Page:The Winning Touchdown.djvu/224

208 The venerable president entered with his usual book under his arm, for he studied early and late—harder than the "greasiest dig that ever kept the incandescent going," to quote Holly Cross.

"Ah, young gentlemen," began Dr. Churchill, blandly, "I presume you are surprised to see me, but your instructor is ill, and I will endeavor to take his place. You are—er—you are in advanced science, are you not? I believe I have the right class," and the good doctor, somewhat puzzled, consulted a memorandum slip in his hand. "Yes, this is the class," he went on, with an air of relief. "Now, to-day's lesson was to be on—er—I'm afraid I have forgotten. Professor Newton told me, but it has slipped my mind."

It was exactly what Dutch Housenlager had counted on, and he was ready to take advantage of it.

"But of course," continued the president, with a smile, "you students will know where it is."

He opened the physics book, and leafed it over, as though the lesson would be disclosed to him in some supernatural way. All eyes turned to Dutch, for his impending game had become whispered about.

"I think it's page three hundred forty-seven, Dr. Churchill," said Dutch, mentioning a lesson about a week old.

"Ah, yes," went on the president. "I see. It