A MESSAGE FROM MARSHALL
"What does this mean, Phil Parker? Why are you sitting here and
watching the boys get the right dope from Joe Hooker out there on the
field? I thought you were sure to land a tackle job."
The speaker, a student who wore glasses, and therefore could have no
hope of taking part in such a rough game as football, slapped a fellow
on the back who was wearing the blue and white sweater of a Chester
athlete.
Phil Parker, who had done yeoman service as left fielder on the
baseball nine the preceding summer, laughed as he went on to reply.
"Oh! the fortunes of war, Doc. I chanced to be one of those who didn't
come up to the scratch with old Joe. And I want to say right now he
was right when he made up his mind I wasn't fast enough for his team.
I hurt my leg a month ago, and it's never been quite as strong since.
I've been expecting to hear something drop, and now it's come I'm
actually relieved. The strain is over, and I can root for our team
with the rest from the side lines."
"You're the right sort, Phil, I must say," the other student
continued, warmly. "With you it's a question of Chester first, last,
and all the time. Personal matters ought never to have any part in
such things. Every boy ought to be ready and willing to sacrifice
himself for the good of the team. That's what I heard Jack telling
Archie Frazer, who's also been dropped; but his Scotch blood seemed to
be up, and he looked as if he had a personal grievance against old Joe
for letting him go."
But the wisdom of the coach weeding out the weak brothers was already
beginning to bear fruit. Anyone who knew football could easily see
that there was a distinct gain in the general work. It is just as
happens in a convoy of vessels trying to slip past waiting submarines;
the fastest has to hold up for the slowest, and in consequence much
valuable time is lost. It has even been figured that this loss of time
amounts to fifty per cent in all.
A new fire and ambition seemed to possess the players on this
afternoon. They appeared to adapt themselves to the conditions much
more readily than at any time in the past It might be the steady work
of the coach was beginning to make itself shown; and that the boys who
remained, under the belief that they now had a good chance of becoming
members of the fighting eleven, were induced to throw themselves into
the battle with fresh vigor.
Joe Hooker encouraged them constantly. His was a policy of this kind,
whereas some coaches think it expedient constantly to keep telling
their charges that they are unusually dull, and will never make
themselves a fighting force; which is apt to discourage fellows, and
fail to bring out all that is in them. Joe believed that enthusiasm
and a firm belief in themselves would in the end serve best.
Another thing Joe did, which was to let down the unfortunate ones who
must be dropped as easily as he could. He talked to them all like a
father, and tried to impress it upon their minds that while Chester
might not be able to utilize their services that season, there was
another time coming. Besides, he endeavored to arouse their pride in
connection with the home town, and beg them to do everything in their
power to assist in encouraging those who were finally selected to
battle on the gridiron for supremacy.
Outside of Archie Frazer no one had shown any ill feeling about the
matter; but all tried to take it as the fortunes of war. Jack himself
had made up his mind to have a heart-to-heart talk with Archie, to try
to win him over. They needed all the backing possible in order to
bring success. When there is any bitterness in the hearts of some of
those who ought to be shouting themselves hoarse for the home team, it
always hurts.
Jack at one time, when resting, and giving another fellow a chance to
get in the game, suddenly discovered a strange face amidst the crowd
that had gathered to watch the practice. He looked closer, and then
remembered where he had seen the boy before.
"Tell me, Stanley," he said to one of the fellows close by, "isn't
that Horace Bushnell, from Marshall? I seem to remember him playing on
their team when we took that game from them last summer."
"That's right, Jack, Horace it is," came the reply. "He played on
third, you may remember, and made some rattling good stops in the
bargain, that were ticketed for clean singles or even doubles. I was
speaking with him a bit ago. He says he's just dropped over to see
what's going on in old Chester, once asleep, but suddenly resurrected
since you came to town. You'll find Horace a pretty decent sort of
fellow, and built along the right lines too."
Jack sauntered over to where the boy was standing watching the
exciting melee just then taking place out there on the field, with old
Joe Hooker dancing and limping around like mad, shouting directions,
or blowing his referee's whistle to indicate that the ball was dead,
and that a fresh start must be made.
"Hello! Bushnell!" said Jack, extending his hand with that Free
Masonry that always exists among boys. "I thought I recognized you,
and asked if you didn't come from Marshall way. Took a notion to see
how we were getting along over here, did you? Well, we're making
progress, I suppose, but only for our luck in having such a cracker-
jack of a coach I'm afraid Chester wouldn't have much show on the
gridiron this season; because most of the boys were as green as grass
at the finer points of the game."
"He certainly is a dandy coach, all right," asserted the Marshall boy,
shaking hands cordially. "I wish we had one half as good as old Joe
Hooker. If you fellows make a dent in the game this season you'll owe
it all to him. I've just been watching how he works, and it's simply
grand. I understand that Harmony is putting in extra licks too this
year, being afraid Marshall will down her team. So altogether it looks
as if we'll have a pretty lively session."
"I don't suppose, Bushnell, that either Marshall or Harmony has much
fear of Chester taking their scalps this year?" laughed Jack.
"Well, you never can tell what may happen in football, until you've
tested the mettle of your antagonist," the other sagely replied.
"Anything is liable to come along the pike. But as a rule the veterans
in the business are those who count; and we take it that few of the
Chester fellows have ever been in a real scrimmage; so we expect
they'll have a heap to learn. Still, with that veteran coach drilling
it in day after day wonders may happen. You've got several weeks for
practice before the game with Marshall comes off. If you fellows keep
on improving as you're doing now, I can see a jolly struggle taking
place, and the result may surprise some folks I know."
"It's nice of you being interested enough in our work to drop in and
watch us, and I mean that too, Bushnell," said Jack.
"Well, of course I wouldn't think of coming across later on, when
you'll be practicing your signal stunts, and different mass plays,"
hastily remarked the other, coloring a bit with embarrassment. "If
Marshall does carry off that game I want to see it won on merit, not
trickery. Football isn't a game where such things should be tolerated.
Once a chap from Harmony was discovered watching our late signal work.
He had a pair of field-glasses, and was perched on top of an old
ruined chimney, from which place he had a fine view of the field. We
didn't do a thing about it, only changed our signals in secret. Well,
believe me, that came near losing the game for Harmony. They took it
for granted that we would play the original signals, and in trying to
cut us off left an opening that gave us a chance for our first
touchdown. And it was only after the hardest kind of savage work that
they were able eventually to lay us out cold, but only by a score of
seven to nine."
"That was playing dirty ball," said Jack, indignantly. "I hope they
won't repeat that thing this year."
"I hardly think so," the Marshall boy hastily went on to say. "Their
paper gave them a rough deal over it, and told them they deserved to
lose every game where they placed any dependence on trickery, rather
than true merit. Some of the Harmony fellows were heartily ashamed of
it all, and came over to apologize after they learned about it. I
don't believe such a thing can ever happen again around these parts.
You weren't here then, Winters, which accounts for your not knowing
about it. But what message shall I take to our fellows from you, as I
understand you have been selected to be captain of the eleven?"
"Only this, Bushnell," said Jack, impressively. "We're going into this
thing with all our vim. We mean to wrest a victory from Marshall by
fair means, if it can be done. If luck is against us we'll be the
first to congratulate you fellows over your success; and then get
ready to give Harmony the best there is in us. We believe in clean
ball, and you never need be afraid that a Chester fellow would be
guilty of spying on your team when practicing signal work. If one did
we'd refuse to take advantage of his knowledge, and warn you that such
a thing had occurred."
"That's the right kind of talk, Jack Winters!" exclaimed the other,
effusively. "It's just what true sportsmanship means. Every tub must
stand on its own bottom, and may the best team win! My comrades will
be glad to get a message like that from Chester; and if such a thing
should happen as your team beating us to a frazzle, why, you'll not
find us poor losers. We'll give you a cheer that'll do a lot to make
you buck up against that terrible Harmony crowd."
"I understand," continued Jack, "that you've strengthened your team
considerably this season."
"Yes, that's the only thing we've got to counterbalance your
possession of such a great coach. We chanced to pick up several star
players this year, fellows who moved to Marshall lately, and who have
played on other teams before. Two of them are grand goal kickers, and
may give you the surprise of your lives later on. Then we've got a
dandy end who is like lightning on his pins; and once he gets the ball
he can bewilder the best of them by his ducking and doubling. Well,
enough for the present. I don't want to discourage you, Winters, but
take my word for it, Chester has to go the limit if she hopes to
snatch that game from us. We're full of ginger and--say, that was as
fine a kick at goal as could be. That big chap is Jeffries, isn't he?
I remember his fielding when we played ball last summer; and the way
he swatted the pill was a caution. It nearly broke our pitcher's
heart. I guess some of your fellows can do stunts? as well as our
stars. But I must be going back home, for I ran over on my motorcycle,
you see. Wish you all the luck going, Captain Winters; after Marshall,
of course!"
Jack rather liked Horace Bushnell. He did not know as yet whether the
other was to play on the rival team, but at least he had shown his
heart was set on his home town coming out victor in the approaching
contest on the gridiron.
At any rate it was a pleasure to know such an honorable fellow was to
be an opponent, and that the Marshall boys were so utterly opposed to
any form of double-dealing or trickery, in order to win.