"I'm not going to be too cock-sure, if the story is true that Prescott and Holmes are out with the Army team this year." "Are they such great players!" demanded Hepson. "They are," Dave responded solemnly, "or were. I know something about that pair, since I've played on the same eleven with Prescott and Holmes." "Are they better than you two, Darry?" Hepson demanded. "Yes," answered Dave unhesitatingly. "Is that honesty or extreme modesty?" "Extreme mod--" broke in Dan Dalzell, but he closed his mouth with a snap and ducked as he saw three of the visitors making for him. "It's hard to believe," muttered Hepson, though he spoke uneasily. "Why do you rank Prescott and Holmes so high, Darry?" "Well, for one reason, Dick Prescott taught Dalzell and myself the game. Anything that we know about the game we learned in the team that Prescott captained." "Still, it's hard to believe," spoke up Midshipman Joyce. "Darrin, we look upon you as the best thing that ever happened to the Navy end of the gridiron." "I don't know that I care about being 'kidded,'" responded Dave seriously. "But we honestly do," contended the same speaker, "and we don't like to have you tell us that Prescott is a better man." "But I believe he is." "Are you afraid of him?" "I'm not afraid of any one on the gridiron," Darrin retorted bluntly. "I'll work hard to beat any man that I have to go up against, and if work, this season, will do it, I'll beat Dick Prescott out!" "Good! That's the way we like to hear you talk," glowed Hepson. "And I'll bottle up Holmes and put the stopper in," promised Dan with solemn modesty. Again two of the men made a rush for him to quiet him. "It may be only a rumor that Prescott and Holmes are on the Army eleven," spoke up another midshipman. "No," objected still another, "I had a letter, this afternoon, from a cousin who has been up to West Point and has seen the Army crowd at work. The Army is rejoicing over Prescott and Holmes as a pair of precious finds, and they're both nailed to the colors for this season." "Then we're going to have a tough time in our game with the Army," Darrin declared thoughtfully. "And the Army will beat more college teams this year than usual." "We won't die until the Army shoots, anyway," promised Hepson. "And now, Darry, there's another question we want to put to you, and we want an out-and-out answer. Do you believe that Jetson really meant to trip you this afternoon?" "You heard his denial," Dave rejoined. "Yes." "Well, Jetson is a midshipman and a gentleman. There has never been any question here about his honor," Darrin replied. "I accepted his denial of intention at the time, and I still accept it." "It's queer, then, how Jetson came to give you such a nasty trip," observed another caller.