The boys had brought their horns and rattles with them, yet they made little noise as they rode along, much to the satisfaction of Jackson Lemond, who had been afraid they would scare the horses and cause them to bolt. Yet the Hall driver was sorry to see them so blue.
"Ain't feelin' much like playin', I take it," he observed.
"It is not that, Horsehair," answered Roger. "We are alarmed over the absence of Dave Porter and Paul Babcock."
"Got to have 'em to play, eh?"
"Well, they belong on the regular eleven."
"Maybe they went ahead," said the Hall driver, hopefully.
The roads were in good condition, and soon they reached the broad highway leading directly to the Mongrace estate. On this road they met a score of turnouts all bound for the football field.
"Hurrah! There are the Oak Hall fellows!"
"Hope you win, boys!"
"You've got to put up a stiff game if you want to come out ahead this season. Rockville has got a dandy team."