!" shouted Prescott, the
young captain of the team.

CHAPTER V

"Brass" for an Armor Plate

Thursday night and Friday morning more copies of the betrayed
signals poured in upon Captain Dick.

Wherever these signals had been received by captains of other
school teams, it soon appeared, these captains of rival elevens
had punctually mailed them back. It spoke volumes for the honor
of the American schoolboy, for Gridley High School was feared
far and wide on the gridiron, and there was not an eleven in the
state but would have welcomed an honorable way of beating Prescott's
men.

Moreover, working on Dick's suggestion, Mr. Morton busied himself
with securing several letters that had been received from Drayne's
father.

These letters were compared, Friday evening, with the copies of
the signals that had been sent to other elevens. Under a magnifying
glass these collected papers all exhibited one fact that the letters
and the copies of the signal code had been struck off on a machine
having the same peculiarities as to worn faces of certain types.
It was thus rather clearly established that Phin Drayne must
have used the typewriting machine that stood in his father's office.

Drayne was not at school on Friday. Instead, an excuse of illness
was received from him.

Nor did Mr. Morton say anything to Dr. Thornton, the principal,
until the end of the school week.

Just after school had been dismissed, at one o'clock Friday afternoon,
Mr. Morton called Dr. Thornton to the private office, and there
laid before him the charges and the proofs.

That fine old gentleman was overwhelmed with grief that "one of
his boys" should have done such an utterly mean, wanton and dishonorable
thing.

"This can't be passed by, Mr. Morton," exclaimed Dr. Thornton
brokenly. "If you will kindly leave the proofs in my hands, I
will see that the whole matter is taken up officially."

Friday afternoon the football squad met for more practice with
the new signals. Friday evening each young man who was scheduled
as being even likely to play the next day studied over the signals
at home, then, under orders, burned his copy of the code. Saturday
morning the squad met for some more practice, though not much.

"I believe all of us are in trim now, sir," Captain Prescott reported
to the coach. "I am rather sure all of our men know the new signals
by heart, and there'll be no confusion. But, of course, for the
first game, th