When the line-up for the short game came, Hansel found himself relegated to the position of right end on the second team. It was evident that Mr. Ames did not approve, and there followed a long discussion between him and Bert. But in the end the coach shrugged his shoulders as though persuaded, but not convinced, and Hansel went on to the second and played there all during the short practice. He was on his mettle, and the way he “made rings around Cutler,” to use the popular expression, was highly pleasing to his adherents, of whom there were not a few among the audience that followed the play. Hansel knew, and every other fellow there knew, that his banishment to the scrub team was in the nature of a public disgrace as punishment for siding against Cameron. If there had been any doubt in his mind on this point, it would have been speedily dispelled when he reached his room after his visit to Harry.
“Well,” asked Bert, who was getting himself ready for supper, “how do you like the scrub?”
“Glad you like it. For that’s where you’ll probably play. We can’t have fellows on the first eleven who are trying to get us beaten.”
“Don’t you worry about me, Bert,” replied Hansel. “I can take what’s coming to me. You won’t hear any kicking if I stay on the second from now until I leave school.”
“Well, you would stay there if I had my way,” growled Bert angrily.
At a few minutes after seven Phin and Hansel knocked on the door of Mr. Ames’s study on the first floor of Weeks. As soon as they were comfortably seated the coach plunged into his subject.
“I’ve asked you fellows around here,” he said, “because I want to know just what you’re up to; and I want you to tell me fairly and squarely.”
Hansel looked toward Phin and the latter accepted the office of spokesman. He told Mr. Ames just what they hoped to do, why they wanted to do it, and what they had accomplished already. And the instructor heard him through without an interruption. When Phin had ended, Mr. Ames was silent for a moment. Then,
“Thanks, Dorr,” he said gravely. “I’m glad to know this. And what is the sentiment of the school on the subject?”
“Divided, sir. I think most of the fellows don’t care one way or the other.”
“I dare say not. Dorr, there’s been a big change in the spirit of the school during the time that I’ve been here as instructor. Five years ago Cameron couldn’t have played on the team for a moment. I don’t know just what or where the trouble has been, but I do know that we’ve been getting laxer and laxer right along as regards athletics. There have been two or three things done here during the last three years which you fellows have probably never heard of. And, by the way, what I am telling you to-night is quite between us three, if you please. I don’t like this sort of thing any better than you do, and several times I have made myself unpopular by trying to correct it. But for the last two years I’ve been drifting along with the crowd; it’s a thankless task to pull a lone oar against the current, and there hasn’t been the help from--” The instructor pulled himself up abruptly. “But that’s no matter. Now what I want to know is why you fellows haven’t come to me before this and asked my assistance.”