e going to be torn
to pieces and scattered to the winds. It's just nerves; you get used to
it after a while. As for the new defense for tackle-tandem, it's all
right. Maybe it won't stop Robinson altogether, but it's the best thing
that a light team can put up against a heavy one playing Robinson's
game; and I think that it's going to surprise her and worry her quite a
lot. Whether it will keep her from scoring on the tackle play remains to
be seen. That's a good deal to hope for. If we'd been able to try the
play in a game with another college we would know more about what we can
do with it. As it is, we only know that it will stop the second and that
theoretically it is all right. We'll be wiser on the 23d.

"Frankly, though, Burr," he continued, "as a play I don't like it. That
is, I consider it too hard on the men; there's too much brute force and
not enough science and skill about it; in fact, it isn't football. But
as long as guards-back and tackle-back formations are allowed it's got
to be played. It was a mistake in ever allowing more than four men
behind the line. The natural formation of a football team consists of
seven players in the line, and when you begin to take one or two of
those players back you're increasing the element of physical force and
lessening the element of science. More than that, you're playing into
the hands of the anti-football people, and giving them further grounds
for their charge of brutality.

"Football's the noblest game that's played, but it's got to be played
right. We did away with the old mass-play evil and then promptly
invented the guards-back and the tackle-back. Before long we'll see our
mistake and do away with those too; revise the rules so that the
rush-line players can not be drawn back. Then we'll have football as it
was meant to be played; and we'll have a more skilful game and one of
more interest both to the players and spectators." Mills paused and
then asked:

"By the way, do you see much of Fletcher?"

"Yes, quite a bit," answered Sydney. "We were together for two or three
hours yesterday afternoon."

"Indeed? And did you notice whether he appeared in good spirits? See any
signs of worry?"

"No, not that I recall. I thought he appeared to be feeling very
cheerful. I know we laughed a good deal over--over something."

"That's all right, then," answered the coach as they turned in through
the gate and approached the locker-house. "I had begun to think that