Part 22 (1/2)
”No, sir. We never think we can. We always know that we can!
That's the Gridley way---the Gridley spirit. We always win our battles before we go into them, Mr. Macey. We make up our minds that we can't and won't be beaten. It isn't just brag, though.
We base all our positiveness on the way that we stick to our training and coaching, and on our discipline. Mr. Macey, this is the third year that I've been playing on different Gridley High School teams. I remember a tie game, but no defeats.”
”I guess Fordham will find it a hard enough proposition to down you young men,” remarked Mr. Macey.
”They're going to discover, sir, that they simply can't do it.
Gridley never goes onto any field to get beaten.”
”Und dot isn't brag, neider,” broke in a man who had halted to listen. ”Ven dese young men pack deir togs to go away, dey pack der winning score in der bag, too. Ach! Don't I know dot? Don't I make mineself young vonce more by following dese young athletes about?”
Herr Schimmelpodt looked utterly shocked that anyone should think it possible for another High School eleven to take a game from Gridley.
d.i.c.k soon encountered Dave and told him the news he had gleaned from Mr. Macey.
”Been sending their second coach over to watch our play, have they?” laughed Darrin softly. ”That seems to show how much they fear us in Fordham.”
”I believe we are going to have a stiff game,” muttered Prescott.
”Hallam Heights and Fordham are the only two teams that think enough of the game to hire two coaches.”
”Well, we have Hallam's scalp dangling down at the gym.,” laughed Dave Darrin.
”And we'll have Fordham's in the same way,” predicted d.i.c.k confidently.
It barely occurred to the young captain of the team to wonder what it would mean for him if the game to Fordham should be lost.
d.i.c.k would be the first captain in years who had lost a football game for Gridley. It would be a mean record to take out of High School life. But d.i.c.k gave no thought to such a possibility.
”Of course we're going to wallop Fordham,” he thought. ”I wish only one thing. I'd like to see the Fordhams play through a stiff game just once.”
It was too late, however, to give any real thought to this, for Fordham's next and last game of the season was to be the one with Gridley.
”Are you girls going to the game?” asked d.i.c.k, when he and his chum met Laura Bentley and Belle Meade before the post office.
”Haven't you heard what the girls are doing, d.i.c.k?” questioned Laura, looking at him in some surprise.
”I have heard that a lot of the girls are going to the game.”
”Just forty-two of us, to be exact,” Laura continued. ”We girls and our chaperons are to have one car in the first section. You see, we've arranged to go right along with the team. We have our seats all together at Fordham, too.”
”My, what a lot of noise forty-two girls can make in a moment of enthusiasm!” murmured Dave.
”We can, if you give us any excuse,” advanced Belle.
”Oh, we'll give you excuse enough. See to it that you keep the noise up to the grade of our playing.”
”Mr. Confident!” teased Belle.