Hopkins found Rob at home, but Evan and Malcolm were with him. Hopkins hadn’t entered Number 32 since he had sent Evan spinning through the doorway on that first day of school and he found himself confronted by three surprised countenances. Rob, however, was politeness itself. “Hello, Hop! Come on in. Sit down if you can find anything to sit on. How’s it going? Going to kill Mifflin to-morrow?” “Oh, I fancy we’ll win without much trouble,” answered Hopkins easily. “It was in regard to that, in a way, that I wanted to see you. I’d like your advice, Rob. Want to come down to my room a moment and let me explain?” “Sure,” replied Rob. “Come on.” As he passed Evan he dropped the lid of his left eye in a portentous wink. In 24 Hopkins placed him in Prentiss’ easy chair. Hopkins could be very pleasant when he wanted to be and now he was as sweet as sugar. “Look here, Rob,” he began, “things aren’t going very well on the team――” “You mean the School Team?” asked Rob innocently. “Yes. We’re badly off for back-field players. Of course Law is all right and Simpson is fair, but Leary and Hansford aren’t what they ought to be, and――well, in short, Rob, we need a good man there, a rattling good half-back.” “I guess they’re hard to find,” murmured Rob. “You bet they are. Prentiss and I were talking it over a while ago and wondering what we could do to strengthen up there. Well, we’ve heard what a good game you put up against the Second yesterday and Prentiss thought――or, well, maybe I suggested it first――that perhaps you’d like to see what you could do on the School Team.” “Mighty nice of you,” said Rob calmly. “Why, no, it isn’t, Rob. It’s pure selfishness. We need a good half-back and that’s you. I suppose you’re having a good deal of fun with that outfit of yours, but, of course, it doesn’t lead anywhere. You come to the First and you’ll get into three big games and have your letters. Now, what do you say?” “Well――of course――” began Rob hesitatingly, “I’ve always wanted to make the School Team. I tried pretty hard last year, you know, Hop.” “I know you did. You did mighty well, too, but last year we had so much good back-field material that I couldn’t find a place for you. I tried hard, too.” “I thought that was the way of it,” answered Rob gratefully. “You know there are fellows who accuse you and Prentiss of――well, of favoritism, Hop, but I dare say that’s not fair.” Hopkins looked uneasy, but Rob’s face was blankly innocent. “They don’t know what they’re talking about,” said the captain with a fine show of indignation. “I tell you, Rob, it’s no snap being captain and coach and everything. You know something about it yourself, I guess, don’t you?” Rob nodded emphatically. “It’s no cinch,” he granted. “Now as to what you suggest, Hop; the principal trouble is here. You see I’ve made that team up and I don’t want to disappoint the fellows. Of course, they _might_ get on without me for awhile, but――you know how it is when――”