The Spirit of the School

the first fifteen-minute half. Only old-fashioned formations were used, and there was little in the game to awaken the onlookers to enthusiasm. In the second h

in the gymnasium and were back on the side l

o was entertaining hopes of reaching the Fairview game with an uncrossed goal line, displayed signs of uneasiness. The substitute who had taken Cotton’s place at quarter did not prove as good a

rably arranged, swung wide and rushed across the field. Cutler, who had taken Hansel’s place, was put out of the way without difficulty, and when the Beechcroft right end penetrated the interference and brought down the runner, the latter had managed to reel off a good fifteen yards and the ball was in the middle of the field. The little[93] group of high school supporters yelled delighte

ruck full on the breast of a leaping high school player, bounded back, and went rolling toward Beechcroft’s goal[94] line. Like a streak of lightning, the Kensington captain was on it, rolled over, and found his feet again and raced toward Beechcroft’s goal. There was but a scant thirty yards to go, and for a moment it seemed that he had every chance of making it. Two Beechcroft pursuers were shouldered away by the hastily formed interference, and another white line passed under the feet of the speeding high school captain. Then a light-blue jersey broke from the straggling pu

ly to lose the ball on downs and race back up the field under a punt which this time was got off without hindrance. A moment after the whistle sounded and Beechcroft’s goal line was still uncrossed. As he trotted up the terrace toward his room, Hansel reflected ruefully

ered. “I wish he wasn’

of disrepair. The paint was so thin that in many places the warped clapboards showed through it. But in spite of its neglected exterior, which, after all, was somewhat mitigated by the cleanliness and neatness of the little front yard, the interior proved very homelike and attractive. Hansel didn’t penetrate farther than the hallway on that occasion, for Phi

the homely kindliness of her expression. Even had Phin not mentioned the fact that Mrs. Freer was a relative of his, Hansel would have guessed it from the resemblance between the two.[97] M

ave time,” he wrote. “If you can call to-morrow afternoon between h

having a shelf put up above the couch in the stud

d Bert. “What do yo

bo

zen! What do you want a six-foo

get som

the place look l

. I’ll get Dorr t

9

ce looks bum enough as it is witho

hen it’s up,” answere

got money to spend on furnishing the r

enough. Besides—Do

pression. “So that’s it, eh? Why didn’t you

least, not

bout wanting to do carpentering. I guess he has a pretty tough time of it.” There w

y for it. It

y’s as much mine as i

cour

pay half on

9

that shelf was an improvement,”

an stand it,

r calculated to impress Phin with their number and importance, and allay any suspicion of charity, if such suspicions existed. P

oats of enamel w

fully. “Or maybe you’d better put o

Much oblig

ome. Not goi

ork to do in the village. Suppose I do this jo

u do it[100] then. I—I want to hav

t. Oh, by the way, you forgot to

el in some confusion. “How

nts. You see, I’ll have to use three

d so does the

ill; they let me have lumber at

ed at the wall over the couch. Hansel thought h

ll pleased with the result. But, altogether, the line-up that day was a mixed-up affair, in which no one played for more than three or four minutes at a time in any one position. Even Hansel was shifted over to left end for a while, and later given a chance at left tackle. But the latter position was a new one for him, and he didn’t shine in it

cept an injury to Cameron’s knee which threatened to keep him out of the game for at least a week. In the ten-minute scrimmage, the fi

1

he couch was moved away from the wall, and he went to work. Hansel helped him once or twice by holding up the shelf during the operations of leveling it and screwing in the first bracket. Pres

since I came last fall. I’ve talked with some of the older fellows about it, and from what they’ve said, I think there’s been a

. But I should think the principa

1

sort of a looking man he was! You see, too, athletics here are left to a committee of two members of the faculty, Ames and Foote, and three members of the two upper classes. But they very seldom get together. If any question comes up, instead of calling

en here very

f his own. Well, that’s[104] Dr. Lambert. Personally, I think he’s not half bad. But for one thing he’s too old; he’s nearly sixty if he’s a day; and he sticks too much to his office. He ought to get out and use his eyes, and see what’s going on. I don’t believe he knows that the fello

Ames?” as

ce the principal doesn’t bother his head about such affairs it isn’t up to him. As for Foote, he doesn’t bother

tudent members of th

or the fourth class, an

1

re all foo

generally pick out the most prominent athletes. Harry got on because he made a

id Hansel t

d be mighty hard work to keep Bil

o, I’m hanged if I do! There’s next year yet, and if I— Look here, Dor

sked Phin, working h

because you were—peculiar, to

’t asked me yet,

u?” asked Ha

e you made any pl

.[106] Ames first; I thought he might

d I think he’ll give it, but just now, what with being in a bit of a pickle over the team and not

hat do you think we’d better do?” It s

is. If you and I were members of the committee, and could get Bobby to ac

, bu

be elected in the spring

ht,” said Hansel, “but I d

l introduce you to the best fellows in our class, and you must set out to win[107] them. You’re certain of yo

e sound of it,”

ded in mid-air. “Come to think of it,” he said, “there’s going to be a meeting of the school next Saturday night to elect a new assistant manager of the football team; B

’ll be great. If you do that yo

captain,” sai

pta

he team, that’s all you’ll have to do. You’re a star

1

l flu

he objected. “There’s Royle, who has been

radua

Con

e might push you, but if we go at

e it,” said

ampaign. With you captain and me manager, I guess I can name two members of the next committee. Besides, maybe we can run our own man for the third position. I’ll call to-morrow night and we’ll make a few visits on some

st you can, and let me

1

n Harry over,” said

of his screwdriver and stood off to examine the result

looks fine, doesn’t it? I thin

answered Phin, packi

u say it would b

ar, but it will be s

wfully little

, the three brackets and screws thirty-eight

not making

th a peculiar smile, “

ldn’t have ask

uietly.[110] “I guessed as much, and I

pardon,” h

t,” answered Phi

t,” murmur

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