cated system prepared for the "big game."
Each day there was half an hour of secret practise behind closed gates,
after which the assistant coaches emerged looking very wise and very
solemn. The make-up of the varsity eleven had changed not a little since
the game with Woodby, and was still being changed. Some positions were,
however, permanently filled. For instance, Browning had firmly
established his right to play left-guard, while the deposed Carey found
a role eminently suited to him at right tackle. Stowell became first
choice for center, and the veteran Graham went over to the second team.
Stone at left end, Tucker at left tackle, Devoe at right end, and Foster
at quarter, were fixtures.

The problem of finding a man for the position of left half in place of
Neil had finally been solved by moving Paul over there from the other
side and giving his place to Gillam, a last year substitute. Paul's
style of play was very similar to Neil's. He was sure on his feet, a
hard, fast runner, and his line-plunging was often brilliant and
effective. The chief fault with him was that he was erratic. One day he
played finely, the next so listlessly as to cause the coaches to shake
their heads. His goal-kicking left something to be desired, but as yet
he was as good in that line as any save Neil. Gillam, although light,
was a hard line-bucker and a hurdler that was afraid of nothing. In fact
he gave every indication of excelling Paul by the time the Robinson
game arrived.

One cause of Paul's uneven playing was the fact that he was worried
about his studies. He was taking only the required courses, seven in
all, making necessary an attendance of sixteen hours each week; but
Greek and mathematics were stumbling-blocks, and he was in daily fear
lest he find himself forbidden to play football. He knew well enough
where the trouble lay; he simply didn't give enough time to study. But,
somehow, what with the all-absorbing subject of making the varsity and
the hundred and one things that took up his time, the hours remaining
for "grinding" were all too few. He wondered how Neil, who seemed quite
as busy as himself, managed to give so much time to books.

In one of his weekly evening talks to the football men Mills had
strongly counseled attention to study. There was no excuse, he had
asserted, for any of the candidates shirking lessons.

"On the contrary, the fact that you are in training, that you are living
with proper regard for