They proceeded in silence. Langridge grew less and less talkative, and to the jokes of Gerhart, who seemed in unusually good spirits, he returned monosyllabic answers. "Say, what's the matter with you?" Gerhart finally exclaimed. "Well, if you must know," answered Langridge, "the more I think of this the less I like it. It's a brutal thing to do. I wish I hadn't agreed to help you." "But you have!" insisted Gerhart. "It's too late to back out now!" "Yes, I suppose so," was the gloomy answer, and Langridge plodded on behind his crony. CHAPTER XXXII TOM GETS A TIP It lacked but two days of the big game with Boxer Hall. The Randall eleven had bucked against the scrub until that aggregation of substitutes was weary, worn and sore. For the 'varsity team was now a magnificent fighting machine. The men played together like clock-work, and were a joy to the heart of Coach Lighton. As for Holly Cross, no captain was ever prouder of an eleven than he was. The ends were fast, the backs could go through the line for gains every time, guards, tackles and Snail Looper at center were like a wall of flesh. The punting, while not all that could be desired, was good, and several trick plays had been worked up well nigh to perfection against the scrub. How they would work against Boxer Hall was yet to be seen. But if Randall was in fine shape for the coming struggle on the gridiron, so was Boxer Hall. Reports from that institution showed that the eleven was the best that had been turned out in many a season, and by comparing the games played by Randall (the loss of one game to Fairview and the winning of the other) and those played by Boxer Hall against the same teams, an expert would have been hard put to pick the winner of the championship struggle. "But we're going to win, fellows!" cried Tom after two halves of hard practice. "Aren't we, Phil, old chap?" "Of course," was the rather quiet answer. "How's your mother, Phil?" asked Holly Cross. "I hope she is getting better." "I haven't heard for two days," replied the quarter-back, and his face showed a little worry. "Well, she must be all right, or your father would have wired," went on Dutch Housenlager. "My, but I'm tired!" he added. "Don't go stale," cautioned the coach. "I think I can let up a bit on you fellows now. We'll have only light practice to-morrow, and the morning of the game we'll do some kicking and run through the signals. Don't forget to listen for the word to change the system. We may have to do it if they get on to our curves, so to speak. But I don't believe they will. And don't forget that the signals for trick plays have been altered a bit. Also remember the tip for the sequence plays. I depend on them for at least one touch-down. Now amuse yourselves some quiet way to-night. Get to bed early, and sleep well. I hope none of you have any lessons to worry over."