approval for the younger boy.

"Good work!" he said. "You got me clean."

The scrub endeavored to live up to the pace that Teeny-bits had set, but
they had shot their bolt and the first team pushed the ball over in
three tries and scored two more touchdowns in the course of the next
fifteen minutes.

One result of the day's play was that the scrub received some
well-deserved praise; another was that Coach Murray called Teeny-bits
aside and said some words that sank in deeply and that seemed to the
newcomer at Ridgley to carry an import that presaged the realization of
one of his fondest hopes.

"Teeny-bits," said the coach. "I'm going to pull you up to the first
squad; you may not get a chance to play in many of the games, but I
think I can use you as a substitute back. That was a good tackle you
made and a good run, but you have a lot to learn yet. One thing is
change of pace when you carry the ball. If you sprint the way you do in
a track dash, the men against you have a good target for a swift tackle,
but if you keep something in reserve and turn it on just as you're about
to be tackled, you'll do better. Watch Durant; you can learn a lot from
him."

Teeny-bits walked on air on the way back to his room, but no one knew
it, for it was his way not to show elation in things that concerned
himself, and he told no one of his promotion, for he preferred to let
the news get abroad by other means. Neil Durant overtook him before he
reached the campus and walked with him to Gannett Hall. "You're always
springing surprises, aren't you, Teeny-bits?" said the big half-back
with a smile. "I didn't think you had so much speed."

"I don't believe I could do it again," said Teeny-bits deprecatingly.

"Of course you could," declared the captain. "Coach just told me you're
to join our squad. I'm glad; I'm counting on you to do big things."

Teeny-bits looked up at his companion and said to himself that one of
the biggest reasons why he wanted to do big things was to win the close
friendship of this hard-fighting, clean-playing "regular" at his side.
Aloud he said: "I'm going to try like thunder!"

When Coach Murray at the beginning of practice next day announced that
Holbrook was to leave the scrub and join the first squad there were
murmurs of approval that were joined in by nearly every one. The
exception was Tracey Campbell, who considered that Teeny-bits had been
unjustly promoted over his head. He determined to show up