Prescott and Holmes had no difficulty in putting up a game that has sent them down in history as being the best Army battery to that date.
But the Navy, that year, had an exceptionally fine team, too, with Dave Darrin and Dalzell for its star battery.
"This is the game we've got to win, fellows," called out Durville earnestly, two days before the Annapolis nine was due at West Point in the latter part of May. "We've done finely this year, better than we had hoped. But, after all, what is it to beat every other college, and then have to go down before the Navy in defeat at the end?"
"Who says we're going down in defeat?" grumbled Greg.
"If you say we're not, you and Prescott, then you can do a lot to hearten us up," continued Durville, with a sharp glance at the star battery pair.
"See here, old ramrod, you know all about that Annapolis battery," broke in Hackett, of the nine. "What about them as ball players? I understand you went to school with Darrin and Dalzell. Do that pair play ball the way they do football?"
"Yes," nodded Dick. "If anything, they play baseball better."
"But you and Holmesy put them out at football. Can't you do it on the diamond, too?" insisted Hackett.
"I hope so, but Greg and I will feel a lot more like bragging, possibly, after we've played the game through. There isn't much brag about us now, eh, Greg?"
"Not much," confessed Greg. "And you fellows want to remember that old ramrod and I are to play only two out of the nine positions. Don't depend on us to play the whole game for the Army."