ed himself, as disappointed as he was, suddenly discovered that his
appetite had returned. Stomach muscles which had contracted under the
nervous anticipation of the coming conflict, now relaxed and set up a
cry for food to work upon. And, while Speed no longer reported to the
training table, it was observed by a spying Phil and Milt that he ate
abundantly but wisely.

"Coach sure knows his psychology," Milt said to Phil as they were
crossing the campus the day before the game. "All that was the matter
with Speed was a bad case of nerves...."

At the moment of this remark, the fellow in question was hurrying in an
attempt to overtake his two friends, and had just gotten within
earshot. Discovering that he was being talked about, Speed lagged
curiously behind.

"Speed's got sand all right," he overheard Phil say. "But he worries
too much before hand. You can imagine how bad it must have been for
the training table with Speed sitting there like a guy with a load of
lead in his stomach. The whole eleven's better off. It's a blow to
have Speed suspended but Medford'll take the field tomorrow with a
world of fight.

"And when Coach sends Speed into the game--maybe Medford spirit won't
rise sky high!" chuckled Milt. "Boy, I guess maybe we didn't play our
parts to perfection! We ought to get letters for this!"

Medford's star halfback stopped in his tracks and let his two friends
continue on their way, not realizing that he was anywhere near them.
He was burning with humiliation and resentment. So--this had all been
a put-up job! Coach Brock had enlisted the services of his two chums
to frame him ... to save his nerve for the big battle!

"I'll go to the Coach and tell him what I think of him!" was Speed's
first reaction.

But more sober thought decided Speed against this step. There was
truth in what Phil and Milt had said about him. He had been painfully
conscious of his feelings toward the coming game. Even now, since he
knew that Coach Brock intended reinstating him at the last moment, all
the old nervous symptoms had returned, worse than ever. There was that
heavy feeling in his stomach, the quickening of his pulse, the strained
sensation in his head....

"I guess I wasn't such a good influence around the fellows in this
condition," Speed reflected glumly. "But Coach put me off the team and
I'm going to stay off the team. I'll fix him--I'll leave town tonight
so he _can't_ get hold of me!"

S