Worry.

Raymond changed color, but he did not hesitate an instant.

"Ken came in this morning and found me sick in bed. I told him I had
been half drunk last night--and that Graves had gotten me to drink.
Then Graves came in. He and Ken had hard words. They went outdoors
to fight."

"Would you have told me?" roared the coach in fury. "Would you have
come to me with this if I hadn't caught Peg?"

Raymond faced him without flinching.

"At first I thought not--when Ken begged me to confess I just couldn't.
But now I know I would."

At that Worry lost his sudden heat, and then he turned to the stricken
Graves.

"Mebbe it'll surprise you, Graves, to learn that I knew a little of
what you've been doin'. I told Homans to go to you in a quiet way and
tip off your mistake. I hoped you'd see it. But you didn't. Then
you've been knockin' Ward all season, for no reason I could discover
but jealousy. Now, listen! Peg Ward has done a lot for me already this
year, and he'll do more. But even if he beats Place, it won't mean any
more to me than the beatin' he's given you. Now, you pack your things
and get out of here. There's no position for you on this varsity."

Without a word in reply and amid intense silence Graves went slowly
up-stairs. When he disappeared Worry sank into a chair, and looked as
if he was about to collapse. Little Trace walked hesitatingly forward
with the manner of one propelled against his will.

"Mr. Arthurs, I--I," he stammered--"I'm guilty, too. I broke training.
I want to--"

The coach waved him back. "I don't want to hear it, not another
word--from anybody. It's made me sick. I can't stand any more.
Only I see I've got to change my rules. There won't be any rules
any more. You can all do as you like. I'd rather have you all go
stale than practise deceit on me. I cut out the trainin' rules."

"_No!_" The team rose up as one man and flung the refusal at the coach.

"Worry, we won't stand for that," spoke up Reddy Ray. His smooth, cool
voice was like oil on troubled waters. "I think Homans and I can answer
for the kids from now on. Graves was a disorganizer--that's the least
I'll say of him. We'll elect Homans captain of the team, and then we'll
cut loose like a lot of demons. It's been a long, hard drill for you,
Worry, but we're in the stretch now and going to finish fast. We've
been a kind of misfit team all spring. You've had a blind faith that
something could be made out of us. Homans has wa