Well, Stanley used to tell wonderful about this place,” said Rodney as they reached the lower hall, “but I didn’t believe quite all he said then. I do now. It’s certainly a fine building. Still——”  
“Still what?” asked Tad jealously.
 
“Well, I don’t see what the idea is in putting so much expense into a gymnasium, Tad.”
 
“Why not?”
 
“We-ell, it seems to me that a building that is used so little——”
 
“Used so little! Say, you want to come over here some evening next week and see the gymnastic class at work! And pretty soon they’ll begin the regular gym work. I guess, Rod, this place is as much used as any building here. Why, I’ve seen this dressing-room so full in spring that you couldn’t move around without treading on some fellow’s toes!”
 
[116]
 
Tad secured a for Rodney and the latter changed to his football . The trousers were a bit too tight at the waist, but by lacing them not quite close they answered very well. The jacket fitted better. As for and shoes, Rodney furnished those himself. Before he was dressed the other candidates began pouring into the room, and the place, which had been almost when the two boys arrived, hummed like a beehive. Guy Watson nodded to Rodney as he took a seat on a neighboring bench, and to Rodney’s surprise the nod seemed to express toleration rather than dislike. Captain Doyle came up and said a few words, and Stacey Trowbridge smiled gravely across at him. A big chap with a good-natured round face that broke into a dozen when he laughed was Pounder, who played center. “‘Two Hundred Pounder,’ the fellows used to call him,” explained Tad, “although he only weighs a hundred and seventy or so. He’s a dandy center. The fellow with the bandage on his head is Roger Tyson, left half. He’s a wonder. If we had ten other fellows like old Roger we’d beat everything of our size in the country.”
 
[117]
 
“What’s the matter with his head?” asked Rodney.
 
“Hurt it yesterday. Got an awful crack, they say. It was after you went. He was down and out for five minutes. Are you all ? Let’s start along, then.”
 
“I’m going to put you with the kindergarteners to-day, Merrill,” announced Mr. Cotting when Rodney reported. “I guess you won’t stay there long. Don’t try to it to-day. Save your muscles. Gordon, will you take charge of Merrill, please? By the way, you might give me your name and so on first.” And the coach drew out his book and Rodney supplied answers to the questions he put. Then he trailed off with Gordon, who was fullback on the first team, and joined a group of at the further side of the field. Most of them were Fourth Form boys, although there were three or four older youths in the . Gordon was extremely patient, but it wasn’t difficult to see that he didn’t love his task. Teaching the to a group of beginners is rather uninteresting work. Rodney passed the ball, caught it, fell on it, practised starts,[118] and went through the usual programme that afternoon. In comparison with the performance of the others in the squad his efforts were almost brilliant and Gordon viewed him with hopeful interest. Once when the ball had him and its way to the sideline, Rodney, rescuing it, heard his name spoken, and looked up to discover the twins nearby.
 
“You’re doing beautifully!” called Matty with enthusiasm. “We’re proud of you, Rodney, aren’t we, May?”
 
“Awfully,” agreed May, calmly . “And we were sure all the time that you could play, Rodney!”
 
“This isn’t playing,” Rodney. “Anyone can do this sort of thing!”
 
He was glad when it was finally over and he could retire to a bench under one of the stands, draw a blanket around him, and watch the first and second about the field in signal work. On the other side the twins were still looking on, Tad Mudge and Warren Hoyt in attendance. The twins were not the only representatives of their sex present, for amongst[119] the spectators from outside the school Rodney saw quite a number of girls. Later Rodney joined the twins and Tad—Warren Hoyt had taken himself off—and walked to the gymnasium steps with them.
 
“How did it go?” asked Tad with a grin.
 
Rodney . “All right. I’ve been through it before. I’m sort of weak in the knees, though.”
 
“We thought you played very nicely indeed,” said Matty. “We watched you all the time. You did much better than those other boys.”
 
“I should think I might,” laughed Rodney. “They were all beginners, I guess.”
 
“They want us to play croquet,” announced Tad. “I said I would if you would. Want to?”
 
“Why yes, if there’s time. Won’t it be pretty late?”
 
“Not if you get a move on,” answered Tad. “We’ll go ahead. You hurry up and come over. ............