CHAPTER XXIV
AN ARREST
During the summer Bart had met several college men who were members of their 'varsity teams, and from them he received many valuable ideas, among which was the formation of a scrub eleven to play against the school team.
Eagerly falling in with the plan, the candidates asked that Fred be placed in charge.
Reluctantly, Bart agreed, for he feared that his rival would out-general him, but the others were so insistent that he could not refuse. But to lessen the possibility, he gave Fred only the poorest players, with the exception of the unknown Bronson.
Understanding this action, Fred made no objection, however, and set to work to develop his players, and so well did he succeed that by the middle of the season the scrub eleven was able to keep the School Team from scoring, whenever it felt inclined.
This success served to rouse all Bart's old hatred of his rival, and so viciously did he always tackle Fred, that, fearing the star left back would be seriously injured, Buttons, Bronson and Soda finally prevailed upon him to feign a sprained ligament and keep out of the game, except to run through signals.
But it was not until a week before the game with Landon, when Sandow and Hal, who had been appealed to by Buttons, added their solicitations to the others' that Fred consented.
When he reported his supposed injury, Bart tried to appear sorry, but in his eyes there was a light of joy.
When the assembled crowds of Baxter and Landon supporters arrived for the game, they were amazed to see that Buttons' name was down to play left half-back, while Fred was listed among the substitutes.