Page:The Winning Touchdown.djvu/53

Rh "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 and make a touchdown."

"Quiet!" begged Mr. Lighten, for there was a pandemonium of yells and laughter at this.

"And I want Pete to jump into plays when he has the ball," continued Kindlings. "Do you approve of those selections, Mr. Lighten?"

"Certainly, Woodhouse. I only want to say that of course it all depends on how these new candidates make out in practice."

"Oh, sure," assented the captain. "They've got to make good, or we'll put some one else in. You understand that, Pete and Sam."

"Of course," they murmured, and each secretly determined to leave nothing untried that would win for him the coveted honor of playing on the 'varsity eleven.

"Then everybody be on hand for practice on the gridiron at three o'clock sharp to-morrow," announced Kindlings. "We'll run through some hard plays, do some passing and tackling, and play a fifteen minute half against the scrub. Sharp work, everybody!"

Rah for Kindlings!" yelled Bean, and the shout that followed, if it did not exactly raise the roof of the gymnasium, at least testified to the regard in which the captain was held.