of gravel, flung it into the air with a laugh, and
started along the circle.

"Butcher!"

"Hello, who's that!"

"It's me, Butcher," said the Big Man, slipping his hand into the
other's; "I--I wanted to know."

"You aren't going to get sentimental, are you, youngster?" said Stevens,
disapprovingly.

"Please, Butcher," said the Great Big Man, pleadingly, "don't be cross
with me! Is there any hope?"

"The Doctor won't see me, young one," said the Butcher, "but the
_at_-mosphere was not encouraging."

"I'm sorry."

"Honest?"

"Honest."

They went hand in hand over to the chapel, where they chose the back
steps and settled down with the great walls at their back and plenty of
gravel at their feet to fling aimlessly into the dusky night.

"Butcher?"

"Well, Big Man!"

"What will you do if--if they fire you?"

"Oh, lots of things. I'll go hunting for gold somewhere, or strike out
for South America or Africa."

"Oh!" The Big Man was immensely relieved; but he added incredulously,
"Then you'll give up football and baseball?"

"Looks that way."

"You won't mind?"

"Yes," said the Butcher, suddenly, "I will mind. I'll hate to leave the
old school. I'd like to have one chance more."

"Why don't you tell the Doctor that?"

"Never! I don't cry out when I'm caught, youngster. I take my
punishment."

"Yes," said the Big Man, reflecting. "That's right, I suppose; but,
then, there's the team to think of, you know."

They sat for a long time in silence, broken suddenly by the Butcher's
voice, not so gruff as usual.

"Say, Big Man--feeling sort of homesick?"

No answer.

"Just a bit?"

Still no answer. The Butcher looked down, and saw the Big Man struggling
desperately to hold in the sobs.

"Here, none of that, youngster!" he exclaimed in alarm. "Brace up, old
man!"

"I--I'm all right," said the Great Big Man with difficulty. "It's
nothing."

The Butcher patted him on the shoulder, and then drew his arm around the
little body. The Big Man put his head down and blubbered, just as though
he had been a little fellow, while his companion sat perplexed,
wondering what to do or say in the strange situation.

"So he's a little homesick, is he?" he said lamely.

"N-o-o," said the Great Big Man, "not just that; it's--it's all the
fellows I miss."

The Butcher was silent. He, too, began to understand that feeling; only
he, in his battling pride, resisted fiercely the weakness.

"You've got an uncle s