ng on there. Fordham's
second coach has attended the last two games you played, and he
has been stealing all your points that he could get."

"He has, eh?" muttered Prescott. "That's news to me. Oh, well,
it's legitimate to learn all you can about another team's play."

"From the reports Fordham has of your play the young men over
in that town are certain that they're enough better to be able
to bring your scalps into camp."

"Perhaps they'll do it," laughed Dick pleasantly. "We'll admit
that we're about due for a walloping whenever the crowd comes
along that can do it."

"I am only telling you what I hear from Fordham," continued Mr.
Macey.

"And I'm glad you did, sir. We'll try to turn the laugh on Fordham."

"Then you think you can beat 'em?"

"No, sir. We never think we can. We always know that we can!
That's the Gridley way---the Gridley spirit. We always win our
battles before we go into them, Mr. Macey. We make up our minds
that we can't and won't be beaten. It isn't just brag, though.
We base all our positiveness on the way that we stick to our
training and coaching, and on our discipline. Mr. Macey, this
is the third year that I've been playing on different Gridley
High School teams. I remember a tie game, but no defeats."

"I guess Fordham will find it a hard enough proposition to down
you young men," remarked Mr. Macey.

"They're going to discover, sir, that they simply can't do it.
Gridley never goes onto any field to get beaten."

"Und dot isn't brag, neider," broke in a man who had halted to
listen. "Ven dese young men pack deir togs to go away, dey pack
der winning score in der bag, too. Ach! Don't I know dot? Don't
I make mineself young vonce more by following dese young athletes
about?"

Herr Schimmelpodt looked utterly shocked that anyone should think
it possible for another High School eleven to take a game from
Gridley.

Dick soon encountered Dave and told him the news he had gleaned
from Mr. Macey.

"Been sending their second coach over to watch our play, have
they?" laughed Darrin softly. "That seems to show how much they
fear us in Fordham."

"I believe we are going to have a stiff game," muttered Prescott.
"Hallam Heights and Fordham are the only two teams that think
enough of the game to hire two coaches."

"Well, we have Hallam's scalp dangling down at the gym.," laughed
Dave Darrin.

"And we'll have Fordham's in the same way," predicted Dick confidentl