he team. Morton was nineteen, tall, thin
and benevolent looking behind a pair of rubber-rimmed spectacles.

"Did you put them on the scales, Dan?" asked the coach.

"Sure, the first, second and third, sir. Some of 'em dropped a good
three pounds today. By gorry, I feel like I'd dropped that much meself!"

"It certainly is warm. Look here, Jim, is this all we get to work on?
How many were out today?"

"Sixty-two, Coach. That's not bad. I suppose there'll be a few more
dribble along tomorrow and the next day."

"Well, they look pretty fair, don't you think? Some of the new fellows
seem to have ideas of football. All the last year fellows on hand?"

"All but Gilbert. He hasn't shown up. I don't know why, I'm sure."

"Better look him up," said the coach. "Gilbert ought to make a pretty
good showing this year, and we aren't any too strong on guards."

"Gilbert rooms with Tim Otis, I think," replied Morton. "Oh, Tim! Tim
Otis!"

A light-haired boy of seventeen, very straight, and very pink where an
enormous bath-towel failed to cover him, wormed his way to them.

"Say, Tim, what's the matter with Gilbert?" asked Morton. "Isn't he
coming out?"

Tim Otis shrugged a pair of broad, lean shoulders. "He hasn't got here
yet, Morton. I don't know what's happened. He wrote me two weeks ago
that he'd meet me at the station in New York yesterday for the
three-fifty-eight, but he wasn't there and I haven't heard a word from
him."

"Probably missed his connection," suggested Morton. "He lives out West
somewhere, doesn't he?"

"Yes, Osawatomie, Kansas."

"It probably takes a good while to get away from a place with a name
like that," said Mr. Robey drily. "Well, when he shows up, Otis, tell
him to get a move on if he wants a place."

"Yes, sir, I will. I'm pretty certain he will be along today some time.
I wouldn't be surprised if he was here now."

"All right. By the way, Otis, how do you feel at right half? Seem
strange to you?"

"No, sir, I don't notice it. I did play right, you know, two years ago
on the second. Seems to me it's easier to take the ball from that
position, too."

"Well, don't try the fool trick your side-partner did today," said Mr.
Robey, smiling. "Putting the ball under your elbow for a line plunge is
a fine piece of business for a fellow who's been playing three years!"

Tim laughed. "I guess he did that because it was just practice, sir. He
knows a lot better than to do it in scrimmage."

"