"But we honestly do," contended the same speaker, "and we don't like to have you tell us that Prescott is a better man."
"But I believe he is."
"Are you afraid of him?"
"I'm not afraid of any one on the gridiron," Darrin retorted bluntly. "I'll work hard to beat any man that I have to go up against, and if work, this season, will do it, I'll beat Dick Prescott out!"
"Good! That's the way we like to hear you talk," glowed Hepson.
"And I'll bottle up Holmes and put the stopper in," promised Dan with solemn modesty.
Again two of the men made a rush for him to quiet him.
"It may be only a rumor that Prescott and Holmes are on the Army eleven," spoke up another midshipman.
"No," objected still another, "I had a letter, this afternoon, from a cousin who has been up to West Point and has seen the Army crowd at work. The Army is rejoicing over Prescott and Holmes as a pair of precious finds, and they're both nailed to the colors for this season."
"Then we're going to have a tough time in our game with the Army," Darrin declared thoughtfully. "And the Army will beat more college teams this year than usual."