It was no disgrace to be defeated by such good material, and while the Hall team went into the fight with no expectation of winning, they came out with a great stock of experience and many new points. It was a good practice to them, and a couple of the Athletic Club players took their eleven in hand and coached them for a whole week. Every boy was developing into a fine all-around player. One Saturday afternoon in the middle of November, on a dull and chilly day, the team from the High School at Ripley Falls came over with a full complement of players, and the whole school to a boy following on their footsteps. They were an enthusiastic but orderly crowd, and had the most implicit confidence in their team. In truth, their eleven deserved it, for they had met both Davenport and Jamesville and whipped those teams by good scores--the former by 16 to 4, the latter by 25 to 8, thus rendering their chances for the pennant null. So far, they had won the same number of games as either the Whipford or Weston, and stood neck to neck with them in the race. There was more uncertainty about to-day's game than any the Hall boys had yet played, but none of them would hear of defeat for an instant. "What!" exclaimed Ike Smith, who was worked up to the shouting point, and who had heard one of the boys express a doubt as to the team's ability to win except by a stroke of luck. "What do you say? Our eleven be frozen out? I guess not, young fellow. Look at Cole, just coming out of the gymnasium. Why, he's cooler than most of us. There comes Heathcote now and Kimball, and there's Teddy Taft. Hooray for the Big Four! Come, fellows, let's give them a cheer." The group of Hall boys whom Ike headed followed his instructions and gave the four players a rousing yell of encouragement, which was duly appreciated. As the four made their way to the scene of the conflict, Percy's field, Ike and his company got together and marched up to the station, with the purpose of meeting the visitors. When the train rolled in, carrying the High School boys, the latter, on alighting, were both surprised and pleased to see a whole line of Hall boys drawn up with military precision on the other side of the road, and saluting the newcomers with uplifted hands. The fellows from Ripley Hall formed in twos in short order, and, escorted by their opponents, proceeded down the road to Percy's field. Ike Smith, who was in his element, led the procession, and his proud strut was something comical to see. The appearance of the two contending factions in one parade was a surprise to the town's-people who had gathered to see the game, and they greeted the young collegians with applause. After a few preliminary movements, the boys of the opposing schools settled in one place of their leaders' choosing, and waited for the contest to begin.