d ... and our car broke down
on the way back."
"I've heard that story before," was Coach Brock's unfeeling reply.
"What did I tell you, Speed, about being in by ten o'clock?"
"But, sir ... I ... er ... it was unavoidable," stammered Medford's
star half-back. "I fully intended ..."
"Sorry, Speed!" cut short the Coach, severely. "Orders are orders.
I'd like to make an exception but this wouldn't be fair to the other
members of the squad. From now on you're under suspension and this act
removes you from the game on Saturday!"
"No, Coach, no!" pleaded Speed. "You can't keep me out ... not for
this! It's the first time I ever broke regulations and it wasn't
intentional...!"
"Then why were you trying to sneak in the house?" demanded Coach Brock.
"You didn't intend to report this infraction to me did you?"
"Well, er ... don't suppose I did," Speed was forced to confess. "I
was afraid maybe you wouldn't understand."
"Hmm! It's a good thing I worked late at the office tonight," was the
Coach's comment. "As it is, I understand only too perfectly. You'll
turn in your suit tomorrow!"
Medford campus was thrown in a turmoil the next day, which was Tuesday,
with the news of Speed Bartlett's suspension. The report was first
treated as a rumor but when a crestfallen Speed himself would not deny
it and when he did not appear on the field for practice, the awful
truth finally dawned.
"It's good-bye game now!" mourned Medford fans. "Did you hear what
Coach kicked Speed off the team for? Being out late! Can you fathom
that? And Speed had a good reason, too ... he was in a car that broke
down."
A wave of indignation swept the college that the star player should be
ruled out of the big game of the year on a technicality, but Coach
Brock, in issuing a brief statement, stood by his guns, declaring that
discipline was necessary and the owners of the car, on further
cross-examination, could not prove that anything was or had been wrong
with the car. It was natural that such an excuse would be offered when
the fellows were caught flat-footed. But none of the three, under
questioning, would tell where they had been after leaving the theatre
at Ashby.
The affect of Speed's removal on his fellow team members was to
eliminate any possible tendencies toward over-confidence. In its stead
a grim determination was born. Medford would have to make up for the
loss of its star by a greater fighting spirit.
Spe
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