The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-11-25


game like this Andrews cant pass the
ball without fumbllng to save his life, ana
you are the only quarter we can possibly
play and win. You went desert MS just now,
when we have not been defeated this sea
son, right here in the face of the very hard
est game of all. will your
II must go, Dick" cried Charlie in de-
spair. Dad would never forgive me If
did not"
But how about my sister, your opp
She has counted upon your taking her to the
game and then seeing you do all sorts of
things to Melville, making forty-yard runs
around the end and goals from the field,
you know. Have you thought abons that?'
Il haven't thought OF anything else for
week" groaned Charlie. but l can't help
it. l shall have to tell her at supper to-
night"
well, in that case we can't rank you as
one of the varsity" said the captain, rising
''You will have TO go on the playing lists as
substitute, that's all, and he went out, clos
ing the door not too gently behind him.
The Valley Preparatory School was CO.
educational institute, and the scholars of
both sexes only met at classes and at the
long tables in the dining-room. The boys
and girls were seated on opposite sides OF
these tables and the owner of that particu-
lar pair of bright eyes smiling at one from
ACROSS the luDlt was hhpNh as N'F SPPf
a more or less affectionate abbreviation for
Opposite" Charlie sat at the training
table, where, of course, no girls were al
lowed, but before he had been elevated to
this much-coveted position he had Tor his
'opp" Mile Barr, the captains sister and
the prettiest girl in the school. Charles
place, opposite hers, was still vacant, and he
slid into 1t at supper that night and re-
NAMED there in conversation with her until
A.. xUhnD ba went IN his
place at the training table with the rest.
She had not grown angry and scotfed at his
resolution like his chum, or tried to argue
him out of his intention, as did her brother,
but quite agreed that he must go to his
father, although she let him see that she
should be greatly disappointed by his abb
sence.
Charlie started upon his homeward jour
ney in a very unsettled state Of mind. He
felt that the entire school considered him a
deserter, and if they lost-well, he would be
blamed for the stigma of defeat. How hard
he had worked for his place on the varsity
and how proud he had been of 1.-THE only
freshman quarter that had ever played on
Valley SCHOOL, Then, how the team had re-
sponded when he had given the signals, al
ways like clockwork, with smoothness and
precision that got the ball in play so rapidly
and behind such perfect interference that
the unbroken list of victories was, after all,
a result to be expected. And now to have
that list married by defeat, and at the
hands of Millville, their keenest rival! His
muscles frightened at the thought of the grim
pleasure of the struggle. No, Black could
not handle the team. He had never grasped
the signals as he should, and he lacked con
fldence. He could not pass the ball with
the necessary accuracy, either, although in
this respect he was much better than Ander-
son, the other Sub" Well, Valley School
would be defeated at last, and he might have
guided the team to victory And what would
about it, and quite agreed that he should
90 home at this time. But she must have
been fearfully disappointed. Well, perhaps
she did not mind so much, after all. Some
other fellow would take her. He gritted his
teeth as he thought of that. Then, per
haps she would not mind so much as the
fellows IL Valley School were beaten. No,
of course not girls did not have that school
spirit that made the coming game bound
the whole horizon for him. Girls could not
make such sacrifices as he would make, II
be only could just to run that team the way
he had before, to hammer at the opposing
line until a weak spot could be found; to
send the ends down the field like lightning