crack at things once in a while."

"Well, get rid of it once in a while, if you really do know anything,"
Vic responded.

"Say, you're nervous. Coach says you spend too much time in your
nursery; says you'd better get rid of that little kid."

"Tell the coach to go to the devil!" Vic spoke savagely.

"Say, Coach," Trench roared down from the hillslope, "Vic says for you
to go to the devil."

"Wait till after tomorrow," the coach shouted back, "and I'll take you
fellows along if you don't do your best."

"Now, that's settled, I'll tell you what I know," Trench drawled lazily.
"First, Elinor Wream, what Dean Funnybone calls 'Norrie,' is heading the
bunch that's going to shower us with roses tomorrow, if we win. And
you know blamed well we'll win. They came in from Kansas City on the
limited, just now, the roses did. The shower's predicted for tomorrow P.
M."

A sudden glow lighted Vic's stern face, and there was no savage gleam in
his eyes now.

"Is Elinor well enough to come out tomorrow?"

He had been caught unawares. Trench stared at him deliberately.

"Say, Victor Burleigh." He spoke slowly. "Don't do it! DON'T DO IT!
It will kill a man like you to get in love. Lord pity you! and"--more
slowly still--"Lord pity the fool girl who can't see the solid gold in
the rough old nugget you are."

"What's the rest of your news?" Vic asked.

"I gave the best first. Coach tells me ab-so-lute-lee, you are our only
hope. The hope of Sunrise, tomorrow. You've got the beef, the wind, the
speed, the head, and the will. Oh, you angel child!"

"The coach is clever," Vic said carelessly.

"Burleigh, here's the rub as well as the Rub-i-con. Dennie Saxon's wise,
and she tells me--on the side; inside, not outside--that your absent
marks on Burgess' map are going to cut you out at the last minute. Don't
let Burgess do that, Vic, if you have to kill him. Couldn't we kidnap
him and drop him into the whirlpool? Old Lagonda's interest is about
due. Dennie just stood her ground today like a cherub, and asked the
Hahvahd Univusity man right out about it. I don't know how she got the
hint, only she's in all the offices and the library out of hours, you
know, and when the slim one from Boston, yuh know, said as how he had
to stand firm on the right, yuh know, old Dennie just says straight and
flat, 'Professor Burgess, I'm ashamed of you.' Dennie's a brick. And do
you know, Burgess, spite of his cussed thin hide, we've got to toughe