"Of course not," agreed Hackett, perhaps a bit tartly. "But if the other seven of us were wonders we'd stand no show unless we had a battery that can do up these awful ogres of the Navy nine."
"Oh, you're better than the Navy battery, aren't you, old ramrod?" demanded Beckwith.
"No, we're not," replied Dick slowly, thoughtfully.
"Don't tell us that the salt-water catcher and pitcher are ahead of you two!" protested Durville with new anxiety.
"If either crowd is better, they're likely to be It," murmured Dick.
Thereupon all in the dressing room wheeled to take a look at Greg.
But young Holmes nodded his head in confirmation.
"Don't talk that way," pleaded Beckwith.
"You'll have us all scared cold before we touch foot to the field day after to-morrow."
"Just what I said," grumbled Greg. "Some of the fellows on the Army nine expect two men who are not above the average to win the whole game."
From all private and newspaper accounts many of the West Point fans were inclined to the belief that the Navy outpointed the Army in the matter of battery. It had been so the year before when, as readers of "Dave Darrin's Third Year At Annapolis" will recall, the Navy had succeeded in carrying the game away with neatness and despatch.