He had seen a notice in the corridor of Academy Building announcing the first football practice for three oclock, and he meant to be on hand, but more than an hour intervened and he wondered how to spend it. The question was solved for him when he reached the walk that led along the front of the dormitories, for there, before the entrance of Haylow, a piled motor truck was disgorging trunks. His own proved to be among them, and he followed it upstairs and set to work. It wasnt a very large trunk, nor a very nobby one, having served his father for many years, before falling to Leonard, and he was quite satisfied that his room-mate continued to absent himself. He emptied it of his none too generous wardrobe, hung his clothes in his closet or laid them in the drawers of his chiffonier, arranged his small belongings before the mirror or on the table and finally, taking counsel of a strange youth hurrying past in the corridor, lugged the empty trunk to the store-room in the basement. Then, it now being well past the half-hour, he changed into an ancient suit of canvas, pulled on a pair of scuffed shoes and set forth for the field.
The hot weather still held, and, passing the gravel tennis courts, a wave of heat, reflected from the surface, made him gasp. The gridiron, when he reached it, proved to have suffered in many places from the fortnight of unseasonable weather and lack of rain. Half a dozen fellows, dressed for play, were laughingly squabbling for a ball near the center of the field, and their cleats, digging into the dry sod, sent up a cloud of yellow dust. Early as he was, Leonard found at least a score of candidates ahead of him. Many of them had, perhaps wisely, scorned the full regalia of football and had donned old flannel trousers in lieu of padded canvas. A perspiring youth with a very large board clip was writing busily in the scant shade of the covered stand, and a short, broadly-built man in trousers and a white running shirt, from which a pair of bronze shoulders emerged massively, was beside him. The latter was, Leonard concluded, the coach. He looked formidable, with that large countenance topped by an alarming growth of black hair, and Leonard recalled diverse tales he had heard or read of the sternness and even ferocity of professional football coaches. Evidently football at Alton Academy was going to prove more of a business than football at Loring Point High School!
This reflection was interrupted by a voice. A large youth with rather pale blue eyes that, nevertheless, had a remarkable sparkle in them had come to a stop at Leonards elbow. Ive accumulated seventeen pounds this summer, the chap was saying, and it cost the dad a lot of good money. And now his blue eyes turned from Leonard and fell disapprovingly on the sun-smitten gridiron now Im going to lose the whole blamed lot in about sixty minutes. He looked to Leonard again for sympathy. Leonard smiled doubtfully. It was difficult to tell whether the stranger spoke in fun or earnest.
If it comes off as easy as that, he replied, I guess you dont want it. Looking more closely at the chap, he saw that, deprived of those seventeen pounds, he would probably be rather rangy; large still, but not heavy. Leonard judged that he was a backfield candidate; possibly a running half; he looked to be fast.
I suppose not, the fellow agreed in doubtful tones. Maybe it isnt losing the weight that worries me so much as losing it so quick. You know they say that losing a lot of weight suddenly is dangerous. Suppose it left me in an enfeebled condition!
Now Leonard knew that the chap was joking, and he ventured a laugh. Maybe youd better not risk it, he said. Why not wait until to-morrow. It might be cooler then.
I would, replied the other gravely, only Johnny rather leans on me, you know. I dare say hed be altogether at a loss if I deserted him to-day. Getting things started is always a bit of a trial.
I see. I suppose Johnny is the coach, and thats him up there. Leonard nodded in the direction of the black-haired man on the stand.
Him or he, answered the other gently. Youre a new fellow, I take it. Fresh?
Leonard, nettled by the correction, answered a bit stiffly, Sophomore.
The tall youth gravely extended a hand. Welcome, he said. Welcome to the finest class in the school.
Leonard shook hands, his slight resentment vanishing. I suppose that means that youre a soph, too.
The fellow nodded. So far, he assented. Then he smiled for the first time, and after that smile Leonard liked him suddenly and thoroughly. If you ask me that again after mid-year, he continued, you may get a different answer. Well, I guess Id better go up and get Johnny started. Hes evidently anxious about me. He nodded once more and moved past Leonard and through the gate to the stand. Leonard had not noticed any sign of anxiety on the coachs countenance, but it wasnt to be denied that the greeting between the two was hearty. Leonards new acquaintance seated himself at the coachs side and draped his long legs luxuriously over the back of the seat in front. The youth with the clip looked up from his writing and said something and the others threw their heads back and laughed. Leonard was positively relieved to discover that the coach could laugh like that. He couldnt be so very ferocious, after all!
The trainer appeared, followed by a man trundling a wheelbarrow laden with paraphernalia. The throng of candidates increased momentarily along the side-line and a few hardy youths, carrying coats over arms, perched themselves on the seats to look on. Leonard again turned to observe the coach and found that gentleman on his feet and extending his hand to a big chap in unstained togs. The two shook hands, and then the big fellow turned his head to look across the field, and Leonard saw that he was Gordon Renneker. A fifth member had joined the group, and him Leonard recognized as the boy who had accompanied Renneker into the office. Leonard surmised now that he was the captain: he had read the chaps name but had forgotten it. After a moment of conversation, during which the other members of the group up there seemed to be giving flattering attention to Rennekers portion, the five moved toward the field, and a minute later the business of building a football team had begun.
Coach Cade made a few remarks, doubtless not very different from those he had made at this time of year on many former occasions, was answered with approving applause and some laughter and waved a brown hand. The group of some seventy candidates dissolved, footballs trickled away from the wheelbarrow and work began. Leonard made one of a circle of fifteen or sixteen other novices who passed a ball from hand to hand and felt the sun scorching earnestly at the back of his neck. Later, in charge of a heavy youth whose name Leonard afterwards learned was Garrick, the group was conducted further down the field and was permitted to do other tricks with the ball two balls, to be exact. They caught it on the bound, fell on it and snuggled it to their perspiring bodies and then again, while they recovered somewhat of their breath, passed it from one to another. In other portions of the field similar exercises were going on with other actors in the parts, while, down near the further goal balls were traversing the gridiron, propelled by hand or toe. Garrick was a lenient task-master, and breathing spells were frequent, and yet, even so, there were many in Leonards squad who were just about spent when they were released to totter back to the benches and rinse their parched mouths with warm water from the carboy which, having been carefully deposited an hour ago in the shade of the wheelbarrow, was now enjoying the full blaze of the westing sun. Leonard, his canvas garments wet with perspiration, his legs aching, leaned against the back of the bench and wondered why he wanted to play football!
Presently he forgot his discomforts in watching the performance of a squad of fellows who were trotting through a signal drill. Last years regulars these, he supposed; big, heavy chaps, most of them; fellows whose average age was possibly eighteen, or perhaps more. The quarterback, unlike most of the quarters Leonard had had acquaintance with, was a rather large and weighty youth with light hair and a longish face. His name, explained Leonards left-hand neighbor on the bench, was Carpenter. He had played on the second team last year and was very likely to prove first-choice man this fall. He was, the informant added admiringly, a corking punter. Leonard nodded. Secretly he considered Mr. Carpenter much too heavy for a quarterbacks job. The days diversions ended with a slow jog around the edge of the gridiron. Then came showers and a leisurely dressing; only Leonard, since his street clothes were over in Number 12 Haylow, had his shower in the dormitory and was wearily clothing himself in clean underwear and a fresh shirt when the door of the room was unceremoniously opened and he found himself confronted by a youth whose countenance was strangely familiar and whom, his reason told him, was Eldred Chichester Staples, his poetic roommate. Considering it later, Leonard wondered why he had not been more surprised when recognition came. All he said was: Well, did you get rid of the whole seventeen?
CHAPTER IV
LEONARD GETS PROMOTION
Eldred Chichester Staples appeared to be no more surprised than Leonard. He closed the door, with the deftness born of long practice, with his left foot, sailed his cap to his bed and nodded, thrusting hands into the pockets of his knickers.
The whole seventeen, he answered dejectedly. Couldnt you tell it by a glance at my emaciated frame?
Leonard shook his head. You look to me just hungry, he said.
Slim Staples chuckled and reposed himself in a chair, thrusting his long legs forward and clasping lean, brown hands across his equator. Your name must be Grant, he remarked. Where from, stranger?
Loring Point, Delaware.
Were neighbors then. My homes in New Hampshire. Concords the town.
Isnt that where the embattled farmers stood and and fired er
The shot that was heard around the world? No, General, youve got the dope all wrong. That was another Concord. There arent any farmers in my town. Come to think of it, wasnt it Lexington, Massachusetts, where the farmers took pot-shots at the Britishers? Well, never mind. I understand that the affair was settled quite amicably some time since. Glad to be here, General?
I think so. Thanks for the promotion, though. Im usually just Len.
Oh, thats all right. No trouble to promote you. What does Len stand for?
Leonard.
Swell name. Youve got the edge on the other Grant. Ulysses sounds like something out of the soda fountain. Well, I hope well hit it off all right. Im an easy-going sort, General; never much of a scrapper and hate to argue. Last year, over in Borden, I roomed with a chap named Endicott. Dick was the original arguer. He could start with no take-off at all and argue longer, harder and faster than any one outside a court of law. I was a great trial to him, I suspect. If he said Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote The Merchant of Venice I just said Sure, Mike and let it go at that. Arguing was meat and drink to that fellow.
And what became of him? I mean, why arent you
Together this year? He didnt come back. You see, he spent so much time in what you might call controversy that he didnt get leisure for studying. So last June faculty told him that hed failed to pass and that if he came back hed have about a million conditions to work off. He did his best to argue himself square, but faculty beat him out. After all, there was only one of him and a dozen or so faculty, and it wasnt a fair contest. At that, I understand they won by a very slight margin!
Hard luck, laughed Leonard. I dare say he was a star member of the debating club, if there is one here.
There is, but Dick never joined. He said they were amateurs. What do you say to supper? Oh, by the way, you were out for football, werent you? Whats your line?
Ive played guard mostly.
Guard, eh? Slim looked him over appraisingly. Sort of light, arent you?
I guess so, allowed Leonard. Of course, I dont expect to make the first; that is, this year.
Slim grinned wickedly. No, but youll be fit to tie if you dont. Take me now. Last year I was on the second. Left end. Im only a soph, and sophs on the big team are as scarce as hens teeth. So, of course, I havent the ghost of a show and absolutely no hope of making it. But if I dont theres going to be a heap of trouble around here!
Well, I suppose I have a sneaking hope, acknowledged Leonard, smiling.
Sure. Might as well be honest with yourself. As for playing guard, well, if you got hold of a suit about three sizes too large for you, stuffed it out with cotton-batting and put heel-lifts in your shoes you might stand a show. Or you might if it wasnt for this fellow Renneker. I dare say youve heard about him? Hes ab-so-lutively sure of one guard position or the other. And then theres Smedley and Squibbs and Raleigh and Stimson and two-three more maybe If I were you, General, Id switch to end or quarter.
Oh, I wouldnt want to elbow you out, laughed Leonard.
Thats right. Slim grinned. Try quarter then. Weve got only two in sight so far.
Leonard shook his head. Guards my job, he said. Ill plug along at it. I might get on the second, I dare say. And next year The trouble is, I cant seem to grow much, Staples!
Better call me Slim. Everybody else does. Well, you know your own business best. Only, if you tell Johnny that you belong to the Guards Union and that the rules wont allow you to play anything else, why, Im awfully afraid that the only thing youll get to guard will be the bench! Lets go to chow.
At the door of the dining hall they parted, for Slims table was not Leonards. But, said the former, I guess we can fix that to-morrow. There are a couple of guys at our table that dont fit very well. Ill arrange with one of them to switch. Care to go over to Macs this evening? Being a newcomer, youre sort of expected to. Theyll be mostly freshies, but we dont have to stay long. Ill pick you up at the room about eight.
Under Slims guidance Leonard went across to the Principals house at a little after the appointed hour and took his place in the line that led through the front portal and past where Doctor McPherson and Mrs. McPherson were receiving. Slim introduced the stranger and then hustled him away into the library. Might as well do it all up brown, he observed sotto voce. Met any of the animals yet?
Animals? repeated Leonard vaguely.
Faculty, explained Slim. All right. Well find most of em in here. They can see the dining room from here, youll observe, and so they sort of stand around, ready to rush the minute the flag goes down. Not so many here yet. Try to look serious and intellectual; they like it. Mr. Screven, I want you to meet my friend Grant. General, this is Mr. Screven. And Mr. Metcalf. Mr. Metcalf wrote the French and Spanish languages, General.
If I had, Staples, Id have written them more simply, so you could learn them, replied the instructor with a twinkle.