Indeed, so delighted were the Seconds to recognize in the boy the jolly companion of old, that Taffy even asked Fred to go to the campus to coach the back field of the Form team.
"But Bart might not like it," objected the boy, though the light in his eyes showed his eagerness to place the benefit of his experience at the service of the eleven.
"Sure he will. He'll be tickled to death," insisted Taffy. "Only last night he told me he'd give anything if there was only some way you could be persuaded to play. Between you and me, Buttons is fierce."
"Well, I can't play," sighed Fred. "But I'll do this much—I'll take Buttons in hand, if you think that will help."
"That'll be the next best thing to having you in the line-up," declared the boy joyfully, and he hurried away to carry to the desponding captain and his coterie the tidings of Fred's agreement to coach Buttons.
And Bart needed assistance. There were not enough of his clique to fill all the positions on the eleven, and he had been obliged to draft some of his rival's followers. In consequence, there had been a lack of harmony, which the rich bully did not have the characteristics to stamp out; and to make matters worse, the Lower Formers, having overheard some of the Firsts discussing the prospects of the Second eleven, openly declared Bart did not have the knowledge of the game possessed by Fred.
At first, Taffy, Lefty and the others of his intimates had loyally resented the charge, but as the season progressed with little or no improvement in the eleven, in their hearts they were beginning to fear its truth.
Accordingly, Taffy's tidings were joyously received, and when the fair-haired boy appeared on the campus that afternoon, he was given an ovation.
Such a demonstration was gall and wormwood to the rich bully, but, realizing that if he were to obtain the wish of his heart and lead the Baxter Seconds to their first victory over Landon in five years, he must control himself, he managed to force a smile.
"Will you get in the game?" he asked, approaching his rival.