al acting," opined Phil. "And if Speed ever
caught on he'd darn near kill us!"
"Aren't you willing to die for your college?"
smiled Coach Brock. "I'll be within sight of the dorm so that I can
manage to be passing when you drive up, several hours late, with Speed.
What happens after that will be regrettable but hardly any fault of
yours. Automobiles do break down ... even in the best of families!"
Phil and Milt grinned.
"But what if Speed doesn't care to see this picture?" queried Milt.
"I think he'll jump at the chance after the send-off I give to it this
afternoon at practice," said the coach. "But I'll insist that all
fellows who do make arrangements to take in the show, make a point of
getting back by their accustomed hour."
"Okay!" accepted Phil. "We'll tackle Speed on the proposition after
practice ... tell him we've just learned of the football program ...
and that we're leaving in time to catch the seven o'clock show.
Wouldn't he like to go along?"
"That's right," Coach Brock approved. "You can explain to Speed that
the seven o'clock show will be over around nine o'clock which gives you
a whole hour to drive the twenty miles back. Let me know, for sure, if
you can make arrangements, and I'll be ready to do my part."
"We'll try our darndest," promised Phil.
"And, of course," the coach added, warningly, "it goes without saying
that you are to keep this little matter strictly confidential. You are
doing this, remember, for the team!"
Phil and Milt stiffened with a sense of their responsibility.
"You can trust us," they assured.
Speed Bartlett was quite innocent of any plot against him and quite
glad to accept the invitation of his two friends to attend the show.
In fact, he welcomed the opportunity as a means of possible relaxation.
Coach Brock had spoken highly of the Knute Rockne short
subject--declaring it to be extremely educational, particularly as
pertained to open field running. Since this was supposed to be Speed's
specialty, his curiosity was aroused.
"Strange you fellows should be interested in seeing this same show,"
mused Speed, on the way over. "It's a good break for me since I'm
supposed to see it, anyway."
"Listen, Speed," declared Phil. "We're nuts over football. We'd go
almost anywhere within reason to see a game or something interesting
about it. And when we read in the paper that one of Knute Rockne's
pictures was there ... well, that was enough for us!
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