"And so fast that we'd never recover from it," added Sam Randall. "Our crowd would have the pleasure of standing around watching the 'Hopes' play in the inter-scholastic series." "There are a lot of chaps in the school who would help 'Crackers' throw us out just for the sake of the excitement. Nothing to do, fellows, except to fight the thing right out to a finish." "And we can hold our end up, too!" cried Tom. "Of all the mean chumps I ever ran across that Earl Roycroft is the biggest. What do you think? He had the nerve to speak to me this evening--honest, Bob, I came mighty near calling him down--said he wanted to explain things; and I told him he needn't mind." "Oh, Earl's all right," laughed Bob. "All wrong, you mean. Suppose Steele should put him and a few others on the team? Do you think it would stop 'Crackers' Brown's hollering? Not on your life! He'd groan like a wheezy old locomotive for something else." "Just my idea," agreed Dick Travers. "Then I gather that we're going to stick it out, eh, Bob?" said Dave Brandon. "Yes!" answered the captain, with emphasis. "I have studied the playing of the 'Hopes' carefully. Roger Steele agrees with me that they won't get much further in the fine points of the game." "And that's just the thing we're trying for," said Tom. Bob beat a tattoo on the floor with his foot. "We were a bit rusty, fellows," he confessed. "It's taken us longer to get into condition than I expected. I feel that we are nowhere near our true form yet." "I never thought things would turn out like this," said Tom, disconsolately. "Nearly every time I pass one of the 'Pie-eaters and doughnut crowd' they say something mean. Good thing they can't get my nerve like they do Charlie Blake's once in a while." "Well, then, it's settled," said Sam. "We'll just let the opposition howl itself hoarse." "If they'd only stop their yelp and let us alone it would show a lot more sense," remarked Dick Travers. "How in thunder do they expect us to win while they're kicking up such a row and knocking us on every side? But never mind; they can't bluff us." "You bet they can't!" cried Tom. "Boys, I fear I have a big supply of the weaknesses of human nature," said Dave. "I'm actually stirred up about this thing; I'm in a fighting mood. Why are we acting this way?" "For the good of the school!" laughed Bob. "And for our own good, too!" "This little meeting has put us straight on the affair," remarked Sam Randall. "Our only chance to win out is to stick together. The student body elected us to take charge of the athletic interests of the High; and, in doing so, they gave us rights which we must now force them to recognize. If they have common sense enough to do so, the rest ought to be easy." The boys enjoyed the evening more than any had anticipated, and, on taking leave of one another, each firmly resolved to show the enemy a bold, determined front. CHAPTER XVI