“Oh, don’t you fool yourself, Jeff. It counts a heap. I’ll bet a doughnut hole that Gould can go up in the air and get mad quicker than any man on the team when he’s losing. And when a man blows like that, why he isn’t much good to the team until he gets his feet on the ground. Now is he?”
“Well, perhaps you’re right, Wade.”
“Perhaps? I know I am, Jeff. Keep up the good work. I hope Mr. Rice gives you a chance in the Erasmus Hall game to-morrow. Perhaps he will. Hope he starts the game with you. Can’t tell. He might. My, but wouldn’t Gould be peeved if he did? Anyhow, I’ll say you are a likely substitute.”
CHAPTER XVIII
ON THE BENCH
But Wade’s hope was not realized. Jeff and Rabbit Warren and Cas Gorham were among the substitutes whose names appeared on the bulletin board with the regular team the next morning. Of course, Honey Wiggins and Cy Gordon, the two extra pitchers, were also among the second string men called into uniform, but their names along with those of Jeff, Rabbit and Cas Gorham, appeared very definitely under the list of “substitutes.” For some reason Jeff had a feeling of discouragement when he realized that Coach Rice did not yet recognize him as having first-team ability and for a few minutes he was inclined to grouch and feel peeved about it. But his better sense soon dominated the situation and made him realize that he, a Freshman, should be listed as a substitute and Gould given the position at third if for no other reason than that the Sophomore had devoted all the previous season toward trying for the job, and evidently had been willing to play on the scrubs for an extended period just to be in line for the job this year.
“Gould is good,” he acknowledged to himself, as he stood in front of the bulletin board and mentally disciplined himself. “Just because he is hot tempered and ugly; just because I do not think so much of him and most of the fellows of our bunch don’t like him is no reason why he shouldn’t be playing third base. For a while the best I can expect, I guess, is to be a sub on the big team and just hope to get a show once in a while. I’ll bet just hanging around like that is going to get Gould’s goat. Blame it, I want his job and, believe me, I’m going to make myself so good that Coach Rice will have to give me more than a substitute’s show. I’ll just—”
“Wow, I knew you’d get a chance, first shot,” said some one behind Jeff, and turning he discovered Wade looking at the bulletin board.
“Knew I’d get a chance? What do you mean?” asked Jeff.
“Why, you poor fish, don’t you see your name on the list?”