be for the good of the team. But at length he summoned courage to
make the suggestion.

"Say, Sherm," he began haltingly, after walking beside Ward for a few
moments in silence, "don't you think--that is, would it be better for
me to--er--not to play to-morrow?"

Sherman stopped short in surprise. "Not play?" he repeated sharply. "Why,
what--" He frowned suddenly. "Don't you want to?"

"_Want to?_ Of course I do! But it seems to me things would--would go
smoother if--I wasn't in the line-up. You know some of the fellows--"

He paused. Sherman's eyes narrowed. "Oh, that's what you mean, is it?"
For an instant he stood staring silently at the freckled face raised
to his. "You'd be willing to get out for--for the good of the team?"
As Dale nodded he reached out and caught the boy almost roughly by one
shoulder. "Forget it!" he said gruffly. "I know what I'm doing, kid. You
go in to-morrow and play up for all you're worth. If--if those chumps
don't come to their senses, it won't be your fault."

His jaw was square; his lips firm. It flashed suddenly on Dale that
Sherman couldn't very well follow his suggestion and continue to preserve
a shred of authority as captain. It would seem as if he were giving in to
the delinquents and allowing them to run the team. They would set him
down as weak and vacillating, and pay less attention than ever to his
efforts to make them get together and play the game right. A sudden
anger flamed up within the tenderfoot, and his teeth clicked together.

"Chumps!" he growled to himself, his fists clenching. "Can't they see
what they're doing? Can't they forget themselves for a minute and think
of the team?"

He wished the suspense was over and the moment for the game at hand.
Hitherto the days had fairly flown, making the afternoons of much needed
practice incredibly brief, but now the very minutes seemed to drag.
Saturday morning was interminable. Dale tried to forget his worries by
attending to the various chores about the house, but even in the midst
of vigorous woodchopping he found himself stopping to think of the
struggle of the afternoon, going over the different plays and sizing up
the probable behavior of various individuals.

But at last the waiting was over and he had taken his place in that
line which spread out across the field ready for the signal. And as
he crouched there, back bent, watching with keen, appraising eyes the
blue jersies dotting the turf before him, the tensi