ake a hack at it. You fellows stay right here and I'll run over and see
him."

He found the professor at home, and received a cordial greeting.

"I see you boys trounced Dartmouth last week," he said genially. "I've
seldom seen a better game."

This gave Bert his opening.

"We hope that isn't a circumstance to what we'll do to the 'Greys' and
'Maroons,'" he replied. "That is, we did hope so up to this afternoon."

The professor looked at him sharply.

"Why not now?" he asked.

And then Bert told him of the conditions of Hodge and Axtell, and the
hope he entertained that some way might be found to make them up after
the big games instead of before. He spoke with all the earnestness he
felt, and the professor listened sympathetically.

"It's too bad," he assented. "I'm afraid, though, there's no remedy. The
rules of the college are like those of the Medes and Persians, not to be
broken, even"--and his eyes twinkled--"for so important a thing as a
football game. Those matters anyway are in the province of the Dean. You
might see him if you like, but I fear that it is a forlorn hope."

And so it proved. The Dean had a warm corner in his heart for Bert, but
in this matter was not to be shaken. The college, he reminded his
caller, was primarily an institution of learning and not a gymnasium.
The conditions would have to be made up before the men could play,
although he hinted slyly that the examinations would not be over severe.

And with this one crumb of comfort, Bert was forced to be content. He
bowed himself out and returned to report the non-success of his mission.

"What did I tell you?" said Drake.

"You're a brick anyway, Bert, for trying," acknowledged Axtell, "and
perhaps it will make them go a little easier with us when we try again
to show them how little we know. And now, old man," addressing Hodge,
"it's up to us to make a quick sneak and get busy with those confounded
conditions. Plenty of hard work and a towel dipped in ice water round
our heads, with a pot of hot coffee to keep us awake, will help make up
for our lack of brains. Come along, fellow-boob," and with a grin that
they tried to make cheerful, the two culprits took their departure.

The next morning the campus was buzzing with the news. It jarred the
college out of the self-complacency they had begun to feel over the
prospects of the team. Many were the imprecations heaped upon the heads
of the hard-hearted faculty, and one of the malc