“Wrong? Nonsense! That is――well, yes, Tom, I am troubled a little. It’s nothing important, though. It’ll work out, it’ll work out. Things always do, you know――somehow.” He paused and frowned for a moment at the lilac hedge that was fast losing its leaves. “Don’t you worry, son,” he added after a while. “Is there――can I help any way, sir?” asked Tom sympathetically. His father shook his head slowly. “I hope not, Tom. I mean――no, there isn’t anything you can do. Well, well! What time is it, I wonder. Must be most time for supper, eh?” “Not for a half-hour, sir,” answered Tom troubledly. He had never seen his father look so tired and dejected before. At that moment Jerry Lippit and Teddy Thurston came in at the gate to tell Tom quite candidly what they thought of George Connors; and Jerry, especially, could be exceedingly candid when he set out to be. Only the presence of Tom’s father prevented Jerry from doing full justice to his subject. But neither visitor received much encouragement from Tom. “Oh, Connors was right enough,” said Tom. “I did stay away from practice too much. I know that. I was so busy with the new truck and the garage and things that I just couldn’t get out. It’s all right. I wouldn’t want to play on the team anyhow with Connors feeling the way he does toward me. It would be too unpleasant. Besides, I guess you fellows will get on all right without me.” “Yes, we will――_not_!” scoffed Jerry. “You were the whole right side of the line last year, Tom! What are we going to do now? We’ll stand a fat chance of winning anything, won’t we?” But Jerry’s indignation soon wore itself out and he changed the subject to the new motor truck. “I suppose you won’t want me and Julius Cæsar now?” he said. “Not after to-morrow, Jerry. You lose your job then.” “Well, I’m sort of glad, because it takes a lot of a fellow’s time; and now that football has begun――――” Jerry paused. “Say, I wonder if Will would mind driving the wagon to-morrow afternoon, Tom,” he went on. “You see, I want to go over to Finley Falls with the team. I guess there isn’t much chance of my getting into the game, and if I do go I’ll have to pay my own fare, but I’d sort of like to see it. Think he’d mind, Tom?” “No, I guess not. He isn’t going himself, is he?” “Will? I don’t think so.” “No,” said Teddy. “I asked him this morning. I offered to drive the express wagon for him, Tom, but he insulted me.” “What’s the matter with letting Spider do it?” asked Tom. “Spider! Why, he’s going to the game, of course. You can’t keep Spider away from a football game unless you tie him. He thinks there wouldn’t be any game unless he was there!” “All right, Jerry, you go ahead. I’ll tell Will about it. Besides, I suppose if we had to we could get the baggage in the new truck to-morrow. Jimmy won’t let us even look at it until he’s been all over it with a fine-tooth comb!”