I'm sorry. I got in a
mess with my Greek and thought I'd better stay away and take a fall out
of it. Besides, I didn't think anyone would care if I didn't report."

"Didn't think anyone would care!" exclaimed Black, seating himself on an
arm of the Morris chair and viewing Clint with astonishment. "How the
dickens do you suppose we can turn out a team if we don't care whether
fellows report or not? Suppose the others thought that, Thayer, and
stayed away!"

"I meant that--that I'm not much use out there and it didn't seem to me
that it mattered very much if I stayed away once. I'm sorry, though, if
I've done wrong."

"Well, that's all right," returned Black, mollified. "If you didn't
know, that's different. Only another time you'd better see Mr. Robey and
get permission to cut. You see, Thayer, at this time of year we need all
the fellows we can get. Maybe you think you're not very important out
there, but that isn't the way of it at all. Everyone counts. You are
all--ah--you are all parts of the--ah--machine, if you see my drift,
Thayer, and if one part is missing, why--ah--Well, you see what I mean?"

"Yes, of course. I'll remember the next time."

"Well, I wouldn't let there be any next time if I were you. To be frank,
Thayer, Robey doesn't like fellows to cut. If you do it much he's
awfully likely to tell you to--ah--stay away altogether!"

"Well, in my case--" began Clint, with a smile.

"Now today," went on Black, "Robey wanted you for the second when Tyler
got hurt and you weren't there and we had to play a second squad
half-back at tackle. Robey didn't like it and jumped on me about it. And
of course I had to tell him that I hadn't given any cuts. I'm not
supposed to, anyway, but he seemed to think that maybe I had. If you
don't mind, Thayer, it wouldn't be a bad idea to tell him if he asks you
that you were--ah--sick, you know."

"Do you mean," asked Clint incredulously, "that he wanted me to play on
the second this afternoon?"

"Yes, you see Tyler got an awful bat on the head and he's out of the
game for several days, I guess. It's none of my business, in a way, of
course, but, if you don't mind me saying so, Thayer, it's a poor idea to
let chances get by. If you'd been there today you might have had a slice
of luck and found yourself on the second for keeps. A fellow's got to be
on the _qui vive_ all the time and not miss any chances, old chap."

"I reckon that's so," agreed Clint regretfully. "You