There was no reply to his telegram the next forenoon and Hugh was troubled on Bert’s account. The latter moved back to Lothrop and attended classes as usual that morning, but, perhaps because he was uncomfortably bandaged and it hurt him when he took a deep breath, or perhaps because he was worried over the non-arrival of that money-order, he was in rather a cantankerous mood. Hugh dispatched another message to his mother before he went to the field in the afternoon, addressing it to his home on the chance that she had changed her plans and returned to Shorefields. Fortunately, no irate creditor put in an appearance, and Bert took hope and accompanied Hugh to the field to watch practice. Hugh found a surprise awaiting him. They had, it seemed, transferred Hanser to the first team and, since that left the second long on ends and short on half-backs, Hugh was informed that he was to substitute Brunswick or Peet behind the line. “Never played half, have you?” inquired Mr. Crowley brusquely. “Thought not. Well, keep your eyes open and study the signals. You’re likely to get a chance to show what you can do today or tomorrow.” The chance came that afternoon, for Peet, who had taken Hanser’s place, failed to satisfy the coach and was pulled out five minutes after the game with the first team began. Hugh, watching Mr. Crowley anxiously, was half inclined to hope that his choice would fall on the other substitute, Boynton, for Hugh wasn’t at all convinced of his ability to play half-back. Possibly, however, the coach wanted to know just how bad Hugh would prove, for after a quick glance along the bench he motioned to him. “Hi, Ordway! Get in there at right half. Use your head, now, and don’t ball up your signals. Tell Ayer to watch their guard-tackle hole on the left. Get it? On the _left_!” Well, on the whole, or “taking it by and large,” as Pop would have said, Hugh didn’t do so badly that afternoon. He did get his signals mixed once and he soon proved himself much too light for line-bucking. But on several occasions when the play was outside of tackle he made good gains, once reeling off fifteen yards before he was thumped to the ground by Vail. And on defense he rather did himself proud, working very smoothly with Forbes, who was back at right end, and Spalding, the right tackle, when the play came that way. He made the mistakes of ignorance and he once fumbled a two-yard pass from the quarter, saving the situation, however, by recovering the ball for a slight loss of ground. Mr. Crowley cornered him in the dressing room after practice and told him of a great many things that he had done wrong and advised him to brush up on the signals. And when the coach had taken himself off, growling, Captain Myatt salved his wounds with a smile and a “Good work, Ordway! Hang to it!”