“Much obliged,” he said. “I guess you don’t know what a lot of hard work and how little glory goes with the office. You couldn’t get any fellow to take it if it didn’t lead to the managership.”
“Oh!” said Hansel. “But aren’t you pretty busy already?”
“Yes,” answered Phin, smiling grimly. “This means that I’ll have to change my getting-up hour from six to five.”
Before the mass meeting took place several things of moment occurred. Hansel received notice of his election to the Cicero Society and of the fact that by paying a dollar to the treasurer he could become the possessor of a printed certificate of membership. On Wednesday the team journeyed to Parkham and defeated the local team 23 to 0. On Saturday the State Agricultural School descended upon Bevan Hills, and for thirty minutes of actual playing time kept every Beechcroft student’s heart in his mouth. But in the end the visitors were forced to return home without scoring, while the academy team had five points to its credit. Hansel made numerous calls on his new acquaintances and rapidly enlarged his circle of friends. But, after all, the most important event, judged in the light of subsequent results, was the appearance on Thursday morning at a French recitation of Harry Folsom in a white sweater. Not that the color of the garment had anything to do with the matter; had it been red or green or purple the outcome would have been the same.
Mr. Ames had issued an edict at the beginning of the year to the effect that students attending his classes must be suitably dressed. In short, sweaters as features of class-room attire were prohibited. That is why when on this particular morning Mr. Ames espied Harry with a white turtle-neck sweater under his jacket he remonstrated.
“Folsom,” he observed, “I’ve told the class that I would not permit them to wear sweaters. There is no occasion for it. You have plenty of time in the morning to dress properly. This is a French recitation; not a football game. I shall have to insist that you go to your room and take that off. And as I can’t have students coming in after recitations are under way, you need not return. I shall put you down as absent.”
Harry, amid the broad smiles of the others, took himself out with his offensive white sweater and _Le Cid_ held the boards. Had the affair ended there this story would have been quite different, Phin and Hansel would not have thrown down the gauge of battle, and many other things would not have happened. But Harry didn’t like the thought of the ridicule which would probably follow the incident and told himself that “Bobby was too blamed fussy.” In the act of removing the obnoxious white sweater a beautiful idea came to him, and his face, which since leaving the class room had been clouded with annoyance, suddenly wreathed itself in a radiant smile.