aid Dick to his brothers, when he
got the chance, and related the particulars.

"He said something about me behind my back," said Sam. "I don't know
what it was, but I am certain it was nothing complimentary."

"We must watch him," said Tom. "If we do not, he may try to play us
foul."

As this was to be their last term at Putnam Hall, all of the Rovers
determined to do their best in their studies, so they spent no time in
fooling while at their classes. Once or twice Tom found it hard to
resist playing a joke, but a look from Dick usually made him turn to his
books again.

It was now the season for football, and several school teams had been
organized. Tom and Dick were on one team, headed by Larry Colby. There
was another team headed by Tad Sobber, and on this Nick Pell was a
quarterback. How Sobber had ever gotten the captaincy of this team was a
mystery.

"They want to play us next Saturday," said Larry, one afternoon. "What
do you fellows say?" He put the question to his fellow members of the
eleven.

"I don't care much to play Sobber and Pell," said Tom, promptly.

"Exactly the way I feel about it," added Dick. "But I'll play if the
rest want to."

Some demurred, but in the end the match was arranged, and it started on
the school grounds at two o'clock the following Saturday afternoon.

"I think it will be useless to try any mass playing," said Larry.
"Sobber and Pell and some of the others are too heavy for us. We'll have
to trust to some swift passes and quick runs."

In the first half of the game Sobber's eleven got ten points, while
Larry's team got nothing.

"Sobber is too brutal for me," said Tom. "He deliberately kicked me in
the shins."

"If he does it again, knock him down," advised Dick, promptly.

Larry's eleven went into the second half with vigor. They soon got a
goal and followed it up by two more. Then Sobber claimed a foul, but it
was not granted.

"If anybody is fouling it is you," said Dick. "You fouled Tom twice. If
you do it again----"

"Never mind, Dick," interrupted Larry. "Go on and play, or give up," he
added to Tad Sobber.

"I want Dick Rover to understand that he----" began Sobber, when another
player pulled him back. Some hot words followed, and then the game
proceeded. Larry's eleven made another touchdown and kicked the
goal,--and thus won a substantial victory, much to Sobber's disgust and
that of his crony, Nick Pell.

"No use of talking, those Rover boys make