Allan agreed to go; it was another illustration of McConnell’s remark about the interesting things that happen to you when you have a camera. Merring and Allan got to New Haven at noon, and they had luncheon with two of the upper-class men, who made such a fuss over Merring that Allan concluded that Merring had been quite an important man in the university athletics.
Allan was somewhat dismayed to hear that the team would not get out to practice until nearly four o’clock.
He mentioned to Merring that the light would begin to wane after three, and that with the high-pressure speed necessary to catch the rapid movements, he was afraid they could not expect good results.
“Maybe I can hurry them,” said Merring; but Allan fancied that Merring did not regard the point as very important, and that he forgot the thing altogether. At all events, it was three o’clock when they started out to the field, and fully half-past three when the practice teams came out.
Allan had a full roll ready, and prepared to make the most of the situation. He and Merring took up a position opposite the middle line, and under Merring’s direction he took the first line-up and several of the early plays; but Merring soon found this difficult work, as perhaps he was too much interested in the plays to care about the pictorial details. For whatever reason, he finally said to Allan, “You go ahead on your own account. Perhaps you can run in closer if I’m not with you.”
“‘Chase that kid with the kodak!’”
Merring said that he had spoken to the Captain and the trainer, and that Allan had the privilege of the field with the camera. Allan soon found out, however, that all of the players were not familiar with his rights in the matter, for at an exciting moment just before a kick-off a big fellow in the line—the biggest fellow in the line, Allan thought—shouted:— “Chase that kid with the kodak, or we’ll kill him.”
“Don’t worry about me!” shouted Allan. “I’ll get out of your way.”
The big fellow paused a moment until the Captain called, “Let him alone, Barney. He’s going to immortalize you in a magazine!”