Center Rush Rowland

looked far less formidable on close acquaintance than they had at first. Ira had declared that he was not a brilliant fellow at studying, and he wasn't, but he had the gift of applica

aking nineteen hours in all-were not troublesome. On the whole, he felt himself quite able to cope with his work, and wondered if he was not in duty bound to go out and save the destinies of the football team. Of course, putting it that way he had to smile, for he couldn't imagine himself of any more use on the grid

rey told him he was silly not to grab the chance. "I wish," he said, "they'd beg me to

f eating his dinners in the evenings downtown in the company of various "Jimmies" and "Billies" whose last names Ira never heard, or, hearing, forgot. Usually Humphrey didn't return to the room until nearly ten o'clock. Sometimes it was nearer midnight, although, to do him justice, those occasions were few. On this particular evening, Ira, returning at half-past seven from Mrs. Trainor's boarding house, where he had lately

en asleep." He yawned widely, blinked and stret

y supper,"

was going to get you

, Nead, you'll ha

asked the o

hrey's fingers. Humphrey brought his hand up and lo

? 'Flagrante-' What's

grimly. "The English of it is that

demanded Hump

Faculty say

in your room if you're a fourth year man. If a fo

e the written consent of their parents. You're not a fourth year fellow, you

o harm in a cigarette now and then. Half

nied Ira stoutly. "I don

nd you're such a nice, proper sort of chump that

I don't like cigarettes and won't stand for them. We might as well

se to smoke?" d

have to find

n! I suppose you'd go

ther way," returned Ira calmly. "But

he latter, after an instant of defiant

gger than I am, and I guess you could get away with it

," said Ira. "What's t

ered the other airily. "

miniscent smile. "I guess every fellow t

t it." Humphrey laughed. "Gee, I w

as that effect on you can't be es

There's no fun in that. Smoking cigarettes is like-like playing hookey

our adventure, haven't you? You've got all the

led. "Never thought of that! Maybe you're right, old scout. Guess I'll

a. Then soberly: "I wish you'd agree to ca

uess. But I won't stand being bullied." He blustered a bit. "You can't scare m

r bully you," answered Ira.

his rumpled hair. Then: "Tell you how you can square yourself, Rowly

n't mean, really, that

that exactly," replie

here only a week! W

paid for a year's subscription to the 'Leader'-didn't want the silly paper, but a fellow cornered me-, and I've-oh, I don't know! Money never sticks around me very long. But you needn't wo

ered Ira. "I was wondering what you expect

mabob's with you tonight and signing on there until-f

make you pay at every meal. You'd better let me lend you enough to se

mbarrassed. "Why, that's mighty decent of you,

ive dollars," said Ir

t? But I'll give it back to you

ll have to get it out of the bank. But

ighted the cigarette and exhaled a cloud of smoke into the room. "Good-bye forever!" he exclaimed tremulously, and, turning to the window, flicked the cigarette out in

g the cigarette odour with Mart Johnston that time. He had met Mart two days before and that youth had passed

ted himself at the desk and sucked the en

ith more interest since meeting Fred Lyons and learning what a difficult task the latter was undertaking. That Lyons had not exaggerated the attitude of the school toward the football team was made plain to Ira by the comments he heard at practice. It seemed the popular thing to speak with laughing contempt of the team and the football situation. The "Forlorn Hopes" was a favourite name for the players, while it seemed to be a generally accepted conclusion that Parkinson would go down in defeat again in November. Al

rter during the first half the story might have been different. But those three stood out as bright, particular stars, and the rest didn't average up to them by a long shot. Ira, by the way, was interested to find that the quarter-back-inquiry divulged his name to be Dannis-was none other than the youth who had so earnestly and unsuccessfully practised hurdling that day. Dannis ran the team in much the

ably elusive object in a broken field, but as nothing much depended on his success or non-success there was scant reason to enthuse. Mapleton was outclassed from the first and that Parkinson did not score more than the twenty points that made up her final total was less to Mapleton's

"Just the way we started off last year," Ira heard a fellow remark on the way back to the yard. "Ran up about half

"A team with any sort of an attack could have torn our line to fragments.

he' Dannis was the whole shooting match, pretty nearly. I don't see why t

tions tried out for the next month. And they'll all be about equally punk, too, I guess. What the di

his chap Driscoll looks like a good one. Everyone says that. And Fred Lyons is all right, too. There isn

Hall, "you'd stop thinking the team was poor maybe it wouldn't be. No team, I guess, can do much if no one believes in it. What is needed here is a change of heart! I suppose every fellow connected with