All looked around quickly and then hurried to the dressing room under the grand stand. Not a sign of the missing players was to be seen anywhere.
"We've got fifteen minutes yet," said Roger. "They may show up at any minute."
"Are all the Rockville players here?" asked Ben.
"Yes, and they look as if they meant business, too," answered Buster Beggs.
The grand stand had been divided into three parts, the middle for the owner of the estate and his special friends, and either end for the two schools. In the best position on the stand was the sick brother of the owner of the estate, propped up in an invalid's chair. His face wore a smile, as if he enjoyed everything that was going on.
In an extreme corner of the Oak Hall end of the stand sat Gus Plum, Nat Poole, and Nick Jasniff. They were awaiting the outcome of the game with deep interest, although sure that their school would lose. Through a friend in Oakdale they had placed practically all their spending money on bets in favor of Rockville,—in fact Gus Plum had gone into debt twenty dollars, borrowing the amount from a student named Chadworth.
"Say, are you sure you fixed Henshaw?" whispered the bully of the Hall to Jasniff. "He doesn't look to be very sick or dizzy-headed."
"Oh, I fixed him right enough," returned Nick Jasniff. "Maybe the stuff hasn't had time to work."
"Or maybe you didn't give him enough," commented Nat Poole.
"I gave him the dose called for. Of course I didn't dare to give him too much."