eir
respect too. But they might have known that he would turn out that way.

Judd brooded over his situation. Oddly enough he did not mind what
fellow players thought or said of him. He was having his hardest time
trying to keep from babying himself. Finally Judd decided that he
needed help. He did not have strength enough to force himself to do
what he knew he should do. Judd stopped Coach Little as the coach was
leaving the field one night.

"Could I see you a moment, sir?"

The coach paused. His mind was on the next game. He had a dozen
problems to solve. What could Billings want? Was he going to resign
at last? Billings had stuck longer than the Coach had thought he
would. Somehow he felt a peculiar sympathy for the lad.

"Well, what is it, Judd?"

Judd hesitated until the other players were out of earshot. They
looked back curiously. He heard one of them say, "I thought so.
Billings is tryin' to get in soft with the coach now. Alibi Ike!"

Hot tears came to Judd's eyes. He turned to the coach pleadingly.

"Please sir, I'm not a quitter.... I'm not yellow ... that is, not
really.... I didn't want to stop when I saw I was going to be tackled.
Something else made me.... I--I can't make myself do what I want to
do.... I ..."

The coach studied Billings sympathetically.

"You'd what?"

"I'd like to have you make me do what I can't make myself do ... force
me to get in there and play ... I ... I'm not asking for mercy ... or
... or to be favored. No matter what I do, I don't care if you beat me
or what happens ... I want to get over feeling like I do about myself!"

This was a most unusual request. To Coach Little there flashed a small
appreciation of the struggle that Billings must be undergoing. He laid
a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Billings. You're up against a tough fight. Some fellows
never get over it. Just seems like they can't entirely break it. The
season is so far along now that I don't know whether I'll have a chance
to help you much. Keep a stiff upper lip. Don't take the game so
seriously. You're too tense. Relax. If you do this you will not take
yourself so seriously and it will help you. I'm glad you spoke to me
about this. I'm glad you realize what is wrong. Keep saying to
yourself, 'I will do this' and 'I will do that' and if you can say it
until you believe it, nothing can stop you from doing it."

Judd thanked the coach for giving him this advi