments. When Brimfield expected her to rush the ball she
+was just as likely to get off a kick from close formation. When the
+circumstances indicated an attack on the short side of the field
+Canterbury's backs swung around the other end. When a close formation
+was to be looked for she swung her line half across the field, so
+confusing the opponents that they acted as though hypnotised. The
+forward pass was to Canterbury a play that afforded her infinite
+amusement. She used it in the most unheard of locations; in midfield,
+under the shadow of her own goal, anywhere, everywhere and almost always
+when least expected. At the end of the second period Brimfield trotted
+away to the gymnasium dazed and tired of brain, with the score 7 to 0
+against her.
+
+The surprising thing about the visitors was that they played as though
+they were just having an afternoon of good fun. They romped, like boys
+playing leap-frog or follow-my-leader. They romped up the field and they
+romped down the field and, incidentally, over and through and around
+their opponents. And the more care-free and happy Canterbury became, the
+more anxious and laboured grew Brimfield. The Maroon-and-Grey reminded
+one of a very staid and serious middle-aged party with a grave duty to
+perform trying to restrain the spirited antics of a small boy with no
+sense of decorum!
+
+When the second half began, Canterbury added insult to injury. Instead
+of booting the pigskin down the field in an honest and earnest endeavour
+to obtain distance, she deliberately and with malice aforethought,
+dribbled it on the bias, so to speak, toward the side-line. Benson,
+right end, should certainly have got it, but he was so perplexed that he
+never thought of picking it up until a Canterbury forward had performed
+the task for him and had raced nearly twenty yards down the field! It
+was an unprecedented thing to do, or, at least, unprecedented at
+Brimfield, and the audience voiced its disapproval strongly. But as the
+ball had gone the required ten yards there was nothing to do but
+smile--a trifle foolishly, perhaps--and accept the situation. And the
+situation was this: Canterbury had kicked off and gained over thirty
+yards without losing possession of the ball! But in one way that play
+was ill-advised. Brimfield had stood all sorts of jokes and pranks from
+the enemy with fairly good grace, but this enormity was too much.
+Brimfield was peeved! More than that, she was really angry! And, being
+angry, she forgot that for twenty minutes she had been outplayed and
+started in then and there to administer a licking to the obstreperous
+small boy.
+
+Even then, however, Canterbury continued to romp and enjoy herself. She
+found hard sledding, but she worked down to Brimfield's eight-yard line
+before she was finally halted. Then her right half romped back for a try
+at goal and joyously booted the ball. But, to the enormous relief of the
+onlookers, the ball went under the bar instead of over, and Canterbury
+romped back again. That third period was very evenly contested,
+Brimfield, smarting under a sense of wounded dignity, playing well
+together and allowing Canterbury no more opportunities to attempt
+scores. The visitors, still untamed, sprang strange and weird
+formations and attacks. A favourite trick was to start a play without
+signals, while one of her men was ostensibly tying a shoe-lace yards
+away or requesting a new head-guard near a side-line. It invariably
+happened, though, that the shoe-lace was tied in time to allow the youth
+to get the ball on a pass and attempt a joyous romp around the
+opponent's end. There was no scoring in the third period, but the
+whistle blew with the pigskin down on Canterbury's twenty-five yards and
+Brimfield with four to go on third down.
+
+As there was no practice that afternoon, Steve and Tom saw the game from
+the grand stand, with two cronies named Draper and Westcott. Draper's
+first name was Leroy and he was called Roy. He was a tow-haired
+youngster of fifteen with very bright blue eyes and a tip-tilted nose
+that gave him a humorously impertinent look. He, like Steve and Tom, was
+a Fourth Former. His home was in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and, while
+Pittsburg was a good hundred miles from Tannersville, the fact that they
+were citizens of the same glorious commonwealth had drawn he and Steve
+together. Harry Westcott was a year older and came from a small town in
+Connecticut. He was Roy's room-mate in Torrence. He had a slim,
+small-boned body and a good-looking face with an aquiline nose and a
+pair of very large soft-brown eyes. His dark hair was brushed straight
+back from his forehead and was always very slick. Harry was what Roy
+called "a fussy dresser" and affected knickerbockers and golf-stockings,
+negligee shirts of soft and delicate hues of lavender or green or blue
+and, to quote his disrespectful room-mate once more, "symphonic ties."
+Harry was the embodiment of aristocratic ease and always lent a "tone"
+to any gathering. He maintained an air of what he probably considered
+well-bred composure and tabooed enthusiasm. Harry never declared that a
+thing was "bully" or "fine and dandy"; he mildly observed that it was
+"not half bad." This pose amused him, doubtless, and entertained his
+friends, and underneath it all he was a very normal, likable chap. It
+was Roy Draper who broke the strained silence that had endured until the
+whistle put an end to the third period.
+
+"I wouldn't give a cent for Canterbury's chances in the next period," he
+said. "Look at Andy's face, fellows. It has the 'blood-lust' on it. When
+Andy looks that way something has just got to happen!"
+
+"He looks annoyed," assented Harry.
+
+"You'd be annoyed if you had your lip cut the way his is," chuckled Roy.
+
+"Do you think we'll beat them?" asked Tom anxiously.
+
+"Nothing can save them," replied Roy conclusively. "Andy has his dander
+up."
+
+"It took him long enough to get it up," grumbled Steve. "He let those
+fellows run rings around us in the first half."
+
+"That's his foxy way. Now he's got them all tired out and we'll go in
+and rip 'em up. You watch!"
+
+"There's Marvin going in for Milton," announced Tom. "Say, those chaps
+haven't made a change in their line-up yet."
+
+"One," corrected Harry. "They put in a new right guard last period.
+They're a funny lot, seems to me. You'd think they were having the time
+of their lives."
+
+"I like that, though," said Roy. "After all, you know, this thing of
+playing football is supposed to be amusement."
+
+"It's a heap more like hard work, though," replied Harry. "Not that I
+ever played it much."
+
+"Did you ever play at all?" asked Roy.
+
+"Once or twice at grammar school. It was too fatiguing, though."
+
+"I'll bet it was," chuckled Roy. "I'd like to see you playing, old
+thing."
+
+"I did, though; played right half-back. A fellow stuck his elbow into my
+face and I knocked him flat. Captain said it was part of the game, you
+know, and I shouldn't have done it. I said that any fellow who bumped my
+nose would have to look for trouble. Then the umpire put me off and the
+game lost a real star."
+
+"Here we go," said Steve. "Now let's see if they can carry it over."
+
+They didn't, however, just then. Canterbury held finely in the shadow of
+her goal and Marvin's forward pass to Captain Miller went out at the
+twelve-yards. But Canterbury was forced to punt a moment later, and
+Brimfield took up the march again. On the adversary's thirty-yard line,
+with six to go on the third down, Norton, full-back, attempted an
+impossible drop-kick--he was standing over forty yards from the
+cross-bar--and made it good.
+
+"What did I tell you?" demanded Roy, digging Steve with his elbow.
+
+"That's only three points, though," answered Steve doubtfully. "We
+couldn't make a touchdown."
+
+"It isn't over yet," said Roy confidently. "We're getting better all the
+time."
+
+Canterbury gave the ball to Brimfield for the kick-off and Fowler booted
+it down to the opponent's fifteen yards. Andy Miller was under it all
+the way and upset an ambitious Canterbury back before he was well
+started. Canterbury tried two plunges and then punted from her
+twenty-five-yard line to Brimfield's fifty. Marvin caught and brought
+the stand to its feet by reeling off twelve yards across the field
+before he was downed. Then Brimfield found herself and went down the
+gridiron by steady plunges, plugging the Canterbury line for good gains
+from tackle to tackle. Norton, at full-back, was the hero of that
+period. Time after time he took the pigskin and landed it for a gain.
+Marvin, cool and heady, ran the team beautifully, and when four minutes
+of playing time remained, Brimfield was again knocking at Canterbury's
+door, the pigskin on the latter's eighteen yards.
+
+"First down!" proclaimed Roy triumphantly. "Here's where she goes over,
+old thing!"
+
+"Let her go," replied Harry. "I'm watching."
+
+"I hope they don't try another silly field-goal," muttered Steve.
+
+"Not on first down, they won't. Bully work, Norton! Did you see it?
+Three yards easily!"
+
+Then Marvin himself cut loose for four around left end and the
+Canterbury coach hustled three substitutes on. But Brimfield was not to
+be denied now. It was first down on Canterbury's seven yards, and, with
+the spectators yelling like Indians, Kendall, right half, took the ball
+on a delayed pass, found an opening outside right tackle and slipped
+through and over the line for six more points.
+
+Captain Miller kicked goal and the score stood 10 to 7. Another minute
+of play followed, with Brimfield again pushing the high school team
+before her, and then the game was over and the quartette on the stand
+thumped each other elatedly--all save Harry--and ambled down to join the
+throng that spread over the field on its homeward way.
+
+"What did I tell you?" asked Roy. "You can't fool your uncle!"
+
+"You hate yourself, don't you?" drawled Harry. "Come on over to the
+room, you fellows."
+
+Canterbury, having cheered the victor wholeheartedly, romped home.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII
+
+SAWYER VOWS VENGEANCE
+
+
+Miter Hill School followed Canterbury the next Saturday and was an
+unexpectedly weak opponent. The contest was slow and lifeless and
+dragged its weary length along until almost twilight. Miter Hill's
+players were in poor physical condition and, since the afternoon was
+warm and close, made a poor showing. The weather affected Brimfield,
+too, although she was not as susceptible to injury as the other team.
+Miter Hill was forever getting hurt, it seemed, and the audience which
+had braved a remorseless sun and a horde of blood-thirsty midges soon
+began to grumble.
+
+The game was further slowed down in the last two periods by the
+substitution of half the members of the second and third squads for the
+Maroon-and-Grey. Even Tom had a three or four-minute experience on the
+'varsity, something which he had long ceased hoping for, while Steve
+played nearly all of the fourth period at right end. He did very well,
+there, although Miter Hill was too weak in all departments of the game
+to afford any of her opponents a fair test. Toward the last the contest
+degenerated into more or less of a farce, Miter Hill tuckered and played
+out, and Brimfield, with a line-up of third and fourth substitutes,
+fumbling and mixing signals and running around like a hen with her head
+off!
+
+By that time those who had remained so long began to view the game as
+what it really was, a comedy of errors, and got lots of fun out of it.
+When Peters, at centre, passed the ball at least two feet above the
+upstretched hands of Harris, who wanted to punt, and at least nine
+youths raced back up the field in pursuit of it, shoving, tripping,
+falling, rolling, and when it was Peters himself who finally dropped his
+one hundred and seventy-odd pounds on it, the onlookers rocked in their
+seats and applauded wildly. Later on another dash of humour was supplied
+when Carmine poised the ball for a forward pass only to discover that no
+one of his side was in position to take it. The quarter-back shouted
+imploringly, running back and across the field, dodging two or three of
+the enemy and by some miracle holding the ball out of harm's way all the
+while. When, at last, thoroughly desperate, he heard someone shout from
+across the field to throw the ball, he threw it, and not until the
+catcher had reeled off twenty yards or more toward Brimfield's goal did
+Carmine discover that he had been cruelly deceived by the Miter Hill
+right end! Even Mr. Robey, who had been viewing the game rather grimly,
+had to swing on his heel to hide a smile at that fiasco. But, if the
+subs didn't do much in the way of attack, they at least held the enemy
+from crossing their line, and the weird contest at last came to a close
+with the one-sided score of 26 to 0.
+
+On Monday there was a fine shake-up, for the Miter Hill game, if it had
+not held any thrills, had at least shown up many faults, individual and
+otherwise. Several second squad men went to the first as substitutes,
+Fowler was shifted from left tackle to left guard on the first and two
+members of the third squad were advanced to the second. These latter
+were Freer, half-back, and Hall, guard. Tom was both surprised and
+delighted, while seriously doubting the coach's wisdom. Later, when he
+found that Steve had not secured promotion as well, most of his delight
+vanished.
+
+"I don't see why they put me on the second," he said, "and left you on
+the third. I don't play half the game you do, Steve."
+
+Steve tried hard to be gracious, but only partly succeeded. "I dare say
+they want guards and don't want ends," he replied. "Of course you've
+been doing good work, Tom, and deserve promotion and I'm awfully glad
+you've got it, but, just the same, I don't think I'm getting a square
+deal."
+
+"I don't either! I wish they'd left me alone and taken you on. Peters
+says Robey will be disbanding the third squad in a week or so, too. Of
+course they'll put you on the second before that, though."
+
+"I don't believe they will," replied Steve morosely. "I dare say I'll be
+dropped entirely. I thought I was getting on pretty well, but Marvin
+evidently doesn't think so. I'm getting kind of sick of it, anyway, Tom.
+I wish I'd stayed at home. I could have if I'd made a good hard kick."
+
+That was a hard week for the 'varsity, for Coach Robey had every man on
+the team, with the possible exceptions of Miller and Innes, guessing.
+Men came in from the second squad, were tried out and usually let go
+again. All sorts of shifts in the line and back-field were tried. On
+Wednesday, Eric Sawyer, who had been looked on as a fixture at right
+guard, found himself ousted by Gafferty, from the second, and a member
+of the "bench brigade." Sawyer didn't like that at all. It was a
+terrific blow to his pride and self-esteem, and for many days he was
+like a bear with a sore head. As a matter of fact, although Sawyer
+didn't suspect it, his deposal was in the nature of a taste of
+discipline. Sawyer had been too certain of his place and had grown
+careless. At the end of a week he went back again, with the warning that
+he would have to show more than he had been showing if he was to stay
+there. It was while he was still decorating the bench, however, that
+Steve again fell foul of him.
+
+The unseasonably warm weather held well into the middle of October, and
+it was one evening a day or two after Sawyer's removal from the regular
+line-up that Steve and Tom, rather fagged from an hour's study in a
+close room, picked up Roy and Harry and went over to the gymnasium for a
+dip in the tank. The swimming tank was a favourite resort of the younger
+fellows between eight and ten at night, but, for some reason, the older
+boys seldom appeared there in the evenings. To-night, though, when the
+quartette, having changed into swimming trunks, reached the tank they
+found five upper-class fellows swinging their bare legs from the side of
+the pool and amusing themselves by criticising the antics of the
+youngsters. There was Eric Sawyer, Jay Fowler and three others whom
+neither Steve nor Tom knew save by sight. The tank was well populated,
+for the warmth of the evening made the thought of cool water very
+agreeable, and there was much noise and splashing going on.
+
+Steve and Harry went in from the spring-board at the deeper end of the
+pool, while Tom and Roy dived from the floor. A couple of tennis balls
+were flying around in the tank and the newcomers were soon taking their
+parts in the fun. Presently the group of older fellows, having grown
+tired of guying the "kids," dived into the water. Getting possession of
+one of the balls, they tried to keep it to themselves, and soon there
+was a merry and good-natured battle on between the five big chaps on one
+side and the younger occupants of the tank on the other. The echoing
+room rang with laughter and excited cries as the contending sides swam
+and floundered for the possession of the tennis ball. The big chaps had
+their hands full, for they were outnumbered four to one, but age and
+strength counted for them and not infrequently a youngster, rather than
+undergo a ducking at ungentle hands, yielded the ball and swam away with
+squeaks of terror. But there were others who fought valiantly enough,
+taking punishment laughingly when it came and pressing the older
+fellows closely. Steve was one of the more daring of the enemy and never
+hesitated to dispute the possession of the ball with anyone. Once when
+it came skipping along half the length of the tank, he went after it
+hand over hand, only to miss it when Eric Sawyer reached it an instant
+ahead of him. Sawyer, grinning, drew back the hand holding the tennis
+ball.
+
+"Want it, kid?" he asked.
+
+Steve, guessing what was coming, dived, but he was not quick enough and
+the ball landed with a round smack on his right ear. A wet tennis ball,
+thrown from the distance of a few feet, is capable of hurting
+considerably, and Steve, dashing the water from his face, felt very much
+as though he had been kicked by a mule and had difficulty in keeping the
+tears from his eyes.
+
+"Get it?" laughed Sawyer.
+
+"Yes, and so will you," gasped Steve. The ball lay bobbing about a yard
+away and he grabbed it. Sawyer turned and struck out across the tank,
+only his head above water. Steve, thoroughly angry, aimed at him,
+changed his mind and swam after him, to the awed delight of the others.
+Sawyer, thinking he had removed himself from danger, turned at the side
+of the tank to look back. The next thing he knew the ball struck him
+fairly on the nose, and, with a howl of pain and surprise, he
+disappeared under the water.
+
+"Swim, Edwards!" shrieked the youngsters. "He'll get you!"
+
+Steve did turn away, but it seemed too much like running and so he
+paused, treading water there, while the angry face of Sawyer popped into
+view again. The ball had bounded away and been captured by one of the
+youngsters, but Sawyer didn't look for it. With a leap he started toward
+Steve. The latter realised that Sawyer meant to wreak vengeance, and
+that the matter had got past the stage of fun. Here, it seemed, was a
+time when discretion was the better part of valour, and Steve dived.
+
+Fortunately, he was a good swimmer. Turning quickly under water, he
+raced toward the far end of the tank. Dimly he heard shouts and laughter
+above, but he didn't come to the surface until twenty long strokes had
+taken him far away from where Sawyer, at a loss, was casting about the
+middle of the tank for him. His reappearance was heralded by shouts of
+applause from the younger fellows, many of whom, scenting real trouble,
+had scrambled out of the water. Sawyer, warned of Steve's whereabouts,
+looked down the tank, saw him and started pell-mell after him. Again
+Steve went under, swam cautiously toward the side until he could see the
+white tiles within reach and then edged back the way he had come. He
+tried to reach the shallow end of the tank before taking breath, but the
+effort was too great, and when he stuck his head out for an instant he
+found that those at the edge of the tank had been following his
+under-water progress and were shouting and laughing down at him from
+above. More than that, however, their interest had appraised Sawyer of
+his whereabouts, and even as Steve, blinking the water from his eyes and
+replenishing his lungs, looked about him, his pursuer almost reached
+him.
+
+Scorning concealment now, Steve made straight for the shallow end of the
+pool. Swimming like his was a revelation to many of those who saw it and
+a hearty burst of applause followed him all the way to the ladder, which
+he gained several yards in advance of Sawyer. Steve darted up the rungs
+and ran to the side of the tank, the fellows scattering out of his path.
+Sawyer pulled himself out of the water and followed, puffing with anger
+and exertion.
+
+"Oh, let him go, Eric," advised Fowler. "You can't catch him."
+
+"Yes, forget it," advised others.
+
+But Sawyer had no idea of forgetting it. "I'll break his silly head for
+him," he growled as he followed Steve around the edge. Then began a
+chase that was both exciting and amusing. Egged on by the laughing
+spectators the two boys raced around the pool, Steve managing to keep
+always one lap ahead, slowing down when Sawyer showed signs of faltering
+and sprinting when the older boy, gathering fresh energy, went on again.
+It was a stern chase with a vengeance and might have lasted all night or
+until one or the other dropped in his tracks had not one of Sawyer's
+comrades taken a hand in the game.
+
+Steve, breathing hard but good for many more circuits of the track, came
+trotting along one side of the pool where the youth in question stood
+with Fowler. There was a clear space of three feet between him and the
+edge, but just as Steve drew abreast the older chap stepped forward in
+his path, and Steve, trying to dodge around him, slipped on the tiling
+and fell sidewise into the water. Sawyer, with a grunt of triumph,
+plunged in from the opposite edge and was on Steve in a twinkling.
+
+"Now, you fresh kid," exclaimed Sawyer angrily, seizing Steve's neck in
+a big hand as soon as his head came up, "you're going to get what's
+coming to you!"
+
+Steve, battling for breath, gasping and gurgling, tried to wrench away,
+but the clasp on his neck was too strong for his efforts and down he
+went, squirming and struggling, until his head was under water. He
+managed to reach around and get a grip of Sawyer's bathing trunks, but
+that was small advantage. The big fellow had him at his mercy. Steve's
+head was throbbing when at last he was allowed to lift it out of the
+water again, gasping for breath. But the grip on his neck didn't relax.
+He was conscious that the laughter had died away, conscious of Sawyer's
+grinning face beside him, and then down he was plunged again without
+warning, just managing to draw a little breath into his aching lungs
+before the water closed over him. It seemed that his tormentor held him
+down longer this time, and when, at last, he found the lights in his
+eyes again and could breathe once more, he was ready to give up the
+struggle. He had long since released his hold on Sawyer's trunks, and
+now his hands were clasped desperately about the other boy's wrists. And
+yet when Sawyer's growling voice said in his ear, "Had enough, kid? Beg
+my pardon?" Steve managed to shake his head.
+
+"Want more, eh?" asked Sawyer. "All right, kid!" The clasp on his neck
+tightened again and he felt himself being once more thrust downward. And
+then, suddenly, he was free, and when, fighting his way back to the
+surface, he looked dazedly, there was Tom clinging to Sawyer's neck,
+thrashing and squirming.
+
+"You let him be, you big bully!" Tom was saying. "You let him be!"
+
+"Let go of my neck, you silly little fool!" gasped Sawyer, striving to
+break the boy's hold.
+
+"You let him be!" gurgled Tom, half-drowned but clinging like a limpet.
+"You let him be, you big bully!"
+
+Then the two went under and Steve, recovering his breath, wrenched them
+apart somehow and pulled poor Tom to the side of the tank. Sawyer,
+breathing with difficulty after Tom's choking grasp about his neck,
+floundered to the edge, got a sustaining grip on the rim of the tank and
+glared angrily at the two boys.
+
+"I'll get you for this, you smart Alecks," he declared chokingly.
+"You're too fresh, both of you. Don't you know better than to grab a
+fellow around the neck in the water, you fool kid?"
+
+But Tom was too far gone to answer. "That's what you did, isn't it?"
+Steve demanded. "That's a funny way to talk!"
+
+"It is, is it?" sneered Sawyer. "I'll show you something that is funny
+some time, and don't you forget it!"
+
+Still growling, he swam away toward the nearer ladder, while Steve, with
+Roy and Harry and others helping, lifted Tom out of the tank and then
+followed himself. Tom was very, very sick there for a minute and the
+younger fellows were properly sympathetic and indignant. Presently they
+half carried Tom back to the locker room and helped him into his
+clothes, and then, Roy and Harry in attendance, Steve conveyed him back
+to Billings and laid him on his bed, a very weak but now quite cheerful
+Tom.
+
+"He nearly drowned me, didn't he?" he asked with a grin. "But I choked
+him good, you bet! Bet you his old neck will be sore for a week,
+fellows!"
+
+"You want to keep away from him for awhile," said Harry with a direful
+shake of his head. "He's a mean chap when he's mad."
+
+"Huh!" grunted Tom. "So'm I!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV
+
+A LESSON IN TACKLING
+
+
+One direct result of that affair in the tank was that Steve found
+himself something of a school celebrity because of his swimming prowess.
+Within a few days he had good-naturedly agreed to give instruction to
+some half-dozen acquaintances and might have taken on a half-dozen more
+had he had the time for it. But there was only an odd hour or two during
+the day for swimming and he soon found that, although he got a good deal
+of fun out of instructing the others, it was taking too much of his
+time. It was Roy's suggestion--Roy being one of the most enthusiastic
+pupils--that those who wanted instruction should be on hand at a given
+hour each day. The suggestion was adopted, and Edwards's Swimming Class
+soon became a recognised institution. Five o'clock was the hour set, at
+which time the tank was not much used, and Steve, having returned from
+football practice, donned swimming trunks and repaired to the pool where
+he usually found from four to a dozen boys awaiting him, since, by
+attending to them all at once, he could look after a dozen as easily as
+a few. Most of the pupils were boys of from thirteen to seventeen,
+although there were two older fellows in the class, Jay Fowler and
+Hatherton Williams. Both were Sixth Formers and both were football men.
+Mr. Conklin, the physical director, gave enthusiastic endorsement and
+encouragement. Brimfield had never supplied instruction in swimming,
+something which the director had long regretted, and Mr. Conklin, could
+he have had his way, would have made attendance at Steve's swimming
+class compulsory for the younger boys and so have instituted a new
+feature in the course of physical instruction. But Steve, willing to
+teach a few fellows who could already swim the finer points of the
+science, balked at teaching the rudiments to a half-hundred water-shy
+youths who would have to be coaxed and coddled. Mr. Conklin tried his
+best to persuade him, but Steve refused firmly.
+
+They had a whole lot of fun during that swimming hour. Fowler and a
+younger chap named Toll were the more accomplished performers in the
+class, barring Steve himself, and every session ended with several very
+earnest races in which Fowler, allowing Toll a five-yard handicap,
+usually nosed out the younger boy in a contest of four times the length
+of the tank. Then there was generally a free-for-all, the fellows lining
+up on the edge of the pool, diving at the word from Steve and swimming
+to the further end, where, after touching the wall, they turned and
+hustled back to the start. Sometimes when football practice had been
+more than usually gruelling, Steve stayed out of the water and
+instructed from the floor, but more often he went in with the others and
+followed them in their practice swims. Naturally it was the fancy diving
+and the racing strokes that most of the fellows wanted to learn, but
+Steve, who had never in his life before tried to teach anyone anything,
+displayed a good deal of hard common-sense as an instructor and insisted
+that each of his pupils should master one thing thoroughly before taking
+up another. The result was that, barring one or two fellows who would
+probably in any case have failed to become expert swimmers, the class
+made really remarkable progress, and there came a time, although it was
+considerably later in the school year, when both Jay Fowler and
+Hatherton Williams could equal most of Steve's feats.
+
+Tom started with the class, wisely deciding after his experience with
+Eric Sawyer that the ability to keep one's head out of water was a fine
+thing to have. But Tom was not cut out for a human fish and soon gave it
+up. Roy Draper learned fairly well. He tried to induce Harry to join the
+class, but Harry preferred to stay with Tom and look on from the floor.
+When winter set in, Steve's class increased in numbers until in January
+he was conducting the natatory education of more than two dozen fellows.
+It was Mr. Conklin who arranged for an exhibition the latter part of the
+winter and Steve was very proud of his pupils' work on that occasion. It
+was held one Saturday afternoon and everyone attended, including even
+"Josh," more formally known as Mr. Joshua Fernald, the principal. There
+was fancy diving and swimming, a short game of water polo and all kinds
+of races, beside which Steve showed some six or eight different strokes,
+swam the length of the tank under water and performed other quite
+startling feats to the delight of his audience. Mr. Fernald shook hands
+with him afterwards and said several very nice things. But all this is
+far beyond my story, and I am only telling of it because it led the
+following autumn to the installation of a swimming instructor at
+Brimfield and the addition of swimming to the list of "required studies"
+for the boys of the four lower forms. The instructor came to the school
+twice a week and put in two very busy hours there. So you see that
+fracas between Steve and Eric Sawyer that evening strangely enough
+resulted in important consequences and, since a knowledge of swimming is
+a most useful one, worked for good.
+
+But there were other consequences of that fracas as well, and I must get
+back to those. Larchville Academy followed Miter Hill on Brimfield's
+schedule and administered the first defeat of the season to the
+Maroon-and-Grey. It wasn't so much that Brimfield played poorly as that
+Larchville played unusually well. The visitors presented an aggregation
+of big, well-trained youths who, most of them having been on their team
+the previous year, were far in advance of Brimfield in the matter of
+season development. Larchville's performance was what one might expect
+in November, but scarcely looked for in the second week of October. Her
+men played together all the time and her team-work stood out in strong
+contrast to that of Brimfield, who had scarcely begun as yet to develop
+such a thing. The final score was 17 to 3, and the only consolation was
+found in the fact that Larchville's end of it might well have been much
+larger. Brimfield's three points came as the result of one really
+brilliant advance for half the length of the field followed by a neat
+place-kick by Williams. The rest of the game was very much Larchville,
+and Brimfield was on the defence most of the time.
+
+And, to give credit where it belongs, it was Eric Sawyer who, back in
+his position at right guard, held his side of the line firm on two
+anxious occasions when Larchville was striving to hammer out touchdowns
+under the shadow of her opponent's goal. On the whole, Brimfield played
+good football that day and no one justly came in for adverse criticism.
+Captain Miller, at left end, was spectacular under punts and played his
+usual hard, steady game. Innes at centre was impregnable until the final
+period. Williams, if a trifle weaker than his opponent, made up for it
+by scoring the three points for his side. Benson, at right end, was less
+successful than Captain Miller, but was good on the defence. The
+back-field, although inclined to go it "every man for himself," showed
+up well, especially when the enemy was in possession of the ball.
+Milton, the first-choice quarter-back, ran the team like a general,
+while Norton, the big full-back, proved the only consistent gainer
+through the line. In spite of the fact that she had met with defeat,
+Brimfield found encouragement in that contest, and, after the first few
+minutes of regrets, spent the rest of the day unstintedly praising her
+warriors.
+
+There was only light practice the following Monday for those who had
+taken part in the Saturday game, a fact which once more allowed Coach
+Robey to give a good deal of attention to the second and third squads.
+Steve was playing right end regularly now on the third, and Tom was
+alternating at left guard on the second. The third squad was now down to
+only eleven members, and when, after a hard hour of signal work and
+fundamentals, the second and third were lined up for a ten-minute
+scrimmage, Marvin had to borrow substitutes as needed from the second.
+There was no scoring that day, but there was an awful lot of hard work.
+Steve made one or two good plays down the field, but, as usual, was weak
+on stopping the runner when he reached him. After they were dismissed,
+Marvin stopped him as he was trotting off with the others.
+
+"I say, Edwards, are you very tired?" he asked.
+
+"N-no, I guess not," Steve replied.
+
+"Then I wish you'd stay out a few minutes and let me try to show you
+about tackling." Steve glanced distastefully at the dummy and doubtfully
+at Marvin. But the latter smiled and shook his head. "Never mind the
+dummy, Edwards," he said. "We'll have our fun right here. I'm going to
+be the dummy and you're to stop me. Did they take all the balls away?
+Never mind, we'll imagine the ball. Now, first of all I'm going to show
+you how I'd handle you if you were the runner. Stand where you are,
+please."
+
+Marvin dropped in front of Steve and threw his arms about his legs just
+above the knees. "There's your position, Edwards," he explained. "You
+see I have my body in front of you. You've not only got to work against
+my grip around your legs but you've got to push against my weight and
+resistance. Try it."
+
+Steve did try it, but he could only shuffle an inch or two.
+
+"See?" asked Marvin. "Now, then, having tackled you, it's up to me to
+put you down. If I let you come forward of your own impetus you'll fall
+toward my goal, and by stretching out your arms you'll put the ball two
+yards nearer the goal than where you stand. Of course you wouldn't risk
+holding the ball at arms' length unless there was a possibility of
+getting it across a goal-line by doing it. But even if you hold the ball
+at your stomach you'll gain a yard by falling forward. Now my play is
+to throw you the other way--like this!"
+
+With a heave Marvin sent Steve toppling backward, much to that youth's
+surprise. Marvin jumped lightly to his feet, held out a hand to the
+other and pulled him up.
+
+"See how it's done?" he asked cheerfully. "Now you try it. Never mind
+diving; just drop where you are on your hip. That's it! Swing your arms
+around tight! Higher up, though. Remember if you're playing end the
+rules prohibit you from tackling a runner below the knees. That's
+better. Now, then, over with me!"
+
+But it wasn't so easy. Marvin, smuggling an imaginary ball in his arms,
+struggled and twisted and it was all Steve could do to keep him from
+gaining ground, to say nothing of throwing him back.
+
+[Illustration: "Lift!" instructed the quarter-back. "Lift me up and yank
+my feet out from under me! Use your weight and throw me back!"]
+
+"Lift!" instructed the quarter-back. "Lift me up and yank my feet out
+from under me! Use your weight and throw me back!"
+
+But in trying to lift the other, Steve allowed Marvin to slip past him
+and the quarter fell forward instead of backward.
+
+"Try again," said Marvin. "It's got to be all one motion, so to say,
+Edwards. Get your man, wrap your arms around him and heave. Sometimes
+you can't do better than stop him. If he's coming hard, you won't be
+able to put him back. He's got to be more or less erect to make that go.
+But do it whenever you can. Now, then, once more! Down you go! That's
+the stuff! Bully work! Don't be afraid of hurting me! _Put me back!_"
+
+Steve actually did it that time and was so pleased that he was grinning
+all over his face when Marvin scrambled to his feet again.
+
+"That was a lot better. Once get the idea fixed in your head, Edwards,
+and it'll come easy. You'll do it without a thought. Once more now, and
+put some ginger into it. Here I come!"
+
+Marvin walked a couple of steps forward, Steve dropped and gripped his
+knees, heaved and over went the quarter. A dozen times Marvin made him
+practise it, and then,
+
+"All right," he said. "Now I'm going to run toward you, Edwards. I'm
+going to get by you if I can, too. You've got to do your best to stop
+me. Don't try any flying tackles, and remember that you've got to have
+one foot on the ground when you get me. All right now!"
+
+Steve was glad they had the gridiron practically to themselves, for he
+cut a poor figure the first three times that he tried to reach the
+elusive quarter-back. Once Marvin caught him with a straight arm and
+sent him toppling out of his path, once Marvin dodged him completely,
+twirling on one heel and darting past him beyond reach, and once the
+little quarter-back wrenched himself loose after being tackled. But the
+fourth time Steve was more successful, and after that he reached the
+runner every time even if he didn't always stop him short. Even when
+Steve had his arms gripped tightly about Marvin's knees, the latter was
+almost always able to somehow make another yard or two before he was
+willing to call "Down!" But Steve learned more in that half-hour than he
+had learned all the season, and when, after awhile, the two boys,
+panting and perspiring but satisfied with themselves, walked back to the
+gymnasium, Steve had the grace to thank Marvin.
+
+"That's all right," replied the other. "I knew you could play the game,
+Edwards, if you could once get the hang of making a decent tackle. And I
+knew, too, that the trouble with you was that you'd just sort of made up
+your mind that you couldn't learn, that you didn't understand what I've
+been trying to show you. There won't be any third squad after the middle
+of the week, Edwards, and if you hadn't shown something more than
+you've been showing in the tackling line I couldn't conscientiously have
+sent you up to the second."
+
+"That was mighty decent," muttered Steve.
+
+"Well, you mustn't take it as a personal favour, Edwards," answered
+Marvin with a smile, "although I'm glad to do it for you. You see, I
+don't want to let any good material get away. And I think you are good
+material, and if there was any possibility of your being of use to the
+second squad I wanted to get you there. Now, to-morrow we'll have
+another go at it, and the next day too, and every day until you can
+tackle a runner as well as you can handle a ball or play in the line. Is
+that a bargain?"
+
+"Yes," replied Steve heartily. "And thanks, Marvin."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XV
+
+STEVE WINNOWS SOME CHAFF
+
+
+Two days later the third squad ceased to be and all but four of its
+members retired to private life. Of those four, one was Steve. Steve
+went on to the second team as substitute end. With him went Carmine,
+Peters and Saunders, while from the second a batch of half-a-dozen
+youths disappeared. That was the eighteenth of October. The candidates
+who had survived this final cut were safe to finish the season out. Of
+them some twenty-four were on the 'varsity and sixteen on the second.
+The preliminary season was ended, and with the next game, that with
+Benton Military College, which was to be played at Hastings-on-Sound,
+the serious work might be said to begin.
+
+The second, under Brownell, became a separate aggregation, moved to its
+own training table in the dining-hall, had its own signals and practised
+on its own gridiron. It even had its own coach, for a graduate named
+Boutelle--soon shortened to "Boots"--appeared on the scene and took
+command. "Boots" was a rather large man of thirty-odd years who had
+graduated from Brimfield before the days of football there. He had
+learned the game very thoroughly, however, at college, and was
+enthusiastically eager to impart his knowledge. He was a friend of Mr.
+Robey, and it was understood that he was giving his services as a favour
+to the head coach. But it was soon evident that he was thoroughly
+enjoying it, and he entered into his task with heart and soul. In fact
+he was so anxious to develop a good team that one of the first things he
+did was to unwittingly fall foul of the faculty. The third day there he
+announced that until further notice there would be morning practice
+between ten and twelve for all who could attend it. Morning practice
+lasted one day. Then faculty drew the attention of Mr. Boutelle to the
+rule which forbade the use of the athletic field to students during
+recitation hours. Mr. Boutelle was disgusted and tried to argue about it
+with the principal, but had to give in finally. But in spite of being
+required to limit practice to the afternoon hours, the second came fast
+and there were some very pretty games between it and the 'varsity in
+those days.
+
+Steve started in as a second choice right end, a chap named Sherrard
+having first claim to the position. Tom was plugging along at right
+guard and doing well. He was a trifle light for the place, but he was a
+steady player and a heady one and it took him less than a fortnight to
+oust his rival from the position. Tom was a surprise both to himself and
+to Steve. Steve had never taken his chum very seriously as a football
+player, probably because Tom was not the spectacular sort, but he was
+forced to acknowledge now that the latter had beaten him at his own
+game!
+
+The members of the second didn't see the Benton game for the reason that
+"Boots" wouldn't consider it at all. What, waste an afternoon looking on
+when they might be holding practice? Not if he knew it! But the absence
+of some sixteen members of the second team didn't keep Brimfield from
+being well represented at that contest, for most every other fellow in
+school journeyed across to Hastings-on-Sound with the 'varsity and
+witnessed a very good, if in one way unsatisfactory, game. For Brimfield
+and Benton tussled with each other through four ten-minute periods
+without a score. Perhaps Benton had slightly the better of the argument,
+although not many Brimfieldians would acknowledge it. At least, it is
+true that Benton came nearer to scoring than her adversary when, on
+Brimfield's five-yard line, she lost possession of the ball by a fumble.
+On the other hand, Brimfield tried one field-goal from an impossible
+angle and missed.
+
+The next Monday, with several of the regulars out of the 'varsity
+line-up, the second won a 6 to 0 victory, and "Boots," choosing to
+ignore the 'varsity's weakness on that occasion, requested the second to
+observe what could be accomplished by making the most of their
+opportunities to practice! The fellows, quite as well pleased as their
+coach, although not taking to themselves so much credit as he accorded
+them, smiled, and said, "Yes, sir," very politely and winked amongst
+themselves. But they liked "Boots"; liked him for his enthusiasm and for
+the tireless energy he displayed in their behalf. If you can't make the
+'varsity it is at least something to be able to help develop it, and
+that is what the second was doing, very loyally and gladly. And when in
+the process of aiding in its development it was possible to beat it, the
+second shook hands with itself and was cock-o'-the-walk for days after!
+
+Steve, like most others on the second, had relinquished hope of getting
+on the 'varsity. A month ago he would have scornfully refused to
+consider anything less than a position on the first team, but Steve had
+had his eyes opened not a little. There _was_ a difference between the
+sort of football played by Brimfield and the kind played by the
+Tannersville High School team, and Steve now recognised the fact.
+Perhaps he secretly still thought himself deserving of a place on the
+'varsity--frankly, I think he did--but whereas a month ago he would not
+have hesitated to make the fact known, he had since learned that at
+Brimfield it was not considered good form to blow your own horn, as the
+saying is.
+
+But if he was disappointed at falling short of the final goal of his
+ambition, he was nevertheless having a very good time on the second.
+There was a lot of fine fellows there and the spirit of camaraderie was
+strong, and grew stronger as the season progressed. The second was
+perhaps almost as proud of their organisation as was the 'varsity of
+theirs, and when, the week after the Benton game, they once defeated and
+twice tied the other team, you might have thought they had vanquished
+Claflin, so haughty and stuck-up did they become!
+
+Steve played under a severe handicap that week, for once more he and
+"Uncle Sim" were at outs. With Mr. Daley's assistance and encouragement,
+and by a really earnest period of application on his own part, he had
+successfully weathered the previous storm and had even been taken into
+Mr. Simkins' good graces. But football is a severe taskmaster, if one
+allows it to become such, and what with a strong desire to distinguish
+himself on the second--animated to some extent by the wish to show Mr.
+Robey what he had missed for the 'varsity--and a commendable effort to
+profit by Marvin's teaching, he had soon begun to ease up on his Greek
+and Latin, which were for him the most difficult of his courses. And now
+"Uncle Sim" was down on him again, as Steve put it, and on the eve of
+the Cherry Valley contest he was in a fair way to have trouble with the
+Office. Mr. Simkins' patience, perhaps never very long, was about
+exhausted. He had reason on his side, however, for Steve was by no means
+the only student who was in difficulties at that time. On Friday morning
+Mr. Simkins had indulged in sarcasm.
+
+"Well, well," he said, leaning back in his chair and folding his hands,
+"I dare say it is too much to require you young gentlemen to study when
+it is such fine weather for football. What a pity it is that lessons and
+play conflict, is it not, Wilson?"
+
+Wilson was too canny to make audible reply, however, and the instructor
+proceeded blandly.
+
+"I wonder if Mr. Fernald would postpone recitations until after you
+have finished football for the year. I think I'll suggest it to him.
+For, really, you know, this sort of thing is only wasting my time; and
+yours too, young gentlemen, for you might be out kicking a
+leather-covered bag of wind around the ground instead of sitting here
+cudgelling your poor brains--eh? Let us say heads, rather. The evidence
+is too slight to warrant the use of the first word--cudgelling your
+heads, then, trying to 'fake' lessons you've never looked at. I
+sympathise with you deeply. I commiserate. I--I am almost moved to
+tears. My heart goes out to you, young gentlemen."
+
+Mr. Simkins looked so sad and woebegone that the older boys, who knew
+him well, trembled in their shoes. The room was very silent. With Mr.
+Simkins the storm was always in proportion to the calm, and the present
+calm was indeed portentous. The instructor fought for a moment with his
+emotions. Then he sighed.
+
+"Well, until we have permission to discard recitations, I presume we
+must go on with them, such as they are." His gaze roved sympathetically
+over the class, most of whom showed a strong desire to escape his
+attention. Finally, "Edwards," he said softly and, as it seemed to
+Steve, maliciously, "let us proceed with the dull and untimely lesson.
+Kindly translate the tiresome utterances of this ignorant man who
+preferred wisdom and eloquence to athletics and football, Edwards. You
+may begin where your--hm--brilliant predecessor regretfully left off.
+For the moment, pray, detach your thoughts from the verdant meadows and
+the sprightly football, Edwards. And--ah--don't, _please_ don't tell me
+that you are not prepared. Somehow that phrase afflicts my ears,
+Edwards, and were you to make use of it I should, I fear, be driven
+to--ah--strong measures. Now, Edwards, if you will be so kind."
+
+Well, Steve was _not_ prepared, as it happened, but he knew better than
+to say so, and, putting on an expression of confidence and pleasure as
+though Mr. Simkins had offered him the rarest of privileges, he plunged
+bravely into a paragraph of Cicero's Orations. But it was hard going and
+he was soon stumbling and hesitating, casting about desperately for
+words. A long, deep sigh travelled from the platform.
+
+"That will do, Edwards," said Mr. Simkins sorrowfully. "Your rendering
+is novel and interesting. It is, possibly, an improvement on the
+original matter, but the question very naturally arises, Edwards,
+whether we have the right to improve on Cicero. Of course he had his
+limitations, Edwards, and his faults, and yet"--Mr. Simkins shook his
+head slowly and thoughtfully--"on the whole, Edwards, I think perhaps we
+should accept him as we find him, viewing his faults with a leniency
+becoming great minds, tolerating much, Edwards, for the sake of
+the--ah--occasional golden kernel to be detected in his mass of chaff by
+such giant intellects as yours. You _do_ detect an occasional kernel of
+sense, Edwards?"
+
+Steve, miserably pretending a huge interest in the cover of his book,
+forebore to reply.
+
+"You don't?" Mr. Simkins seemed both pained and surprised. "But I assure
+you they are there, Edwards, few in number perchance, but really to be
+found. Perhaps--hm--perhaps it would be a pleasant, at all events a
+profitable, occupation for you to make an earnest search for them. If
+you will see me after class, Edwards, I shall esteem it a pleasure to
+indicate a few pages of chaff for you to winnow. Thank you. Pray be
+seated."
+
+That was why Steve was in anything but an enviable frame of mind that
+Friday evening. Mr. Simkins had pointed out exactly four pages of chaff
+for his winnowing, and the winnowing was to be done with pen and ink and
+the "occasional golden kernels" indicated by Steve on the margin of his
+paper. Steve was angry and depressed.
+
+"What's the use of trying to get along with him?" he demanded of Tom.
+"He has it in for me, and even if I had every lesson down pat he'd be
+after me all the time just the same. If it wasn't for--for the team I'd
+quit right now."
+
+"Don't be a chump," replied Tom good-naturedly. "You know yourself,
+Steve, you haven't been studying lately."
+
+"Well, where's a fellow to get time to study?" asked Steve. "Look at
+what I have to do this evening!"
+
+"You won't do it if you don't sit down and get started," said his chum
+soothingly. "You tackle the other stuff and then I'll help you with that
+Latin. I guess we can get through it together."
+
+"It'll take me an hour to do those six pages," grumbled Steve. "I wish
+Simkins would choke!"
+
+Steve got by on Saturday, with difficulty, but had a hard time of it
+when the instructor requested him to give his reasons for selecting
+certain passages of the immortal Cicero as being worthy of especial
+commendation. The rest of the class found it very amusing, but Steve
+failed to discern any humour in the proceedings. Fortunately, Mr.
+Simkins was merciful and Steve's martyrdom was of short duration. After
+that, for a few days at least, Steve's Latin was much better, if not the
+best.
+
+The game with Cherry Valley deserves only passing mention. Viewed
+beforehand as a severe test of the Brimfield team's defence, the contest
+proved a walkover for the Maroon-and-Grey, the final score standing 27
+to 6. Cherry Valley was weak in all departments of the game, and her
+single score, a touchdown made in the fourth period, was hammered out
+when all but two of the Brimfield players were first and second
+substitutes. Of Brimfield's tallies two were due to the skill of
+Hatherton Williams, who twice placed the pigskin over the bar for
+field-goals, once from the twenty-five yards and once from near the
+forty. The Brimfield backs showed up better than at any time in the
+season, and Norton and Kendall gained almost at will. There was still
+much to criticise and Mr. Robey was far from satisfied with the work of
+the eleven as a whole, but the school in general was vastly pleased.
+Coming a week after that disappointing 0 to 0 game with the military
+academy, the Cherry Hill game was decidedly encouraging.
+
+So far Erie Sawyer had treated both Steve and Tom with silent contempt
+whenever he encountered them, although his scowls told them that they
+were by no means forgiven. Naturally, since Eric was on the 'varsity and
+the two chums on the second, they saw each other practically every
+afternoon on the field or in the gymnasium. But it wasn't difficult to
+avoid a real meeting where so many others were about. Roy Draper
+pretended to think that Eric was only biding his time, waiting for an
+opportunity to murder the two in cold blood, and delighted to draw
+gruesome pictures of the ultimate fate of his friends.
+
+"I guess what he will really do," he said on the Sunday afternoon
+following the Cherry Valley game when he and Harry Westcott were in
+Number 12 Billings, "is to decoy you both over to the Sound some fine
+day and drown you."
+
+"Just how will he manage it?" asked Tom, who was tumbling everything in
+the room about in his search for a mislaid book.
+
+"He will probably tie heavy weights to your necks and drop you into a
+deep hole in the ocean," replied Roy promptly. "Then you will be eaten
+by sharks."
+
+"And what would we be doing all the time he was tying the weights to
+us?" asked Steve sarcastically.
+
+"Nothing, because he'd chloroform you first," returned Roy triumphantly,
+much pleased with his readiness. "You'd be insensible."
+
+"Meaning without sense," murmured Harry. "It wouldn't take much
+chloroform."
+
+"Huh! Don't you talk!" said Steve. "You'll never have brain-fever!"
+
+"Ha!" scoffed Harry. "Sarcasm, the refuge of small intellects!"
+
+"Come on," said Tom. "It's nearly three-thirty. Bother Sawyer, anyway.
+He's not troubling me any."
+
+"That's all right," replied Roy, as he got up from the window-seat, "but
+when you wake up some fine morning and find yourself bathed in your own
+life's blood you'll wish you'd listened to me."
+
+"I can't help listening to you. You talk all the time. Besides, I
+shouldn't call it a fine morning if I woke up dead. I--I'd think it was
+a very disagreeable day! Are you coming, Steve?"
+
+"I suppose so," replied Steve with a groan. "I wish practice was in
+Halifax, though. I'm tired to-day." He got up from his bed, on which he
+had been lying in defiance of the rules, and stretched himself with a
+yawn.
+
+"You'll be tireder when the first gets through with us," said Tom
+grimly. "Robey will sick all his subs on us to-day, I guess; and subs
+always think they have to kill you just to show how good they are."
+
+"If anyone tries any funny-business with me to-day he will get in
+trouble," growled Steve as he pulled his cap on and followed the others
+through the door. "I just hope someone will try it on!"
+
+Tom's prediction proved correct. The first-string men were given easy
+practice and faced the second for only ten minutes in scrimmage. Then
+they were trotted off to the gymnasium and the 'varsity substitutes took
+their places. Steve relieved Sherrard at right end in the second period
+and played so poorly that he received more than one "calling-down" by
+"Boots." His temper seemed to be in a very ragged condition to-day, and
+he and Lacey, who played at left tackle on the first, got into several
+rumpuses in which hands were used in a manner not countenanced by the
+rules of football. Finally, Steve was sent off to make way for a second
+substitute, who played the position so well during the few minutes that
+remained that Steve became even more disgruntled. When practice was over
+he joined Tom, Roy and Harry--the latter pair having watched proceedings
+from the stand--and made his way to the gymnasium in a very poor state
+of mind. Roy, who didn't believe in humouring folks, tried to twit Steve
+on his "scrapping" with Lacey, but Steve flared up on the instant and
+Roy was glad to change the subject. After that, Steve was gloomily
+silent until the gymnasium was reached.
+
+As chance had it, the first-string fellows had just completed dressing
+and begun to leave the building as the others arrived there, and Steve,
+leading the way through the big door, collided with a boy who was on his
+way out. There was really plenty of room for the two to pass each other,
+but Steve was not in a frame of mind to give way to anyone and the
+result was that the other chap received the full force of Steve's
+shoulder.
+
+"Who are you shoving?" demanded an angry voice.
+
+Steve turned and confronted Eric Sawyer. "Don't take all the room if you
+don't want to be shoved," answered Steve belligerently. Eric was
+accompanied by a younger fellow, who instantly withdrew to the safety of
+the further side of the hall. "You're too big, anyway," continued Steve.
+Tom and the others, at his heels in the open doorway, gasped and stared
+at Steve in amazement. Eric's countenance depicted a similar emotion for
+an instant, and I think he, too, gasped. Then he sprang forward and
+gave Steve a push that sent him staggering away from the door.
+
+"You fresh kid!" he growled. "You keep out of my way after this or
+you'll get hurt. I've stood about all of your nonsense I mean to!"
+
+Steve leaped back with clenched hands and flashing eyes, but Harry
+stepped between, while Tom and Roy caught hold of Steve.
+
+"That'll be about all, Sawyer," said Harry quietly. "You can't fight a
+fellow a head smaller than you, you know."
+
+"Don't you butt in," growled Eric. "I don't intend to fight him, but
+I'll give him a mighty good spanking if he bothers me any more. Come on,
+Whipple."
+
+Steve, struggling against the grasps and pleas of Tom and Roy, strove to
+get between Eric Sawyer and the door. "Spank me, will you?" he said
+angrily. "You let me be, you fellows! Take your hands off me! I'll show
+him he can't push me around!"
+
+"I won't push you the next time," laughed Eric contemptuously. "I'll
+turn you over my knee! You, too, you other freshie." He glared at Tom,
+but Tom was too busy with Steve to make reply. "You want to both of you
+keep away from me after this."
+
+And, with a final scowl, Eric went out, followed by his companion who
+ventured a weak and ingratiating smile as he passed. By that time the
+hall was half-full of curious spectators, and Steve, finding his enemy
+gone, allowed himself to be conducted to the stairway.
+
+"I'm not through with him yet," he declared. "I'll teach him to push me
+around like that!"
+
+"Oh, cut it!" said Roy disgustedly. "Don't be a silly ass, Steve. You
+began it yourself and you got what was coming to you. A nice fight you
+would put up against Sawyer!"
+
+"It's no affair of yours," replied Steve hotly. "No one asked you to
+butt in on it, anyway. You too, Tom! The next time you keep out of my
+affairs. Do you understand?"
+
+Tom said nothing, but Roy shrugged his shoulders as they entered the
+locker room. "If you want to make a fool of yourself, all right, Steve.
+I won't interfere again. Don't worry."
+
+"I'm no more of a fool than you are," responded Steve. "You fellows make
+me sick. Just because Sawyer's a little bigger, you let him kick you all
+over the shop."
+
+"He's never kicked me," drawled Harry. "But if he tried to I'd run. I
+may not be a hero, but I know what's what! Put your head under the cold
+water tap, Steve."
+
+Steve replied to that advice with a scowl, and Harry and Roy turned back
+to make their way upstairs again and across to Torrence.
+
+"He acted like a silly kid," said Roy crossly.
+
+"Yes, he was in a beast of a temper to-day, anyway. Wonder what's the
+matter with him. He's like a bear with a sore head. He had pluck to
+stand up to Sawyer, though. I'd have run."
+
+"So would he, probably, if he hadn't been so mad," chuckled Roy. "You
+can be awfully brave if you get mad enough!" Then he added more
+seriously: "Sawyer will get him some day surely, after this."
+
+"Oh, Sawyer isn't as bad as he's painted, I guess," replied Harry. "The
+trouble with Steve is that he's pig-headed or something."
+
+"He fancies himself a bit," said Roy. "He will get over it after he's
+been here longer. You can't help liking him, though, and I'll be sorry
+if he gets out."
+
+"Why should he get out?" asked Harry in surprise.
+
+Roy shrugged. "Maybe he won't, but he will if he doesn't get a hunch
+and buckle down to study. 'Uncle Sim' has got it in for him hard. Some
+fine day Steve will get an invitation to the Cottage, Josh will tell him
+a few things, Steve will get lumpy and--good-night! You see if it
+doesn't turn out that way."
+
+"Why the dickens doesn't he study, then?" grumbled Harry. "He's got
+brains enough."
+
+"Oh, sure, he's got the brains," answered Roy as he held open the door
+at Torrence, "but he hasn't discovered yet that there's someone else to
+think of besides Steve. If he doesn't want to do a thing he
+won't--unless he's made to. Look at the way he played to-day! Just
+because he felt lumpy he didn't think it was worth while to do anything
+but scrap with that other chap. Folks won't stand for that very long and
+some day Steve will wake up with a bang!"
+
+"You going over to swim?" asked Harry when they had reached their room.
+
+Roy shook his head gently. "Not this afternoon, I think, thanking you
+just the same. I'd be afraid Steve would pull me under water and drown
+me!" Roy chuckled as he seated himself and, thrusting his hands in his
+trousers pockets, surveyed his shoes smilingly. "Poor old Steve! He's in
+for a heap of trouble, I guess, before he gets ready to settle down as
+a useful member of our charming little community."
+
+"Seems to me," said Harry, "about the best thing you do to-day is
+predict trouble for folks. You're as bad as What's-his-name's raven; you
+croak."
+
+"The gentleman's name was Poe," returned Roy sweetly. "But perhaps
+you've never studied American literature."
+
+"I thought Poe was a football hero at Princeton or somewhere," laughed
+Harry. "What did he ever do for American literature?"
+
+"American history was more in his line," replied Roy. "Football history.
+Find your ball and let's go down and pass. I won't croak a single,
+solitary croak, old thing."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI
+
+MR. DALEY IS OUT
+
+
+The reason for Steve's ill-temper was the receipt that morning of a
+letter from his father. Mr. Edwards wrote that he had just been informed
+by the principal that Steve's work was far from satisfactory. "He tells
+me," wrote Mr. Edwards, "that your general attitude toward your studies
+is careless and that in Latin especially you are not keeping up with
+your class. Now I can't be worried by this sort of thing. I give you
+fair warning that if you don't mend your ways you'll be taken out of
+school and put to work here in the office, and there won't be any more
+talk about college. If Mr. Fernald had said you were not able to do the
+work, that would be another thing, but he distinctly accuses you of not
+trying and not caring. I suppose the whole amount of the matter is that
+you're paying too much attention to football. If I get another complaint
+about you this year I shall write Mr. Fernald to forbid you to play
+football or any other game until you show that you mean business. If
+that doesn't bring you around I shall take you out of school. Fair
+warning, Steve."
+
+Steve knew his father well enough to be certain that he would do just as
+he threatened, and the future looked particularly dark to him that day.
+Of course, if he had plenty of time he could master his Latin--and his
+Greek, which was troubling him less but was by no means a favourite
+course--as well as any other study, he told himself. But there was so
+much to be done! And try as he might, he could never seem to find time
+enough for study. If he gave up football it would, perhaps, be easy
+enough, but, he asked himself bitterly, what was the good of going to
+school and doing nothing but study? What was the good of knowing how to
+play football if he wasn't to have a chance to use his knowledge? It was
+all the fault of the faculty. It tried to get too much work out of the
+fellows in too short a time. But these reflections didn't help his case
+any. It was up to him to make good with Latin. Otherwise his father
+would write to Josh, as he threatened, and there'd be no more football.
+If he could get through the next month, by which time the football
+season would be at an end, it would be all right. After that he could
+give more time to lessons. He might, too, he told himself, give up those
+swimming lessons. But they came at an hour when it was terribly hard to
+get a fellow's mind down to study. And, besides, he enjoyed those
+lessons. The only thing to do was to stay at home in the evenings and
+keep his nose in his books. Tom didn't have much trouble, he reflected,
+and why should he? Sometimes he got thoroughly angry with Tom for the
+ease with which that youth mastered lessons!
+
+To make matters worse, just at that time, there was due the last of the
+week an original composition in French, designed by Mr. Daley as a test
+for the class. French did not bother Steve much, although this was
+partly due to the fact that Mr. Daley had been very lenient with him,
+knowing that he was having trouble in the classical courses. But writing
+an original composition in French was a feat that filled Steve with
+dismay. What the dickens was he to write about? Mr. Daley had announced
+that the composition must contain not less than twelve hundred words.
+That approximated six pages in a blue-book. Steve sighed, frowned, shook
+his head and finally shrugged his shoulders. After all, there was no use
+worrying about that yet. There still remained three days for the
+composition, and the most important thing now was to make a showing in
+Latin. French could wait. If he didn't find time for the
+composition--well, Mr. Daley was easy! He'd get by somehow!
+
+So Steve pegged away hard at his Latin for several days and made a very
+good showing, and Mr. Simkins, who had been contemplating harsh
+measures, took heart and hoped that further reports to the principal
+would be unnecessary. But what with Latin and Greek and mathematics and
+history and English, that French composition was still unwritten when
+Thursday evening arrived. It had been a hard day on the gridiron and
+Steve was pretty well fagged out when study hour came. He had told
+himself for several days that at the last moment he would buckle down
+and do that composition, but to-night, with a hard lesson in geometry
+staring him in the face, the thing looked impossible. Across the study
+table, Tom was diligently digging into Greek, his French composition
+already finished and ready to be handed in on the morrow. Steve looked
+over at him enviously and sighed. He hadn't an idea in his head for that
+composition! After a while, when he had spoiled two good sheets of paper
+with meaningless scrawls, he pushed back his chair. There was just one
+course open. He would go down and tell Mr. Daley that he couldn't do it!
+After all, "Horace" was a pretty reasonable sort of chap and would
+probably give him another day or two. In any case, it was impossible to
+do the thing to-night. He glanced at his watch and found that the time
+was ten minutes to eight. Tom looked up inquiringly as Steve's chair
+went back.
+
+"I'm going down to see 'Horace,'" said Steve. "I can't do that French
+composition, and I'm going to tell him so. If he doesn't like it, he may
+do the other thing."
+
+Tom made no reply, but he watched his chum thoughtfully until the door
+had closed behind him. Then he dug frowningly for a moment with the nib
+of a pen in the blotter and finally shook his head and went back to his
+book.
+
+When Steve was half-way between the stairwell and Mr. Daley's door, the
+latter opened and Eric Sawyer came out. Steve was in no mood to-night to
+pick a quarrel and he passed the older fellow with averted eyes, dimly
+aware of the scowl that greeted him. When he knocked at the instructor's
+door there was no reply and, after a moment, Steve turned the knob and
+entered. At the outer door Eric had paused and looked back.
+
+Mr. Daley's study was lighted but empty. Satisfying himself on the
+latter point, Steve turned to go out. Then, reflecting that, since the
+instructor had left the lights on, he was probably coming right back, he
+decided to await him. He seated himself in a chair near the big
+green-topped table. Almost under his hand lay a blue-book, and in idle
+curiosity Steve leaned forward and looked at it. On the white label in
+the upper left-hand corner he read: "French IV. Carl W. Upton. Original
+composition." Steve viewed that blue-book frowningly, envying Upton
+deeply. Upton, whom he knew by sight, was the sort of fellow who always
+had his lessons and who was forever being held up by the instructor to
+the rest of the course as a shining example of diligence. He roomed on
+the floor above Steve. It was, Steve reflected, just like Upton to get
+his composition done and hand it in in advance of the others. He
+wondered what sort of stuff Upton had written, and lifted the blue-book
+from the table.
+
+"En Revanche!" he read as he turned to the first page. His lip curled.
+That was a silly title. He dipped into the story. It was something about
+a French soldier accused of cowardice by an officer. Steve, puzzling
+through the first page, grudgingly acknowledged that Upton had written
+pretty good stuff. But his interest soon waned, for some of the words
+were beyond him, and he idly tossed the book back on the table. He
+wished, though, that that was his composition and not Upton's. He
+wondered if Mr. Daley had seen it. Somehow the position of the book, in
+the geometrical centre of the big writing-pad, suggested that Upton had
+found the instructor out and had left the book. If he had that book
+upstairs it wouldn't be hard to copy the composition out in his own
+hand-writing. It would be a whole lot like stealing, but----
+
+Steve looked fascinatedly at the book for a minute. Then his hand went
+out and he was once more turning the pages of neat, close writing. Of
+course, he wouldn't really do a thing like that, but--well, it would
+solve a mighty big problem! And what a hole that self-sufficient Upton
+would be in! He couldn't prove that he had left the book in Mr. Daley's
+study, at least not unless the instructor had seen it there; and somehow
+Steve was pretty sure he hadn't. Of course a decent chap wouldn't do a
+trick like that, only--well, it would certainly be easy enough!
+
+Upstairs, Tom was still deep in his Greek, but he looked up as Steve
+came in. "Find him?" he asked.
+
+Steve shook his head. "No, he was out. I--I'll go down again." Instead
+of reseating himself at the table, he fidgetted aimlessly about the
+room, looked out the window, sat down on the seat, got up again, went to
+the closet, returned to the table and stood looking down on Tom with a
+frown. Tom closed his book with a sigh of relief and met his chum's
+gaze.
+
+"Going to tackle that composition now?" he asked encouragingly.
+
+"I guess so," answered Steve carelessly. "Are you through?"
+
+"Yes. I think I'll run over to Harry's a minute. I suppose you won't
+come."
+
+"Not likely, with this pesky thing to do." Steve sank into his chair,
+picked up a pencil and drummed irritably on the table. "Maybe, though,"
+he went on after a moment, "I'll get up early and do it. I don't feel
+much like it to-night."
+
+"Just the same," returned Tom as he picked up his cap, "I'd do it
+to-night if I were you and get it over with."
+
+"Oh, if you were me you'd had it done a week ago Tuesday," replied Steve
+with vast sarcasm. "I guess I'll go along."
+
+"How about your math?" asked Tom doubtfully.
+
+Steve shrugged. "I'll get by," he answered. "Anyway, I don't intend to
+stay cooped up here all the evening. I'll have a go at it when I get
+back, maybe."
+
+"We-ell." Tom looked as though he wanted to advise against that course,
+but he didn't. Instead, "Do you mind waiting for me a minute?" he asked.
+"I want to run down and ask Mr. Daley about something, if he's back. Do
+you want to see him if he's there? I'll whistle up to you if you like."
+
+Steve shook his head indifferently. "I'll see him when we come back," he
+answered. "Hurry up."
+
+Tom was back in two or three minutes. "Still out," he announced as he
+put back on the table the French book he had taken with him. "He's
+getting a bit dissipated, I'm afraid, staying out after eight!"
+
+"There's a faculty meeting to-night, I think," responded Steve. "Are you
+ready?"
+
+He found his cap and followed Tom. In the corridor the latter glanced
+back. "Better turn out the light," he said. "They've been after the
+fellows lately about leaving it burning."
+
+Grumblingly Steve stepped back and snapped the switch. "Who's monitor
+here, anyhow?" he asked.
+
+"Upton," answered Tom. "And they say he's right on his job, too."
+
+"He would be," growled the other. "He's a regular teacher's pet." As
+they went down the stairs Steve said: "I came across Eric Sawyer in the
+hall when I went down to find 'Horace'."
+
+"Really?" asked Tom. "Did he--say anything?"
+
+"No. I didn't want any trouble with him to-night and so I made believe I
+didn't see him."
+
+"That's the stuff," Tom approved. "I guess if we leave him alone he
+won't bother us."
+
+"I'm likely to bother him before I get through with him," replied Steve
+darkly as they left the building. "He can't shove me around as he did
+and get away with it!"
+
+"Oh, come, Steve!" expostulated Tom patiently. "You know very well you
+shoved him first. What's the use of being sore about that?"
+
+"He bumped into me," denied Steve. "I didn't shove."
+
+"Well, you gave a mighty good imitation of it," replied Tom drily.
+"Seems to me it was about an even thing, and I'd forget it, Steve."
+
+"Maybe you would," muttered Steve, "but I don't intend to."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVII
+
+THE BLUE-BOOK
+
+
+It was almost half-past nine when they got back to the room. An hour in
+the society of Roy and Harry had done wonders for Steve's spirits, and
+on the way upstairs he cheerfully announced that he intended to tackle
+that geometry before he went to bed. As Tom switched the light on,
+Steve's glance encountered a piece of paper on the floor. It had
+evidently been slipped in under the door.
+
+"Who's this from?" he muttered as he bore it to the table. "Someone was
+too lazy to open the door and come in."
+
+"What is it?" asked Tom, bending over Steve's shoulder.
+
+"It's from that idiot Durkin," chuckled the latter. "'Got just what you
+fellows need. Shoe-blacking stand, two brushes, all complete. Cheap.
+Come and see it. P. Durkin.'"
+
+"A shoe-blacking stand!" laughed Tom. "Say, he must have seen your
+shoes, Steve."
+
+"Must have seen yours, you mean!" Steve crumpled the note up and dropped
+it in the basket under the table. "I guess we don't want any more of
+Mr. Durkin's bargains."
+
+"Still, this 'Morris' chair turned out pretty well," said Tom, settling
+himself in it with a book. "And perhaps if we had that thing you'd keep
+your shoes looking better."
+
+"Well, there's one thing about my shoes," returned Steve good-naturedly,
+"and that is the heels are blacked. Which is more than you can say of
+yours, my smart young friend."
+
+Tom was about to deny the imputation when footsteps sounded in the
+corridor and there came a knock on the door.
+
+"Come in," said Tom very politely. That step could only be Mr. Daley's,
+he thought. And when the door opened he found his surmise correct. Mr.
+Daley looked more nervous and embarrassed than usual as he entered.
+
+"Good-evening, boys," he said. "I--er--I wonder if I might speak to you
+just a moment, Edwards."
+
+"Certainly, sir."
+
+"I'll get out, Mr. Daley," said Tom, rising.
+
+"Er--well, if you don't mind, Hall; just for a minute. Thank you so
+much."
+
+Tom went out, closing the door behind him, and Mr. Daley cleared his
+throat.
+
+"Will you sit down, sir?" asked Steve.
+
+"Er--thanks, yes, just for a minute. I--er--I believe you called this
+evening when I was out, Edwards."
+
+"Yes, sir, about eight."
+
+"Yes, yes. Sorry I was not in. I wonder if--if you happened to see a
+blue-book on my table when you were there, Edwards."
+
+"Yes, sir, there was one there," replied Steve after an instant's
+hesitation.
+
+"Ah, then Upton was not mistaken. He says he left one. Unfortunately, I
+am not able to find it, Edwards. You--er--you don't happen to know where
+it is, Edwards?"
+
+"I, sir!" Steve's tone was incredulous. "Why, no, Mr. Daley. It was on
+the table when I left, and----"
+
+"Er--just a moment!" Mr. Daley held up a hand, smiling nervously. "I
+don't mean to suggest that you carried the book off intentionally,
+Edwards, but it occurred to me that possibly you might have--er--taken
+it up by mistake, absentmindedly, so to say, and--er--brought it up here
+with you."
+
+"No, sir, I didn't." Steve looked at the instructor questioningly. "I
+don't see why you'd imagine that, sir, either."
+
+"Er--well, I knew--that is, someone told me that you were in my room,
+Edwards, and I thought--that possibly--quite by accident--you
+had--er----"
+
+"I was in your room, Mr. Daley, and I waited two or three minutes for
+you; maybe longer; and the blue-book was on the table when I went in and
+it was there when I came out."
+
+"You--you had a blue-book in your hand, however, did you not, when
+you--er--left?"
+
+"A blue-book? No, sir."
+
+"Oh! That is strange, Edwards. You are certain you didn't take down a
+blue-book of your own and bring it back again?"
+
+"Absolutely sure, sir."
+
+"But--er--someone saw you leave my room, Edwards, with a blue-book in
+your hand."
+
+Steve flushed and his voice held an angry tremor as he answered:
+"Someone was mistaken, Mr. Daley, whoever he was. Seems to me, sir, if
+the book is missing, you'd better ask that 'someone' about it."
+
+"Um; yes; maybe." Mr. Daley blinked embarrassedly. "I--er--I thought
+that perhaps you had brought down your French composition and had
+possibly, in leaving, taken up Upton's book with your own by mistake.
+You--er--you're quite sure that didn't happen, Edwards?"
+
+"I'm positive, because I haven't done my composition, sir."
+
+"Haven't done it?"
+
+"No, sir," replied Steve a trifle defiantly.
+
+"But--er--it's pretty late, and you know they are to be handed in
+to-morrow, Edwards. You are having trouble with it?"
+
+"I--I haven't started it yet. I--I just can't do it, Mr. Daley. I never
+could do original things like that. That's why I went down to see you. I
+wanted to ask if you'd let me have a couple more days for it. You see,
+sir, I've been having a pretty hard time with Latin, and--and there
+hasn't been any time for the composition, sir."
+
+"I see." Mr. Daley viewed Steve dubiously. "I'm sorry, Edwards. I'm
+afraid you are not--er--trying very hard to accomplish your work these
+days."
+
+"I am trying, sir, but--but the Latin--" Steve hesitated. "Mr. Simkins
+is awfully hard on me, Mr. Daley, and----"
+
+"And I am not?" Mr. Daley smiled sadly. "And so you thought you'd trust
+to my--er--good-nature, eh? Really, Edwards, you are asking a good deal,
+you know. You've had nearly ten days for that composition; a scant
+twelve hundred words on any subject you liked; and it seems to me that
+if you had really wanted to do it you could have found the time. I don't
+want to be hard on you, but--er--I'm afraid I shall have to insist on
+your handing in that composition not later than to-morrow noon. I have
+been very lenient with you, Edwards, very. You--er--you must see that
+yourself. But--er--this sort of thing can't go on all the term. You
+really must get down to work."
+
+"If I could have another day for it," begged Steve, "I could get it
+done, sir."
+
+"You have had ten days already; to be exact, nine and a half, Edwards. I
+don't think I should make any exception in your case. I'm sorry."
+
+Steve stared at his shoes, a somewhat mutinous expression on his face.
+After a moment, "It isn't fair to say I'm not trying," he broke out. "I
+_am_ trying, but things are too hard here. They ask too much work of a
+fellow. Why, if I was to get B's in all my courses I'd have to study
+eight hours a day! A fellow wants to do something beside stick in his
+room and grind, Mr. Daley. He wants to get out and--and play sometimes.
+If you're on the football team you don't have any time in the
+afternoons and then, when evening comes, you're tired and sleepy."
+
+"But you have time between recitations in the morning, Edwards, to do
+some studying, do you not? Other boys manage to both work and play. Why
+can't you? Look at your room-mate. I believe that he is--er--on one of
+the football teams. He seems to get his lessons fairly well. I presume
+that he has written his composition?"
+
+"Yes, sir."
+
+"Of course. It is probably here somewhere." Mr. Daley's eyes inspected
+the pile of books at his elbow, and the corner of a blue-book met his
+gaze. "This is doubtless it." He drew it forth. "It doesn't look such a
+herculean task, Edwards. Here are seven pages, rather more than
+required, I'd say, and----"
+
+Mr. Daley ceased abruptly, and, after a moment, Steve, who had been
+gloomily regarding the floor, looked across. The instructor was
+observing him strangely.
+
+"Do you know whose book this is, Edwards?" he asked.
+
+"I suppose it's Tom's. It isn't mine," he added moodily.
+
+"It is Carl Upton's."
+
+"Carl----" Steve stared bewilderedly.
+
+"It seems that you must have--er--taken it after all, Edwards."
+
+"But I didn't, sir! Tom will tell you that----"
+
+He faltered, and a puzzled look came into his eyes as he regarded the
+book in the instructor's hand.
+
+"Well, really, Edwards,"--Mr. Daley spoke lightly, but his countenance
+was grave--"you mustn't expect me to put it down to a miracle. If you
+didn't put the book here on your table, who did? Unless Hall knows
+something about it? Was he in my study this evening?"
+
+There was a bare instant of hesitation. Then, "No, sir," replied Steve
+steadily.
+
+"Er--you are sure? He might have called on me when you were out."
+
+"We were together all the evening, Mr. Daley."
+
+"Then----" The instructor cleared his throat nervously.
+
+"I guess--I guess it's up to me, sir," said Steve.
+
+Mr. Daley sighed. "I think it must be." There was silence for a moment.
+Then, "Why?" asked Mr. Daley gently.
+
+"I don't know, sir."
+
+"You couldn't have thought of--er--making unfair use of it?"
+
+"I----" Steve hesitated again. Finally, "Perhaps I did for a moment.
+But--I shouldn't have, sir," he added earnestly.
+
+"I hope not, Edwards. But--why did you take it? You--er--must have known
+that it would--er--be missed."
+
+"I"--Steve seemed to be searching for an answer--"I just took it to--to
+get even with Upton."
+
+"To get even with him? He has--er--done something, then, to--er--annoy
+you?"
+
+"Yes, sir. That is, well--I don't like him."
+
+Mr. Daley observed Steve dubiously. At last, "I wish I could believe
+that explanation, Edwards," he said. "As inexcusable as such--er--such
+an action would be, it would still be preferable to--to what I am forced
+to suspect. But the whole thing is beyond me." The instructor spread his
+hands in a gesture of despair. "I can't understand it, Edwards." After a
+minute, "It must have been an accident," continued Mr. Daley almost
+pleadingly. "You--er--you perhaps mistook the book for your own----"
+
+"I didn't have any," muttered Steve.
+
+"Well." Mr. Daley cleared his throat. "I--I must think it over. I--I
+scarcely know what to say, Edwards. I'm sorry, very sorry." He arose
+and moved to the door. "Come and see me to-morrow noon, please.
+We--er--must talk this over again. Good-night, Edwards."
+
+"Good-night, sir." Steve stood up until the door had closed and then
+sank back into his chair again, a very miserable look on his face.
+
+"What a crazy place to hide it!" he murmured.
+
+The door opened and Tom came in, Tom with an expression half troubled
+and half humorous. "What's up?" he asked in a low voice.
+
+"Oh, nothing," replied Steve carelessly, avoiding Tom's eyes. "He jumped
+me because I hadn't done my comp. Says I must turn it in by noon
+to-morrow."
+
+"Is that all?" Tom heaved a sigh of relief. "When he asked me to get out
+I thought it was something pretty serious."
+
+"Isn't that old composition serious enough?" asked Steve with a laugh
+that didn't sound quite true.
+
+"Yes, I suppose so. Look here, Steve, if you'll tackle it now, I'll help
+you all I can with it. It won't take long. What time is it?"
+
+"Have you done yours?" asked Steve.
+
+"Yes," replied the other unenthusiastically. "It's done, but--but I
+guess it's pretty rotten. If I get a C on it I'll be doing well. I
+thought maybe I'd go over it again, but--I guess it'll have to do."
+
+"Where is it?"
+
+"Here somewhere." Tom searched at the far end of the table and drew a
+blue-book to light. "Want to see it?"
+
+Steve took it and glanced over it, a puzzled frown on his forehead.
+
+"What's the matter?" asked Tom. "Don't you like it? I guess it is pretty
+punk, though."
+
+"It's all right, as far as I know," answered Steve, returning the book.
+"Only--I don't understand----"
+
+"Don't understand what? Say, you're as mysterious as--as--Sherlock
+Holmes!"
+
+"Nothing. By the way, a funny thing happened." Steve wandered toward the
+window, his back to Tom, "When I went down to find 'Horace' I picked up
+a blue-book that was on his table and brought it up here. It was
+Upton's. I--I hadn't any recollection of doing it, but he found it lying
+on the table. Of course I felt like a fool."
+
+"Oh," said Tom after a moment. "That--that was funny. I didn't see you
+bring it in with you." There was a note of constraint in his voice that
+did not escape Steve.
+
+"I don't remember bringing it in," he replied. "I saw it on the table
+down there and--and looked at it, had it in my hand, but I don't
+remember bringing it up."
+
+"Funny," said Tom lightly. "Did--did he say anything?"
+
+"Oh, no. Of course I denied it at first, said I couldn't have taken it,
+but he said I must have, unless--unless you had. He asked if you were in
+his room and I said no."
+
+"But I was!" exclaimed Tom. "Don't you remember? I went down just before
+we went out. But there wasn't any blue-book on his table then. At least,
+I didn't see any."
+
+"Well, it doesn't matter. I told him you hadn't been there. I--I'd let
+him think so, anyway. There's no use having any more bother about the
+old thing."
+
+"Well, but--you're sure he wasn't waxy? Of course I didn't take the
+book; you can prove that I didn't have it when I came back; but if he's
+acting ugly about it, why--I'll tell him I was in there too. He can lay
+it on me if he wants to. I--I think I'll tell him, Steve."
+
+"You keep out of it," answered Steve roughly. "What's the use of having
+any more talk about it? He's got the book and there's no harm done."
+
+Tom considered a moment. Then, "You're certain?" he asked.
+
+"Certain of what?"
+
+"That--that it's all right, that he doesn't blame you for it."
+
+"Oh, he knows I did it, but he doesn't mind. What time is it?"
+
+"A quarter past ten. What are you doing?"
+
+Steve was ripping his bed to pieces. "I want a couple of blankets," he
+said. "Haven't we some thumb-tacks somewhere?"
+
+"Table drawer," replied Tom. "What's the game?"
+
+"I'm going to do that rotten composition." Steve climbed to a chair, and
+with the aid of push-pins draped one of the blankets over the door and
+transom. Then he pulled the window-shade close and hung the second
+blanket inside the casement. "There! Now if anyone sees a light in this
+room they'll have to have mighty good eyes. You tumble into bed, Tom,
+and try to imagine it's dark."
+
+"Bed? Who wants to go to bed?" asked Tom, smothering a yawn. "I'm going
+to help you with it."
+
+"No, you're not," replied Steve doggedly. "I'm going to do it and I'm
+going to do it all myself if it takes me until daylight. Now shut up."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVIII
+
+B PLUS AND D MINUS
+
+
+At half-past ten the next morning Mr. Daley hurried into the class-room
+where French IV was already assembled, stumbled over the edge of the
+platform--the boys would have gasped with amazement had he neglected to
+do that--and took his seat. On one corner of the table in front of him
+was a pile of blue-books. He drew it toward him and ran a hand along the
+edges of the books.
+
+"Has everyone handed in his composition?" he asked.
+
+There was no reply and he seemed surprised. "I--er--I am to understand,
+then, that you have all turned your books in?"
+
+Still no dissenting voice. Mr. Daley's gaze travelled over the class
+until it encountered Steve at the rear of the room. He opened his mouth,
+hesitated, closed it again, cleared his throat and finally pushed the
+pile of books aside.
+
+"Very well," he said. "I shall mark these this evening. You
+will--er--kindly get them to-morrow. Now then, 'Le Siege de Paris'; we
+left off where, Upton?"
+
+At a few minutes past twelve Steve knocked at Mr. Daley's door, and,
+obeying the invitation, entered. The instructor was seated at his desk,
+a litter of blue-books in front of him and a pipe in his mouth. The
+latter he laid aside as the boy appeared.
+
+"You said you wanted to see me, sir," said Steve.
+
+"Er--yes, Edwards. Sit down, please." The instructor took up his pipe
+again, hurriedly put it aside, seized a pencil and jotted nervously on
+the back of a book. Finally,
+
+"I--er--find your composition here," he said. "When did you write it?"
+
+"Between half-past ten last night and two o'clock this morning."
+
+"Hm!" Mr. Daley swung around in his chair, viewed the oblong of
+landscape framed by the window for a moment and swung back again. There
+was a faint smile about his eyes. "Edwards, you--er--are a bit
+disconcerting. I presume you know that the rules require you to be in
+bed with lights out at ten-thirty?"
+
+"Yes, sir."
+
+"Hm! And you--er--deliberately transgressed that rule?"
+
+"I didn't see anything else to do, Mr. Daley. You said I must turn that
+in by noon and there wouldn't have been time this morning to do it."
+
+"Logically reasoned, my boy, but----" The instructor shook his head.
+"You mustn't expect me to compliment you on your performance, Edwards.
+To perform one duty by neglecting another is hardly--er--commendable. If
+it were not that you had transgressed a rule of the school, Edwards, I
+might compliment you quite highly. Your composition--I--er--I've been
+glancing through it--is really very good. I don't mean that you have not
+made mistakes of grammar, for you have, lots of them, but--er--you have
+written a well-constructed and--er--well-expressed narrative. What
+I--er--especially like about it is the subject. You have written of
+something you know about, something close at home, so to say. I--er--I
+am not much of a swimmer myself, but I presume that the instructions you
+have laid down here are--er--quite correct. In fact, Edwards, I'll even
+go so far as to say that I fancy one might take this composition of
+yours and--er--really learn something about swimming. And--er--if you
+have ever tried to learn anything of the sort--golf, rowing,
+tennis--from a hand-book you will realise that that is high praise."
+
+"Yes, sir. Thank you."
+
+"I had decided to mark your composition with a B, Edwards. Perhaps the
+many mistakes in grammar would ordinarily indicate a C, perhaps even a C
+minus, but the--er--other merits of the exercise are so pronounced that,
+on the whole, I think it deserves a B."
+
+"Thank you, sir."
+
+"Er--just a moment." The instructor held up a hand. "I said that I had
+decided to give you a B, Edwards. That, however, was before I had
+learned when this was written. I shall now give it a D minus.
+You--er--you understand why, Edwards?"
+
+"Yes, sir."
+
+"I'm sorry, but I--er--must take into consideration the facts in the
+case. And those facts are that you neglected your work until the last
+moment and then disobeyed one of the well-known rules of the school in
+order to perform it. There is one other thing I might do. I might credit
+you with a B on your exercise and report you to the Office for
+disobeying the rules. But--er--I think, on the whole, that the first
+method is the more satisfactory. You understand, of course, that
+anything under a C in this test is equivalent to failure?"
+
+"Yes, sir."
+
+"Hm; exactly. Therefore, Edwards, you will be required to make up nearly
+a month's work in French. I shall have to ask you to prove to me that
+you are in line with the rest of the class. But you will have a full
+week to do this and I--er--I suspect that you will not find it very
+difficult." Mr. Daley took up a blue pencil and marked a large "D-" on
+the corner of the blue-book. "You might as well take this now, Edwards.
+Bring me another composition not later than a week from to-day, please."
+The instructor fluttered the leaves of a memorandum-pad and made a note
+opposite a future date. "I have not corrected it, but, as you have it to
+do over, that is not necessary."
+
+Mr. Daley leaned back in his chair and gazed for a minute at the table.
+Then,
+
+"There is one other thing, Edwards," he said hesitantly. "About last
+night, you know; the--er--the misappropriation of Upton's blue-book.
+Have you--er--thought that over?"
+
+"I suppose so, sir."
+
+"Hm! I should like to ask you one question and receive an absolutely
+truthful reply, Edwards."
+
+"Yes, sir."
+
+"When you took that book to your room did you intend to--er--make a
+wrong use of it?"
+
+"No, sir. I saw the book on your table, Mr. Daley, and--and it did occur
+to me that it would be easy to copy it out in my own writing and--and
+turn it in as my work, sir. I read a little of it and put it back on the
+table. But I don't at all remember seeing it again after that, sir, and
+that's the truth. I haven't the slightest recollection of having it in
+my hand when I left this room or of putting it on the table upstairs.
+And--and I'd like you to believe me, sir."
+
+"I want to, Edwards, I want to," replied Mr. Daley eagerly.
+"And--er--to-day your story sounds much more plausible. I can imagine
+that, with the thought of your own composition in mind and doubtless
+worrying you, you might easily have--er--absentmindedly picked that book
+from the table here when you went out and taken it to your room without
+being conscious of the act. I believe that to be quite possible,
+Edwards, and I am going to think it happened just that way. I have never
+observed any signs of--er--dishonesty in you, my boy, and I don't think
+you are a liar. We will consider that matter closed and we will both
+forget all about it."
+
+"Thank you, sir," replied Steve gratefully.
+
+"But, Edwards, this seems to me a good time to tell you that--er--that
+your attitude toward--er--your work and toward those in authority has
+not been satisfactory. You have--er--impressed me as a boy with, to use
+a vulgar expression, a grouch. Now, get that out of your system,
+Edwards. No one is trying to impose on you. Your work is no harder than
+the next fellow's. What you lack is, I presume, application. I--er--I
+don't deny that possibly you are pressed for time when it comes to
+studying, but that is your fault. Your football work is exacting, for
+one thing, although there are plenty of fellows--I could name twenty or
+thirty with whom I come in contact--who manage to play football and
+maintain an excellent class standing at the same time. So, Edwards, the
+fault lies somewhere with you, _in_ you, doubtless. Now, what do you
+think it is?"
+
+"I don't know, Mr. Daley." Steve shook his head hopelessly. "I want to
+do what's right, sir, but--but somehow I can't seem to."
+
+"When you study do you put your mind on it, or do you find yourself
+thinking of other things, football, for instance?"
+
+"I guess I think of other things a good deal," replied Steve.
+
+"Football?"
+
+"I guess so; football and--and swimming and--lots of things, sir."
+
+"There's a time for football and a time for study, Edwards. You will
+have to first of all--er--leave football behind you when you come off
+the field. Swimming, the same way. It won't work. I've seen it tried too
+often, Edwards. You--er--you wouldn't want to have to give up football,
+I suppose?"
+
+"No, sir!" Steve looked up in alarm.
+
+"But it might come to that, my boy. You're here to learn, you know, and
+we would not be treating your parents fairly--or you either--if we
+allowed you to waste your time. Football is an excellent sport; one of
+the best, I think; but it's only a sport, not a--er--profession, you
+know. All the knowledge of football in the world isn't going to help you
+when you leave here and try to enter college. By the way, I presume you
+intend to go to college, Edwards?"
+
+"Yes, sir."
+
+"Then keep that in mind. Remember that you're getting yourself ready for
+it. Perhaps that will make your work seem better worth doing. How are
+you getting on with your Latin?"
+
+"Very well, sir, just now."
+
+"Better see that 'just now' becomes 'all the time,' Edwards. Why, look
+here! You can do the work set you and play football or baseball or
+anything else if you'll make up your mind to it. You're a bright, normal
+fellow, with the average amount of brains. Systematise, Edwards! Arrange
+your day right. Mark down so many hours for recitations, so many hours
+for study, so many hours for play, and stick to your schedule. You'll
+find after awhile that it comes easy. You'll find that you--er--you'll
+miss studying when anything keeps you from it. When you go out of here I
+want you to do that very thing, my boy. I want you to go right up to
+your room, take a sheet of paper and make out a daily schedule. And when
+you've got it done put it somewhere where you'll see it. And stick to
+it! Will you?"
+
+"Yes, sir; that is, I--I'll do my best."
+
+"Good!" Mr. Daley held out a hand, smiling. "Shake hands on it, Edwards.
+You may not believe it, but half of--er--doing a thing consists of
+making up your mind to it! Well, that's all, I think. Er--you'd better
+look me up this evening and we'll settle about that French. Good-bye.
+Hope I haven't made you late for dinner."
+
+Steve drew a deep breath outside the door, puckered his lips and
+whistled softly, but it was a thoughtful whistle; as thoughtful as it
+was tuneless, and it lasted him all the way upstairs and into his room.
+Tom had gone, evidently having wearied of waiting for his friend to
+accompany him to dinner. Steve's own appetite was calling pretty loudly,
+but, having slipped the blue-book out of sight under a pile on the
+table, he dropped into his chair, drew a sheet of paper to him and began
+on the schedule. It took him almost a half-hour to complete it, and he
+spoiled several sheets in the process, but it was finally done, and,
+heading it "Daley Schedule," with a brief smile at the pun, he placed it
+on his chiffonier and hurried across to Wendell.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIX
+
+THE SECOND PUTS IT OVER
+
+
+"What do you know about that?" demanded Tom the next day. "'Horace' gave
+me a B on my comp! Of course, I'm not kicking, but I'll bet he made a
+mistake. Maybe he got nervous and his pencil slipped!"
+
+"Seems to me," returned Steve coldly, "he knows better than you do what
+the thing is worth. He's not exactly an idiot, you know."
+
+Tom stared in some surprise. "I didn't say he was an idiot, did I?
+Considering the things you've said about 'Horace' I don't think you need
+take that high-and-mighty tone!"
+
+"Well, don't be a chump, then," replied Steve. "If Mr. Daley gave you a
+B you deserved a B."
+
+"Thanking you kindly," murmured Tom as he disappeared behind the pages
+of the blue-book to digest the corrections and criticisms on the
+margins. Steve's manner since the night he had remained up until morning
+to write that composition had been puzzling. He had very little to say
+to Tom, and when he did speak, spoke in a constrained manner quite
+unlike him. And more than once Tom had caught Steve observing him with
+an expression that he couldn't fathom. There was something up, that was
+certain, but what it was Tom couldn't imagine. It wasn't that Steve was
+cross or disagreeable. For that matter, his disposition seemed a good
+deal improved. But he was decidedly stand-offish and extraordinarily
+quiet. Tom wanted to ask outright what the trouble was, but, for some
+reason, he held back. As the days passed, Steve's manner became more
+natural and he ceased looking at Tom as though, to quote the latter's
+unspoken simile, he was a new sort of an animal in a zoo! But some
+constraint still remained, and, after awhile, Tom accepted the situation
+and grew accustomed to it. By that time he had grown too proud to ask
+for an explanation. The two chums spent less time together as a result,
+Steve becoming more dependent on Roy for companionship and Tom on Harry.
+When they were all four together, which was very frequently, it was not
+so bad, but when Steve and Tom were alone conversation was apt to
+languish.
+
+Tom at first was inclined to blame Steve's "Daley Schedule" for the
+change, for that schedule had quite altered Steve's existence. He lived
+by a strict routine which he followed with a dogged determination quite
+foreign to his ways as Tom knew them. He got up on time in the morning,
+reached the dining-hall almost as soon as the doors were opened, spent a
+scant twenty minutes there and then went directly back to his room to
+browse over his recitations for the day. Once Tom found him there
+hunched up in a corner of the window-seat while the chambermaid, viewing
+his presence distastefully, draped the furniture with bedding and did
+her best with broom and duster to discourage him from a repetition of
+the outrage. Between ten and eleven on three days a week Steve put in an
+hour of study in the room. On other days he managed to snatch two
+half-hour periods in the library between recitations. At six he was
+almost invariably awaiting the opening of the doors for dinner, and well
+before seven he was at his table again. Usually he studied until nine,
+although now and then he closed his books at half-past eight and
+followed Tom to Number 17 Torrence. Roy called him the Prize Grind and
+interestedly inquired what scholarship he was trying for. Steve accepted
+the joking with a grim smile.
+
+It wasn't easy. For the first few days he had to drive himself to his
+work with bit and spur. His feet lagged and he groaned in
+spirit--perhaps audibly, too--as he approached his books. But he did it,
+and little by little it became easier, until, as Mr. Daley had
+predicted, it had become a habit with him to do certain things at
+certain hours and he was uncomfortable if his routine was disarranged. I
+don't think Steve ever got where he loved to study, but he did
+eventually reach a pride of attainment that answered quite as well. He
+found as time went on that it was becoming easier to learn his lessons
+and easier to remember them when learned, and by that time he had taught
+himself to command over his thoughts, and when he was struggling through
+a proposition in geometry he wasn't wondering whether he would beat out
+Sherrard for the position of regular right end on the second before the
+season was over. In other words, he had learned concentration.
+
+But all this was not yet. That first week, in especial, was hard
+sledding, and that French composition almost drove him to distraction
+and gave him brain fever before it was done. But done it was and on
+time, and, while the best that Mr. Daley would allow it was a C plus,
+Steve was distinctly proud of it. And in that week he demonstrated to
+the instructor's satisfaction that he was up with the class in French. I
+think Mr. Daley was very willing to be convinced and that he met Steve
+quite half-way. Latin was still a bugaboo to Steve, but it, too, was
+getting easier. On the whole, that schedule, backed by a grim
+determination, was making good.
+
+Meanwhile football pursued its relentless course. Every day the first
+and second fought it out for gradually increasing periods and every day
+the season grew nearer its close and the Claflin game, the final goal,
+loomed more distinct. Phillips School came and went and Brimfield marked
+up her fifth victory. Phillips gave the Maroon-and-Grey a hard tussle,
+and the score, 12 to 0, didn't indicate the closeness of the playing.
+For Brimfield made her first touchdown by the veriest fluke and only
+gained her second in the last few minutes of play, when Phillips,
+outlasted, weakened on her six-yard line and let Norton through. On the
+other hand, Phillips had the ball thrice inside Brimfield's twenty
+yards, missed a field-goal by the narrowest of margins and, with the
+slightest twist of the luck, might have proved the victor.
+
+"Boots" had hammered the second into what Mr. Robey unhesitatingly
+declared to be one of the best scrub teams he had ever seen, and there
+was more than one contest between it and the 'varsity that yielded
+nothing to an outside game for hard fighting and excitement. Steve and
+his rival, Sherrard, were running about even for the right end position.
+Steve's tackling had improved vastly under Marvin's tutoring, and it was
+his ability in that department that possibly gave him a shade the better
+of the argument with Sherrard. So far there had been no decided slump in
+the playing of either team, and, since a slump is always looked for at
+some time during the season, both Mr. Robey and Danny Moore were getting
+anxious. Danny almost begged the fellows to go stale a little. "It ain't
+natural," he declared. "It's got to come, so let it and have it over
+with." Neither had there been any injuries of moment. On this score
+Danny had no regrets, however. He was a good trainer and prided himself
+on his ability to condition his charges so that they would escape
+injuries.
+
+Of course there had been plenty of bruises--one mild case of
+charley-horse, several dislocated or sprained fingers, a wrenched ankle
+or two and any number of cuts and scrapes, but none of the injuries had
+interfered with work for more than three or four days and not once had
+any first-string member of the 'varsity missed an outside game by reason
+of them. Steve's share of the injuries was a bruised shoulder sustained
+in a flying tackle that was more enthusiastic than scientific, and the
+thing bothered him for several days but did not keep him off the field.
+Tom, who played opposite Jay Fowler in scrimmage, was forever getting
+his countenance disfigured. Not that Fowler meant to leave his mark, but
+he was a big, powerful, hard-fighting chap and there were plenty of
+times when both parties to the practice games quite forgot that they
+were friends. Tom was seldom seen without a strip of court-plaster
+pasted to some portion of his face.
+
+It was four days after the Phillips game, to be exact, on the following
+Wednesday, that the first and second got together for what turned out to
+be the warmest struggle of the season in civil combat. It was a cold,
+leaden day, with a stinging breeze out of the northeast, and every
+fellow who wore a head-guard felt as full of ginger as a young colt. The
+second trotted over from their gridiron at four and found the first on
+its toes to get at them. Things started off with a whoop. The second
+received the kick-off and Marvin ran the ball back forty yards through a
+broken field before he was nailed. Encouraged by that excellent
+beginning, the scrub team went at it hammer and tongs. There was a fine
+old hole that day between Sawyer and Williams, and the second's backs
+ploughed through for gain after gain before the opposing line was
+cemented together again there. By that time the ball was down near the
+'varsity's ten yards and Captain Miller was frothing at the mouth, while
+the opposing coaches were hurling encouragement at their charges and the
+pandemonium even extended to the side-lines, where the school at large,
+in a frenzy of excitement, shouted and goaded on the teams.
+
+Twice the first held, once forcing Harris back for a loss, and then
+Marvin called for kick formation and himself held the ball for Brownell.
+What happened then was one of those unforeseen incidents that make
+football the hair-raising game it is. There was a weak spot in the
+second's line and, with the passing of the ball to Marvin, the 'varsity
+forwards came rampaging through. Brownell swung his leg desperately,
+trusting to fortune to get the pigskin over the upstretched hands of the
+charging enemy, but it swung against empty air. Marvin, seeing what was
+bound to happen, fearing the result of a blocked kick, snatched the ball
+aside just as Captain Brownell swung at it, rolled over a couple of
+times out of the path of the oncoming opponents, scrambled to his feet
+and, somehow, scuttled past a half-dozen defenders of the goal and fell
+over the line for a touchdown.
+
+The 'varsity afterwards called it "bull-luck" and "fluke" and several
+other belittling names, but "Boots" said it was "quick thinking and
+football, by jiminy!" At all events the second scored and then leaped
+and shouted like a band of Comanche Indians--or any other kind of Indian
+if there's a noisier sort!--and generally "rubbed it in."
+
+After that you may believe that the 'varsity played football! But
+nevertheless the first ten-minute period ended with the second still six
+points to the good and her goal-line intact. The teams were to play
+three periods that day and "Boots" ran four substitutes on the field
+when the next one began. One of them was Steve.
+
+It is no light task to play opposite the 'varsity captain and not come
+off second best, but the consensus of opinion that evening was to the
+effect that Steve had done that very thing. The wintery nip had got into
+Steve's blood, I think, for he played like a tiger-cat on the defence,
+ran like a streak of wind and tackled so hard that Coach Robey had to
+caution him. Twice in that period the first came storming down to the
+second's twenty yards and twice they were held there. Once Milton was
+nailed on a round-the-end run and once Still fumbled a pass and Freer
+fell on it.
+
+Steve carried out his part of a forward-pass play with excellent
+precision later and seemingly had a clear field and a touchdown in sight
+for a moment. But Milton managed to upset him on the thirty yards, and
+the gain--Steve had negotiated four white lines before the 'varsity
+quarter got him--eventually went for naught, since Marvin fumbled a
+minute later and Sawyer squirmed through and captured the ball.
+
+Neither side scored nor came very near it in that period. Steve, who was
+having the time of his life, beamed joyously when the whistle, starting
+the third period, found him still in the line-up. He had feared that
+"Boots" would put Sherrard back. But Steve didn't realise the kind of a
+game he had been putting up. If he had he would have credited "Boots"
+with more sense. Tom, with two brand-new facial contusions to his
+credit, was relegated to the bench for the last round. Perhaps "Boots"
+thought it only fair to allow Gafferty some of the decorations that
+Fowler and others were handing out!
+
+The first tried a kicking game in order to reach striking distance and,
+since she always had the better of the argument there, forced the
+second slowly and very surely back past the middle of the field. Then
+Marvin, realising the futility of pitting Freer and himself against
+Norton and Williams and Milton, either one of whom could outpunt the
+second from five to ten yards, started a rushing game on his thirty-five
+yards, swinging Harris and Freer around the ends for small gains and
+himself taking the pigskin for a delayed plunge through centre that put
+the scrubs on their forty-five-yard line and gave them their first down
+of the period.
+
+But the next three tries pulled in only six yards, and Freer punted. For
+once he had plenty of time and the oval travelled far down into the
+enemy's territory and was caught by Kendall, who took it back a scant
+five yards before Turner, the second's left end, got past the
+hastily-formed interference and upset him. The 'varsity made four
+through the left side of the line and got her first down on a fake kick
+that caught the second napping. She again secured her distance on three
+tries, and the lines faced each other near the middle of the field.
+
+What happened then was never definitely explained. Whether Milton
+fumbled the pass from centre or whether Still missed the toss from
+Milton, history doesn't record. Not that it matters, however. The fact
+is that the ball was suddenly seen to go rolling back up the field as
+though animated by a desperate desire to score a touchdown on its own
+hook. The 'varsity backs hit the line hard and went tumbling through, to
+the frenzied shouts of "Ball! Ball!" from Milton and the opponents. The
+latter, trying to get past the 'varsity and gain the bobbing pigskin,
+got so inextricably mixed up with the enemy that the ball went on
+rolling around, under the pranks of the helpful wind, for a
+heart-breaking length of time. Then, as it seemed, every fellow on the
+field started for it at once!
+
+Steve had made a wild attempt to get through inside of Andy Miller, but
+Miller had sent him sprawling, and when he got to his feet again he was
+one of the last in the mad rush. How it happened that Eric Sawyer, not
+overly fast on his feet, reached the pigskin first, or, at least,
+finally, is a mystery. But it was Eric who at length plunged out of the
+confusion, ball in arm, shook off three or four tacklers and started
+hot-footed toward the distant goal. By some unusual burst of speed he
+not only got a clear start of the rest, but shot past Steve before that
+youth could intercept him. Marvin had followed the others toward the
+'varsity's goal and now between Eric and the final white lines, some
+forty-five yards distant, lay a clear field. And Eric, spurred on by the
+knowledge that here was perhaps the one chance of his lifetime to make a
+spectacular run for half the length of the gridiron and score a
+touchdown, worked his sturdy legs as they had probably never been worked
+before!
+
+But he was not to go unchallenged. The enemy was hot on his track, Steve
+in the lead. And with the enemy, doing their best to upset or divert the
+pursuit, came a half-dozen of the 'varsity. It was a wildly confused
+race for a minute. Then the slow-footed ones dropped behind and the
+procession consisted of Eric, running desperately some five yards ahead
+of Steve, Steve pounding along at his heels, Williams striving to edge
+Freer toward the side of the field, Marvin leading Captain Miller by a
+scant yard, and one or two others dropping gradually away as the race
+progressed. Near the twenty-five-yard line Williams managed to upset
+Freer and went down with him in the effort, Andy Miller drew even with
+Marvin, and Eric glanced behind him for the first time, at the same
+moment heading a bit further toward the centre of the gridiron.
+
+That move lost him a stride of his lead, and Steve made a final spurt
+that took just about all the breath left in his body. On the fifteen
+yards his hand went out gropingly, touched Eric's back and fell away.
+Near the ten-yard line Steve launched himself forward and his arms
+settled about Eric's thighs, slid down to his knees and tightened. Eric
+went down, dragged forward another yard and then, panting and weak, gave
+it up. Then Marvin settled ungently on his back, to make assurances
+doubly sure, Andy Miller threw him off very promptly and Steve rolled
+over on his back and fought for breath.
+
+The rest of the teams came panting up, the audience along the side-line
+howled and cheered gloriously, if a trifle breathlessly, having itself
+raced down the field in an effort to keep abreast of the drama, and
+delighted members of the second team lifted Steve to his tottering feet,
+thumped him on the back and shrieked praise into his singing ears.
+
+After that, with the ball on the second's eight yards, the 'varsity
+should have scored easily. And yet, so gallantly did the scrubs dig
+their toes into the trampled turf that thrice the 'varsity was held for
+a scant gain and, finally, with one down remaining, Williams dropped
+back to the twenty-yard line and dropped a field-goal.
+
+"Boots" was almost moved to tears and looked as though he wanted to
+embrace each and every member of his team. For what was a puny three
+points when the second had six to its credit? The things that Miller
+said were extremely derogatory, while Coach Robey walked back to the
+middle of the field with a disapproving air. In the four minutes that
+remained, there was football played that _was_ football! The 'varsity,
+smarting under impending defeat, went at it with a desperation that
+promised everything. That it failed of what it promised was only because
+the second, buoyed up by the knowledge of victory in its grasp, fought
+like veterans. There was some fierce playing during those two hundred
+and forty brief seconds, and the fellow who finally trudged off the
+field without a scar felt himself dishonoured. Substitutes were thrown
+into the fray by both sides, although "Boots," having fewer men to call
+on, was handicapped. Steve went out in favour of Sherrard soon after the
+kick-off, and Tom relieved Gafferty. The coaches raged and urged, the
+rival captains scolded and implored and the quarters danced around and
+acted like wild-men. And then, suddenly, the ball was seized, a whistle
+blew and it was all over. And the panting players, tense of face,
+dripping with perspiration, drew apart to view each other at first
+scowlingly and then with slowly spreading grins, taking toll of their
+own injuries and the enemy's.
+
+"Good work, second," said Mr. Robey. "That's all for to-day. Get your
+blankets and run all the way in."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XX
+
+BLOWS ARE STRUCK
+
+
+The second went off jubilantly. Steve was a hero for an hour. In the
+locker room "Boots" said some nice things to them, pointed out a few
+faults and took himself away just as the first team and its substitutes
+came piling in. Most of them looked pretty grim about the mouths.
+Evidently in the few minutes that Mr. Robey had detained them on the
+field, they had been provided with food for thought. Andy Miller
+encountered Steve on his way to the bath.
+
+"That was good work, Edwards," he said heartily. "You fellows certainly
+put it over us to-day." He shook his head ruefully. "We ought to have
+got that touchdown in the last period." Then he smiled grimly, and,
+"We'll get you to-morrow, though," he said with conviction. "How's
+everything with you?"
+
+"Fine and dandy, thanks," replied Steve heartily.
+
+"Good! You haven't been around to see me, by the way. You and Hall must
+think a confidence-man isn't a proper acquaintance."
+
+"We're coming around soon, Miller. The fact is, I--well, I made such a
+mutt of myself that last time----"
+
+"Oh, nonsense! That's all right, Edwards. Don't let that worry you.
+Besides, you took my advice, I guess, and that squares it. Mind if I
+give you some more, by the way?"
+
+"Of course not! I wish you would."
+
+"Only this, Edwards. On defence don't watch the ball. They'll tell you
+to, but don't do it. Watch your opponent. Watch his eyes. He will tell
+you when the ball's snapped. He's got to watch it and you haven't, and
+then if you keep your eyes on him you can guess where he's coming almost
+before he starts. It may sound cheeky for me to tell you this, because,
+as a matter of absolute fact, Edwards, you played all around me
+to-day----"
+
+"Oh, piffle, Miller!"
+
+"Yes, you did," insisted the captain grimly. "I know it, if you don't.
+But you try what I tell you to-morrow and see what a jump you'll get on
+the other fellow. Come around and see me soon, you and Hall."
+
+Andy moved away and Steve hurried on to find a shower before the new
+crowd claimed them all. He was pretty well fagged out this afternoon,
+and for once the thought of that swimming class didn't appeal. But after
+a tepid shower and then a hard rush of ice-cold water over his tired
+body, he felt different. Coming out of the bath he almost collided with
+Eric Sawyer. Eric had a nasty cut over his right eye that gave him a
+peculiarly ugly expression, and it was soon evident that Eric's temper
+was as ugly as his appearance.
+
+"Hello, fresh," he growled, scowling at Steve and barring his way in the
+narrow passage. "What call had you to butt in on me to-day?"
+
+"I was playing the game, that's all," replied Steve coolly.
+
+"You think you're a wonder, don't you? Well, you wouldn't have got me if
+I hadn't slipped. And the next time you interfere with me on the field
+or anywhere else I'll fix you for keeps. Now you mind that, you fresh
+young kid."
+
+"You're a wonder at making threats, Sawyer," returned Steve angrily.
+"Why don't you do something besides talk?"
+
+"I'd give you a good thrashing if you weren't so small," Eric growled.
+
+"Oh, that's all right," replied Steve airily. "We can't all have piano
+legs, you know."
+
+"Say, you let my legs alone! For two cents I'd tell what I know about
+you, you cheater, and we'd see how long you'd stay so cocky!"
+
+"What you know about me?" laughed Steve. "You go right ahead and tell
+anything you want to, Sawyer. Whatever it is, it's a lie, I guess."
+
+"Oh, is it? It's a lie that you swiped Upton's blue-book with his
+composition in it, I suppose. It's a lie that you were going to use it
+until Daley went up to your room and found it, I dare say. It's----"
+
+"Yes, it is a lie, and you know it, Sawyer," flamed Steve. "If you tell
+any story like that around----"
+
+"I'll tell what I please, kid, and you can't stop me." Several fellows
+came along the passage, viewing the two curiously, and Eric dropped his
+voice a note. "You stop bothering me, Edwards, or I will tell, and if I
+do, this place will be too hot for you. We don't like cheaters here----"
+
+Steve sprang at him madly, but Eric stepped aside and Steve's blow went
+past.
+
+"None of that!" warned Eric in a low, ugly voice. "Ah, you want it, do
+you?"
+
+Steve hit again and Eric countered and got in a blow on the younger
+boy's neck that sent him staggering against the wall. Then arms wrapped
+themselves around Steve and a voice said:
+
+"Here, what's up, Eric? Cut it out, Edwards!"
+
+Steve, struggling, found himself in the firm grasp of Innes, the big
+first team centre-rush. "He called me a cheat!" he cried angrily. "You
+let me go, Innes!"
+
+"So he is a cheat," returned Eric contemptuously. "He swiped Carl
+Upton's French composition and was going to hand it in as his own if
+Daley hadn't caught him at it!"
+
+"That's a lie!" cried Steve. "Ask Mr. Daley himself! You're saying it
+because I kept you from making that touchdown, you--you----"
+
+"Hold on, Edwards!" said Innes. "Don't call names." By this time the
+passage had filled with fellows, among them Andy Miller. Miller pushed
+forward.
+
+"What's up, Jack?" he asked of the centre. Innes shrugged his big
+shoulders.
+
+"Oh, just a scrap. Run along, you fellows. It's all over."
+
+"It isn't over!" declared Steve, still trying to detach himself from the
+big fellow's grasp. "He's got to take it back! He's got to take it back
+or fight!"
+
+"Cut it out, Edwards!" said Miller sternly. "Don't act like a kid.
+What's the trouble, Eric, anyway?"
+
+"Oh, this kid got fresh with me," replied Eric with a malevolent glare
+at Steve. "Said I had piano legs----" There was an audible snicker from
+some of the audience--"and I told him to shut up and he made a swipe at
+me and I shoved him away. That's all."
+
+"He said I cheated!" raged Steve.
+
+"So you did. You stole Upton's French comp. out of Daley's room and he
+found it on your table."
+
+"That's a lie! I don't know how that book got there. Mr. Daley will tell
+you----"
+
+"Cut it, Edwards! I saw you carry the book out of the room myself! Now
+what do you say?"
+
+"I say you lie! I say----"
+
+"Stop that, Edwards!" Miller turned to Eric. "You've got no right to say
+things like that, Eric, and you know it. I don't believe he did anything
+of the sort. If he had, Mr. Daley would have had him expelled. Now you
+two fellows stop squabbling. You've been at it all the fall. If you
+don't, I'll see that you both lose your positions. And that goes!"
+
+"Then tell him to let me alone," replied Eric with a shrug.
+
+"Oh, forget it, Sawyer," exclaimed a voice down the passage. "You're
+twice as big as he is. Let the kid alone."
+
+"Sure, I'll let him alone," growled Eric with an angry glare in the
+direction of the speaker. "Only he's got to stop getting fresh with me.
+I've warned him half-a-dozen times."
+
+"And you'll have to warn me half-a-dozen more times," responded Steve
+grimly, "if you think I'm going to stand around and be called names. If
+I were as big as you are, you wouldn't dare----"
+
+"That'll be about all from both of you," said Andy Miller. "Now beat it.
+If I hear of any more trouble from either of you while the season lasts,
+I'll have you both out of the game in a wink. If you've got to row, do
+it after we've beaten Claflin. Move on now! Get off the corner, all of
+yez!" And Andy good-naturedly pushed the fellows before him down the
+passage. Innes released Steve, but stepped between him and Eric.
+
+"Come on, Edwards," he said with a laugh. "Be good and get your clothes
+on. Cap will do just what he says he will, too. You take my advice, kid,
+and bury the hatchet."
+
+Steve went back to his locker, and with trembling hands dressed himself.
+Harry Westcott and Tom joined him and asked in low voices about the
+trouble. But Steve was non-communicative. He was wondering how much of
+Eric Sawyer's charge the fellows who had heard it were believing.
+Finally,
+
+"No swimming to-day?" asked Tom.
+
+Steve shook his head. "No," he answered. "Tell the fellows, will you?
+I'm--I'm too tired. I'm sorry."
+
+"It's pretty late, anyway," murmured Harry. Together the three crossed
+the room toward the door. Already, as it seemed to Steve, fellows were
+regarding him suspiciously. Eric was not in sight, having gone on to his
+bath, for which two at least of the trio were thankful. Harry left them
+at the corner of Torrence, and Steve and Tom went on in silence to their
+room. Somehow it seemed difficult nowadays for them to find things to
+talk about. Steve resolutely sat himself down and drew his books toward
+him, while Tom, after fidgetting around for a few minutes, announced
+that he was going over to the office to see if there was any mail, and
+went out again. Steve was glad when he had gone, for he was relieved
+then of further pretence of studying. He couldn't get his mind on his
+books. The encounter with Eric Sawyer had left him irritable and
+restless, and he couldn't help wondering whether the fellows believed
+what Eric had said. He was grateful to Andy Miller for the latter's
+support, but it was doubtful if Andy's words had convinced anyone. And
+the charge was an ugly one. Steve winced when he considered it. It had
+seemed to him as he had left the locker room that already the fellows
+there had looked at him differently. He could imagine them talking about
+him and weighing Eric's story. Further reflections were interrupted by
+the reappearance of Tom, an open letter in hand and several newspapers
+sticking from a pocket.
+
+"Nothing for you but a couple of papers," he said. "What do you suppose
+those silly fathers of ours are doing now?"
+
+"Fighting a duel?" asked Steve with an attempt at humour.
+
+"Not quite," Tom answered, "but they're getting ready for a law-suit."
+
+"What about?"
+
+"I can't make out," replied the other disgustedly, scanning the letter
+again. "It's something about some contract for building supplies,
+though. Gee, they make me tired! Always squabbling!"
+
+"Who's bringing the suit, your father or mine?" asked Steve.
+
+"Mine," said Tom hesitantly.
+
+"Then I don't see that you need to blame my dad for it," retorted Steve.
+
+"It takes two to make a quarrel, though," answered Tom sagely. "I don't
+believe my father would start anything like that unless--unless there
+was some reason for it."
+
+"Oh, I suppose my father beat him out on a contract and he got sore,"
+said Steve, with a short laugh. Tom looked across in surprise and
+puzzlement. The tone was unlike Steve, while never before had they taken
+sides in their fathers' disagreements. Tom opened his mouth to reply,
+thought better of it and slowly returned the letter to its envelope.
+
+"I guess it'll blow over," he said finally. "I hope so."
+
+Steve shrugged his shoulders. "Let them fight it out," he said. "It may
+do them good."
+
+The next day it was soon evident to Steve that Eric Sawyer's story of
+the purloined blue-book was school property. Fellows whom he knew but
+slightly or not at all observed him doubtfully, others greeted him more
+stiffly--or so Steve thought--while even in the manners of such close
+friends as Roy and Harry and one or two more he fancied that he could
+detect a difference. Much of this was probably only imagination on
+Steve's part, but on the other hand there were doubtless many fellows
+who for one reason or another chose to believe the story true. Steve was
+popular amongst a small circle of acquaintances and well enough liked by
+others who knew him only to speak to, but, naturally enough, there were
+fellows in school who envied him for his success at football or took
+exception to a certain self-sufficient air that Steve was often enough
+guilty of. These, together with a small number who owed allegiance to
+Eric Sawyer, found the story quite to their liking and doubtless told
+and retold it and enlarged upon it at every telling. At all events,
+Steve knew that gossip was busy with him. More than once conversation
+died suddenly away at his approach, and he told himself bitterly that
+the school had judged him and found him guilty. He passed Andy Miller in
+the corridor between recitations, and Andy, being in a hurry and having
+a good many things on his mind at that moment, said, "Hi, Edwards!" in a
+perfunctory sort of way and went by with only a glance. Steve concluded
+that even Andy was against him now, in spite of his defence yesterday.
+In the afternoon it seemed that there was a difference in the attitudes
+of his team-mates on the second, and, so inflamed had his imagination
+become by this time, he even imagined he detected a contemptuous tone in
+"Boots'" speech to him! The result was that Steve "froze up solid," to
+use Roy's phrase, and, secretly hurt and angry, presented a scowling
+countenance to the world that was sufficient to discourage those who
+wanted and tried to let him see that they didn't believe Eric's story.
+
+When he got back to his room after the swimming lesson that afternoon,
+he found Tom nursing a very red and enlarged nose. He had a wet towel in
+his hand and was gingerly applying it to the inflamed feature.
+
+"What--where----" began Steve.
+
+"Scrap with Telford," replied Tom briefly.
+
+"What about?" demanded Steve.
+
+"Nothing much."
+
+"Let's see your nose."
+
+Tom removed the towel and Steve viewed it. "He must have given you a
+peach," he said critically. "What did you do?"
+
+Tom smiled reminiscently. "Nothing much," he answered.
+
+"Huh! Let's see your knuckles. 'Nothing much,' eh? They look it! Did
+faculty get on to it?"
+
+Tom shook his head. "No, it was back of the gym. Just the two of us. It
+didn't last long."
+
+"Who got the worst of it?"
+
+"That depends on what you call the worst," answered Tom judicially. "I
+got this and he got one like it _and_ a black eye. At least I suppose
+it's black by this time. It looked promising."
+
+Steve laughed. Then he said severely: "You ought to know better than
+take chances like that, Tom. Suppose faculty got on to it. Besides,
+fighting's pretty kiddish for a Fourth Former!"
+
+Tom viewed Steve amusedly over the wet towel. "Coming from you, Steve,
+that sounds great!" he said.
+
+"Never mind about me. What I do doesn't affect you. What were you
+fighting about?"
+
+Tom looked vacant and shook his head. "I don't know. Nothing special, I
+guess."
+
+"Don't be a chump! You didn't black his eye and get that beautiful nose
+for nothing, I suppose. What was it?"
+
+"Well, Telford said--he said----"
+
+"You're a wonder!" declared Steve. "Don't you know what he said?"
+
+"I forget. It was something--something I didn't like. So I slapped his
+face. That was on the gym steps. He said 'Come on back here.' I said
+'All right.' Then we--we had it. Then he said he was wrong about
+it--whatever it was, you know--and we sort of apologised and sneaked
+off." Tom felt of his nose carefully. "I saw about a million stars when
+he landed here!"
+
+"That's the craziest stunt I ever heard of!" said Steve disgustedly.
+"And you want to hope hard that no one saw it. If faculty hears of it,
+you'll get probation, you chump."
+
+"I know. It won't, though. No one saw us."
+
+"Who's Telford, anyway?" Steve demanded.
+
+"Telford? Oh, he's a Fifth Form fellow."
+
+"What does he look like?"
+
+"Look like?" repeated Tom vaguely. "Oh, he's a couple of inches taller
+than I am and has light brown hair and--and a black eye!"
+
+"Is he the fellow who goes around with Eric Sawyer?" demanded Steve
+suspiciously. "Wear a brown plaid Norfolk? The fellow who shoved me into
+the pool the night we had that fracas with Sawyer?"
+
+"Did he? I don't remember. I didn't see who did that. I--I guess maybe
+he's the chap, though. I've seen him with Sawyer, I think."
+
+"What did he say?" asked Steve quietly.
+
+"Who say?"
+
+"Telford."
+
+"When?"
+
+"To-day! When you had the row! For the love of Mike, Tom, don't be a
+fool!"
+
+"I don't remember what he said."
+
+"Was it about--me?"
+
+"You? Why would it be about you?" Tom attempted a laugh.
+
+"Was it?" Steve persisted.
+
+Tom shook his head, but his gaze wandered. Steve grunted.
+
+"It was, then," he muttered.
+
+"I didn't say so," protested Tom.
+
+"I say so, though." Steve was silent a moment. Then, "Look here, Tom,
+there's no use your fighting every fellow who says things about me," he
+said. "If you try that, you'll have your hands full. I--I don't care
+what they say, anyway. Just you keep out of it. Understand?"
+
+"Sure," answered the other untroubledly.
+
+"Of course"--Steve hesitated in some embarrassment--"of course I
+appreciate your standing up for me and all that, but--but I'll fight my
+own battles, thanks, Tom."
+
+"You're welcome," murmured Tom through the folds of the towel. "Keep
+the change. I'll fight if I want to, though."
+
+"Not on my account, you won't," said Steve sternly.
+
+Tom grinned. "All right. I'll do it on my own account. Say, I'll bet
+Telford's nose is worse than mine, Steve. I gave him a bully swat!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXI
+
+FRIENDS FALL OUT
+
+
+On the eleventh of November Brimfield played her last game away from
+home. Chambers Technological Institute was her opponent. About every
+fellow in school went over to Long Island and witnessed a very sad
+performance by their team. The slump had arrived. That was evident from
+the first moment of play. Brimfield was outpunted, outrushed and
+outgeneraled. Chambers ran up 17 points in the first half and 13 more in
+the last, while all Brimfield could do was to make one solitary
+touchdown and a field-goal, the latter with less than thirty seconds of
+playing time left. Williams missed the goal after the touchdown by some
+ten yards. Not only was Brimfield outplayed, but she showed up
+wretchedly as to physical condition. It was a warm day and the
+Maroon-and-Grey warriors seemed to feel the heat much more than their
+opponents and were a sorry-looking lot by the end of the third period.
+
+The second team attended the game in a body, "Boots" for once relenting,
+and looked on in stupefied sorrow while their doughty foe was
+humiliated and defeated.
+
+"Gee, I wish Robey would put us in in the next half," sighed Gafferty to
+Steve after the second period had reached its sad conclusion. "I'll bet
+you we'd put up twice the game the 'varsity has."
+
+"I don't see what ails them," responded Steve quite affably. The
+calamitous drama unfolding before him had for the moment made him forget
+his role of aloofness and cynical indifference. "Why, even Andy Miller
+is up in the air! He hasn't caught a pass once, and he's had four
+chances, and he's missed enough tackles to fill a book!"
+
+"One grand slump," said Gafferty. "That's what it is, Edwards, one
+wonderful, spectacular, iridescent slump! And the only person who is
+pleased is Danny, I guess. He's been begging the 'varsity fellows to get
+stale and be done with it. And now they've obliged him. Too bad, though,
+they couldn't have slumped the first of the week. It's fierce to be
+beaten by a tech school!"
+
+In the third period Coach Robey hustled the best of his substitutes on
+in the hope of stemming the tide of defeat, and, while the new men
+showed more dash and go, they couldn't stop the triumphant advance of
+the black-and-orange enemy. To make matters worse, when it was all
+over, Benson, who played right end, had a strained ligament in his
+ankle, Williams was limping with a bad knee and Quarter-back Milton had
+to be helped on and off the cars like a confirmed invalid. There wasn't
+a regular member of the 'varsity who could have stood up against a hard
+gust of wind five minutes after the final whistle had blown!
+
+The school returned to Brimfield disgruntled, disappointed and critical.
+There was scarcely a fellow on the train who didn't have a perfectly
+good theory as to the trouble with the eleven and who wasn't willing and
+eager to explain it. As for the game with Claflin, now just a fortnight
+distant, why, it was already as good as lost! Anyone would have told you
+that. The only point of disagreement was the size of the score. That
+ran, according to various estimates, from 6 to 0 to 50 to 3. It was a
+wonder they allowed Brimfield that 3! But all this was on the way home.
+Gradually the reaction set in and hope crept back. After all, a slump
+was something you had to contend with. It happened to every team some
+time in the season. Perhaps it was lucky it had come now instead of
+later. Of course, Chambers Tech was only a fair-to-middling team and
+Brimfield ought to have beaten her hands down, but since she hadn't,
+there was no use in worrying about it. By the time supper was over that
+evening, the stock of the Brimfield Football Team had risen to close to
+par, and anyone who had had the temerity to even suggest the possibility
+of a victory for Claflin would have been promptly and efficaciously
+squelched!
+
+The Chambers game resulted in a shake-up. That it was coming was hinted
+on Monday when only a few of the substitutes on the first were given any
+work and four of the second team fellows were lifted from their places
+and shifted over to what represented the 'varsity that day. These four
+were Trow and Saunders, tackles; Thursby, centre, and Freer, half-back.
+On Tuesday the first-string 'varsity men were back at work, with the
+exception of Benson, whose ankle was in pretty bad condition. Thursby
+was given a try-out at centre and Saunders at left tackle in the short
+scrimmage that followed practice. Thursby showed up so brilliantly that
+many predicted the retirement of Innes to the bench. Saunders failed to
+impress Coach Robey very greatly and he and Freer and Trow went back to
+the second the next day. The slump was still in evidence and the work
+was light until Thursday. Benson was still on crutches and his place was
+being taken by Roberts. Thursby ran Innes such a good race for the
+position of centre-rush that a substitute centre named Coolidge suddenly
+found his nose out of joint and faced the prospect of viewing the
+Claflin game from the bench.
+
+The school held its first mass meeting on Wednesday evening of that week
+and cheered and sang and whooped things up with a fine frenzy. The
+discouragement of the Chambers game was quite forgotten. Andy Miller, in
+a short speech, soberly predicted a victory over Claflin, and the
+audience yelled until the roof seemed to shake. Coach Robey gave a
+resume of the season, thanked the school for its support of the team,
+pledged the best efforts of everyone concerned and, while refusing to
+say so in so many words, hinted that Brimfield would have the long end
+of the score on the twenty-fifth. After that the football excitement
+grew and spread and took possession of the school like an epidemic.
+Recitations became farces, faculty fumed and threatened--and bore it,
+and some one hundred and fifty boys fixed their gaze on the twenty-fifth
+of November and lived breathlessly in the future.
+
+There was a second mass meeting on Saturday, a meeting that ended in a
+parade up and down the Row, much noise and a vast enthusiasm. Brimfield
+had met Southby Academy in the afternoon and had torn the visitors to
+tatters, scoring almost at will and sending the hopes of her adherents
+soaring into the zenith. To be sure, Southby had presented a rather weak
+team, but, as an offset to that, Brimfield had played without the
+services of the regular right end, without her captain and with a
+back-field largely substitute during most of the game. There was nothing
+wrong with Andy Miller, but it was thought best to save him for the
+final conflict. The last fortnight of a football season is a hard period
+for the captain, no matter how smoothly things have progressed; and
+Brimfield had had a particularly fortunate six weeks. Andy Miller was
+not the extremely nervous type, but, nevertheless, he had lost some
+fourteen pounds during the month and was far "finer" than Danny Moore
+wanted to see him. So Andy, dressed in "store clothes," saw the Southby
+game from the side-line, hobnobbing with the coaches and Joe Benson,
+still on crutches, and with Norton, who, after smashing out two
+touchdowns in the first period, was also taken out to be saved.
+
+There was no trace of the slump left, and the final score that Saturday
+afternoon was 39 to 7, and the school was hysterically delighted, which
+accounts for the added enthusiasm which kept them marching up and down
+the Row in the evening until the patience of a lenient faculty was
+exhausted, and Mr. Conklin, prodded into action by a telephone message
+from the Cottage, appeared and dispersed the assembly.
+
+The second team was to go out of business on Thursday, and several
+members of it were eager to end the season with a banquet. Freer and
+Saunders dropped in on Steve and Tom Sunday afternoon to talk it over
+and win their support. It was a nasty day, rainy and blowy and cold, and
+most of the fellows were huddling indoors around the radiators. Steve
+and Tom, on opposite sides of the table, were chewing the ends of their
+pens and trying to write their Sunday letters when the visitors came.
+Steve was studiedly haughty, as, to his mind, became one who was
+unjustly suspected of dishonesty. The visitors seemed puzzled by his
+manner and presently addressed themselves almost entirely to Tom, who,
+anxious to atone for his room-mate's churlishness, was nervously affable
+and unnaturally enthusiastic.
+
+"We don't see," explained Saunders, "why we shouldn't be allowed to have
+a banquet after we quit training. We deserve it. We've done as much, in
+a way, as the 'varsity fellows to win from Claflin. We've been the goats
+all the season and it seems to me we ought to get something out of it.
+What we want to do is to go to Josh and get him to give us permission to
+have a blow-out in the village Thursday night."
+
+"Or here," supplemented Freer, "if he won't let us go to the village.
+What do you fellows think?"
+
+"I think it's a good scheme," answered Tom. "And we might get one over
+on the 'varsity, too. I mean we'd have our banquet and lots of fun
+whether we won from Claflin or not, while the 'varsity, if it loses the
+game, doesn't enjoy its banquet very much, I guess."
+
+"Well, will you fellows come around to Brownell's room to-night after
+supper? Al is willing enough, but, being captain, he doesn't want to
+start the thing himself. We're going to see all the fellows this
+afternoon and then have a sort of a meeting this evening about eight.
+You'll come, Edwards?"
+
+"Yes, thanks."
+
+"All right. Come on, Jimmy. We've got several of the fellows to see
+yet."
+
+"There wouldn't be very many of us, would there?" asked Tom. "Now that
+Robey has pinched Thursby there's only about fifteen left on the team."
+
+"Sixteen, but we thought we'd get Robey to come if he would, and
+'Boots,' of course, and maybe Danny. That would make nineteen in all."
+
+"Where would you have it? Is there a hotel in the village?"
+
+"Not exactly, but there's a sort of a boarding-house there; 'Larch
+Villa,' they call it. They'd look after us all right. They've got a fine
+big dining-room which we could have all to ourselves. We haven't talked
+price with them yet, but Al says we could probably get a good feed for
+about a dollar and a half apiece. That wouldn't be so much, eh?"
+
+"Cheap, I'd call it," said Freer.
+
+"We'd have beefsteak and things like that, you know," continued Saunders
+enthusiastically, "things that are filling. No froth and whipped cream,
+you know! And lots of gingerale!"
+
+"Sounds good," laughed Tom. "I wish it was to-night. Do you think Mr.
+Fernald will let us?"
+
+"I don't see why not. I spoke to Mr. Conklin about it and he said he
+would favour it if Josh came to him about it. If he won't let us go to
+the village, we thought maybe he'd let us have our feed here after the
+regular supper, if we paid for it ourselves. Well, you fellows show up
+about eight. Don't forget, because we want to get the whole bunch there
+and talk it all over and appoint a committee to see Josh."
+
+Tom was silent for a minute after the visitors had departed. Then,
+hesitatingly, "Steve," he said, "what's the good of acting like that
+with fellows?"
+
+"Like what?" asked Steve.
+
+"You know well enough. Freezing up and talking as if you had a mouthful
+of icicles. You might be--be decently polite when fellows come in. Freer
+is a dandy chap, and Saunders is all right, too. But you treated them as
+if they were--were a couple of cut-throats."
+
+"I wasn't impolite," denied Steve. "As long as those fellows choose to
+think what they do about me, you can't expect me to slop over with
+them."
+
+"You haven't any way of knowing what they think about you," said Tom
+vigorously. "You take it for granted that every fellow in school
+believes that yarn of Sawyer's. I don't suppose a dozen fellows ever
+gave it a second thought."
+
+"I know better. Don't you suppose I can tell? Almost every chap I know
+treats me differently now. Even--even Roy--and Harry--act as if they'd
+rather not be seen with me!"
+
+"Oh, piffle!" exclaimed Tom indignantly. "That's a rotten thing to say,
+Steve! Why, you might as well say that I believe the yarn!"
+
+"You?" Steve laughed meaningly. "You wouldn't be likely to."
+
+"Then neither would Roy or Harry. They haven't known you as long as I
+have, but they know you wouldn't do a thing like that."
+
+"I don't see why not," replied Steve stubbornly. "The book was found on
+this table. And Sawyer says he saw me with it. I guess it would be
+natural for them to believe what Sawyer says."
+
+"They don't, though, as I happen to know," replied Tom stoutly. "Even if
+you did bring the book up here, that doesn't mean that you were going
+to--to use it. What really happened, I suppose, was that you took it up
+without thinking and didn't realise you had it when you came back."
+
+Steve stared at him incredulously. "Well, of all the cheek!" he gasped.
+
+"What do you mean?" asked Tom.
+
+"I mean that that's a fine thing for you to get off," answered Steve
+indignantly. "You'll be saying next that you saw me bring the book in
+here that night!"
+
+"I didn't, but--hang it, Steve, the thing _was_ here! You told me so
+yourself. I thought you confessed that you brought it up without
+knowing."
+
+"Oh, cut it," said Steve wearily. "I'm willing to be decent about it,
+Tom, but I don't want to listen to drivel like that."
+
+"Drivel?" repeated the other, puzzled. "Say, what's the matter with you,
+anyway, Steve? I don't say you meant to cheat with the old book; I know
+mighty well you didn't; I told Telford so and convinced him of it, too;
+but I don't see why you need to get so hot under the collar when I--when
+I simply remind you that you _did_ bring the book up here!"
+
+"So _I_ brought it up, did I?" asked Steve with an ugly laugh.
+
+"Well, didn't you? Who did, then? You know well enough I didn't."
+
+"Do I? How do I know it? Look here, Tom, we might as well have a
+show-down right now. I did not bring that blue-book into this room. I
+did not take it out of 'Horace's'. But 'Horace' found it on this table,
+poked under a pile of books. Now, then, what do _you_ know about it?"
+
+Tom stared in wide-eyed amazement for a moment. "You--you mean to say
+you think I did it!" he gasped finally.
+
+Steve shrugged his shoulders.
+
+"But--but you were here when I came back from downstairs, Steve! You saw
+that I didn't have it!"
+
+"I didn't see anything of the sort. I didn't notice whether you had
+anything in your hands when you came in. Why should I? You might have
+slipped it under your coat. There's no use trying that game, Tom."
+
+"Then why--why did you tell 'Horace' you took the book yourself if you
+knew you didn't?"
+
+"Because one of us must have, you idiot."
+
+"Oh, I see," answered Tom thoughtfully. "You wanted to keep me out of
+it, eh? Look here, Steve, what would I want with Upton's composition? My
+own was written two days before."
+
+Steve shrugged his shoulders again impatiently. "That puzzled me. I
+didn't know. You did say afterwards, though, that your own comp. was
+pretty rotten. I didn't know but what----"
+
+"You have a fine opinion of me, haven't you?" asked Tom bitterly.
+"You've known me ever since we were kids at kindergarten and you think
+that of me! Thanks, Steve!"
+
+"Well, what----"
+
+"Now you hold on! I'm going to tell you something." Tom was on his feet
+now, his hands on the edge of the table, his gaze bent sternly on his
+chum who was seated across the littered surface. "I didn't even see that
+blue-book of Upton's. I'll swear it wasn't on Mr. Daley's table when I
+went down there. I know nothing of how it got into this room. I tell you
+this on my word of honour, Steve. Do you believe me?"
+
+Steve's gaze met Tom's troubledly, then shifted. "Oh, if you say so, I
+suppose I'll have to. But if you didn't bring the book up here----"
+
+"That means you don't believe me," said Tom quietly. "Very well. Now,
+one more thing, Steve." Tom's eyes were blazing now, though his face was
+white. "Don't you speak to me unless you have to from now on, until you
+come to me and tell me that you believe what I've told you!"
+
+"But, Tom, you can see yourself that it's mighty queer! If you----"
+
+"You heard what I said! Perhaps you think I owe you something for trying
+to shield me from Mr. Daley. I don't, though. When you set me down for a
+cheat you more than squared that account. That's all. After this I
+don't want you to speak to me."
+
+Steve shrugged his shoulders angrily. "That goes," he said. "When you
+want me to speak to you, you'll ask me, Tom! And don't you forget it!"
+
+Both boys went back to their letters in silence. After a while Steve put
+on a raincoat and tramped down the stairs and over to Hensey. He meant
+to call on Andy Miller, but Andy was out and only the saturnine Williams
+was in the room. Although Steve had grown to like Williams very well,
+yet, in his present mood, the right tackle was not the sort of company
+Steve craved, and after a few minutes of desultory football talk he went
+on. He would have called on Roy and Harry, but now that he and Tom had
+quarrelled they would, he thought, side with Tom. In the end he found
+himself in the gymnasium. Several fellows were splashing about in the
+tank and Steve joined them. For an hour he forgot his troubles in
+performing stunts to the envious appreciation of the others in the pool.
+Applause was grateful to him that afternoon, and when he had dressed
+himself again and, avoiding the room, had gone across to Wendell to wait
+for the doors to open for supper, he felt better. Perhaps, he told
+himself, Tom really didn't know anything about that plaguey book, but
+even so he needn't get so cocky about it! Besides, someone must have put
+the book on their table and--well, the evidence was certainly against
+Tom!
+
+It wasn't much fun eating supper with Tom at his elbow as grim and stiff
+as a plaster statue. Fortunately, Steve was well into his meal before
+Tom came in, and meanwhile there were others of the second team to talk
+to if he wanted. With no Tom to converse with he found it difficult to
+persist in his role of haughty indifference toward the others.
+Besides--and it came to him with rather a shock--what they thought of
+him was no more than he had been thinking of Tom! Hang it, it was all
+pretty rotten! He'd like to choke Eric Sawyer!
+
+It didn't take the rest of the fellows at the training table long to
+make the discovery that the two friends were at outs. Trow, a
+pale-faced, shock-haired chap, took delight in trying to engage them
+both in conversation at the same time, thereby increasing the
+embarrassment. Steve was heartily glad when he had finished his supper
+and could leave the table. Returning to his room under the circumstances
+was not appealing, but there seemed nowhere else to go. There was the
+library, of course, but it was a dismal place on a Sunday evening, and
+he didn't want to read. But, as it proved, he needn't have considered
+avoiding the room, for Tom didn't return after supper, and Steve
+finished his letter home in solitude. At eight he went over to Al
+Brownell's room in Torrence, not because he was especially interested in
+the project to be discussed, but because he had agreed to attend the
+gathering and was glad, besides, to get away from Number 12 Billings.
+Life in Number 12 didn't promise to be very delightful for awhile, he
+thought dolefully.
+
+In Brownell's room Steve carefully took a position as far distant from
+Tom as was possible. There was a lot of talk and a good deal of fun, and
+in the end Steve found himself chosen one of a committee of five to call
+on the principal and request the permission they desired. At a little
+after nine he walked back to Billings alone. Tom didn't return until ten
+and then, with never a word between them, they undressed and went to
+bed. Steve didn't get to sleep very easily that night. More than once he
+was sorely tempted to speak across the darkness and tell Tom that he did
+believe him and that he was sorry. And I think he would have done it,
+too, in the end if Tom had not fallen asleep just then and announced the
+fact in the usual melodic manner. Whereupon Steve frowned, punched his
+pillow and flopped over.
+
+"It isn't bothering him any," he thought. "If he wants me to speak to
+him, he'll have to say so. Cranky chump!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXII
+
+STEVE GETS A SURPRISE
+
+
+Mr. Fernald was surprisingly complaisant on Monday when the committee
+from the second team waited on him at the Cottage. He gave them
+permission to hold their banquet in the village and even said several
+nice things to them about their share in the development of the
+'varsity. He warned them against rowdyism, told them they must be back
+promptly at nine o'clock and said he hoped they'd have a good time!
+After which, much surprised and not a little embarrassed, the committee
+backed out of the room and returned joyfully to spread the tidings. A
+second committee, headed by Saunders, had already been appointed to
+arrange for the banquet in case permission was secured and by Tuesday
+everything was complete. I may say here that the event duly came off on
+Thursday evening and was a big success. But as neither Steve nor Tom was
+present, our interest in the banquet is slight.
+
+On Monday the _Review_ came out. The school paper was published on the
+twentieth of the month, and the December issue contained, among other
+features, a rather interesting resume of the football season by Mr.
+Robey and a list of the games played to date. The coach's article was
+too long to reproduce, but the summary of the season's contests was
+brief enough to be set down here:
+
+          Sept. 30--Brimfield 10; Thacher 3
+
+          Oct. 4--Brimfield 10; Canterbury 7
+
+          Oct. 7--Brimfield 26; Miter Hill 0
+
+          Oct. 14--Brimfield 3; Larchville 17
+
+          Oct. 21--Brimfield 0; Benton 0
+
+          Oct. 28--Brimfield 27; Cherry Valley 6
+
+          Nov. 4--Brimfield 12; Phillips 0
+
+          Nov. 11--Brimfield 9; Chambers 30
+
+          Nov. 18--Brimfield 39; Southby 7
+
+Brimfield had played nine games, of which she had won six, lost two and
+tied one, not a bad record, as the _Review_ rather complacently pointed
+out, for a school whose football history dated back but a few years. But
+Brimfield didn't waste much time contemplating past performances. Had
+the team won every game in its schedule by an overwhelming score, the
+season would still be a dismal failure if it lost to Claflin, just as,
+if it finally won its big game, the school would rise up and call it
+blessed even had it lost every other contest of the season. In other
+words, Claflin was the only foe that really counted, and the Claflin
+game was the final test by which the Brimfield Football Team stood or
+fell.
+
+Claflin School, at Westplains, New York, some twelve miles distant from
+Brimfield, was a larger school in point of enrolment, a very much older
+school and far more "select." I don't intend to imply by that term that
+the Claflin students were a finer set of fellows than those at
+Brimfield. Doubtless they would have averaged up about the same. But
+Claflin liked to be considered "select" and so I might as well accord
+her the distinction. Claflin had been educating the youth of New York
+and surrounding states for almost a hundred years, and nowadays fathers
+applied for admission for their boys about as soon as the boys were
+born. The school was in that respect like a club with a long waiting
+list. If a boy wasn't "entered" by the time he was five or six years old
+at the latest, he stood small chance of getting in when the time came.
+
+Claflin had won from Brimfield three years on end, or ever since they
+had been playing together. She had started out by according Brimfield a
+mid-season date. The following year she had placed the game a week later
+and last year she had put it last on her schedule, Brimfield having by
+then proved herself an adversary of real merit. Oddly enough, Claflin
+had for some time been without a special rival and had gladly bestowed
+the honour on the Maroon-and-Grey as soon as the latter had shown
+herself worthy. This fall Claflin had had an unusually successful
+season, having played seven games and won all but the last, that with
+Larchville. Larchville, who had defeated Brimfield 17 to 3, had also
+taken the measure of Claflin to the tune of 12 to 6. Brimfield read of
+it in the Sunday papers and took comfort. After all, Claflin was not
+unbeatable it seemed. Her defeat by Larchville, coupled with Brimfield's
+overwhelming victory over Southby, lent next Saturday's game a roseate
+glow, viewed from a Brimfield view-point. In fact, by Monday Brimfield
+was almost confident of at last winning from the Blue, and the question
+of a proper celebration of the victory was up for discussion. Of course
+it should be a whopping big bonfire, with a parade and speeches and
+singing and plenty of music! But Brimfield had never yet celebrated such
+a stupendous event and consequently there were no precedents to guide
+them. Neither was it known what attitude faculty would take in regard to
+such an affair. But a few choice spirits in the upper forms made
+tentative arrangements to the extent of picking out a likely spot in a
+corner of the athletic field for the fire and locating such loose
+material as might come in handy as fuel.
+
+Monday's practice was short and easy. Even the second had an off-day.
+The 'varsity players were given a blackboard lecture in the meeting-room
+in the gymnasium after supper and were put through an examination on
+plays and signals. On Tuesday the practice was as stiff as ever. Coach
+Robey was not altogether satisfied with the defence, and there were
+forty-five minutes of the hardest sort of scrimmage in which the second
+was given the ball at various distances from the 'varsity goal and told
+to put it over. The field was closed to spectators that day and it was
+hard hammer-and-tongs football all the way. "Boots" drove the second
+with whip and spurs and the second responded nobly. But the best it
+could do was to drop a field-goal over the bar in the third period of
+the scrimmage, after having been held a half-dozen times by a desperate
+adversary. Steve played about as well that afternoon as he had ever
+played in his life. For once he had no worries on his mind. To be sure,
+there was still his falling-out with Tom and his quarrel with the school
+at large, but those things seemed rather to lend him a new strength than
+to bother him. He played with a dash and a reckless disregard for life
+and limb that made Coach Robey observe him with a new interest. Tom
+performed with his customary steadiness and more than once put it over
+on Fowler and on Churchill, who substituted him. They were some three
+dozen very tired youths who finally straggled back to the gymnasium when
+the work was over.
+
+On Wednesday the last real practice of the season was to be held, since
+the Thursday performance was more in the nature of an exhibition for the
+school than real work, and on Friday afternoon the team was to journey
+over to Oakdale, on the Sound, and remain there until Saturday forenoon.
+But the weather proved unkind on Wednesday. In the middle of the
+forenoon the wind veered around to the south and a drizzle of rain set
+in. By three o'clock the drizzle had grown into a very respectable
+downpour and the gridiron was slow and slippery. But Mr. Robey was not
+to be deterred and, with Danny Moore anxiously hovering about like a hen
+with a batch of ducklings, the 'varsity was put through a half-hour of
+signal work, punting and catching. Then the second, wet and muddy, came
+across to the first team gridiron and the two elevens leaped at each
+other again. Danny followed close behind, cautioning and scolding, and
+more than one player was dragged out of the melee and sent off to the
+gym in spite of the coach's pleas and protestations.
+
+"I'll not have them hurted," reiterated Danny stubbornly. "'Tis no sort
+of a day for hard work, Coach. I've got 'em through this far an' I'll
+not be havin' them breakin' their legs an' arms for the sake of a bit of
+practice, sir."
+
+"Hang their arms and their legs!" fumed Mr. Robey. "They might as well
+not have any as start the game Saturday half-baked! Give me a chance,
+Danny!"
+
+"'Tis takin' big chances, sir, playin' 'em on this sort of a field."
+
+"Then we'll take chances!" growled the coach. "Now get in there, first,
+and rip it up! Show what you can do! You've got six to go on third down;
+put it over! Wait a minute! Thursby! Get in there for Innes and hold
+that centre of the line steady."
+
+"Trot all the way in, my boy, and get a good rubbin'," directed Danny to
+the discomforted Innes. "Hi! Put your blanket on! Are you crazy?"
+
+"Play lower there, Hall! Throw them back, second!" entreated "Boots."
+"Don't let them have an inch!"
+
+Then the first piled through Brownell for three yards, slipping in the
+mud, panting, grunting to the accompaniment of thudding feet and the
+_swish_ of wet canvas. Above the players a cloud of steam hovered as
+they disentangled themselves. Danny darted into the confusion. Benson
+was on his back, thrashing his arms.
+
+"Water!" bawled Danny.
+
+A helper raced on with a slopping pail. Danny's fingers went exploring.
+
+"Ankle," groaned Benson, and Danny shot a triumphantly accusing look at
+Coach Robey. In a minute Benson was being helped off and the game was on
+again, but Mr. Robey showed a distinct aversion to meeting the trainer's
+glance. Later, in the gymnasium, it was known that Benson had hurt the
+bad ankle again and would not be able to play the game through on
+Saturday, even if he was allowed to get into it at all. Coach Robey
+accepted the tidings with a shrug and a scowl.
+
+"Fine!" he said sarcastically. "Claflin's left end is the best player
+they've got. Roberts will stand a fine chance against him! Look here,
+Danny, I thought you said Benson's ankle was all right?"
+
+"So I did! And so it was all right!" sputtered Danny. "But I didn't say
+he could go out an' play on a field like that to-day, did I?"
+
+"All right. It can't be helped now. Where's Captain Miller?"
+
+Danny bent his head backward toward the rubbing room. "In there," he
+answered shortly.
+
+"Heard about Benson?" asked the coach.
+
+Andy, looking a trifle pale and tired, nodded silently as the rubber
+kneaded his back. Mr. Robey frowned a moment.
+
+"You'll have to change over," he said finally. Andy grunted agreement.
+"And we'll have to take Turner or Edwards from the second to-morrow and
+beat him into shape."
+
+"Edwards is the better," said Andy.
+
+"I suppose so. If he played the way he played yesterday and to-day he
+might have a chance against Mumford. Still----"
+
+"I'd better take that end," said Andy. "Let Roberts start the game at
+left and then put in Edwards--unless Benson mends enough."
+
+"He won't," said the coach pessimistically. "You can't play end with a
+sore ankle. He's out of it, Andy. Tough luck, too. I'll find Edwards and
+tell him to join the squad to-night. He's got to learn signals and plays
+and----" The coach's voice dwindled into silence and he gloomed
+frowningly out the window. "I wish now I'd let Danny have his way," he
+lamented. "We could have run through plays indoors and had a hard
+practice to-morrow. Well----" He shrugged his shoulders again and his
+gaze came back to Andy. "How are you?" he asked. "You look a bit
+fagged."
+
+"I'll be all right after supper," replied the captain. "I'll be glad
+when Saturday night comes, though." And he smiled a trifle wanly as he
+slipped off the table.
+
+Mr. Robey grunted. "So will I. Somehow, this year seems to mean more,
+Andy. Still, there's no use in worrying about it. Much better not think
+of it any more than you can help."
+
+"I know," agreed Andy as he wrapped a big towel about his glowing body
+and moved toward the door, "but when you're captain it--it's a whole lot
+different. There's Edwards over there. Shall I call him?"
+
+The coach nodded. "I think so. He's better than Turner, isn't he? Left
+end is Turner's position, though."
+
+"Edwards'll take to it quick enough. He's got more bulldog than Turner
+has, too. I guess he's the man for us. Oh, Edwards! Will you come over
+here a minute?"
+
+Steve pushed his way through the crowded aisles, past Thursby who winked
+and grinned and whispered "You're going to catch it!" past Tom who
+turned his head away as he approached, past Eric Sawyer, a big hulk in a
+crimson bathrobe, who scowled upon him, and so to where, by the rubbing
+room door, the captain and coach awaited him. It was Mr. Robey who
+brusquely made the announcement. The coach was anxious and tired to-day
+and his voice was harsh.
+
+"Edwards, you join the 'varsity to-night. We may have to use you at left
+end. Benson's pretty badly hurt, I understand. Be upstairs at
+eight-fifteen promptly. You've got to learn the signals and about
+fifteen plays before Saturday. Tell your coach I've taken you, please."
+
+"Yes, sir." Steve's eyes, round and questioning, turned to the captain.
+Andy smiled a little.
+
+"Rather sudden, eh?" he asked. "Do your best to learn, Edwards. Get the
+signals and plays down pat. There isn't much time, but you can do it if
+you'll put your mind on it. You wanted to make the 'varsity, you know,
+and now you've done it, and here's your chance to make good, Edwards.
+But you've got to work like thunder, old man!" He laid a hand on Steve's
+shoulder and his fingers tightened as he went on. "Everyone's got his
+hands full right now, you see, and there's no one to coach you much.
+You've got to buckle down and learn things yourself. You can do it, all
+right. And on Saturday, if you get in--and I can't see how you can help
+it--you've got to play real football, Edwards. Think you can do all
+that?"
+
+"Yes." Steve's heart was thumping pretty hard and his breathing was
+uncertain, as though he had raced the length of the field with a pigskin
+tucked in the crook of his arm, and his gaze sought the floor for fear
+those two would read the almost tragic ecstasy that shone in them.
+"Yes," he repeated, "I'll learn. And I'll--I'll play!"
+
+"All right. You'd better join the 'varsity table to-night. See Lawrence
+about it. That's all." Coach Robey nodded and turned away. Andy Miller,
+following, paused and stepped back. One hand clutched the folds of the
+big towel about him, the other was stretched out to Steve.
+
+"I'm glad, Edwards," he said in a low voice as Steve's hand closed on
+his. Steve nodded. He wasn't quite certain of his voice just then.
+"You'll do your best for us, won't you, old man?"
+
+Steve gulped. "I--I'll play till I drop," he muttered huskily.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIII
+
+DURKIN SHEDS LIGHT
+
+
+Steve felt frightfully lonely that evening. He wanted so much to talk
+over his good fortune with Tom. But Tom, very grave of countenance, sat
+in frozen silence across the table and never so much as glanced his way.
+Had he done so he might have caught one of the wistful looks bent upon
+him and, perhaps, relented. Not being able to discuss the amazing thing
+which had happened to him, detracted at least half the pleasure, Steve
+sadly reflected. Of course Tom knew of it, for Steve had sat at the
+'varsity training table at supper-time and he could still hear in
+imagination the buzz of interest that had filled the hall when, somewhat
+consciously skirting the second team table, he had walked to the corner
+and sank into a seat between Fowler and Churchill. They had been very
+nice to him at the 'varsity table. Only Roberts, who might be expected
+to view his appearance with misgivings, had eyed him askance. Poor Joe
+Benson was confined to the dormitory. Thursby, himself only a recent
+addition to the big squad, grinned at Steve from the length of the long
+table in a way which seemed to say: "They had to have us! I guess we
+fellows on the second team are pretty bad, what?"
+
+But now, back in his room, with his books spread out before him and his
+mind in a strange tumult of elation and fear and dejection, he hardly
+knew whether to be glad of or sorry for his promotion. Study, at all
+events, was quite out of the question to-night, but luckily he was well
+enough up in his lessons to be able to afford one hour of idleness. He
+considered writing home to his father and recounting the story of his
+good fortune to him, for it seemed that he must talk to someone about
+it, and he even dragged a pad of paper toward him and unscrewed his
+fountain pen. But, after tracing meaningless scrawls for several
+minutes, he gave it up. He didn't want to write a letter; he wanted to
+talk to Tom!
+
+He saw the hands of his watch creep toward the hour of eight, after
+which he might give up pretence of study, don a sweater and a pair of
+canvas "sneakers" and go over to the gymnasium. The thought of that and
+of the next three days put him in a blue funk. What if he couldn't learn
+the signals, or, having learned them, forgot them in the game? What if
+he disappointed Andy and Coach Robey when the time came? He had visions
+of getting his signals mixed, of fumbling the ball at critical moments,
+of losing the game through his stupidity. There were times when he
+devoutly hoped that Joe Benson would recover the use of that ankle and
+get into the contest so that he [Steve] might not be called on to take
+part!
+
+Then, at last, eight o'clock struck sonorously in the tower of Main
+Hall, and he closed his books with a sigh of relief, piled them up and
+went to the closet. When he was ready to go out Tom was still bent over
+his studies. Steve hesitated a moment with his hand on the knob. He
+wanted Tom to wish him luck. He wondered if Tom guessed how sort of
+lonesome and scared he felt. But Tom never even raised his eyes and so
+Steve went out, closing the door softly behind him, and made his way
+through a dripping rain to the lighted porch of the gymnasium. Only a
+half-dozen fellows were there when he reached the meeting room. The
+settees had been moved aside and the floor was empty and ready for them.
+Steve nodded to the others and perched himself on one of the low
+windowsills to wait. In twos and threes the players stamped up the
+stairs, laughing, jostling. Milton and Kendall, entering together,
+seized each other and began to waltz over the floor. Steve wondered how
+they could take such a serious business so light-heartedly. Then Joe
+Lawrence, the manager, a football under his arm, came in with Williams
+and, glancing at his watch, began calling the roll. In the middle of it
+Coach Robey and Andy Miller and Danny Moore arrived. More lights were
+turned on and Mr. Robey swung the blackboard on the platform nearer the
+front.
+
+"We'll try Number Six," he announced. Very quickly and surely he
+scrawled the formation on the board, added curving lines and dotted
+lines, dropped the chalk and faced the room. "All right, Milton.
+First-string fellows in this and the rest of you watch closely."
+
+"Line up!" chirped Milton. "Formation A!" The players sprang to their
+places, their rubber-soled shoes patting softly on the boards.
+"21--14--63--66!" called the quarter. "21--14--63----"
+
+The backs, who had shifted to the left in a slanting tandem, trotted
+forward, the ball was passed, the line divided and Still slipped
+through.
+
+"Norton, you were out of position," said Mr. Robey. "Look at the board,
+please. Your place is an arm's length from left half. You've got to
+follow closely on that. Try it again, please."
+
+So it went for nearly an hour, the substitutes gradually taking the
+places of the first-string players. Steve, who had had the signals
+explained to him earlier, managed to get through without mistakes, but
+as an end he had little to do in the drill. After the coach had watched
+them go through some fourteen plays, the settees were dragged out into
+the floor again, the players seated themselves and the coach drew
+diagrams and explained them and examined the squad in signals as he went
+along. It was all over at a little after nine, but not for Steve. Andy
+Miller took him back to his room with him and for a good half-hour Steve
+was coached on formations, plays and signals. When, finally, he went
+back to Billings his head was absolutely seething and it was long after
+eleven before sleep finally came to him. When it did, it was a restless
+and disturbed slumber that was filled with dreams and visions.
+
+He awoke earlier than usual the next morning, feeling almost as tired as
+when he had gone to bed. But, although he strove to snatch a nap before
+it was time to get up, sleep refused to return to him. His mind was too
+full. Across the room Tom was snoring placidly, both arms clutched about
+a pillow and his face almost buried from sight. Steve envied him his
+untroubled state of mind. Then he began to go over what he had learned
+the evening before and found himself in a condition of panic because for
+the life of him he couldn't remember half of the stuff that had been
+hammered into his tired brain! Steve was not the only fellow at training
+table that morning who showed a distaste for the excellent breakfast
+that was served. More than one chap looked pale and anxious and only
+trifled with the food before him. Steve stumbled through recitations,
+earning a warning look from "Uncle Sim," managed to observe more or less
+faithfully the schedule he had set for himself and turned up at dinner
+table with a very good appetite. After dinner he wrote a notice and
+posted it on the bulletin board in the gymnasium.
+
+"No Swimming Classes until Monday. S. D. Edwards."
+
+The school turned out to a boy that afternoon and paraded to the field
+to watch the final practice. Massed on the grand stand, they sang their
+songs and cheered the players and the team all during a half-hour of
+signal drill and punting. There was no scrimmage until the first-string
+men had trotted off the field. Then the 'varsity substitutes and the
+second team faced each other for fifteen minutes and the second scored a
+field-goal. Steve played at left end on the substitute eleven, made one
+or two mistakes in signals and failed at any time to distinguish
+himself. But the game was slow and half-hearted, for the substitutes
+were continually warned against playing too hard and so risking injury.
+When it was over, the second cheered the 'varsity, the subs cheered the
+second and the spectators formed two abreast again and trailed across
+the field to the gymnasium and there once more cheered everyone from
+Captain Miller and Coach Robey down to the last substitute--who was
+Steve--Danny Moore and Gus, the rubber. It had drizzled at times during
+the afternoon, but before the final "Rah, rah, Brimfield! Rah, rah,
+Brimfield! Rah, rah, Brim-f-i-e-l-d!" had died away, the clouds broke in
+the west and the afternoon sun shone through. This was accepted joyfully
+as a good omen and the crowd outside the gymnasium broke into a chorus
+of ecstatic "A-a-ays!"
+
+Practice was over early, and at half-past four Steve, parting from
+Thursby at the corner of Wendell, made his way along the Row, half
+wishing that he had not cancelled the swimming hour to-day. At the
+entrance to Torrence a voice hailed him from the doorway, and "Penny"
+Durkin, wild of hair and loose-limbed, stepped out.
+
+"Hello," said Durkin. "Say, I've got the dandiest rug upstairs you ever
+saw, Edwards. It's a regular Begorra."
+
+"What's a Begorra?" asked Steve with a smile.
+
+"Oh, it's one of those rare Oriental rugs, you know."
+
+"You mean Bokhara," laughed Steve.
+
+Durkin blinked. "Something like that," he agreed. "Anyway, it's a peach.
+Come up and have a look at it."
+
+"No, thanks. I'm not buying rugs to-day."
+
+"Tell you what I'll do," pursued Durkin, undismayed. "I'll fetch it over
+to your room and you can see how it looks. It's got perfectly wonderful
+tones of--of old rose and--and blue and----"
+
+"Nothing doing, Durkin. We don't need any rugs."
+
+"You're missing a bargain," warned the other. "Say, I've still got that
+shoe-blacking stand I told you about. No, I didn't tell you, did I? I
+left a note under your door one evening, though. Did you get it?"
+
+"Note? Why, yes, I think so. Yes, we got it. I'd forgotten."
+
+Durkin chuckled. "That was the time I gave Sawyer the scare."
+
+"How?" asked Steve idly.
+
+"Didn't he tell you?"
+
+"Sawyer? Not likely." And Steve smiled.
+
+"That's so, I did hear that you and he were scrapping one day. You used
+to be pretty chummy, though, didn't you?"
+
+"Never," replied Steve with emphasis. Durkin blinked again and looked
+puzzled.
+
+"Well, he was trying to find you that night. So I supposed----"
+
+"What night?"
+
+"The night I went to tell you about that shoe-blacking stand. It's
+almost as good as new, Edwards----"
+
+"You say Sawyer was looking for me that night? How do you know? He
+couldn't have been, because I'd met him earlier in the hall downstairs."
+
+"I don't know. He said he was. Anyhow, he was in your room----"
+
+"Sawyer?" demanded Steve incredulously. "Eric Sawyer?"
+
+Durkin nodded.
+
+"You're crazy," laughed Steve.
+
+"Well, he was," answered the other indignantly. "He came out just as I
+was tucking that note under the door and fell over me and let out a
+yell you could have heard half-way to New York. You see, I didn't know
+there was anyone there. I knocked at first and thought I heard someone
+moving around in there. Then I tried the door and it was locked----"
+
+"You had the wrong room," said Steve. "We never lock our door except
+when we go to bed."
+
+"Wrong room nothing! You got the note, didn't you? Well, I didn't leave
+any notes anywhere else."
+
+"But--now, look here, Durkin. I want to get this right. You say you went
+to our room and knocked and---- Was there a light there?"
+
+"No. The transom was dark. When I couldn't get in I went back down the
+corridor to where the light is and scribbled that note. Then I went back
+and tucked it under the door. I guess I didn't make much noise because I
+had a pair of rubber-soled shoes on and so Sawyer didn't hear me.
+Anyway, he opened the door just then and it was fairly dark there and he
+nearly broke his silly neck on me. Scared me, too, for the matter of
+that! I didn't think there was anyone in there. Say, is there anything
+up? You look sort of funny."
+
+"N-no, nothing much. You're sure it was Sawyer who came out?"
+
+"Of course I'm sure. He let out a yell and picked himself up and began
+to scold. Wanted to know what I meant by it and I said I was sticking a
+note under your door and he said 'Oh!' and something about wanting to
+see you and waiting for you. Then he said he guessed you weren't coming
+back yet and he'd go on."
+
+"What time was this, Durkin?"
+
+"Oh, a little after eight, I suppose; half-past, maybe. I stopped to see
+Whittaker on the floor below, I remember. He said he'd look at that
+stand, but he never did. If you want a bargain, Edwards, now's your
+chance. I'll let you have it for a dollar and a quarter. It cost two and
+a half. I bought it from----"
+
+"Oh, confound your old stand! Look here, Durkin, will you tell Mr. Daley
+just what you've told me if I want you to?"
+
+"Eh?" asked Durkin in alarm. "Oh, I don't know. I don't want to get
+anyone into trouble. I--I'd rather not, I guess. You see, Sawyer----"
+
+"If you will, I--I'll buy your old shoe-blacking stand or your rug
+or--or anything you like!" said Steve earnestly. "Will you?"
+
+"Why, maybe I might if you put it that way. The rug's two dollars."
+
+"All right," answered Steve impatiently. "Where are you going to be for
+the next hour?"
+
+"Upstairs, practising. Come and see it any time you like. It really is a
+peach, Edwards, and it's scarcely worn at all. It--it's a prayer rug,
+too, and they're scarcer than hens' teeth nowadays!"
+
+But Steve was already yards away and Durkin shrugged his shoulders and
+turned back into Torrence.
+
+"Wonder what's up," he murmured. "I'd hate to get Sawyer into a scrape.
+Still, if he will buy that rug----"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIV
+
+THE DAY BEFORE THE BATTLE
+
+
+Tom was attiring himself in his Sunday best. It was almost six o'clock
+and one of Hoskins' barges was to leave Main Hall at half-past with the
+members of the second team, for this was the evening of the banquet in
+the village. Tom didn't feel unduly hilarious, however. He was sorry
+that the football season was over, for one thing, for he loved the game.
+And then existence of late had been fairly wearing and mighty
+unsatisfactory. His quarrel with Steve was a tiresome affair and he
+didn't see just how it was to end. For his part, in spite of the fact
+that his chum had hurt him a good deal by his mean suspicion of him, he
+was ready to make up, only--well, he had some pride, after all, and it
+did seem as if the first overtures should come from Steve. No, on the
+whole, Tom wasn't looking forward to the banquet with any great amount
+of enjoyment. If Steve was going to be there, too----
+
+Someone came hurrying down the corridor, the room door flew open and
+there stood Steve himself, a radiant and embarrassed look on his face,
+his gaze searching the room for Tom. His face fell a little as he found
+the room apparently empty, and then lighted again as his glance
+discovered Tom at the closet door, Tom half-dressed and with a pair of
+trousers dangling over his arm. Out went Steve's hand as he turned.
+
+"I'm sorry, Tom," he said simply. "I was a beast."
+
+Tom took the hand that was offered and squeezed it hard.
+
+"That's all right," he stammered. "So was I."
+
+"No, you were right, Tom," answered Steve convincedly. "I hadn't any
+business suspecting you of a thing like that. And--and I want to tell
+you first that I knew I was wrong a long time ago, before this happened.
+You believe that, don't you?"
+
+"Yes, Steve, but--what is it that's happened?"
+
+"It's all clear as daylight," said Steve, grinning happily as he seated
+himself on the bed and tossing his cap toward the table. "It was Sawyer
+did it. He put up the whole job. He fessed up when 'Horace' got at him.
+Durkin met him coming out and----"
+
+"Hold on!" begged Tom. "I don't quite get you, Steve!"
+
+Steve laughed. "Sort of confused narrative, eh? Well, listen, then. Drop
+those trousers and sit down a minute."
+
+"All right, but the barge leaves at half-past----"
+
+"Never you mind the barge, old man! You're not going in it. I'll come to
+that later, though."
+
+"Take your time," said Tom, dropping into a chair. "I love to hear your
+innocent prattle."
+
+"Shut up! It's like this, Tom. I met Durkin awhile ago and he got to
+talking about that shoe-blacking stand. Remember the note he left here
+that night?" Tom nodded. "Well, it came out that while he was putting it
+under our door Eric Sawyer walked out and fell over him."
+
+"Out of here?"
+
+"Right-o! Sawyer said he'd been waiting to see me. Now you remember I'd
+seen him coming out of Daley's room earlier, eh? Well, it seems that
+Sawyer saw a chance to put up a game on me. So after I'd gone upstairs
+again, he sneaked back to 'Horace's' room, got that confounded blue-book
+of Upton's and waited his chance. After we'd left the room he came up
+here and slid the thing among some books on the table there. While he
+was in here Durkin came along and knocked and Sawyer slipped over and
+locked the door. Then he waited until he thought Durkin had gone and
+unlocked the door again and came out. But old Durkin had written a note
+to us down under the light and come back with it and he was putting it
+under the door when Sawyer came out and fell over him. Of course, when
+Durkin told me that I had a hunch what had happened and I hot-footed it
+to 'Horace.' He confessed that it was Sawyer who had told him he'd seen
+me carrying off the book. So he streaked off after Sawyer, found him
+somewhere and took him to Durkin's room. Sawyer----"
+
+"Were you there too?" asked Tom excitedly.
+
+"No, he told me to wait in his study for him. He was back in about a
+half-hour looking sort of worried. Of course Sawyer had to own up. He
+told 'Horace' that he'd just done it for a joke, but 'Horace' didn't
+believe him for a cent. And there you are!" Steve ended in breathless
+triumph. Tom viewed him round-eyed.
+
+"What--what about Sawyer?" he asked.
+
+"I don't know for certain, but I think Sawyer's on pro. Anyway, Tom, I
+know this much: You don't go to any old banquet to-night."
+
+"I don't? Why don't I?"
+
+"Because I met Lawrence downstairs a few minutes ago. He was looking for
+you."
+
+"Wh-what for?" asked Tom faintly.
+
+"Robey says you're not to break training, Tom! You're to report at the
+'varsity table to-night for supper!" Whereupon Steve, his eyes dancing,
+jumped from the bed and pulled Tom to his feet. "What do you say to
+that, old Tommikins?" he exulted.
+
+Tom, dazed, smiled weakly. "Do you mean--do you mean they want me to
+_play_?" he murmured.
+
+"Oh, no," scoffed Steve, pushing him toward the bed on which he subsided
+in a heap. "They want you to carry the footballs and sweep the gridiron!
+Of course they want you to play, you old sobersides! Don't you see that
+with Sawyer on pro there's a big hole in the line? I suppose they'll
+give Churchill the first chance at it, but he won't last the game
+through. Think of both you and I making the 'varsity, Tom! How's that
+for luck, eh? Not bad for the old Tannersville High School, is it? I
+guess we've gone and put Tannersville on the map, Tom!"
+
+"Gee, I'm scared!" muttered Tom, looking up at Steve with wide eyes.
+"I--I don't believe I'll do it!"
+
+"You don't, eh? Well, you're going to do it! Get your old duds on and
+hurry up. It's after six."
+
+"I'll have to tell Brownell I'm not going to the feast." Tom gazed
+fascinatedly at his best trousers draped across the chair back. "Anyway,
+I wasn't keen on going--without you," he murmured.
+
+"There's only one drawback," said Steve a few minutes later, when they
+were on their way to supper. "And that is that I promised Durkin to buy
+a rug from him."
+
+"A rug? We don't need any rug, do we?" asked Tom.
+
+"Not a bit. But this is a genuine Begorra; Durkin says so himself. And I
+agreed to buy it if he'd tell 'Horace' about Sawyer. Unless--unless
+you'd rather have the shoe-blacking stand, Tom?"
+
+"I would. If we had that, perhaps you'd keep your shoes decent!"
+
+Steve tipped Tom's cap over his eyes. "Rude ruffian!" he growled
+affectionately.
+
+There was no practice at Brimfield Friday, for as soon as the last
+recitation of the day was over the 'varsity team and substitutes piled
+into two of Hoskins' barges in front of Main Hall to be driven over to
+Oakdale, some five miles distant. The school assembled to see them off,
+and there was much hilarity and noise. Joe Lawrence, note-book in hand,
+flustered and anxious, mounted the steps and called the names of the
+squad members.
+
+"Benson!"
+
+"Here," responded Benson from where, at the far end of one of the
+barges, he sat, crutches in hand, looking a bit disconsolate.
+
+"Churchill, Corcoran, Edwards, Fowler, Gleason, Guild, Hall, Harris,
+Innes--Innes?"
+
+"Coming fast!" shouted a voice from the edge of the throng, and the big
+centre, suit-case in hand, pushed his way toward the barges.
+
+"Right through!" laughed the fellows. "Hit the line, Innes! A-a-ay!"
+
+"Kendall," continued Lawrence. "Lacey, Marvin, Miller, Milton, McClure,
+Norton, Roberts, Still, Thursby, Williams!"
+
+"All present and accounted for," announced a voice in the crowd. "Home,
+James!"
+
+Coach Robey and "Boots" appeared. Danny Moore, who with Gus, the rubber,
+sat on the driver's seat surrounded with suit-cases, took the bags, Joe
+Lawrence and Tracey Black, assistant manager, squeezed into the already
+overcrowded barges, Blaisdell, baseball captain, called for a cheer
+and, amidst a thunderous farewell, the squad, grinning and waving,
+disappeared down the drive, through the gate and out on to the road.
+
+Oakdale was fairly deserted at this time of year. Most of the summer
+cottages were closed, but the little hotel kept open the year around,
+and when, at four o'clock, the barges pulled up in front of it, fires
+were snapping in the open fireplaces and everything was in readiness for
+the squad's reception. Followed a very merry and rather boisterous time
+while the fellows, bags in hand, sought their rooms to don their togs
+and report for light practice on the lawn. There was only signal drill
+to-day, and that was brief. Afterwards the centres practised passing and
+the kickers limbered up a little, but by five the work was over and the
+fellows were free to do what they liked. Some gathered around the two
+big fireplaces in the hotel, others went for strolls along the road, and
+still others, Steve and Tom amongst the number, sought the little cove
+nearby where a diminutive and rather pebbly beach curved from point to
+point and a boat-landing stuck out into the quiet water. The trees and
+grass went almost to the edge and there were comfortable benches along
+the bank from which one might look across the Sound to the Long Island
+shore or watch the boats pass. It had been a fair, mild day and the
+light still held. Steve and Tom sauntered down to the float and Steve
+dipped an inquiring hand into the water.
+
+"Say, that isn't a bit cold," he announced. "What do you say to a swim,
+Tom?"
+
+"Fine, only we haven't any suits."
+
+"Maybe they've got some at the hotel. Let's ask." On the way up they met
+Norton, Williams and Marvin. "Come on in swimming, fellows," called
+Steve.
+
+"Can we?" asked Norton. "Who says so?"
+
+"Why not? We're going to see if we can find some trunks or something."
+
+"All right. You'd better ask the coach, though." This from Marvin. "He's
+in the office, I think. If you find any trunks bring some for us,
+Edwards."
+
+The clerk was rather dubious at first, but eventually returned with a
+miscellaneous collection of bathing togs from which the boys finally
+evolved three pairs of trunks and two suits. Meanwhile Mr. Robey had
+given hesitant permission.
+
+"If the water's very cold, Edwards, don't try it, please. And, in any
+case, don't stay in more than ten minutes. That goes for all of you."
+
+There was a bathing pavilion farther along, reached from the little
+beach by a flight of wooden steps, and to this the five boys proceeded,
+examining the attire the clerk had provided with much amusement.
+
+"I won't be able to swim a stroke," declared Norton. "I'll just be
+doubled up laughing at Hath in that blue-striped thing he has there."
+
+"Huh," growled Williams, "I don't think you'll get any prizes for beauty
+yourself!"
+
+By this time the news of their exploit had gone out and other fellows
+were hurrying to the hotel to seek bathing suits. A few secured them and
+the rest followed down to watch. When they met outside, dressed for the
+plunge, the five went off into gales of laughter. Hatherton Williams in
+a blue-and-white-striped suit many sizes too small for him cut a
+ridiculous figure, while Norton, whose faded red trunks had lost their
+gathering string, held his attire frantically with one hand and implored
+a pin! Tom's trunks were strained to the bursting point and Steve's were
+inches too large for him. Only Marvin had fared well, being dressed in
+what he called "a real classy two-piece suit." The two pieces didn't
+match in either colour or material, but they nearly fitted and, unlike
+Hatherton Williams' regalia, were innocent of holes. Norton declared
+that he was extremely glad it was getting dark, since otherwise if the
+pin one of the onlookers had supplied him with gave way, he'd have to
+stay in the water.
+
+Steve and Marvin led the way to the float and they all plunged in. Tom,
+shaking the water from his head, faced Steve accusingly when he had
+regained his breath. "Thought you said it wasn't cold!" he shrieked.
+"It's freezing! Br-r-r!"
+
+"Move around and get warm," advised Norton, striking out. "It isn't bad
+when you get used to it."
+
+But Tom, accustomed to the tempered water of the school tank, groaned
+and refused to be optimistic. "Bet it isn't a bit over forty-five," he
+muttered.
+
+Steve was already well out in the cove, pursued by Norton. Some of the
+boys who had failed to find suits had launched a decrepit rowboat and,
+with one broken oar, were splashing about near the float. Far out in the
+Sound a big white steamer passed eastward, her lights showing white in
+the gathering darkness and the strains from her orchestra coming
+faintly across the quiet water. The boys in the rowboat stopped
+skylarking to discuss what steamer it was, and Marvin, who had swam up
+behind and laid hands on the gunwale, told them that it was the
+_Lusitania_ and that if they didn't agree with him he'd tip them over.
+Discussion ceased at once. The four mariners instantly declared that he
+was right. Churchill even went so far as to say that he had known it was
+the _Lusitania_ all the time; that he could always tell her by her
+funnels. Innes, who was seated in the stern and filling his position to
+the limit, acknowledged that for an instant--oh, the merest fraction of
+a second!--he had thought the steamer was the _Ne'er-do-well_, Berlin to
+Kansas City, but that he had seen his mistake almost instantly! By which
+time, the _Priscilla_, New York to Fall River, had passed out of sight,
+and Marvin, merely tipping the boat until the water ran in a bit over
+one side, just as a mark of esteem, swam off before Guild could reach
+him with the broken oar.
+
+Tom and Williams were paddling about not far off the landing, Tom
+floating on his back most of the time and complaining about the
+temperature of the water, when Norton swam up, puffing and blowing.
+
+"Where's Steve?" asked Tom. Norton nodded toward the Long Island shore.
+
+"Somewhere out there," he answered. "He was too much for me. I had to
+quit. The chump swims like a--a dolphin. I'm going in, fellows. I'm
+getting cold."
+
+"I guess we'd all better," agreed Williams. "Hello! What's that?"
+
+"_Help!_" From somewhere beyond the mouth of the little cove the cry
+came, sharp, imperative, and was repeated again while they listened.
+
+"It's Edwards," muttered Norton uneasily. "I suppose he's only trying to
+get a rise out of us. He can swim like----"
+
+"Must be," agreed Williams. "Can you see him?"
+
+The cove was dim now and the surface of the water beyond held a sheen of
+light that confused the vision.
+
+"I'm not sure," muttered Norton. "I thought I did--for a minute."
+
+"Who was that yelling out there?" shouted one of the fellows in the
+boat.
+
+"Must be Edwards," answered Williams. "Can you see him?"
+
+"No. Do you suppose----"
+
+"_Help!_ This way!" The cry came again, fainter now, and someone in the
+boat seized the broken oar and began to churn the water with it, sending
+the crazy craft circling about in its length.
+
+"He's in trouble!" cried Norton. "Cramps, probably. I'm off, Hath. Will
+you come? Where's Hall?"
+
+"He started a minute ago," answered Williams, striking out with long
+hard sweeps of legs and arms. "There he is, ahead."
+
+"Come on with that boat, you fellows!" shouted Norton. "And hurry it
+up!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXV
+
+TOM TO THE RESCUE
+
+
+"We've only got one oar," answered a desperate voice.
+
+"Put it over the stern and scull it," directed someone on the float.
+There was a splash in reply, and Innes, who had promptly vacated his
+seat, crawled dripping to the landing. Hatherton, Williams, Norton and
+Marvin were already swimming desperately toward the mouth of the cove,
+while several fellows on land were running hard to the point, following
+the curving shore. The rowboat was at last under way, but making slow
+progress. Norton was the best swimmer of the trio, or, at least, the
+fastest, and Williams and Marvin were soon hopelessly in the rear. But
+Norton, if he could distance the other two, found that he was gaining
+but slowly on Tom, who, swimming as he had never swam before, as he
+didn't know he could swim, was already well out toward the mouth of the
+cove.
+
+His limbs were aching already, and his lungs were hurting as he fought
+his way through the water and against a slow-coming tide. But the only
+thought that possessed him was that Steve was in trouble out there,
+perhaps drowning, and that he must get to him. The water splashed into
+his eyes and blinded him, for Tom was not an adept swimmer, and not once
+could he so much as sight Steve. Neither was the appeal for help
+repeated and Tom's heart sank. Behind him, as he was dimly aware, others
+were following, and he wished they would hurry. Once, when he was
+opposite the points, he tried to call, but his lungs were too tired to
+respond in more than a whisper. Then he was past the gloom of the cove,
+the water was alight with the afterglow and little choppy waves dashed
+against him. Gasping, he paused an instant, brushed one arm against his
+dripping face and looked about him. For a moment nothing met his anxious
+gaze. Then a darker spot on the darkening water appeared a dozen yards
+away and Tom went on desperately, panic-stricken for fear that when he
+reached it it would prove to be only a bit of driftwood.
+
+[Illustration: It was Steve, Steve on his back, with only his head and
+shoulders above the water]
+
+But it wasn't. It was Steve, Steve on his back, with only his head and
+shoulders above the water, eyes closed in a dead-white face and his arms
+weakly moving now and then as though in an unconscious endeavour to keep
+the helpless body afloat. A great wave of relief and joy almost stopped
+Tom's heart for an instant. Then his hand went out and caught one of
+Steve's wrists.
+
+"It's all right, Steve," he gasped weakly. "Don't grab me. They're
+coming with the boat."
+
+There was no reply from Steve, and Tom, pulling the arm over his
+shoulder, as he had seen Steve himself do so many times in the tank when
+illustrating the way to rescue a drowning person, felt the weight of the
+inert form on his back as he turned and strove to swim slowly back
+toward the cove. To swim with one arm, even to keep himself afloat so,
+was no light task for Tom, and now, with the weight of Steve's body
+bearing him down, he found the struggle too much for him. He
+relinquished all attempts to swim and centred his efforts in keeping
+afloat. If only Norton and the rest would come! He listened. There was a
+splashing somewhere nearby, but it was too dark now to see a dozen feet
+away. Tom drew all the breath he could find into his lungs and let it
+out in a weak shout.
+
+"Help!" he gasped. "Here!"
+
+Then there was an answering hail from close by, a mighty churning of the
+water and a dim form plunged alongside.
+
+"Have you got him?" cried Norton. "Give him to me, Hall. Hath! Over
+here!"
+
+Tom didn't relinquish quite all his burden, though. He still had one of
+Steve's arms around his neck when, a minute later, Marvin and Williams
+having reached them meanwhile, the rowboat appeared out of the darkness.
+It was no light task to get Steve into the boat, but it was accomplished
+somehow, and then, Tom dragging astern, hands clutching the gunwale
+grimly, and the others, too, claiming at least partial support from the
+boat, the rescuers turned shoreward. Wisely, Churchill, who handled the
+oar, headed the boat toward the nearer point, and when the keel
+grounded, eager hands were waiting to lift Steve out and hurry him back
+to the hotel. Tom crawled out of the water and subsided on the bank,
+still fighting for breath and feeling rather sick at his stomach.
+Between Fowler and Milton he was lifted and half carried, weakly
+protesting that he could walk all right and promptly crumpling up when
+they allowed him to try.
+
+Steve had been taken up to the room he was occupying, and Danny Moore
+was administering to him when Tom was brought in and laid on his bed.
+Steve was already talking weakly and Danny was telling him to keep
+still.
+
+"Don't be talking," he said. "Fit that bottle to your back and keep
+covered up. You'll be fine in an hour. An' who've you got there? Well,
+if it ain't my old friend Jim Hall!"
+
+Tom smiled faintly as Danny bent over him.
+
+"An' so you been tryin' to drown yourself too, have you?" continued
+Danny. "Well, well,'tis queer tastes you have, the two of you! Drink a
+bit o' this, Jim, and lie still."
+
+Mr. Robey came in and Danny nodded reassuringly to him. "They'll be fine
+as fiddles in an hour, Coach. Now you boys scatter out o' here an' leave
+them have a bit nap."
+
+Tom didn't remember much for awhile after that, for he must have fallen
+promptly to sleep. When he awoke, the light was turned low and Steve was
+sitting on the edge of the bed. On a chair beside him was a tray from
+which appetizing odours curled toward him. Tom blinked sleepily.
+
+"Hello," he murmured. "What's up?"
+
+"I am and you're not," answered Steve. "I've brought you some supper.
+Are you hungry?"
+
+Recollection returned then and Tom observed his chum anxiously.
+
+"Are you all right!" he demanded. "Did they say you could get up?"
+
+"Of course. You can too after you eat. But you were asleep and Danny
+said you might as well have it out. How are you feeling?"
+
+Tom sat up experimentally and took a deep breath. "All right," he
+answered stoutly, although as a matter of fact he was full of stiff
+spots and queer aches. "And--and I'm hungry."
+
+"Good stuff!" laughed Steve. He lifted the tray to Tom's lap and took
+the covers from the dishes. "There isn't an awful lot here," he added
+apologetically, "but Danny said you'd be better if you didn't eat such a
+big supper. Do you mind?"
+
+"No, I guess there's enough. That soup smells good. What's that there?
+Roast beef? Fine!" And Tom fell diligently to work.
+
+Steve watched in silence a moment. Then,
+
+"I say, Tom," he said.
+
+"Huh?" asked the other, his mouth full.
+
+"You know I--I'm much obliged."
+
+Tom nodded carelessly. "All right," he said in a gruff voice. "It wasn't
+anything. Norton and Williams and those others did it."
+
+"You got there first," said Steve. "I guess if you hadn't I--I wouldn't
+have waited for the rest. It was mighty plucky, and--and I----"
+
+"Oh, cut it," growled Tom. "It wasn't anything, you ass. What the
+dickens did you go away out there for anyway?" Tom became indignant.
+"Haven't you got any sense?"
+
+"Not much," laughed Steve. Then, soberly, "It's the first time I ever
+had cramps, and I don't ever want them again! I thought I was a goner
+there for a while, Tom. They caught me right across the small of my back
+and I couldn't any more move my legs than I could fly. All I could do
+was shout and wiggle my arms a bit, and the pain was just as though
+something--say a swordfish--was cutting me in two!" Steve shook his head
+soberly. "It--it was fierce, Tom!"
+
+"Serves you right! You had no business swimming way out there in water
+like that and scaring us all to pieces!" Tom was very severe as to
+language, but the effect was somewhat marred by the fact that he had
+filled his mouth with food. Nevertheless, Steve took the rebuke quite
+meekly. All he said was:
+
+"And think of you rescuing me, Tom! Why, you aren't any sort of a
+swimmer! But it certainly was mighty pluck----"
+
+Tom pointed a fork at Steve and interrupted indignantly. It was
+necessary to head Steve off from further expressions of gratitude. "I
+like your cheek!" said Tom. "Can't swim! How do you suppose I got out
+there to you, you silly chump? You didn't see any water-wings or
+life-preservers floating around, did you? Or do you think I walked?
+Can't swim! Well, of all the----"
+
+"You know what I mean, Tom. I meant you couldn't swim--er--well, that
+you weren't a wonder at it!"
+
+"Huh!" grunted Tom. "Don't you talk about swimming after this. You
+weren't doing much of it when I got to you!"
+
+"No one can swim when he has cramps," responded Steve meekly. "How was
+the supper?"
+
+Tom gazed at the empty dishes. "All right--as far as it went. I'm going
+to get up. What time is it and what's going on downstairs?"
+
+"Nothing much just now. We just got through supper. They're taking the
+chairs and tables out of the dining-room so we can have signal drill at
+eight. Mr. Robey said you were to get into it if you felt all right.
+There's someone else downstairs who wants to see you too." And Steve
+grinned wickedly. "I told him I'd try to arrange an interview."
+
+"Who is it?" asked Tom suspiciously.
+
+"His name is Murray."
+
+"I don't know any Murray. What is this, a joke?"
+
+"Far from it, Tom. Mr. Murray is a newspaper man. He came over to get
+the line-up for to-morrow's game from Mr. Robey and got here just as
+they were talking about that silly stunt of mine. He laid around and
+waited for me and got it all out before I knew he was a newspaper chap.
+Now he wants to see you. I _think_ he wants your photograph, Tom!"
+
+"You were a silly ass to talk to him, Steve. He will go and put it in
+the paper, I suppose."
+
+"Wouldn't be surprised," agreed Steve, smiling. "He seemed to think he
+had a fine yarn. Of course I laid it on pretty thick about your heroism
+and all that."
+
+Tom viewed him darkly as he got into his coat. "If you did
+I'll--I'll----"
+
+"Take me back to the Sound and drop me in again! No, I didn't, Tom, but
+he does know all about it and of course he will put it in the papers.
+'Boots' says the--the Something-or-Other Press will get hold of it and
+send it all over the country. I've been wondering whether we ought to
+telegraph the folks so they won't have a fit if they read about it
+to-morrow."
+
+"What's the use? They'll know you're all right. Bet you that Mr.
+Newspaper Man doesn't catch me, though! Who's that hitting the ivories?"
+
+"Gleason, I guess. He was playing before supper. He's fine, too. Knows a
+whole bunch of college songs and stuff from the musical shows. We're
+going to have a concert after practice. They say Danny Moore can sing
+like a bird. Andy was telling me that last year they had a regular
+vaudeville show here. Everybody did something, you know; sang or danced
+or spoke a piece. It must have been lots of fun. I wish----"
+
+Steve, who had been wandering around the room, hands in pockets, paused
+as he caught the expression on Tom's face. "What's the matter?" he
+asked.
+
+"That's what I want to know," replied Tom. "Seems to me you're mighty
+chatty all of a sudden. Is it the effect of the bath?"
+
+Steve smiled, sighed and shook his head. "Tom," he said, "I've just got
+to talk or do something this evening. I--I'm as nervous as a--a cat!
+Ever feel that way?"
+
+Tom viewed him scornfully as he patted his tie into place. "Have I? Why,
+you silly chump, I'm scared to death this minute! Whenever I think
+about--about to-morrow I want to run down to the ocean and swim straight
+across to Africa!"
+
+"Honest?" Steve brightened perceptibly. "But you don't show it, Tom."
+
+"What's the good of showing it? All I hope is that the barge will make
+so much noise going back to-morrow that you won't hear my knees knocking
+together!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVI
+
+AT THE END OF THE FIRST HALF
+
+
+Saturday dawned clear and crisp, with a little westerly breeze stirring
+the tops of the leafless trees and fluttering the big maroon flag with
+the grey B that hung from the staff at the back of the grand stand. That
+was not the only flag displayed, for here and there all along the Row
+small banners hung from windows, while to add to the patriotic effect
+all the red and grey cushions in school were piled against the casements
+to lend their colour. There were few recitations that morning and there
+might just as well have been none, I fancy. The squad got back from
+Oakdale at one-thirty, after an early dinner, and were driven directly
+to the gymnasium, pursued by the school at large with vociferous
+greetings.
+
+Claflin began to put in an appearance soon after that. Hitherto
+Brimfield had travelled to Westplains to meet her rival, and this was
+the first time that the Blue had invaded the Maroon-and-Grey fastness.
+Hoskins did a rushing business that day, for Claflin had sent nearly her
+entire population with the team, and many of the visitors were forced
+to walk from the station. There was an insouciant, self-confident air
+about the Claflin fellows that impressed Brimfield and irritated her
+too. "You'd think," remarked Benson, watching from a window in the gym
+the visitors passing toward the field, "that they had the game already
+won! A stuck-up lot of dudes, that's what I call them!" But Benson was
+not in the best of tempers to-day and possibly his judgment was warped!
+
+The Claflin team arrived in one of Hoskins' barges and took possession
+of the meeting-room upstairs to change into their togs. They were a
+fine-looking lot of fellows, and they, too, had that same air of
+confidence that Benson had found annoying. By a quarter past two the
+stage was set. The grand stand was filled to overflowing, the settees
+and chairs, which had been brought out to supplement the permanent
+seats, were all occupied, and many spectators were standing along the
+ropes. Over the stand the big maroon-and-grey banner floated lazily in
+the breeze. The field had been newly marked out and the cream-white
+lines shone dazzlingly in the sharp sunlight. It was a day for light
+wraps and sweaters, but many visitors, arriving in motor cars that were
+now parked behind the gymnasium, were clad in furs. It was distinctly a
+social occasion, for fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, aunts and
+uncles had descended upon the school in numbers and half the fellows
+were parading around before the hour set for the game with admiring
+relatives or friends, showing their rooms and the dining-hall and the
+gymnasium, and looking all the time a bit bored at the fuss and secretly
+enjoying it. Harry Westcott was seen with his father and sister in tow,
+while Roy Draper was surrounded by an enthusiastic flock of female
+relatives.
+
+Overhead a clear blue sky, scarcely so much as flecked with a cloud,
+arched radiantly. The breeze was much too light to place a handicap on
+either goal, and when, at a quarter after two, the visiting team trotted
+across from the gymnasium, ducked under the rope at the end of the grand
+stand and started to warm up it was seen that the long punts she sent
+away showed scarcely any influence from the wind. Of course Claflin,
+banked at the east end of the stand, greeted her warriors royally, and,
+of course, Brimfield gave them a hearty cheer, too. But that acclaim was
+nothing to the burst of applause that went up when the home team, twenty
+strong, led by Andy Miller, romped on. Then Brimfield shouted herself
+hoarse and made such a clamour that the cheer which the Claflin leaders
+evoked a moment later sounded like a whisper by comparison.
+
+Ten minutes of brisk signal work, punting, catching and goal-kicking
+followed, and then, while along the road an occasional screech from a
+belated automobile sounded, the teams retired to opposite sides of the
+field, the maroon-and-grey megaphones, which had been keeping time to a
+song sung by some hundred and thirty youths, died away and the
+comparative quiet that precedes the beginning of battle fell over the
+field. The officials met on the side line and then, accompanied by
+Captain Miller, walked to the centre of the field. From the farther side
+a blue-sleeved and blue-stockinged youth advanced to meet them. A coin
+spun, glittering, in the air, fell, rolled and was recovered. Heads bent
+above it, the group broke up and Andy Miller waved to his players. Then
+blankets and sweaters were cast aside and ten maroon-sleeved youths
+gathered about their leader. There was a low-voiced conference and the
+team scattered over the east end of the field. Brimfield had won the
+toss, had given the kick-off to Claflin and Captain Burrage had chosen
+the west goal and what slight advantage might come from a breeze at his
+back.
+
+Andy Miller and the two coaches had arranged the line-up the evening
+before. There had been some indecision as to filling one or two
+positions for the start of the game, and the line-up as it was presented
+when the whistle blew held several surprises for the school. Here it is,
+and the Claflin list as well:
+
+          BRIMFIELD.                             CLAFLIN.
+
+          Roberts, l. e.                   r. e., Chester
+          Lacey, l. t.                       r. t., Mears
+          Fowler, l. g.                    r. g., Colwell
+          Innes, c.                            c., Kenney
+          Hall, r. g.                      l. g., Johnson
+          Williams, r. t.                  l. t., Bentley
+          Miller, r. e.                    l. e., Mumford
+          Milton, q. b.                   q. b., Ainsmith
+          Harris, l. h. b.              r. h. b., Burrage
+          Kendall, r. h. b.          l. h. b., Whittemore
+          Norton, f. b.                   f. b., Atkinson
+
+"Are you ready, Brimfield? Ready, Claflin?"
+
+The whistle piped, a Claflin linesman stepped forward, swung a long leg
+and the battle was on. Williams caught the ball on the thirty-yard line.
+On a fake kick play Miller tried Claflin's right tackle and made but two
+yards. Norton punted to Claflin's thirty, where Burrage fumbled the
+ball and Ainsmith recovered it. Claflin at once punted out of bounds to
+Brimfield's forty-five-yard mark. Kendall made three yards around the
+enemy's right end and then, on the next play, failed at the line. Milton
+tried a forward pass to Miller, but the ball grounded and Norton kicked
+to Claflin's twenty-yard line.
+
+Two tries by the Blue netted little and she again punted and the ball
+was Brimfield's on her own forty-seven yards. Harris failed to gain
+through Claflin's left tackle and Brimfield was penalised fifteen yards
+for holding. On a criss-cross against left tackle Harris was tackled for
+a loss and Norton then punted to Whittemore and the latter ran the ball
+back fifteen yards before he was stopped. On a try through Hall the
+Blue's full-back failed to gain. But on a second attempt at the other
+side of centre he smashed through for seven yards. A delayed pass by the
+Claflin quarter gave his side first down on Brimfield's thirty-five-yard
+line. Atkinson again tried Hall and gained less than a yard. Ainsmith
+attempted the Brimfield left end and was thrown by Harris for a
+five-yard loss. Captain Burrage tried Brimfield's right end and failed.
+With one down left and fifteen yards to gain Burrage tried a forward
+pass. It was successfully captured, but the distance was short and the
+pigskin went to Brimfield on her thirty-eight yards.
+
+Norton punted on first down and Claflin returned it. Kendall misjudged
+the ball and it rolled to the Maroon's twelve yards. Milton fell on it
+there. Kendall and Norton gained two yards each through centre, and
+Norton punted to Brimfield's forty-five yard line, where Burrage made a
+fair catch.
+
+The stands grew very quiet while the Claflin quarter-back poised the
+ball. Then Burrage stepped forward and sent it speeding away. But the
+kick was short and Norton caught the ball on his five-yard line and,
+behind excellent interference, ran it back to the thirty-yard line
+before he was thrown by Chester. From there Norton punted to the Blue's
+thirty and Claflin returned the punt on first down to her adversary's
+forty yards. Harris caught it, but was nailed in his tracks by Mumford,
+who made a spectacular tackle which won applause from friend and foe
+alike. Time was called for an injury to Mumford, but he was soon on his
+feet again.
+
+Claflin was penalised for off-side on the next play. Norton went through
+right guard for first down and Brimfield shouted joyously. Kendall
+failed to gain. Norton made a yard and then dropped back to kick
+formation. The play, however, proved to be a forward pass to Roberts.
+Roberts was out of position and the pigskin was intercepted by the
+Claflin quarter. It was then the Blue's ball on her forty-five yards.
+Hall let the runner through for a yard and Claflin pulled off a
+successful forward pass to her left end on Brimfield's thirty-nine-yard
+line. The Blue's full-back was stopped in an attempt on the opposite
+right tackle and a penalty for off-side brought the ball to near the
+middle of the field. Claflin then punted to Brimfield's seven yards and
+the whistle sounded the end of the first quarter.
+
+The stand cheered while the players traversed the field to line up under
+the shadow of the west goal.
+
+Brimfield thrust Norton at the Claflin centre when the play began again
+and the big full-back made three yards. Then he dropped behind his
+goal-line and punted, the ball going out of bounds at the twenty-four
+yards. Claflin cheered loudly as the teams lined up.
+
+Claflin's full-back made a yard through the centre, but lost the
+distance when, on the next down, he went against Lacey. Captain Burrage
+dropped back to kicking position on the thirty-five-yard line and once
+more Brimfield's goal was in danger. The pass was straight and true.
+Burrage dropped the ball and swung his foot. But two Brimfield forwards
+had broken through and as the ball left the ground Andy Miller blocked
+it. There was a mad scramble for the pigskin, Williams at last falling
+on it on his twenty-five yards. Norton punted poorly, the ball going
+diagonally across the gridiron, and it was Claflin's first down on
+Brimfield's twenty-eight yards. Atkinson came through centre for a yard,
+and then Burrage once more dropped back for a try at goal. The attempt
+looked rather desperate, for the kicker was standing almost on the
+forty-yard line, but Brimfield's supporters held their breaths until the
+Claflin half-back had swung his long leg. Then a vast shout of relief
+went up from where the maroon-and-grey megaphones waved tumultuously,
+for Burrage had made a bad mess of the drop-kick and the ball rolled
+along the ground and was captured by a Brimfield back.
+
+Still went in for Harris, who had been hurt in the scramble. On the
+second down, with seven to go, Norton received the ball at full speed
+from Milton, broke through the Claflin line and, pursued by the wild
+cheers of the Brimfield spectators, made fifty-five yards through a
+broken field, at last landing the ball on Claflin's twenty-yard line.
+It looked as though Brimfield's moment of victory was at hand. Time was
+taken out for a Claflin injury and eventually Atkinson was replaced by a
+substitute. Brimfield made two tries at the enemy's right end and gained
+four yards. Williams dropped out of the line and retreated to Claflin's
+twenty-five-yard line. The ball was almost opposite the middle of the
+cross-bar when it went back to him on the pass from centre, but Innes
+had thrown it low and Williams was hurried by the Blue's forwards, who
+came crashing through. The ball went three yards wide of the left-hand
+upright and Brimfield in the stand groaned.
+
+Claflin put the ball in play on her twenty-five yards and Whittemore
+punted to Milton on Brimfield's forty-five. Milton plunged back some
+twelve yards before he was brought down. Norton punted on second down to
+the Blue's ten yards and the ball was run back ten by the Claflin
+quarter. The game then became a punting duel and after three exchanges
+Kendall, getting the ball on his own thirty-five-yard line, ran it back
+to the opponent's forty, dodging beautifully through a broken field and
+throwing off at least a half-dozen tacklers. Brimfield tried Claflin's
+left tackle twice and totalled five yards. A penalty, however, set her
+back ten yards, and Norton punted again to Claflin's twenty yards.
+Gleason was sent in by Coach Robey in place of Lacey. Claflin failed to
+gain and Whittemore punted to Still on the Maroon's forty-four yards.
+Norton tried the enemy's centre and failed of a gain and then punted out
+of bounds at Claflin's fifteen. Claflin sent in a substitute right end
+and Coach Robey put Corcoran in for Kendall. Claflin punted to midfield
+and Corcoran made one yard through the enemy's centre. An off-side play
+by the Blue gave Brimfield five yards and took the ball to the Blue's
+forty. Still gained two at left tackle and the half ended with the
+pigskin on Claflin's thirty-eight yards, the score 0 to 0.
+
+The teams trotted off, blanket-draped, toward the gymnasium, the
+substitutes trailing along behind, and the stand broke into excited
+discussion of the game. So far the honours had been fairly even,
+although toward the end of the second period the ball had remained in
+Claflin territory most of the time. In fact, after Williams' try for
+goal, the pigskin had never been nearer to Brimfield's last white mark
+than her thirty-five-yard line. Claflin averaged some four and a half
+pounds more than the home team, but in spite of that an unbiased critic
+would have given Brimfield the honours in the attacking game. Her play
+seemed smoother, her men better drilled. Neither team had shown great
+ability at line-plunging, although Norton's fine rush of fifty-five
+yards and Kendall's run of twenty-five gave Brimfield the benefit of the
+ground-gained figures. Each side had good reason to claim the ultimate
+victory, and each did so, meanwhile cheering and singing and working the
+enthusiasm up to a fine pitch.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVII
+
+STEVE SMILES
+
+
+Steve caught up with Tom on the way to the gymnasium. Tom was a
+disreputable looking object. His upper lip had been cut and had swollen
+to almost twice its normal size, and he had lost half an inch of skin
+from one cheek. When he smiled, which he did as Steve grabbed him by the
+arm, the effect was absolutely diabolical.
+
+"You're the goods, Tommikins!" exclaimed Steve, squeezing the arm he
+held. "They didn't make an inch through you. You were great!"
+
+"They got through once or twice," mumbled Tom.
+
+"Oh, for a yard or so," scoffed Steve. "Who gave you that peach of a
+mouth, Tom?"
+
+"Johnson, I think." He touched it gingerly. "It feels as big as a
+house."
+
+"You're a blooming hero, Tom. Say, Marvin told me the New York papers
+have got all about that business at Oakdale yesterday. He didn't see it,
+but someone told him. Wouldn't you love to read what they say? I'm
+going to get the papers as soon as the game's over."
+
+"Silly rot," mumbled Tom. They were waiting for the throng ahead to get
+through the doorway. When they followed Tom paused a moment in the
+hallway, his gaze following the striped legs of the Claflin players as
+they went up the stairs. Steve tugged at his arm.
+
+"Come on, slow-poke! What's the matter?"
+
+"Nothing. That is, I was just thinking how rotten those fellows will
+feel if they get beaten."
+
+"Maybe they won't," said Steve soberly. "If they don't, think how rotten
+we'll feel!"
+
+Tom smiled, wincing with the twinge from his swollen lip. "I suppose
+someone's got to feel bad. Come on."
+
+In the locker room and in the rubbing room beyond all was bustle. The
+rubber was hard at work over the table and Danny Moore was already busy
+with surgeon's plaster and medicated gauze and nasty smelling lotion.
+There was very little talk as yet. Fellows sank on to benches and
+wearily relaxed their tired muscles. Mr. Robey and "Boots" were
+consulting in low tones by one of the grated windows. Tom eased himself
+to a seat and began to strip down one torn woollen stocking, displaying
+an abrasion along the shin bone that brought an exclamation from Steve.
+
+"Shut up," said Tom. "Swipe a bunch of that absorbent cotton from Danny
+for me, will you? If he sees this he will make a fuss about it. I don't
+want it to get stiff on me. Hi, Fowler, how is it?"
+
+"All right," replied the left-guard, working a bunch of bleeding
+knuckles experimentally. "It was hot work, though. Can we hold them next
+half, Hall?"
+
+"Sure! They're as tired as we are, I guess. Besides, we had them on the
+run there toward the last."
+
+Tom dragged himself off to the wash-room to bathe his leg with the
+cotton Steve had brought.
+
+"Ten minutes more," announced Lawrence.
+
+"Hurry in to the table, you fellows," called Danny. "Williams, come here
+and let me see that knee of yours."
+
+"It's all right now, Danny," said Williams. But he limped across and was
+freshly bandaged. Mr. Robey left the window and sought Captain Miller,
+while "Boots," consulting the scribbled notes in his little book, went
+from player to player, criticising and advising.
+
+"Five minutes!" called Lawrence.
+
+"Hurry up, fellows," said Coach Robey. "Don't let's keep them waiting.
+Everyone all right? Just a word then. You fellows played well, and I
+want to tell you so. You made mistakes; everyone does. Never mind that
+now. You've got another chance. That's the main thing. We're going to
+win this game. We're going to score two touchdowns and we're going to
+hold them off, fellows. You can do it if you make up your minds to. I
+want every one of you to go back on the field looking as though you'd
+just come out of a Turkish bath and hadn't done a lick of work. I want
+every mother's son of you to smile from the time you leave this building
+until the last whistle blows. If I see one of you who isn't smiling I'll
+pull him out! We want to make those fellows understand right away that
+we're going to win, that we _know_ we're going to win and that we can't
+help being happy about it! But you've got to do more than smile. You've
+got to work like the dickens! You've got to work just about twice as
+hard as you've been working. Any one of you who thinks he can't do that
+say so now." Mr. Robey's eyes searched the earnest, attentive faces
+around him. "All right. Now, there's just one important criticism I've
+got to make. You fellows were slow. Milton was slow in getting his
+signals off and the rest of you were slow in starting. If you'll speed
+up you'll get the jump on those fellows every time. I want to see you do
+it. I want to see you _jump_! I'll pull out the first man of you who
+doesn't start the instant the play begins. Understand that, please. I'll
+forgive mistakes, but I won't stand for slowness. All right. Here's the
+line-up: Edwards, Gleason, Fowler, Thursby, Hall, Williams, Miller,
+Milton, Still, Kendall, Norton. How much time is there, Joe?"
+
+"About three minutes," answered Lawrence.
+
+"All right. On the trot now!"
+
+The cheer leaders leaped to their places as the teams came hustling back
+to the field and waved their megaphones and dropped them and beat time
+with clenched hands as the cheers burst forth.
+
+"_Rah, rah, Brimfield! Rah, rah, Brimfield! Rah, rah, Brimfi-e-ld!_"
+
+"_Claflin! Claflin! Claflin! Rah, rah, rah, Claflin! Claflin! Claflin!_"
+
+And then Fowler had thudded the ball away with a long swing of his foot
+and the last half had begun.
+
+The Claflin full-back pulled the ball out of the air, quick interference
+formed about him and he came charging back up the field.
+Five--ten--fifteen yards! Then Miller pulled him down with a savage
+tackle and the two teams faced each other. Umpire and referee dodged out
+of the way, Ainsmith called his signals and a back tore at Williams. The
+secondary defence sprang to the point of attack. There was an instant of
+confused heaving and swaying. Then the whistle sounded and the lines
+straightened again.
+
+"Second down! Seven to gain!"
+
+Steve, profiting by Miller's advice, kept his gaze fixed on the face of
+the opposing end who was edging out into the field. Then the ball was in
+play and the Claflin end came tearing down upon him, dodged to the right
+and then strove to slip past him inside. But Steve met him squarely with
+his shoulder and sent him sprawling. Behind him the teams were off under
+a punt and he recovered himself and raced along. It was Milton's ball on
+his thirty-yard line. Brimfield punted on first down and Claflin tore
+off three yards through centre and then kicked. Neither team was able to
+gain consistently through the line and each punted on second or third
+down. Brimfield had a trifle the better of the exchanges, aided a little
+by the breeze which had freshened since the beginning of the game. With
+the ball on Claflin's forty-two yards a fumble was recovered by
+Ainsmith for a loss of seven yards, and on third down Claflin attempted
+a forward pass which was intercepted by Captain Miller and carried to
+Claflin's thirty-yard mark. Brimfield cheered encouragingly and Norton
+smashed through left tackle for four. Kendall added two more and on a
+wing shift Still made the distance and the ball was down on the Blue's
+twenty yards. Two yards through centre by Norton was followed by a wide
+end run and the loss of four yards, Still being captured by Captain
+Burrage. Norton failed to gain at the line and Williams dropped back to
+kick.
+
+Milton followed to hold the ball for him and Brimfield held her breath.
+Thursby passed low to the quarter and when the ball arose it bounded
+away from a charging Claflin forward and went dancing and rolling back
+up the field. It was finally secured by Gleason on Claflin's
+thirty-three yards. Three tries by the Maroon netted but six and again
+Williams went back. This time the kick was short and Claflin secured the
+ball on her five-yard line and ran it in to the thirteen. Claflin made
+four around Steve's end and three through Williams. Then Whittemore
+punted to midfield.
+
+Brimfield returned to her line-smashing and secured first down on the
+Blue's thirty-six yards. There a forward pass to Captain Miller grounded
+and Milton made a short punt to the Blue's ten yards. Steve upset
+Burrage in his tracks. Claflin tried the Brimfield centre twice for four
+yards and punted to the fifty-yard line. Milton came back twelve and
+Kendall added six around the enemy's left end. Norton secured first down
+through right guard. Time was called and Danny Moore scurried on with
+his pail. Milton was injured and led off, Marvin taking his place. A
+forward pass to Captain Miller netted twelve yards. Marvin carried the
+ball through centre for two and Kendall met a stone wall when he tried
+to get past Johnson. Norton made a yard through left tackle and Williams
+dropped back to the twenty-yard line. The Brimfield supporters were
+cheering wildly, imploring a touchdown, but it seemed that a field goal
+was the best they were to have.
+
+"Get through and block it!" implored the Claflin quarter.
+
+"Hold that line!" shrieked Marvin.
+
+Back came the ball, Williams swung his leg, ran back and to the right
+and passed to Steve. But the ball went wide and settled into the arms of
+the Claflin right end. Dodging and feinting that speedy youngster tore
+off thirty-five yards before he was brought down and the ball was
+Claflin's on Brimfield's forty yards. The Blue found her stride again
+then and plunged through Fowler twice for good gains, finally securing
+her distance on the Maroon's twenty-eight. Fowler, who was staggering,
+was taken out and McClure came on. Claflin tried Steve's end and made
+four yards and then, on a fake kick formation, got three more through
+centre. Burrage tried a drop-kick for goal from the thirty-yard line,
+but McClure broke through and blocked it, the ball going to the Blue on
+Brimfield's thirty-eight yards. Two tries at the line gave Claflin three
+yards and Ainsmith shot the ball away to Mumford at the far side of the
+field. Miller stopped the runner after a twelve-yard gain. Claflin
+worked the ball back toward the centre of the field in two downs and
+then, faking a kick, gained two yards through Hall. It was third down,
+with three to go, and again Burrage tried a placement. The ball went
+wide and came back to the twenty-five-yard line. Norton punted on second
+down and time was called after Claflin had caught and run back five.
+
+Churchill replaced Tom at right guard when the last quarter started and
+Lacey returned to the game at left tackle. Claflin put Atkinson back at
+full and trotted in a substitute right tackle. On the first play
+Ainsmith smashed through the Brimfield line for ten yards, and then
+added two more. The weak place was Williams. Atkinson got four and then
+two through the centre. With the pigskin on Brimfield's forty yards an
+intricate wing shift failed to fool the Maroon and Whittemore was
+stopped after a gain of a yard, the ball going to Brimfield.
+
+Marvin gained two through left tackle and Norton punted. Claflin ran
+back to her thirty-four yards. On the next play Claflin was set back
+fifteen yards for holding and, after an attempted forward pass which
+grounded, punted to the Maroon's forty-five. Marvin caught and dodged
+back fifteen yards before he was stopped. On the first play he shot the
+ball to Steve, and Steve, making a good catch, reeled off ten before he
+was brought down. Another forward pass to Captain Miller gained five.
+Norton plunged at the line for three and Kendall failed to gain. With
+the ball on Claflin's twenty-two yards Williams went back. It was a
+fake, however, Marvin taking the ball for a straight plunge through
+centre, which gave Brimfield first down on Claflin's eighteen. Norton
+plugged the centre for two and Kendall swept around the Blue's left end
+for three more. With the pigskin on Claflin's thirteen-yard line a
+score seemed certain. But Norton was stopped for no gain and once more
+Williams dropped back to kick.
+
+Williams, however, was badly tuckered and was so slow in getting the
+ball away that again Claflin blocked and the ball was captured by
+Mumford on the twenty-five-yard line. Claflin punted on first down and
+the ball went out of bounds at the Blue's forty. Norton kicked to
+Claflin's fifteen and Ainsmith ran back to his thirty-six, receiving a
+salvo of applause from the blue section of the stand. Claflin made four
+around Miller's end and on the next play was presented with five,
+Brimfield being detected off-side. Atkinson made six through Williams
+and followed it with two more past Lacey. On a fake kick Ainsmith got
+through Thursby for three, taking the ball across the centre line for
+first down. A forward pass to right end was upset by Steve and Claflin
+punted on second down. Kendall caught on his twenty-five and was stopped
+at the thirty. Brimfield made seven in two plunges at the left side of
+the opposing line and then Still fumbled. Marvin recovered and Norton
+kicked to Claflin's thirty. Steve and Miller upset Ainsmith where he
+caught. Claflin was now playing on the defensive and kicked on first
+down. The punt was short and Kendall got it on Claflin's forty-eight
+yards and made ten before he was caught.
+
+The timer announced four minutes to play. Claflin sent in a new
+quarter-back and Coach Robey replaced Williams with Gleason. Williams
+was groggy and had to be carried off the field. From the grand stand
+came imploring cries from Brimfield for a touchdown and equally
+imploring shouts of "Hold 'em! Hold 'em!" from Claflin.
+
+Still took the pigskin on a criss-cross and made four around Claflin's
+right end. Norton shot through centre for the rest of the distance,
+placing the ball on the Blue's twenty-eight. With Williams out of the
+game it was a touchdown or nothing. Kendall and Still plugged the left
+of the Blue's line for two yards each and Norton got around the other
+end for three. With three to go on third down Marvin worked a delayed
+pass and made first down on the Blue's seventeen yards. The time-keeper
+announced three minutes left. Thursby gave place to Coolidge. Norton
+plunged through right tackle for five, but someone had held and
+Brimfield was set back fifteen. Kendall tried the Claflin left end and
+gained four on a long run across the field. Marvin took the ball for a
+plunge through centre, but was thrown back for a loss. Norton was
+forced to punt and put the ball out of bounds at the five-yard line.
+
+The time-keeper announced one minute left and Claflin punted from behind
+her goal-line, the ball going high and being caught by Marvin on the
+Blue's thirty yards. Brimfield, desperate for a score, lined up quickly
+and Norton struck the Claflin centre and piled through for ten yards.
+The Blue was weakening. Kendall added four and Still made a yard at left
+tackle. On the fifteen-yard line Marvin sent McClure back as if to try
+for a goal. Evidently Claflin accepted the bluff in good faith, for,
+although there were cries of "Fake!" the Claflin ends played well in.
+Marvin called his signals once, hesitated and pulled Kendall closer in
+to protect the kicker. Then, "Signals!" he shouted. "16--34--27--19!" He
+glanced sharply around the back-field. "16--34--27----"
+
+Back went the ball, but not to McClure. The quarter had it and was
+stepping back out of the path of the plunging players. Then his arm shot
+out and off went the ball, arching to the left, over the end of the
+battling, swaying lines, straight and far and true to where a lithe
+figure stood with upraised hand near the Blue's ten-yard line. Too late
+Claflin saw her error. Steve ran a step forward, felt the pigskin
+settle into his outstretched hands, whirled on his heel and sped toward
+the goal-line. The Claflin right end was almost on him as he crossed the
+five-yard mark, but when desperate arms settled about Steve's legs and
+brought him crashing to earth he was well over that last white line and
+the day was won! Frantic blue-stockinged youths dropped mercilessly down
+upon him and drove the breath from his body, in his ears was a wild and
+terrific clamour of frenzied joy and faintly a whistle shrilled. Steve,
+his nose buried in the soft sod, clutched the ball tightly beneath him
+and smiled in the darkness.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVIII
+
+THE CHUMS READ A TELEGRAM
+
+
+The tumult was over, although from the Row came at times a wild shout of
+exultation from some enthusiastic youth. In 12 Billings, Steve and Tom
+were dressing for the banquet. There was no feverish hurry in their
+movements. Tom sat for minutes at a time with a shirt draped across his
+knees and smiled fatuously through swollen lips. There was plenty of
+time. The banquet was not to be until seven, and it was now still but a
+little past six. When they spoke they spoke slowly, lazily, as though
+nothing much mattered, as though Fate had given them everything they
+wanted and nothing was left to be desired. Steve, dreamily slipping a
+belt through the loops of his best trousers, said:
+
+"Tom, when I look at you I'm ashamed of myself. There you are with a
+face like a war map and one leg all bunged up, and here am I without a
+scratch. I've got a bum wrist, but it doesn't show." And Steve scowled
+at the offending member.
+
+Tom grinned. "You can have my mouth if you want it," he said. After a
+minute he spoke again. "I was glad about Benson," he said.
+
+Steve nodded. "So was I."
+
+Tom laughed. "Yes, you looked it!"
+
+"Well, I didn't know why Robey was taking me out, of course. It seemed
+after I'd made that touchdown that he'd ought to let me play the game
+out. Benson was rather--rather pathetic when he hobbled on. I'm glad
+he's got his letter, though."
+
+"Yes, and there's only one thing I'm not glad about," responded Tom
+thoughtfully, beginning to squirm into his shirt. "I'm not glad we
+missed that goal. I wanted that extra point."
+
+"How could we help missing it? Andy isn't any goal kicker, and all the
+others were afraid to try, I suppose. What's the odds, though! We won,
+and six to nothing is good enough, isn't it?"
+
+"Mm--yes; seven to nothing would have looked better, though."
+
+"And you're the fellow," scoffed Steve, "who was almost crying awhile
+back because Claflin would feel bad if we licked her!"
+
+Tom only grunted. Steve went into a daydream with one leg in his
+trousers until, presently, Tom laughed softly.
+
+"What are you choking about?" asked Steve.
+
+"Just thinking. Remember, Steve, coming on in the train how we were
+talking about what--what it would be like here?"
+
+"N--no," answered Steve. "Were we?"
+
+"Yes. I remember you said that in the stories the hero was always
+suspected of something he hadn't done and you said you'd bet that if
+anyone tried that on you you'd make a kick."
+
+"Well, what of it?"
+
+"You didn't, though. Some of the fellows thought you'd swiped that
+blue-book that time and you didn't make a murmur."
+
+"Because----"
+
+"Because you thought I'd done it and was trying to shield me. I know.
+Then you said that in the stories the hero saves someone from drowning
+and the football captain puts him into the big game and he wins it by a
+wonderful run the length of the field."
+
+"That's right, isn't it? All the school stories have it like that, don't
+they?"
+
+"I know."
+
+"Well, then----"
+
+"The funny thing is that it happened like that to us, Steve, or pretty
+nearly. I don't mean that I--I actually saved you from drowning,
+but----"
+
+"You sure did, though!"
+
+"Anyway, it was something like that, wasn't it? And then you went and
+won the game in the last minute of play, just as they do in the
+stories."
+
+"I didn't make any run the length of the field," denied Steve. "All I
+did was catch the ball and go ten yards with it. Nothing wonderful about
+that."
+
+"Still, it's all pretty much like the story-writers tell it, after all,
+eh? That's what struck me as funny."
+
+"Huh! It doesn't seem to me much like it is in the stories. Say, we
+forgot about the papers, Tom!"
+
+"What papers?"
+
+"The New York papers, with the account of the thrilling rescue at
+Oakdale, with your picture----"
+
+"He didn't get any picture of me," said Tom grimly.
+
+"He made you talk, though," laughed Steve.
+
+"He'd make anyone talk," Tom grunted.
+
+"By Jove!" He jumped suddenly to his feet, and with more animation than
+had been displayed in Number 12 for a half-hour hurried to the closet.
+
+"What's up?" asked Steve in surprise.
+
+"Telegram," came in smothered tones from Tom. "Here it is. Lawrence
+handed it to me in the gym after the game. Said it came at noon, but
+Robey wouldn't let him give it to me. Bet you it's from my dad."
+
+Tom tore the end from the yellow envelope and there was silence in the
+room for a moment. At last, with a queer expression on his battered
+countenance, he walked across and held the message out to Steve. "It's
+for you, too," he said quietly.
+
+Steve took it and read: "Tannersville, Pa., Nov. 25. Morning papers have
+account of Oakdale scrape grateful to you for your rescue of Steve God
+bless you show this to Steve your father joins me in love to you both.
+John T. Edwards."
+
+Steve let the telegram fall and stared blankly at Tom.
+
+"What--do--you know--about that?" he gasped. "They've made it up, Tom!"
+
+Tom nodded gravely. "It--it----" A slow smile overspread his face.
+"Honest, Steve, that's better than winning the game!"
+
+"You bet it is! And you did it!"
+
+"Oh, no." Tom's eyes twinkled merrily. "You did it yourself, Steve, by
+trying to get drowned!"
+
+
+THE END
+
+
+
+
+THE OUTDOOR CHUMS SERIES
+
+By CAPTAIN QUINCY ALLEN
+
+
+The outdoor chums are four wide-awake lads, sons of wealthy men of a
+small city located on a lake. The boys love outdoor life, and are
+greatly interested in hunting, fishing, and picture taking. They have
+motor cycles, motor boats, canoes, etc., and during their vacations go
+everywhere and have all sorts of thrilling adventures. The stories give
+full directions for camping out, how to fish, how to hunt wild animals
+and prepare the skins for stuffing, how to manage a canoe, how to swim,
+etc. Full of the spirit of outdoor life.
+
+          THE OUTDOOR CHUMS
+          Or The First Tour of the Rod, Gun and Camera Club.
+
+          THE OUTDOOR CHUMS ON THE LAKE
+          Or Lively Adventures on Wildcat Island.
+
+          THE OUTDOOR CHUMS IN THE FOREST
+          Or Laying the Ghost of Oak Ridge.
+
+          THE OUTDOOR CHUMS ON THE GULF
+          Or Rescuing the Lost Balloonists.
+
+          THE OUTDOOR CHUMS AFTER BIG GAME
+          Or Perilous Adventures in the Wilderness.
+
+          THE OUTDOOR CHUMS ON A HOUSEBOAT
+          Or The Rivals of the Mississippi.
+
+          THE OUTDOOR CHUMS IN THE BIG WOODS
+          Or The Rival Hunters at Lumber Run.
+
+          THE OUTDOOR CHUMS AT CABIN POINT
+          Or The Golden Cup Mystery.
+
+=12mo. Averaging 240 pages. Illustrated. Handsomely bound in Cloth.=
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK
+
+
+
+
+THE BOBBSEY TWINS BOOKS
+
+For Little Men and Women
+
+By LAURA LEE HOPE
+
+Author of "The Bunny Brown" Series, Etc.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+=12mo. DURABLY BOUND. ILLUSTRATED. UNIFORM STYLE OF BINDING=
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Copyright publications which cannot be obtained elsewhere. Books that
+charm the hearts of the little ones, and of which they never tire.
+
+          THE BOBBSEY TWINS
+          THE BOBBSEY TWINS IN THE COUNTRY
+          THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT THE SEASHORE
+          THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT SCHOOL
+          THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT SNOW LODGE
+          THE BOBBSEY TWINS ON A HOUSEBOAT
+          THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT MEADOW BROOK
+          THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT HOME
+          THE BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY
+          THE BOBBSEY TWINS ON BLUEBERRY ISLAND
+          THE BOBBSEY TWINS ON THE DEEP BLUE SEA
+          THE BOBBSEY TWINS IN THE GREAT WEST
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK
+
+
+
+
+THE GIRLS OF CENTRAL HIGH SERIES
+
+By GERTRUDE W. MORRISON
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+=12mo. BOUND IN CLOTH. ILLUSTRATED. UNIFORM STYLE OF BINDING.=
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Here is a series full of the spirit of high school life of to-day. The
+girls are real flesh-and-blood characters, and we follow them with
+interest in school and out. There are many contested matches on track
+and field, and on the water, as well as doings in the classroom and on
+the school stage. There is plenty of fun and excitement, all clean, pure
+and wholesome.
+
+
+          THE GIRLS OF CENTRAL HIGH
+          Or Rivals for all Honors.
+
+          A stirring tale of high school life, full of fun,
+          with a touch of mystery and a strange initiation.
+
+
+          THE GIRLS OF CENTRAL HIGH ON LAKE LUNA
+          Or The Crew That Won.
+
+          Telling of water sports and fun galore, and of
+          fine times in camp.
+
+
+          THE GIRLS OF CENTRAL HIGH AT BASKETBALL
+          Or The Great Gymnasium Mystery.
+
+          Here we have a number of thrilling contests at
+          basketball and in addition, the solving of a
+          mystery which had bothered the high school
+          authorities for a long while.
+
+
+          THE GIRLS OF CENTRAL HIGH ON THE STAGE
+          Or The Play That Took the Prize.
+
+          How the girls went in for theatricals and how one
+          of them wrote a play which afterward was made over
+          for the professional stage and brought in some
+          much-needed money.
+
+
+          THE GIRLS OF CENTRAL HIGH ON TRACK AND FIELD
+          Or The Girl Champions of the School League.
+
+          This story takes in high school athletics in their
+          most approved and up-to-date fashion. Full of fun
+          and excitement.
+
+
+          THE GIRLS OF CENTRAL HIGH IN CAMP
+          Or The Old Professor's Secret.
+
+          The girls went camping on Acorn Island and had a
+          delightful time at boating, swimming and picnic
+          parties.
+
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK
+
+
+
+
+THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH SERIES
+
+By GRAHAM B. FORBES
+
+
+Never was there a cleaner, brighter, more manly boy than Frank Allen,
+the hero of this series of boys' tales, and never was there a better
+crowd of lads to associate with than the students of the School. All
+boys will read these stories with deep interest. The rivalry between the
+towns along the river was of the keenest, and plots and counterplots to
+win the champions, at baseball, at football, at boat racing, at track
+athletics, and at ice hockey, were without number. Any lad reading one
+volume of this series will surely want the others.
+
+          THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH
+          Or The All Around Rivals of the School
+
+          THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH ON THE DIAMOND
+          Or Winning Out by Pluck
+
+          THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH ON THE RIVER
+          Or The Boat Race Plot that Failed
+
+          THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH ON THE GRIDIRON
+          Or The Struggle for the Silver Cup
+
+          THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH ON THE ICE
+          Or Out for the Hockey Championship
+
+          THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH IN TRACK ATHLETICS
+          Or A Long Run that Won
+
+          THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH IN WINTER SPORTS
+          Or Stirring Doings on Skates and Iceboats
+
+=12mo. Illustrated. Handsomely bound in cloth, with cover design and
+wrappers in colors.=
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK
+
+
+
+
+THE BUNNY BROWN SERIES
+
+By LAURA LEE HOPE
+
+Author of the Popular "Bobbsey Twins" Books
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+          Wrapper and text illustrations drawn by
+          FLORENCE ENGLAND NOSWORTHY
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+=12mo. DURABLY BOUND. ILLUSTRATED. UNIFORM STYLE OF BINDING.=
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+These stories by the author of the "Bobbsey Twins" Books are eagerly
+welcomed by the little folks from about five to ten years of age. Their
+eyes fairly dance with delight at the lively doings of inquisitive
+little Bunny Brown and his cunning, trustful sister Sue.
+
+Bunny was a lively little boy, very inquisitive. When he did anything,
+Sue followed his leadership. They had many adventures, some comical in
+the extreme.
+
+          BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE
+          BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE ON GRANDPA'S FARM
+          BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE PLAYING CIRCUS
+          BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE AT CAMP REST-A-WHILE
+          BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE AT AUNT LU'S CITY HOME
+          BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE IN THE BIG WOODS
+          BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE ON AN AUTO TOUR
+          BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE AND THEIR SHETLAND PONY
+          BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE GIVING A SHOW
+          BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE AT CHRISTMAS TREE COVE
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK
+
+
+
+
+THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS SERIES
+
+BY VICTOR APPLETON
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+=UNIFORM STYLE OF BINDING. INDIVIDUAL COLORED WRAPPERS.=
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Moving pictures and photo plays are famous the world over, and in this
+line of books the reader is given a full description of how the films
+are made--the scenes of little dramas, indoors and out, trick pictures
+to satisfy the curious, soul-stirring pictures of city affairs, life in
+the Wild West, among the cowboys and Indians, thrilling rescues along
+the seacoast, the daring of picture hunters in the jungle among savage
+beasts, and the great risks run in picturing conditions in a land of
+earthquakes. The volumes teem with adventures and will be found
+interesting from first chapter to last.
+
+          THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS
+          THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS IN THE WEST
+          THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS ON THE COAST
+          THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS IN THE JUNGLE
+          THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS IN EARTHQUAKE LAND
+          THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS AND THE FLOOD
+          THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS AT PANAMA
+          THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS UNDER THE SEA
+          THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS ON THE WAR FRONT
+          THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS ON FRENCH BATTLEFIELDS
+          MOVING PICTURE BOYS' FIRST SHOWHOUSE
+          MOVING PICTURE BOYS AT SEASIDE PARK
+          MOVING PICTURE BOYS ON BROADWAY
+          THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS' OUTDOOR EXHIBITION
+          THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS' NEW IDEA
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK
+
+
+
+
+THE EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW SERIES
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+=May be had wherever books are sold. Ask for Grosset & Dunlap's list=
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+          BIRDS EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW
+            BY NELTJE BLANCHAN. ILLUSTRATED
+
+          EARTH AND SKY EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW
+            BY JULIA ELLEN ROGERS. ILLUSTRATED
+
+          ESSAYS EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW
+            EDITED BY HAMILTON W. MABIE
+
+          FAIRY TALES EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW
+            EDITED BY HAMILTON W. MABIE
+
+          FAMOUS STORIES EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW
+            EDITED BY HAMILTON W. MABIE
+
+          FOLK TALES EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW
+            EDITED BY HAMILTON W. MABIE
+
+          HEROES EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW
+            EDITED BY HAMILTON W. MABIE
+
+          HEROINES EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW
+            COEDITED BY HAMILTON W. MABIE AND KATE STEPHENS
+
+          HYMNS EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW
+            EDITED BY DOLORES BACON
+
+          LEGENDS EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW
+            EDITED BY HAMILTON W. MABIE
+
+          MYTHS EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW
+            EDITED BY HAMILTON W. MABIE
+
+          OPERAS EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW
+            BY DOLORES BACON. ILLUSTRATED
+
+          PICTURES EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW
+            BY DOLORES BACON. ILLUSTRATED
+
+          POEMS EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW
+            EDITED BY MARY E. BURT
+
+          PROSE EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW
+            EDITED BY MARY E. BURT
+
+          SONGS EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW
+            EDITED BY DOLORES BACON
+
+          TREES EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW
+            BY JULIA ELLEN ROGERS. ILLUSTRATED
+
+          WATER WONDERS EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW
+            BY JEAN M. THOMPSON. ILLUSTRATED
+
+          WILD ANIMALS EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW
+            BY JULIA ELLEN ROGERS. ILLUSTRATED
+
+          WILD FLOWERS EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW
+            BY FREDERIC WILLIAM STACK. ILLUSTRATED
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK
+
+
+
+
+CHARMING BOOKS FOR GIRLS
+
+May be had wherever books are sold. Ask for Grosset & Dunlap's list
+
+          WHEN PATTY WENT TO COLLEGE, By Jean Webster.
+          Illustrated by C. D. Williams.
+
+          One of the best stories of life in a girl's
+          college that has ever been written. It is bright,
+          whimsical and entertaining, lifelike, laughable
+          and thoroughly human.
+
+
+          JUST PATTY, By Jean Webster.
+          Illustrated by C. M. Relyea.
+
+          Patty is full of the joy of living, fun-loving,
+          given to ingenious mischief for its own sake, with
+          a disregard for pretty convention which is an
+          unfailing source of joy to her fellows.
+
+          THE POOR LITTLE RICH GIRL, By Eleanor Gates.
+          With four full page illustrations.
+
+          This story relates the experience of one of those
+          unfortunate children whose early days are passed
+          in the companionship of a governess, seldom seeing
+          either parent, and famishing for natural love and
+          tenderness. A charming play as dramatized by the
+          author.
+
+
+          REBECCA OF SUNNYBROOK FARM, By Kate Douglas Wiggin.
+
+          One of the most beautiful studies of
+          childhood--Rebecca's artistic, unusual and
+          quaintly charming qualities stand out midst a
+          circle of austere New Englanders. The stage
+          version is making a phenomenal dramatic record.
+
+
+          NEW CHRONICLES OF REBECCA, By Kate Douglas Wiggin.
+          Illustrated by F. C. Yohn.
+
+          Additional episodes in the girlhood of this
+          delightful heroine that carry Rebecca through
+          various stages to her eighteenth birthday.
+
+
+          REBECCA MARY, By Annie Hamilton Donnell.
+          Illustrated by Elizabeth Shippen Green.
+
+          This author possesses the rare gift of portraying
+          all the grotesque little joys and sorrows and
+          scruples of this very small girl with a pathos
+          that is peculiarly genuine and appealing.
+
+
+          EMMY LOU: Her Book and Heart, By George Madden Martin.
+          Illustrated by Charles Louis Hinton.
+
+          Emmy Lou is irresistibly lovable, because she is
+          so absolutely real. She is just a bewitchingly
+          innocent, huggable little maid. The book is
+          wonderfully human.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+_=Ask for complete free list of G. & D. Popular Copyrighted Fiction=_
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+GROSSET & DUNLAP, 526 WEST 26TH ST. NEW YORK
+
+
+
+
+THE CHILDREN'S CRIMSON SERIES
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+May be had wherever books are sold. Ask for Grosset & Dunlap's list
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+
+The Editors; and What the Children's Crimson Series Offers Your Child
+
+In the first place, "The Children's Crimson Series" is designed to
+please and interest every child, by reason of the sheer fascination of
+the stories and poems contained therein.
+
+To accomplish such an end, a vast amount of patient labor, a rare
+judgment, a life-long study of children, and a genuine love for all that
+is best in literature, are essential factors of success.
+
+Kate Douglas Wiggin (Mrs. Riggs) and Nora Archibald Smith possess these
+qualities and this experience. Their efforts, as pioneers of
+kindergarten work, the love and admiration in which their works are held
+by all young people, prove them to be in full sympathy with this unique
+piece of work.
+
+Let all parents, who wish their little ones to have their minds and
+tastes developed along the right paths, remember that once a child is
+interested and amused, the rest is comparatively easy. Stories and poems
+so admirably selected, cannot then but sow the seeds of a real literary
+culture, which must be encouraged in childhood if it is ever to exercise
+a real influence in life.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+EDITED BY KATE DOUGLAS WIGGIN AND NORA ARCHIBALD SMITH
+
+   THE FAIRY RING: _Fairy Tales for Children 4 to 8_
+
+   MAGIC CASEMENTS: _Fairy Tales for Children 6 to 12_
+
+   TALES OF LAUGHTER: _Fairy Tales for Growing Boys and Girls_
+
+   TALES OF WONDER: _Fairy Tales that Make One Wonder_
+
+   PINAFORE PALACE: _Rhymes and Jingles for Tiny Tots_
+
+   THE POSY RING: _Verses and Poems that Children Love and Learn_
+
+   GOLDEN NUMBERS: _Verses and Poems for Children and Grown-ups_
+
+   THE TALKING BEASTS: _Birds and Beasts in Fable_
+                              EDITED BY ASA DON DICKINSON
+
+   CHRISTMAS STORIES: "_Read Us a Story About Christmas_"
+                              EDITED BY MARY E. BURT AND W. T. CHAPIN
+
+   STORIES AND POEMS FROM KIPLING: "_How the Camel Got His Hump," and
+                                      other Stories_
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK
+
+
+
+
+THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS SERIES
+
+By LAURA LEE HOPE
+
+Author of "The Bobbsey Twins Series."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+=12mo. BOUND IN CLOTH. ILLUSTRATED. UNIFORM STYLE OF BINDING=
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+The adventures of Ruth and Alice DeVere. Their father, a widower, is an
+actor who has taken up work for the "movies." Both girls wish to aid him
+in his work and visit various localities to act in all sorts of
+pictures.
+
+          THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS
+          Or First Appearance in Photo Dramas.
+
+          Having lost his voice, the father of the girls
+          goes into the movies and the girls follow. Tells
+          how many "parlor dramas" are filmed.
+
+
+          THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS AT OAK FARM
+          Or Queer Happenings While Taking Rural Plays.
+
+          Full of fun in the country, the haps and mishaps
+          of taking film plays, and giving an account of two
+          unusual discoveries.
+
+
+          THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS SNOWBOUND
+          Or The Proof on the Film.
+
+          A tale of winter adventures in the wilderness,
+          showing how the photo-play actors sometimes
+          suffer.
+
+
+          THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS UNDER THE PALMS
+          Or Lost in the Wilds of Florida.
+
+          How they went to the land of palms, played many
+          parts in dramas before the camera; were lost, and
+          aided others who were also lost.
+
+
+          THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS AT ROCKY RANCH
+          Or Great Days Among the Cowboys.
+
+          All who have ever seen moving pictures of the
+          great West will want to know just how they are
+          made. This volume gives every detail and is full
+          of clean fun and excitement.
+
+
+          THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS AT SEA
+          Or a Pictured Shipwreck that Became Real.
+
+          A thrilling account of the girls' experiences on
+          the water.
+
+
+          THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS IN WAR PLAYS
+          Or The Sham Battles at Oak Farm.
+
+          The girls play important parts in big battle
+          scenes and have plenty of hard work along with
+          considerable fun.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Transcriber's Notes:
+
+Obvious punctuation errors repaired.
+
+Page 18, "Seve" changed to "Steve". (what Steve said)
+
+Page 82, "pamajas" changed to "pajamas". (the pajamas would)
+
+Page 191, "imaginery" changed to "imaginary". (an imaginary ball)
+
+Page 196, "belligerantly" changed to "belligerently". (answered Steve
+belligerently)
+
+Page 243, "concensus" changed to "consensus". (but the consensus)
+
+Advertisement for Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, "phenominal" changed to
+"phenomenal". (making a phenomenal)
+
+Advertisement for Emmy Lou, "hugable" changed to "huggable". (huggable
+little maid)
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Left End Edwards, by Ralph Henry Barbour
+
+*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LEFT END EDWARDS ***
+
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