"Well, what do you boys think of yourselves?" asked Coach Martin the day after the game with Dunkirk, when the football eleven and its supporters had gathered in the gymnasium preparatory to going out to practice. "Why, did we do so rotten?" asked Innis. "Had we ought to have piled up a bigger score?" inquired George Hall. "We did make a few fumbles--at least I did, and once I didn't take care of my man," admitted Jim Watkins. "But----" "No, I haven't a bit of fault to find," went on Mr. Martin. "I was just wondering whether you felt more confident of your playing ability than you did before we came. I want to get a sort of line on my ability." "Yes," put in Mr. Spencer, "we are far from finding fault with you, for, on the contrary I think you did exceptionally well. We couldn't ask for any better results, but what Mr. Martin means is whether or not you yourselves feel satisfied." There was a moment's hesitation. The boys did not know exactly how to take the questions. "I wish we could beat Blue Hill to a standstill," murmured Captain Dick. "And then wallop Mooretown," added Ray Dutton. "Say, can't we challenge Blue Hill now?" asked John Stiver eagerly. "Yes, let's do it!" came a chorus of voices. "Better wait," advised Mr. Martin with a laugh and a quick look at his colleague. "If you sent Blue Hill another challenge so soon, they'd only laugh at you, and very likely they would say you arranged the whole coaching plan merely to beat them. If you will permit us to suggest something, we have another scheme." "What is it?" sung out Innis with engaging frankness. "We will play some other strong team before we again ask Blue Hill to let us have a chance at them," suggested Mr. Martin. "Then, if we win, as I hope we shall, we will be more in their class. Beating Dunkirk hardly put us there, even though we made a bigger score against them than Blue Hill did. And then, after you get your second wind, so to speak, we will consider getting into the Military League. Do you agree to that plan?" "Sure!" came instantly from all present. The boys would have agreed to anything that would have paved the way to tackling Blue Hill. "Then we'll go ahead on that understanding," proceeded the coach. "And now for the second part of the plan. You know it is of little benefit to play some team weaker than you are. What you want to do is to take on some eleven that you know is going to be hard to beat. That will bring out whatever good points we have not yet discovered. Is that clear?" Once more the boys looked at each other in some astonishment. What was the coach leading to? "Am I making myself clear?" he asked again. "Yes. Sure. Go ahead," were some of the answers. "Then the plan of Mr. Spencer and myself is this," went on Mr. Martin. "We will put you through some hard practice in the next week, and then we will challenge Haskell University."