But Tommy shook his head.
“I can’t do it, Jack,” he said. “I’m falling too far behind. Why, to-day, in history, I didn’t know what Mr. Knox was talking about.”
Sexton laughed.
“Well, what of it?” he asked. “Neither did I. Don’t let a little thing like that worry you.”
Tommy shook his head again.
“It don’t matter with you so much,” he said. “You’ve got other things. But I’ve got only this. If I fail here, I’m done.”
Sexton grew suddenly grave, for he saw the case was more serious than he had thought.
“You don’t mean to say that you’re going to give up football altogether?” he asked incredulously.
“I’m afraid I’ll have to.”
“Don’t say that,” he protested. “Blake’ll excuse you from practice for a day or two till you catch up. I’ll tell him you’re feeling a little stale. How’ll that do?”