"Line up! Line up!" called Teddy Naylor. "Get together fellows! Where are you scrubs? We're going to send all of you to the hospital. Come on, Dick, run through some signals." Eleven panting youths faced eleven others, and the ball went sailing into the midst of the Varsity. George Hall caught it, and ran back with it, well protected by interference. But some of the scrub managed to get through, and downed him before he had gone far. "Down!" panted George, as he tried to rise from underneath a mound of human forms. "Down indeed, but too soon," remarked a strange voice, to one side of the scrimmaging lads. They all looked up. Two young men stood looking at the heap of humanity. They were strangers to all the cadets. "May I ask--perhaps you don't know it, but only members of the academy are allowed out here," spoke Teddy Naylor a bit stiffly. "Oh, but we were sent for," remarked one of the strangers. "We just came, and we were interested in seeing you play." "You were sent for?" repeated the captain. "Yes, that is----" "Oh, isn't this Mr. Martin?" asked Dick, striding forward and holding out his hand. "Yes," was the answer from the man with a small black moustache. "I'm Mr. Martin and this is Mr. Spencer," and he indicated his companion. "Fellows, the coaches have come!" cried Dick. "Now to learn how to play football!" CHAPTER VIII THE TRY-OUT Scores of expectant lads sat in the meeting room of the Kentfield Academy gymnasium. They faced two quiet gentlemen, who, from time to time, whispered to each other. Beside the two gentlemen were Teddy Naylor and Innis Beeby, who also, as the minutes passed, conferred in low voices. "Hadn't we better start?" asked Innis, of the football captain. "No, we'll wait a few minutes longer. Porter and Weston aren't here, and I want them to come." "Those fellows will never train for the eleven." "Yes they will. There is good material in both of them. Here they are now. I guess we've got enough. Will you start her off, or shall I?" "Oh, you'd better, Teddy. I'll say something later if it's necessary. Better introduce 'em formally first, and let 'em do most of the talking," and the stout cadet looked at the two coaches. "Fellows," began Teddy, arising and moving forward a bit nervously, "you all know why we are here--that is I suppose--we are here--we came----" "Good, Teddy!" called someone encouragingly. "Say it over, we missed part of it." "We are here----" "Because we're here!" interpolated another tormentor. "Oh, hang it all! We've met to discuss football!" cried the captain in desperation. "The athletic committee feels that something should be done--you all know how Blue Hill turned us down--we've got to play better. We now have two of the best coaches in the country, and they're going to have charge. I take pleasure in introducing to you Mr. Burke Martin of Yale, and Mr. Wilson Spencer of Princeton."