Page:Dave Porter at Oak Hall.djvu/185

Rh "Can Lazy fill that place?" asked Ben, in wonder.

"Certainly," answered Roger, promptly. "You have never seen him wake up. When he does, he is as spry as anybody." And so it proved.

Roger wished very much to put Dave on the team, but the latter declined.

"I couldn't do it justice, yet," said the boy from the country. "You must give me time." Yet Dave went along as a substitute.

The day for the game dawned bright and clear, and the students of Oak Hall left for Rockville directly after dinner. Some went in boats and some in the stage, and the carryall, while a few rode bicycles or walked. With them went Andrew Dale, who was almost as interested as the boys themselves.

Taken as a whole, the crowd was a happy one. The only discontented students were those who had failed to get on the team, and among these were Gus Plum, Macklin, and a red-headed lad named Puffers.

"It wasn't fair to leave us on the outside," grumbled Puffers. "Every one of us ought to be on that team."

"Oh, I didn't expect any better treatment from Roger Morr," declared the bully of the school. "He is running this to suit himself."

"I'll bet our school loses this match," put in