Page:The secret play (1915).djvu/104

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knowledge stowed away in that head of his! He fell foul of Tom Haley early in the proceedings and the fact that Tom was a very good friend of his made no difference in his speech.

"How long have you been playing, Tom?" asked Dick coldly as the last year's center picked himself up from the dirt.

"Three or four years," answered Tom in some surprise, pausing in the act of rubbing the soil from his face.

"Then you ought to be ashamed to tackle like that," said Dick severely. "Try it again, please. And remember that the idea is to stop the man and not tickle him under the knees!"

Tom flushed, choked down a retort that his companions in the line surmised was none too patient and poised himself again while the swaying dummy once more crossed the pit.

"Now get into it!" urged Dick. "Stop him! Put him back!"

Perhaps chagrin was responsible for what ensued. Tom made a hard dive and whipped his arms out for the canvas body, but in some way the dummy eluded him and Tom rolled over sprawling on his back, while the stuffed figure, with its faded C, went