“Smiles” was a fine, upstanding man well under forty, clean-shaven, tanned, gray-eyed. Although he lived in the master’s suite on the third floor of Lothrop, Hugh had never had more than a nod or a “Good morning” from him and was rather surprised that Smiles knew his name. “They look rather fit, sir,” replied the boy. “Yes. I hope Mr. Crowley will turn us out a good second. A lot depends on the scrubs. I understand they’ve chosen Myatt for captain. A fine fellow and a good player. Too bad he’s never made the varsity team. When he was a lower middler we all looked to see him captain this year. He lacks something, though.” “I heard a fellow say Myatt was too good-natured, sir.” “I wonder! Meaning easy-going, I suppose. Perhaps. Well, he may be able to do more for us where he is than if he were on the first. Ah, we’re to have a scrimmage I see. I suppose you don’t play our kind of football, Ordway.” “I was trying, sir. I went out for the team, but――――” “Couldn’t quite get the hang of it?” “I had to stop, sir. I’m on probation.” “To be sure. I remember now. Too bad. Well, you’ll have your class team to try for when you get squared again.” “Y-yes, sir,” agreed Hugh dubiously, “but――but I was hoping to get back with the second. Hanrihan said he thought I might. Do you――do you think so, sir?” “Hm. I’m afraid the second will be rather far along then. When do you expect to get off?” “This week, sir, I hope.” “Well, in that case――have you spoken to Mr. Crowley?” “No, sir, I didn’t quite like to, if you know what I mean.” The master smiled. “I think I do, Ordway. But I don’t see how you expect to get back unless you ask.” “Hanrihan told me he would try to――to arrange it.” “But Tom Hanrihan hasn’t anything to do with the second team, I’m afraid, Ordway.” “I fancy not, sir. I thought perhaps I’d speak to Mr. Bonner.” “Mr. Bonner has no more to do with it than Hanrihan. See Mr. Crowley. He will hear what you have to say. You know him, I suppose.” Hugh shook his head. “No, sir, I don’t.” “Well, wait until he comes off and we’ll speak to him. He’s coming now, I think. We’ll take the bull by the horns.” Mr. Smiley chuckled, and Hugh had to smile, too, for the simile was unflatteringly apt. Mr. Crowley did remind one remarkably of a bull! “‘_Audentes fortuna iuvat_,’ Ordway, if you haven’t forgotten your Latin.” Hugh followed the master to where the second team coach was approaching the bench in company with Ben Myatt. Hugh lagged a little, for, while it might be true that fortune favored the brave, it was equally true that Mr. Crowley didn’t know him from Adam and might think him decidedly fresh. There was a word or two of greeting between the men, during which Myatt slipped away, and then Mr. Smiley turned to Hugh. “This is Ordway, Mr. Crowley. He’s looking for a job and thinks you may have an opening for a bright young man.” “Looking for a job?” said the coach, shaking hands. “What sort of a job, my boy?”