Hugh took his punishment philosophically, although he really regretted having to give up trying for the football team. He had just begun to find something besides hard work in the daily practice, and, while he hadn’t for a moment counted on making the first, he had entertained hopes of finding a place on the second team. It was Tom Hanrihan who took the matter hardest. Tom, a big, raw-boned, good-hearted chap of eighteen, took his commission of coaching the “rookies” very seriously, and Hugh’s defection grieved him sadly. The talk that Hugh had received from Jimmy, otherwise the assistant principal, Mr. Rumford, was nothing to what Hanrihan had to say to him Saturday morning. Hanrihan told Hugh quite explicitly how many kinds of an idiot he was and would listen to no excuses. “You seem to think all we have to do is waste time on you fellows and then you can drop out whenever it pleases you. Making a football team isn’t any cinch, Ordway, when you’ve got only nine weeks to do it. You haven’t any right to take up our time if you don’t mean to stick it out.” “But I did mean to stick it out,” expostulated Hugh. “It wasn’t my fault if those beggars got me and――――” “You shouldn’t have given them the chance. You shouldn’t have had anything to do with that scrap, anyway. (This despite the fact that the speaker had a very puffy and discolored left eye!) When a fellow goes out for the team he’s supposed to look after himself. He’s trying for the――the biggest thing in school, and he ought to realize it. You had a good chance to make good. I as much as told you that a dozen times. (If he had, Hugh didn’t recall it!) You showed some gumption, and you were quick and handled a ball nicely. Now you’ve gone and spoiled it all. Honest, Ordway, I’d like to punch your head for you!” “Oh, very well, do it,” replied Hugh meekly. “I’m sorry. That’s all I can say, Hanrihan.” “A lot of good being sorry does,” snorted the other. “It’s only two weeks, Mr. Rumford said, and I thought that possibly I could get back again,” said Hugh wistfully. “Get back! Lay off two weeks and get back! That’s likely! By that time we’ll be in the middle of the season. Who do you suppose is going to take time to coach you individually, Ordway?” “Well,” and Hugh smiled ingratiatingly at Hanrihan, “you could, you know, if you cared to!” “I could!” Hanrihan stared in amazement. “Well, you’re certainly a cheeky youngster, Ordway! What the dickens should I do it for? You don’t suppose the team’s going to pot just because you’re out, do you?” “N-no, of course not. I didn’t mean that.” Hugh colored in his quick fashion. “Only, I thought that possibly――if I sort of watched practice and saw what was being done, why, after I was off probation, you might sort of――sort of show me, if you know what I mean!”