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 CHAPTER XXI

SCRUB VERSUS SCRUB

"Me, sir!" Loring looked startled.

"I suppose you couldn't. I forgot for the moment that you can't get about as easily as the rest of us. It only occurred to me that, knowing what you do already, Deane, you'd be just the fellow. But never mind. I'll find some one."

"Why, I could go, Mr. Babcock," said Loring eagerly. "It—it sort of surprised me, that was all. And I'm not sure that I could do what you'd want, sir."

"I think you could. You see, I don't want a report on the playing. I just want you to look around over there and see what goes on. There may be a nigger in the wood-pile, or there may not. If there is, you may not spot him, but it's worth trying; and you're the man for the job since you know the situation better than any of us. See who they use as substitutes and try to figure out why. If your hunch is the right one, Deane, they've got an end or a back over there that they've been keeping under cover. Look for him."

"Yes, sir. It's sort of like spying, though, isn't it?"

"We call it scouting. It's quite legitimate. They do it, and we do it, just as all the schools and colleges do, and they'll expect us to have scouts there to-morrow