h," said Tom, "that's nothing. That's the way we all do when we go
away to play. It's this sticking at home and having nothing to do but
_think_ that takes the starch out of you. When you go off you feel as if
you were on a lark. Things take your mind off your troubles. But, just
the same, a lot of those grinning dubs are doing a heap of worrying
about now. They aren't nearly as happy as they look!"

"They're a lot happier than they're going to be about three hours from
now," said Tim darkly. That struck the right note, and Tom and Don
laughed, and Tim laughed with them, and they all three put their
shoulders back and perked up a lot!

And then it was two o'clock and they were pulling on their togs in the
locker-room; and Danny Moore was circulating about in very high spirits,
cracking jokes and making them laugh, and Coach Robey was dispatching
Jim Morton and Jim's assistant on mysterious errands and referring every
little while to his red-covered memorandum book and looking very
untroubled and serene. And then there was a clamping of feet on the
stairs above and past the windows some two dozen pairs of
blue-stockinged legs moved briskly as the visitors went across to the
field for practice. And suddenly the noise was stilled and Coach Robey
was telling them that it was up to them now, and that they hadn't a
thing in the world to do for the next two hours but knock the tar out of
those blue-clad fellows, and that they had a fine day for it! And then,
laughing hard and cheering a little, they piled out and across the
warm, sunlit grass, past the line of fellow-students and home-folks and
towners, with here and there a pretty girl to glance shyly and
admiringly at them as they trotted by, and so to the bench. Nerves were
gone now. They were only eager and impatient. "Squads out!" sang Mr.
Robey. Off came sweaters and faded blankets and they were out on the
gridiron, with Carmine and McPhee cheerily piping the signals, with
their canvas legs rasping together as they trotted about, and with the
Brimfield cheer sounding in their ears, making them feel a little
chokey, perhaps, but wonderfully strong and determined and proud!

And presently they were back in front of the bench, laughing at and
pummelling one another, and the rival captains and the referee were
watching a silver coin turn over and over in the sunlight out there by
the tee in midfield. Behind them the stand was packed and colourful.
Beyond, Brimfield was che