The compliment to Greb was so spontaneous and so honest that the boys broke into fresh cheering, mingled with laughter. "Well then," amended the coach, "will you try to fill Greb's place?" "You bet your life, Mr. Garwin!" the boy replied enthusiastically. "I'm only too glad to get the chance." "All right, then. Benny Knapp at left half. Now we've got our first team--that is, if they make good. Suppose you line up, boys, and let's have a look at you." The fortunate members on whom the choice had fallen lined up for inspection. "All right," pronounced the coach, turning from what appeared to be a satisfactory inspection of his new team. "Now we can turn our attention to the scrubs. And don't let any of us forget that the scrub of to-day may be the regular of to-morrow." Garry saw Rooster, Ted, Nick and Bill stiffen as the glance of the coach swept over them. He had a sudden realization of what it would mean should any of his friends fail to make the second team, now that they had failed of the first. "I'd about as soon be dropped myself as to have one of the gang left out," he said to himself, and then listened with an almost painful attention as the coach began to name the boys for the vacancies on the scrubs. Bill Sherwood was the first to be called. "Our center graduated in June and I'm going to put you in that position, Sherwood, because you're one of the biggest fellows that we have left to choose from," said Garwin. Bill's chest swelled visibly. Coach Garwin went on rapidly. "We are minus ends, and I'm going to give those positions to two boys who made a good record for themselves on the Hill Street team. Nick Danter, you will take right end and you, Ted Dillingham, will go to left." Garry began to breathe more easily. Here were three of his chums accounted for anyway. Of the five of them only Rooster and himself had not been called. And then a sudden thought came to him that threw him into a cold sweat. Suppose of all his chums they should be the only ones not chosen! CHAPTER IX COUNTING THEIR CHANCES Tom Allison was called next, to fill the post of fullback, and Pete Maddern went in at right tackle. Then the coach shifted about some of the old players on the scrub team and completed his line formation with Hick Dabney. Only two positions remained unfilled--quarterback and right half. Garry and Rooster exchanged gloomy glances. Their chances seemed to be vanishing into mist. "For the position of right halfback," Mr. Garwin went on, through a silence tense with expectation, "I've chosen a boy who has had some experience in the backfield and who, from the look of him, ought to be a pretty good punter. Yes, I mean you, Long. Don't look as though the moon had dropped into your lap." Rooster grew red as a chorus of laughter greeted this sally. He tried to stammer something, but stopped short in the middle of a sentence, gulping.