Practice went well that day. The cold weather still held and put snap into the players. To his surprise and secret distress Evan found himself on the side-line when the scrimmage began, with Miller in his place. Peeble followed Miller at quarter and still Evan adorned the bench. He got in finally for the last four or five minutes and Duffield smiled at the eager way in which he raced on to the field and pushed Peeble aside. “I guess,” muttered the coach to himself, “I needed to be afraid of over-working him.” In obedience to instructions, Evan began pulling off the new plays, and, although the Second knew them as well as the First, she couldn’t stop them. In three minutes of actual playing time the First scored the only touchdown of the day, Shaler being slammed through the line for the final three yards. There was a good forty-five minutes of signal work in the gymnasium that evening, the players walking or trotting through the drill in canvas shoes. On Wednesday there was another long period of outdoor work in the afternoon and again signal-drill at night. At the end Duffield spoke to them. “Well, fellows, work is over for this year. You’ve taken hold, most every one of you, in just the way I hoped you would. You’ve worked hard and conscientiously and I think you’ve learned a good deal. Just how much you have learned remains for you to show to-morrow. I can’t call you a wonderful team, for neither you nor I have had time to work wonders, but I think if you’ll all play the best you know how to-morrow the School won’t be disappointed in you.” “I want you to go to bed early to-night and don’t think too much about the game. In the morning, if it’s a fair day, be out of doors as much as you can, but don’t try to do much walking. Keep quiet. If it’s stormy get out for a little while and then settle down in your rooms and read or play games. Be careful of your eating, too. Take a good breakfast and go light at dinner. That’s all, I guess. I’ll be on hand early to-morrow in case anything comes up. Good-night and good luck.” Rob called for a cheer for the coach and it was given with a will. Outside a howling mob was waiting to escort them to the meeting in the assembly-hall, and all the way across the yard the cheers and songs challenged the twinkling white stars. Both Rob and Evan were somewhat silent when, after the meeting had ended in a final burst of enthusiasm and they had retired to their room, they were making ready for bed. “Gee,” muttered Evan finally, “I hope I can sleep. I feel as though I had wheels inside me.” “Same here,” said Rob. “I wish the game was over with.” “So do I. No I don’t, either. I just wish――well, I just wish I was asleep.” “Well, here goes the light, chum. Good-night.” “Good-night,” responded Evan dismally.