“Here, cut that, Gould,” said some one, and Buck Hart crowded his big body in between the two of them.
“Cut what?” stormed Gould.
“Oh, hush. Don’t try to get away with anything with me. You want that glove Thatcher got because you got an old rag. Cut it or I’ll put the argument up to Mr. Rice. You know where you’ll come off then. The glove belongs to the man who gets it first, if he wants it. If you don’t want the hunk of leather you’ve got, go over and pick another one from the pile. Don’t try to take anything away from some one else; especially Thatcher,” he added with a grin, “because Thatcher can just about smear your nose all over your face if he wants to, and you know it. You’re just trying to make it uncomfortable for him because you know he isn’t anxious to fight again. His first fight with you cost him too much.”
Gould glowered at Hart and Thatcher alternately and grumbled something about people who butted into other people’s business, but he did not have the courage to continue the argument after that.
“He’s a nasty kid,” said Buck to Thatcher as he fell in beside Jeff and walked across the gym. to where Coach Rice was talking to a group of candidates.
“—and remember,” he was saying, “don’t any of you be foolish and try to use speed or curves or anything else. This is just to limber up the throwing muscles that have been dormant all winter and are probably stiff and clumsy. I don’t want any tendons pulled or any cases of Charley horse or glass arms to start the season with. If you’ll take my advice you just toss ’em about a little. All ready, fellows. Come on. Line up eight men at the south end and eight men at the north end. Snap to it. That’s right. Now go to it.”
The fellows lined up along the north end and spread out across the gym. and presently a hearty game of catch was in progress in which eight men from one end of the floor tossed to eight men at the other end of the floor. But to the slight embarrassment of Thatcher and the evident displeasure of Gould, both discovered that the formation of the two lines of candidates brought them facing each other. They were on the receiving end of each other’s throws. Jeff had the ball and for a moment as he saw who his partner was he paused and smiled. He appreciated the irony of the thing.
Gould, on the other hand, scowled unpleasantly and growled.
“Come on. Throw it, you.”