Although Dave was out for fun and sport, it must not be thought that he neglected his studies. As my old readers know, he was a youth who put his whole heart and soul into whatever he was doing, and this applied to his lessons as well as to everything else. In the past he had kept close to the top of his class, and he was resolved to retain that position or do still better.
"I came to learn something," he said, more than once. "I am not going to neglect my lessons, no matter what is in the air."
"But you'll join our football team, won't you?" asked the senator's son, who was looked upon as the leader in that sport by nearly all the old football players.
"I will if you want me to, Roger. But you know I am not an extra good player. Baseball is my game, not football."
"But we want you to play the position you took last year, when you made that victorious run."
"Very well. What of the other fellows?"
"Ben will be quarter-back as before, and Phil a half-back, and Sam right tackle. I haven't made up my mind about the others yet, although I think I'll try Shadow for center and Buster for guard."
"What do you think of the team Gus Plum has organized?"
"Well, to tell the truth, Dave, I think some of his fellows play pretty good football," answered Roger, in a low voice, so that no outsider might hear him.
"Just what I think. Henshaw is a dandy quarter-back, and Babcock makes a good, heavy tackle. We ought to have them on our team—if we are to play Rockville."