but Frank noticed at a glance that John
Derby, of the second team, was in a regular uniform.

"Oho," he thought, "that looks strange. And that uniform looks
suspiciously like mine!" His heart sank.

Of all things that Frank liked, football came first. In the last game,
with Grayson High, his playing had certainly counted big in winning the
game for Regal. He was the only boy from his year on the team but no one
could run and dodge as fast. His grit helped, too, for he would fight
on, no matter how rough he was handled. In the early fall, he had been
carried off the field protesting, although he was terribly bruised.
Considering all this, it seemed impossible that Derby had been promoted
to his uniform on the eve of their biggest game. Tomorrow they were to
play Stanley High for the Interscholastic championship.

However, he hurried, with as much coolness as possible, to the dressing
room. He found his locker empty. Standing nearby was the captain of the
team, Robert Fitzpatrick.

"What does this mean, Bob?" said Frank, quietly.

"Didn't they tell you, Mulvy?"

"Tell me what?"

"That you're off."

"Why, no. This is the first notion I've had of it. I came out for
practice."

"Well, I'd rather someone else told you, Mulvy. I just want to say we
had a hot row over you. I stood up for you, but four of the players said
they'd resign unless you were dropped. So I had to give in, or 'bust'
the team."

"What's the charge against me, Bob?"

"Don't you know?"

"No, I don't."

"Well, you ought to."

"I know the report that's around," said Frank, "but you fellows
certainly don't want to go on record for condemning a man before he's
heard?"

"Why, they said you admitted it."

"That's not so. I said I knew about it. I did not need to say that. I
had my knowledge as a confidence, and I could have denied all knowledge
of it. But because I had the spunk to speak out as I did, you fellows
brand me. It's all right. I'll take my medicine."

"It wasn't easy for us to drop you, Mulvy. Tomorrow is the big game, and
we need our best team. I put that before them strong. But I was
out-voted."

"Well, Bob, I want to thank you for what you did. But tell me one thing.
You know how the fellows move heaven and earth to get a strong team. You
know how, when a fellow got into a scrape, or was behind in studies, or
even if he was bounced, all the others stood by him and fought to retain
him. Now, I know I'm a boob, but neverthel