asons for them. He studied the contract for half an
hour. Then he went to the table drawer, took out pen and ink, and
scribbled his name on the line left for his signature.

Judd felt like he had won a great victory as he locked the apartment
door, and jumped the streetcar for the depot. He could hardly wait to
get back to Trumbull ... and to re-enter school!

Mrs. Billings was overjoyed that Judd had decided to return to school
but she was rather alarmed at a change which she discerned in him.
There was a more determined look about his face--a look that told her
Judd was going to do some things which he had never attempted to do
before and Mrs. Billings was not quite certain what the outcome would
be.

When school opened, the schoolmates noticed the change too. They
didn't know what it meant but they did know that Judd walked with his
head erect, there was a surer swing to his steps, and he looked folks
straight in the eye. Judd was silent. His jaws were set tight. No
one sensed the fight that was going on within--no one realized that
every move Judd made was forced.

When the first call went out for football candidates, Judd hunted up
Coach Little and submitted his name. He had thought about the moment
when he would do this for days. And each time that he thought of it
the nervous chills raced up and down his back. He had hoped that when
the time really came he could find courage to go through with it.

Coach Little could not conceal his astonishment when Judd confronted
him. For two years the coach had begged Judd to get out for the team.
He saw in the well-built youth the makings of a fine player. Trumbull
High was a small school. It needed all available material. A boy who
was physically fit for football and who did not get out for practice
was regarded as disloyal. No wonder that the students felt this way
about it with rivalry so keen between Trumbull and Canton high schools!
Trumbull's colors had trailed in the dust for three consecutive years.
This season the students had early begun to clamor for revenge.

"Glad to see you getting out, Billings," Coach Little said to him,
pleasantly. "I believe you should develop into a good player."

Some of the old football players crowded about. They eyed Judd
unbelievingly. "What, Judd going out for football?" The surprise was
so great that there was not an answering echo of enthusiasm. Judd was
yet untried. They had never seen him do anything n