All during practice and the short scrimmage that followed Tom was aware of the captain’s scowling regard. In the ten-minute period of play Tom messed up his opponent in the line, and, in spite of being out of condition, played a hard game. But Connors was not to be placated and Tom left the field with the knowledge that Connors had it in for him and meant, if possible, to keep him out of the first squad. He confided his fears to Willard, but if he expected sympathy he was disappointed, for Willard lent only perfunctory attention and was too full of the approaching arrival of Jimmy to take much interest in his chum’s predicament. Jimmy arrived on time and was conveyed to his boarding-house in the car. During the ride and subsequently, when the three were seated about the little bedroom upstairs, he reported the result of his journey. “It was easy, fellows,” said Jimmy. “Say, there are more automobiles in one block in New York than you ever dreamed of! And you can buy ’em at all prices, too. I went right uptown yesterday when I got in and found a friend of mine who’s demonstrator for a big company on Broadway and he told me just where to go. I looked over five or six cars yesterday and then went back this morning and had ’em demonstrated. And by ten o’clock I’d bought one!” “What’s it like?” asked Willard eagerly. “A peach! They call it a light delivery truck. It’s got a body big enough to hold twenty trunks, I guess, and it’ll haul a ton. It’s got a two-cylinder engine, twenty-six horsepower; planetary transmission; brakes on the rear hubs. It’s a Phelps. Made in Springfield, Massachusetts, which is good in case we have to send for new parts; won’t take long to get ’em; see? It has solid tires instead of pneumatic, which is saving. There’s no top, but we can have a good big rubber tarpaulin to pull over the load. There’s a small buggy top over the seat, though, and an apron that folds away underneath it. It’s painted green and yellow and is some swell little old truck, believe me, fellows!” “And――and was it a second-hand one, Jimmy?” asked Tom. “Sure; run less than six hundred miles and in A1 condition. I pretty near had it to pieces, fellows, and there isn’t a worn part about it. It’s just been painted up fresh and it looks as good as new. And I don’t know but what I’d just as soon have it as a new one, for it’s got its kinks worn off.” “How much?” demanded Willard anxiously. Jimmy winked triumphantly, exasperatingly. “How much do you think, Will?” “Eight hundred, Jimmy?” “Seven hundred,” suggested Tom. “Nothing like it! Five hundred and eighty-five dollars, fellows, and as pretty as a picture and runs like a breeze! Can you beat that?”