ir. "Martin is already a
member of a committee of three chosen at the North Grammar."

"But we haven't any committee of three," objected a Central boy.

"We can soon straighten that out," piped up Tom Reade. "I'm going to
make a motion, and it's addressed only to the fellows of the Central
Grammar. I move that Dick Prescott, Dave Darrin and Greg Holmes
represent the Central."

"All in favor say 'aye,'" directed Prescott.

The motion was carried with a rush, there being no dissenting voices.

"I would now suggest," Dick continued, "that the South Grammar fellows
put forward their committee of three. Then the council can get together,
and soon be able to report back to the whole crowd."

But Ted Teall, who had been talking rapidly in undertones to several of
the Souths, now yelled back:

"No, sir-ree! That doesn't go. South Grammar wants the whole thing put
through in town-meeting style. Let every fellow here have his say."

"Will that be agreeable to the North Grammar?" asked Dick, glancing at
Martin.

"Not much," retorted Hi. "South Grammar has twice as many fellows here
as we have, and Central has a bigger crowd present than both other
schools put together. Let's have committees and organize 'em into a
council."

"We Souths won't stand for anything but town-meeting style," bawled Ted
Teall.

"But we haven't enough fellows for that," objected Hi strenuously.

"Why didn't you bring more?" jeered Ted. "Did the rest of your fellows
have to go home to put on clean collars and practise on the piano?"

"We shan't get anywhere unless the Souths put forward a more gentlemanly
fellow to speak for them," remarked Hi with stiff dignity.

"Fight!" yelled one boy hopefully.

The surging and pushing began all over again, but Dick managed to make
his voice carry over the hubbub.

"Fellows, what ails you all?" he cried. "Are we going to have it said
that the Grammar School fellows of Gridley haven't brains and manners
enough to get together and discuss an ordinary question or two?"

"What about uniforms?" spoke up a member of Hi's committee.

"Central hopes to have uniforms," replied Dick.

"North Grammar is going to have uniforms," shouted Hi Martin, "and we
want to make it plain, right now, that we won't play with any team that
isn't uniformed."

This cast a damper on the Souths, who knew, to a boy, that they couldn't
hope to raise money enough to buy football uniforms.

"Aw," retorted Ted Teall scornfully,