“I mean that I don’t think Melvin Gates is keeping us from playing Dimsdale simply because of the after-game riot of years ago. Why in the world should he be so particular? Every student wants to play and every trustee wants to let us, but still he holds out. I think there is some added mystery in it all, and that he has some deep and secret reason for not wanting us to play Dimsdale!”
Chapter 7
The Trustees’ Meeting
On the following morning Don sought out the colonel and asked for a few minutes to talk over an important matter. At the colonel’s invitation he sat down and came at once to the point.
“Colonel Morrell,” he began. “You only tolerate Mr. Gates’ attitude because he is the senior trustee and actually controls the school by his money, isn’t that so?”
The colonel was astonished but he nodded frankly. “Yes, that is so. Of course, Mr. Gates has been a trustee for a good many years and there is something else to consider besides his money, but I’ll admit that plays a big part. It costs something to run the school and his generosity has made a lot of things possible that we would otherwise have done without.”
“Of course,” responded Don. “Is his obstinate attitude confined simply to this matter of football, or does he make things unpleasant for you in other ways, Colonel Morrell?”
“In some other things he is very disagreeable, too,” the headmaster said. “But in the matter of the football game he is unusually so. What makes you ask?”
“If you had someone else to take his place, who would advance as much money as he does, and with not nearly as much trouble, would you consider running directly against Mr. Gates?” Don went on, ignoring the colonel’s question.
The colonel thought for a moment. “Yes, I think I would,” he admitted, slowly. “As I told you before, Mr. Gates has made things pretty disagreeable for me on several occasions. He has a sort of stranglehold on the school simply because of his wealth and that makes it hard for the rest of the trustees and myself. In other words, if he wants a thing done his way he has only to say so and tap his pocketbook and we all have to do as he wants us to.”
“That’s just about what I thought,” nodded Don. “Now, I’ll tell you what I have in mind, Colonel Morrell. When I was home last summer I talked to my father quite a bit about the school and he shares my enthusiasm for it. When I heard of the trouble you had with Mr. Gates about the football situation I wrote to him and asked him if Mr. Gates ever got disgusted and left the trustee body would he consider becoming a trustee in Gates’ place, providing he was elected to the body. He wrote back and said that he would.”