y, just at present, is a working
knowledge of the rules. So listen, and I'll introduce you to a few
principles of the game."

After ten minutes of earnest talk Len Spencer allowed the ball to be put
once more in play.

At one time it was discovered that Craig, reinforced by enthusiastic
onlookers from the sidelines, had seventeen men in his team. Dick, on
the other hand, kept an alert eye to see that no more than eleven ranged
up with his team.

"Now, that's enough for the first day," called out Len at last. "Neither
side won, but the Rangers had by far the better of it. Now, before you
fellows play to-morrow I advise you all to do some earnest studying of
the rules of the game."

"Don't make too much fun of us in the 'Blade,' will you, Mr. Spencer?"
begged Dick. "We really want to get a good Central Grammar eleven at
work. We want to play the other Grammar Schools in town."

"Oh, no one but a fool could find it in his heart to make fun of boys
who display as much earnestness as you youngsters showed to-day,"
Spencer replied soothingly.

"It's the first time we ever tried real play, you know," Dick went on.

"Yes; and you'll have to do a lot more practising before you can
convince any one that you are doing any real playing," Len nodded. "Go
after the rules. Memorize 'em. And watch the High School crowd play
football. That will teach you a lot."

"I know we need it," Dick sighed. "But then, you see, Grammar School
football is a brand-new thing."

"Why, now I come to think of it, I don't believe I ever did hear before
of a Grammar School eleven," Len Spencer admitted.

At least twenty other boys followed Dick and his chums from the field on
the way home.

"Say, Dick," called Tom Craig, "is the Central Grammar team going to
have a uniform?"

"Why, I suppose we must have one," Dick answered.

"Where are we going to get the money?"

Dick looked blank at that. A football uniform costs at least a few
dollars, and who ever heard of an average Grammar School boy having a
few dollars, all his own to spend?

"I hadn't thought of that," muttered Prescott. "Oh, well, we'll have to
find some way of getting uniforms. We've got to have 'em. That's all
there is to it."

"'Where there's a will there's a way,'" quoted Tom Reade blithely.

But most of the fellows shook their heads.

"We can't get uniforms," declared several of the older eighth-grade
boys.

"Then, if we can't we'll have to play without uniforms,"