On Monday the practice started out in such a casual, perfunctory manner that Sherman suddenly stopped the play and lashed out, sparing nobody. He was white-hot, and not hesitating to mention names, he told them just what he thought of their smug complaisance, their careless, unfounded confidence. "You fellows seem to think all you have to do is to show up on the field Saturday and the other crowd are going to take to cover!" he snapped. "You walk through the plays without an idea of team-work, or mutual support, or anything. That isn't football; it's just plain foolishness! Why, the lines are as full of holes as a colander--and you don't even know it! I tell you, unless we get together and stop those gaps and work for the team _right_, that game Saturday will be a joke." He hesitated an instant, striving for self-control. When he went on, his tone was slightly moderated. "Come ahead, now, fellows; let's get into it and do the thing the way it should be done. We can if we only will." Unfortunately, the appeal failed more or less because of its very force. Sherman's one fault as a captain was a certain leniency of disposition. He was a bit easy-going, and preferred to handle the fellows by persuasion rather than force. The latter did not realize that it wasn't the happenings of that day alone which had so roused his wrath, that these were only the culmination of all their shortcomings for weeks past, that they had been accumulating until the pressure became so great that an explosion had to come. A few of the players understood, but the very ones who needed his advice the most set down the outburst to whim or temper or indigestion. Either they airily ignored it, or else grew sullen and grouchy. In either case they failed to make a personal application of his words, and the situation remained practically unchanged. CHAPTER VI THE QUARREL "Great cats and little kittens!" exclaimed Court Parker, stopping suddenly beside the flagpole on the green. "I certainly am a chump." "Just as you say," grinned the tenderfoot. "I'd hate to contradict you. How'd you happen to find it out all by yourself, though?" They were on their way to the scout meeting, and up to that moment had been deep in a serious discussion of the football situation. But Parker was not one to remain serious for very long at a stretch, so his sudden outbreak failed to surprise Dale, even though he might be ignorant of its cause. "Why, I had it all planned to coach you up on the drill this week, so you could put one over on Ranny," explained the volatile youth, as they started on again; "but I clean forgot. Hang it all!" Dale smiled quietly to himself. "I shouldn't wonder if I could get it to-night," he said briefly. "It's not so awful hard, is it?" "N-n-o, but you know Ranny; he's sure to try and trip you up. Oh, well, no use crying over spilt milk! Just don't let him rattle you, and we'll have you letter-perfect by next meeting."