“The word has been passed around, Chip, and we’ll all be ready.”
Thursday afternoon Bradlaugh’s big car, and two other machines pressed into service, carried the Ophir eleven, three or four substitutes, and Chip Merriwell and his chums out along the old trail to Tinaja Wells.
A disappointment awaited Frank at Dolliver’s. He had counted upon meeting Darrel at the ranch, but Darrel, he found, had gone into Gold Hill that very morning.
Why was Darrel in Gold Hill? Certainly his uncle had not sent for him. The colonel was still clinging to Jode Lenning, and, so long as he did that, he could have no possible use for Darrel.
Merry, however, had too much on his mind to worry over the mysterious actions of Darrel. Curly was improving right along, and that was the main thing. He would undoubtedly be at the Ophir-Gold Hill game, and Merry could see him there.
Thursday there was nothing at all to do, with the exception of a little signal practice along toward sun-down. Nor was there any line-up or hard work on Friday—nothing but a five-mile cross-country trot in the forenoon, and in the afternoon nothing at all. It was the day before the game—a day to which the population of Ophir and Gold Hill had been looking forward for months.
The game was to be played on the Ophir field. The games of the two previous years had been won by Gold Hill on her own field, and it was deemed no more than fair that Ophir should have the third game on her grounds.
The fellows were to remain at Dolliver’s until one o’clock Saturday afternoon. At that hour the machines were to arrive for them and whisk them away to the field for the fight with their rivals.
There was not much hilarity among the lads. They were impressed—and a little oppressed—with the prospect of the work required of them on the next afternoon. They collected in groups, and, in low voices, talked of everything they could think of except football. And yet, the biggest and most constant thing in every fellow’s mind was the coming game.
Merry and Handy, along about eight in the evening, were a little apart from the players. They were considering Simeon Guffey for about the dozenth time.