Part 8 (1/2)
”You fellows, and you, Coach,” he thundered, ”all know how Hicks, unable to make the 'Varsity, has always done humble service for old Bannister, cheerfully, gladly; how he keeps the athletes in good spirits at the training-table, and is always on hand after scrimmage to rub them out. He is chock-full of college spirit, and is intensely loyal to his Alma Mater.
Why, look how he rounded up Thor--he ought to have his B for that!”
Thanks to Butch's speech, the Gold and Green football stars, most of whom were Hicks' closest friends, saw the scatter-brained, happy-go-lucky youth in a new light; his eloquent defense of John Thorwald had shown old Bannister that he could be serious, but the knowledge that T. Haviland Hicks, Jr., even as he made a ridiculous farce in athletics, was ambitious to win his B, just to make his Dad happy, stunned them. For three years, the sunny Hicks' appearance on old Bannister Field, to try for a team, had meant a small-sized riot of jeers and good-natured ridicule at his expense; but Hicks had always grinned a la Ches.h.i.+re cat,--and no one but good Butch Brewster, all the time, had known how in earnest the lovable collegian was.
”Now,” concluded Butch, ”Hickswin a B in track work, if he gets a first place in the high-jump, and if so, O.K., but if he does not--”
”You mean--” Monty Merriweather--understood, ”if he fails, then the Athletic a.s.sociation ought to--”
”Present him with a B!” said Butch, earnestly, ”as a deserved reward for his faithful loyalty and service to old Bannister's athletic teams. Don't let him graduate without gaining his letter, and making his Dad realize a part of his ambition--a two-thirds vote of the Athletic a.s.sociation can award him his letter, and when all the students know the truth about his ridiculous fiasco on Bannister Field, and realize the serious purpose beneath them all, they--”
”We'll give him his B!” shouted Beef, loudly, ”If he fails in track work next spring, we'll vote him his letter, anyway!”
Out in the corridor, T. Haviland Hicks, Jr., returning from Skeet Wigglesworth's room and entering his own cozy quarters, could not help hearing the conversation, as the doors of both his den and the room across the corridor were open. A great love for his comrades came to his impulsive heart, and a mist before his eyes, as he heard how they wanted to vote him his B in case he failed to win it in track work; he thrilled at Butch's speech, but--
[Ill.u.s.tration B: 'Fellows,...I--I thank you from the bottom of my heart']
”Fellows,” he startled them by appearing in the doorway, ”I--I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I couldn't help hearing, you know--Iappreciate your generous thoughts, but--I can't and won't accept my B unless I win it according to the rule of the Athletic a.s.sociation.”
A silence, and then Butch Brewster, gripping his comrade's hand understandingly, held out to him the two letters.
”Forgive me, old man,” he breathed, ”for reading them aloud, but I wanted the fellows to know, to appreciate you! And say, Hicks, what does your Dad mean by saying that you are the 'Cla.s.s Kid' of Yale, '96, and that those sons of old Eli want you to win your letter? And what does he mean by saying that you may get in a --mayit--that you have the goods in football, but lack the confidence to announce it to Coach Corridan? Also that old Bannister needs just the peculiar brand you possess?”
T. Haviland Hicks, Jr., his sunny, Ches.h.i.+re cat grin illuminating his cherubic countenance, beamed on the eleven and Coach Corridan a moment.
”Oh, that's a ,” he said, cheerfully. ”If Igain the courage and confidence, I'll explain, but unless I do--it remains a--!”
CHAPTER VIII
COACH CORRIDAN SURPRISES THE ELEVEN
”ALL MEMBERS OF THE FIRST ELEVEN ARE URGENTLY REQUESTED TO BE PRESENT IN THE ROOM OF T. HAVILAND HICKS, JR.--AT EIGHT P. M. TONIGHT; YOU WILL BE DETAINED ONLY A FEW MINUTES, BUT LET EVERY PLAYER COME, AS A MATTER OF EXTREME IMPORTANCE WILL BE PRESENTED. PATRICK HENRY COERIDAN, HEAD-COACH.”
”Now, what do you suppose is up Coach Corridan's sleeve?” demanded T.
Haviland Hicks, Jr., cheerfully. ”Has Ballard learned our signals, or some Bannister student sold them to a rival team, as per the usual football story? Though the notice doth not herald it, I am to be present, for my room is to be used, and the Coach gave me a special invitation to cut the Gordian knot with my keen intellect.”
The sunny Hicks, with Butch, Beef, Tug, and Monty, had just come from ”Delmonico's Annex,” the college dining-hall, after supper; they had paused before the Bulletin Board at the Gymnasium entrance, where all college notices were posted, and the Coach's urgent request had caught their gaze.
The announcement had caused quite a stir on the campus. The Bannister youths stood in excited groups talking of it, and in the dormitories it superseded all thought of study; however, there seemed little chance that any but the ”'Varsity” and T. Haviland Hicks, Jr., who was always consulted in football problems, would know what took place in this meeting.
”There is only one way to find out, Hicks,” responded big Butch Brewster, his arm across his blithesome comrade's shoulders, ”and that is, attend the meeting! You can wager that every member of the eleven will be there, except Thor--he regards it as 'foolishness,' I suppose, and he won't spare that precious time from his studies.”
At five minutes past eight, Butch's prophecy was fulfilled, for every member of the elevenin Hicks' cozy room, except Thor, the Prodigious Prodigy, whose presence would have caused a mild sensation. It was an extremely quiet and orderly gathering, for Coach Corridan, who had the floor, was so grave that he impressed the would-be sky-larking youths.
Having their undivided attention, he proceeded to make a speech that, to all intents and purposes, had much the same effect on the team and Hicks as a Zeppelin's bombs on London:
”Boys,” he spoke, in forceful sentences, driving straight to the point, ”I am going to take the eleven, and Hicks, whose suggestions are always timely, into my confidence, in the hope that we, working together, may carry out an idea of mine for the awakening of Thor to a realization of things! I ask you not to let what I shall tell you be known to the student-body, but you fellows play with Thor every day, and you will understand the crisis, and appreciateit is done, if I decide it necessary to drop John Thorwald from the football squad.”
”Drop Thor from the squad!” gasped T. Haviland Hicks, Jr., staggered, and then pandemonium broke loose among the players. Drop the Prodigious Prodigy from the squad, why, whatthe Slave-Driver be thinking of? Why, look how Thorwald, on the scrubs, tore through the heavy 'Varsity line for big gains. He was simply unstoppable; and yet, almost on the eve of the big game that old Bannister depended on Thor to win by his splendid prowess, he might be dropped from the squad! Excited exclamations sounded from Captain Butch Brewster, Beef, and the others of the Gold and Green eleven:
”Why not give the big games to Ballard and Ham, Coach?”
”Say, shoot Theophilus Opperd.y.k.e in at full-back!”