“Are there many of last season’s fellows left?” asked Willard. “Six first-string chaps,” answered Bob. “Joe, Stacey Ross, Jack Macon, Gil Tarver, Arn Lake and myself. There is quite a bunch of good last year subs and second team fellows, though. And then there’s Mart!” “Yes, and Mart’s going to try for something besides guard position this year,” remarked that youth. “With you and Joe holding down each side of center there’s no hope for me. Last season I lived in hope that Joe would get killed or that you’d be fired, but nothing happened. This thing of waiting around for dead men’s shoes is dull work!” “What are you going after?” laughed Bob. “I don’t know,” replied Martin discouragedly. “How’d I do as a full-back?” “Great! Say, Mart, do something for me, will you? Go and tell Johnny to let you play full-back!” “Oh, dry up, you big ape! I could play full-back as well as Steve Browne can.” “Steve hasn’t a chance!” “Who, then?” “Search me! We’ve got to find someone. Steve’s a good chap, but he hasn’t the weight, speed, or fight for full-back. If we could buy Brand’s brother out of the Navy, now--” “Well, you did your best,” laughed Martin. “You got the right bag, but the wrong boy! Look here, Brand--” “I refuse to answer to that name,” said Willard haughtily. “What’s the matter with it? It’s a perfectly good name. What I was about to say when so rudely interrupted--” “What I was about to say,” interjected Bob, “is that it would be a good plan to hurry up a bit and get ahead of some of this mob. If we don’t we’ll be waiting around until supper time for a shower!” “Come on, then: stir your stumps, slow poke! I was going to say, Brand, that it’s your duty to either fill the full-back position yourself or find someone to fill it. You were--admitted to Alton on your representation that you were a full-back--” “‘Admitted’ is good!” jeered Willard. “And you aren’t,” Martin proceeded, unheeding the interruption. “Fellows are asking Joe where Gordon Harmon is and Joe’s having an awful time explaining how the deal fell through. He’s told four quite different stories so far and is working on a fifth! You could save Joe a lot of mental worry, Brand, if you turned yourself into a star full-back.” “I’m afraid I’m a bit light,” laughed Willard. “Maybe I could find a full-back for you, though, if the reward was big enough.” “You’ll receive the undying gratitude of Joe and the key of the city.” “Huh, I’ve seen the city!” said Willard.