“Well, name one! Name one and I’ll go and fetch him out here. All the good players have gone away, I guess. Lanny and I got a catalogue the other day and went through the alumnæ and couldn’t find a football man in the lot; no one we knew anything about, anyway. Of course, we might get some of the fellows who are in college to come back for a few days at a time and help, but that wouldn’t cut much ice. No, sir, you’ve got to have someone in charge, someone at the head. Even if he doesn’t know an awful lot of football he’s _there_; if you see what I mean.” “I understand,” said Dick. “Wish I could think of someone.” “So do I. Wish I could. Just to show how things get by when there’s no one around to take charge, look at the dummy.” “I don’t see it,” responded Dick, his gaze traveling across to where the two uprights and cross-bar stood empty. “That’s just it. If Farrell had been here the dummy would have been up and ready for use. I never thought of it. Neither did Lanny. He told the First Squad to go over and tackle and when they got there there was nothing to tackle. It’s stowed away in the gym.” “Life is indeed filled with woe, George,” laughed Dick. “Well, it is,” grumbled the other, smiling a little nevertheless. “Lanny jumped on me because the old thing wasn’t hung.” “Well, as manager of the football team――” began Dick slyly. “Oh, I know. I ought to have seen to it. But there you are. I never had seen to it and didn’t think of it. Everything’s the same way. We haven’t got balls enough, we’re short of blankets and――and everything! I’m going to resign if we don’t get a coach inside of a week!” “I dare say you will have one,” said Dick soothingly. “Someone will turn up, you’ll see.” “Where from?” grunted George. “Maybe you’d like the job, Dick?” “Why, I don’t know,” replied the other thoughtfully. “Perhaps――perhaps I should, George. I might think it over.” Cotner laughed, and then, seeing Dick’s sober countenance, said hurriedly: “Well, I dare say you could do it, by Jove! The fellows tell me you managed that baseball club to the King’s taste, Dick. Still, I don’t suppose you know much football.” “No more football than baseball, George, and I’ve never played either.” “No, of course not.” George shot a puzzled glance at him. “Well, you knew enough baseball, it seems. As far as I’m concerned, I’d be mighty willing to see you try it, Dick!” “Thanks. Maybe if no one else turns up I’ll apply for the position.” Dick ended smilingly and George Cotner wondered how seriously the other meant what he had said. “After all,” he said doubtfully, and apparently with a desire to be pleasant, “a coach doesn’t need to have been any great shucks himself as a player. It’s――it’s brains and――leadership that do the business, I guess.” “They help, I fancy,” replied Dick, gravely. “I think Lanny is yelling for you, George.” CHAPTER II DICK RECEIVES AN INVITATION