He gave up his last hope then and accepted the inevitable as cheerfully as he could. Devens was honestly sorry for him and told him so, but Evan noticed that he didn’t say anything about staying in training and coming back to the team. So he nursed his injury and looked forward to the middle of October, when the dormitory teams would be formed to fight for the School Championship. Rob was sympathetic, and so was Malcolm, but they each treated the affair with a sort of I-told-you-so smugness that grated. CHAPTER XIV THE FOOTBALL MEETING Two evenings before the game with Mountfort High School a mass meeting was held in the assembly hall. Notices of the meeting had been posted for several days, but there was no wild excitement in evidence. “You’re going over, aren’t you?” asked Evan of Rob after supper was over that evening and the boys had returned to their room. “Oh, yes, I shall go over and see the fun,” replied Rob. “You had better come along. And we’ll get Mal.” “What’s it all about?” Evan inquired. “What do they do?” “Oh, it’s supposed to be a sort of enthusiastic gathering to show the team that the School loves them; also to contribute little sums of money into the coffer.” “Oh,” said Evan. “How much should I give?” Rob shrugged his shoulders and ran his fingers through his long hair. “That’s up to you, Evan,” he answered. “I’d suggest, however, that you donate about the same amount as I shall.” “And how much shall you give?” “Not a red cent,” said Rob curtly. “Oh, but that hardly seems fair, does it?” Evan asked doubtfully. “I think I’d rather contribute something, Rob.” “All right; then give ’em a dollar. You’re just throwing your dollar away, though.” “What do most of the fellows give?” “You’re supposed to give what you can afford――or what you want to give. I used to give ’em two, but what’s the use? Let’s find Mal and go on over.” The hall was rather sparsely inhabited when Prentiss arose to address the meeting. Rob and Evan and Malcolm sat together on a front bench, and there were about seventy other chaps in attendance. Prentiss explained that the meeting had been called in pursuance of a school custom to acquaint the supporters of the football team with the plans for the season and to secure from them funds with which to carry out those plans. He informed the audience that the football treasury had held the sum of twelve dollars and eighty cents at the beginning of the year, that amount having been left over from the previous season.