Left Guard Gilbert

he Fifth Form-he easily made up what had been missed. They were taking up German that year for the first time and Don found it hard going, but he managed to satisfy Mr. Daley after a fas

an epigram as he was capable of, that whereas Tim got his lessons by inhaling them, he, Don, had to chew

uad, from which Mr. Boutelle was then forming his second team. "Boots" was a graduate who turned up every Fall and took charge of the second or scrub team. It was an open secret that he received no remuneration. Patriotism and sheer love of the game were the inducements that caused Mr. Boutelle to donate some two months of time and labour to the cause of turning out a second team strong enough to give the first the practice

of his. He seems to think the purpose of the second team is to train players for the first. It isn't, though. He gives me what he doesn't want every year and

n dejectedly. "He seems to think that being

feel that way a

tched practice every afternoon and I've be

weather. Sit down a minute." They were in front of the stand and Mr. Boutelle seated himself on the lowe

s,

your chief difficulty wa

unds heavier t

oesn't matter. You were getting along pretty well at the las

first choice, I guess. And

gs out for himself. You can. What you'll have to do this year, my boy, is speed up a

sir, I

I'll tell you what we will do, Gilbert. We'll use you enough to bring you around in form slowly. You'll play left guard for awhile every day. But what I want you to really do is to help with the others. You've been at it two years now and you know how the position ought to be played and you've g

se what to do. I can play the position myself after a fashio

y, call them down when they make mistakes, pat them on the back when they do right. Just forget that you're trying to teach. If a fellow came to you a

not," replied Don

this fall, my boy. We've got nothing to build on, only a lot of green material, and that's the best part of it. I don't care how inexperienced the material is if it's willing to learn and has

s contrivance; it's awfully clumsy; but Do

her to Lewis. You know the usual stuff, Gilbert. Rest 'em up now and then; they're soft and the weather'

s just about as thankful as any of the puffing, perspiring youths around him. Considering it afterward, Don was unable to view the material with the enthusiasm Mr. Boutelle had displayed. To him the thirty-odd boys who had reported for the second team were a hopeless lot, barring, of course, a few, not more than fo

tore dummies! Sometimes I think that Boots ought to be head coach instead of Robey. I've got nothing against Robey, either

would want to coach t

y n

of-well, he kind of lik

ly explaine

he sort that would want to lead a charge wher

g every time. I guess coaching the first and having his pick of the players wouldn't make any sort of a hit with Boots. It would be too tame. Boots likes to take three discarded veterans, two crips and a handfu

" laughed Don. "I can't see how he's going t

guards it will be no trick

make an awful mess of i

here. Don, you're exactly like the porpoise-no, the tortoise in the fable. You don't look fast, old man, but you keep on moving ahead and saying nothing and when the hares arrive you

gravely. "And a tortoise is a land t

e, what are you grinning at? Anthropoids nothi

thropoid your

g I'm a

Don shoved a dictionary across the

hat! Here it is. Now let's see. 'Anthropoid, somewhat like a human being in form or other characteristics'! Something like-- You wait til

that say you can't

. "Now shut up and let me stuff awhile. Horace has been eyei

ess I'll get the hang of it after awhile. What I want to

ight be able to read the plaguy s

'll w

im in the tank aft

. "Not after that

goodness, Don! Did you learn t

other. "There's no place to swim

rivers in Kansa

omise not to grab me when I'm not looking I'll

Never mind, Mr. Conklin will get hold o

w," replied Do

t you did five strokes and then got so elated that you nearly drowned you

immy. I'd as lief drown by myself a

t ever do it again. I wanted you t

to fill up with it, Tim. It tastes very nasty. You

," laughed Tim. "It'll set us up and r

ng," warned Don. "It's almost half-past now. And I've got t