y, to be stopped after ten seconds.

So it went on through the afternoon's work. The substitutes on
the side lines watched with deep interest, for they, too, had
to learn all the signal work.

Within three afternoons of practice Dick had nearly all of his
players so that they knew every signal, and were instantly ready
to execute their parts in whatever was called for.

But there was no danger of knowing the signals too well. Captain
Prescott still called out the squad and gave signal work unceasingly.

"The Gridley boys never jumped so swiftly to carry out their signals
before, Captain," spoke Mr. Morton commendingly.

"I want to have this line of work ahead of anything that Tottenville
can show next Saturday," Dick replied.

"I guess you have the Tottenville boys beaten all right," nodded
Mr. Morton.

Tottenville High School always gave one of the stiffest games
that Gridley had to meet. This season Tottenville was first on
the list. Prescott's young men knew that they had a stiff fight.
It was to take place on the Gridley grounds---that was comfort
to the home eleven.

The entire student body was now feeling the enthusiasm of the
opening of the season on Saturday.

The townsmen of Gridley had subscribed as liberally as ever to
the athletics fund. There had also been a fine advance sale of
seats, and the Gridley band had been engaged to make the occasion
a lively one.

"You'll win, if ever the signs were worth anything, Captain,"
remarked Mr. Morton to Prescott, at recess Thursday forenoon.

"Of course we'll win, sir," laughed Dick. "That's the Gridley
way---that's all. We don't know how to be whipped. I've been
taught that ever since I first entered the High School."

"Pshaw!" muttered Drayne, who was passing.

"Don't you believe our chances are good, Mr. Drayne?" asked Mr.
Morton, smiling.

"I look upon the Gridley chances as being so good, sir," replied
Phin, "that, if I weren't a member of the squad, and a student
of the High School, I think I'd be tempted to bet all I could
raise on Tottenville."

"Betting is too strong a vice for boys, Mr. Drayne," replied the
submaster, rather stiffly. "And doubt of your own comrades isn't
very good school spirit."

"I was talking, for the moment, as an outsider," replied Phin
Drayne, flushing.

"Change around then, Mr. Drayne, and consider yourself, like every
other student of this school, as an insider wherever the Gridley
interests are invo