had an answer.

"He'll probably be along pretty soon," said the coach. "He ought not to
be late to-day, though."

When the luncheon was half-eaten Neil Durant got up and announced that
he was going to send some one to look for the missing member of the
team. He found Snubby Turner and asked him to run up to Gannett Hall and
look for Teeny-bits.

When Snubby came back at the close of the meal with the report that
Teeny-bits was not in his room and that nobody, as far as he could
discover, had seen him all the morning, Neil Durant said:

"Maybe he went home. We'll probably find him down at the locker
building."

But when the members of the team arrived at the field half an hour later
in order to prepare themselves leisurely for the game, Teeny-bits had
not appeared.

"That's mighty queer," Neil said to Ned Stillson. "I can't understand
it. If he doesn't come we'll have to play Campbell in his place--and
somehow I haven't much faith in Campbell. I'm going to call up Mr.
Holbrook at the Hamilton station and find out if he knows anything about
Teeny-bits."

In answer to Neil's call, Mr. Holbrook's assistant reported that Mr.
Holbrook had gone home to dinner and was not coming back till late in
the afternoon; he was going to the game.

"The Holbrooks haven't a 'phone in their house, have they?" asked Neil.

"No, they haven't," came the reply.

"Well, do you know where Teeny-bits is?"

"Why, up at the school, I suppose; I haven't seen him," was the answer.

It was evident that Mr. Holbrook's assistant had no information; Neil
hung up the receiver and said to himself:

"Well, if his father is coming that's a good sign. When Teeny-bits shows
up, I'll give him a lecture that'll make his hair stand on end."

At quarter-past one, when the Ridgley team ran out on the field for
warming-up practice, Coach Murray looked over the squad and yelled
sharply:

"Campbell, get out there in left-half and let me see you show some
_pep_."

The tone of his voice was like a whiplash, and every member of the team
knew that he was angry clear through.

Already the stands were beginning to fill with the friends of Ridgley
and of Jefferson, though the cheering sections were as yet empty. In two
long columns, stepping in time to the music of their respective bands,
the Ridgleyites and the Jeffersonians were marching to the field.

CHAPTER VIII

STRANGE CAPTORS

Teeny-bits Holbrook was not the sort to give up hope quic