CHAPTER V
FOOTBALL TALK
"Fellows, there is just one thing about it," announced Tom, firmly, whena hurried search of the room had only made it more certain that theclock was nowhere in it, "either we are the victims of a practical joke,or there is some mystery here that we will have to fathom."
"I'm inclined to think it's a joke," said Phil.
"Same here," agreed Sid, "only it's a pretty poor sort of a joke. Firstthing we know we won't have anything left," and he looked down at thesofa on which he was stretched out, as if to make sure that it would nottake wings unto itself, and fly out of the window.
"Was the room locked?" asked Phil.
"Sure," spoke Tom. "Whoever came in must have used a false key."
"They're taking lots of risks," was Sid's opinion. "How could they tellbut what we'd come back any minute and catch them red-handed?"
"Well, this is no joke," insisted Tom. "We've got to do something. It'stoo much to have the chair and clock disappear the same day. I'm goingto post a notice on the bulletin board, stating that the person who tookthem is known, and had better return them at once to avoid furthertrouble. That's how the ladies advertise in the newspaper when theydon't know who took their best umbrella at a society meeting. I'll writeout a notice."
"No, don't!" urged Phil, quickly.
"Why not?"
"Because I think this thing is a joke on us, and the more fuss we makeover it the more they'll laugh at us. Bascome, or some of that crowd,have had their fingers in this pie, and it's up to us to find out howthey did it, and what became of our things. Now, let's work aroundquietly, get the evidence we need, get back the things if possible, andhave the ha-ha on them."
"Good idea," commented Sid.
"I believe you _are_ right," agreed Tom, after thinking the matter over."We'll keep quiet about it. Now let's get through with our boning, andgo to the football meeting. They'll expect us, and, really, it's aserious matter. Randall has got to wake up considerably if she wants thechampionship this year."
The meeting was held in the gymnasium, and was pretty well under waywhen our three friends arrived. Ed Kerr was not present, as he had toget ready for his trip to Europe, but Bricktop was on hand, and itrequired all his Irish wit to stand off the many appeals that were madeto him not to desert in the face of trouble.
There were tears in the eyes of the big left guard as he announced thathis decision was final, and that he must leave for Columbia in twoweeks.
"I'd like to stay and play in the first big game against NewkirkCollege," Bricktop said brokenly, "but it's impossible, me lads."
"Then we'd better get busy and consider how we're going to make up theteam," declared Dan Woodhouse, and when the captain thus gave up hope ofkeeping Bricktop, his fellow players did likewise.
"Yes," said Mr. Lighton, the coach, "we have none too much time to getat our team work in view of the changes. Now, Woodhouse, we'll hear whatyou have to say."
"Wait until I make out a list, and do some thinking," spoke the captain,and while he retired to a comparatively quiet corner to do this, thecoach gave the lads a little informal talk on the science of the game.
Mr. Lighton illustrated several points. He showed how the guards andtackle could best work together to hold the line with the centre, heimpressed on the ends the necessity for speed in getting down thefield. To the backs he talked of the need for being ready to get intoaction on the jump, to take advantage of the holes made for them.
"We have decided to play a game consisting of two halves instead of thefour quarters," said the coach. "It is more satisfactory, I think. Ofcourse, there is a certain advantage in three rest periods instead ofone, but I believe that a faster, snappier game can be played by halvesthan by quarters. You don't run the chance of getting stiff, and you cankeep limbered and warmed up."
"What about the forward pass?" asked Phil Clinton.
"I don't know that we will work that so much as we did last year,"said the coach, "but of course we will have to be guided by what ouropponents do in the games. That will be something for the captain andthe quarter-back to work out together. Of course we'll practice it."
"Onside kicks," came suddenly from Sid, who had been somewhat quiet."Are we going to do anything with them?"
"That is another matter that will have to be settled when you play thegames," declared the coach. "It will do no harm to try them. I'm forstraight football, as near the old-fashioned sort as we can get it underthe new rules. We have had some hard practice, and we'll have more, forpractice is what you will need in team work, especially if we have twonew players. Now has the captain anything to report?"
"Well," remarked Kindlings, coming from his corner, with a puzzled lookon his face, "it isn't so easy as you would think, and I just want tosay that I hope no fellows feel badly because I don't select them inplace of Kerr and Molloy."
"Sure not," came in a chorus.
"'Rah! 'rah! 'rah! for Randall!" yelled Bean Perkins in his loudestgrandstand voice. "Wow!"
"Can some of that, and save it for the Newkirk game," suggestedWoodhouse, with a grin. "Now I've thought it all over, and I've decidedthat I'll put Sam Looper in Bricktop's place at left guard, and----"
"'Rah for the Snail!" shouted the irrepressible Bean.
"Oh, I can be quick enough when I want to," declared Sam, his faceshining with delight at the honor that had come to him unsought. He hadpracticed hard on the scrub, and while he was not a bright and shininglight, he had grit and stamina, and was very strong. There were somedoubtful looks over his selection, but everyone was willing to admitthat while he was not as good as Bricktop, he might do after somegruelling practice.
"And to fill Kerr's place I'll name Pete Backus," went on the captain.
"'Rah for Grasshopper!" cried Bean. "He'll jump over their heads andmake a touchdown."
"Quiet!" begged Mr. Lighton, for there was a pandemonium of yells andlaughter at this.
"And I want Pete to jump into plays when he has the ball," continuedKindlings. "Do you approve of those selections, Mr. Lighton?"
"Certainly, Woodhouse. I only want to say that of course it all dependson how these new candidates make out in practice."
"Oh, sure," assented the captain. "They've got to make good, or we'llput some one else in. You understand that, Pete and Sam."
"Of course," they murmured, and each secretly determined to leavenothing untried that would win for him the coveted honor of playing onthe 'varsity eleven.
"Then everybody be on hand for practice on the gridiron at three o'clocksharp to-morrow," announced Kindlings. "We'll run through some hardplays, do some passing and tackling, and play a fifteen minute halfagainst the scrub. Sharp work, everybody!"
"'Rah for Kindlings!" yelled Bean, and the shout that followed, if itdid not exactly raise the roof of the gymnasium, at least testified tothe regard in which the captain was held.
There was more talk from Mr. Lighton, who had worked out a new system ofsignals for the present season, and he gave the lads a short drill in itbefore the meeting adjourned.
Meanwhile Phil, Tom and Sid had been keeping their ears on the alert,and their eyes open for any hint, in talk or action, that would givethem a clew to who had taken their chair and clock. But they were notsuccessful. If any of the football squad was guilty, the fact wassuccessfully concealed.