"No, sir. We never think we can. We always know that we can! That's the Gridley way—-the Gridley spirit. We always win our battles before we go into them, Mr. Macey. We make up our minds that we can't and won't be beaten. It isn't just brag, though. We base all our positiveness on the way that we stick to our training and coaching, and on our discipline. Mr. Macey, this is the third year that I've been playing on different Gridley High School teams. I remember a tie game, but no defeats."
"I guess Fordham will find it a hard enough proposition to down you young men," remarked Mr. Macey.
"They're going to discover, sir, that they simply can't do it.
Gridley never goes onto any field to get beaten."
"Und dot isn't brag, neider," broke in a man who had halted to listen. "Ven dese young men pack deir togs to go away, dey pack der winning score in der bag, too. Ach! Don't I know dot? Don't I make mineself young vonce more by following dese young athletes about?"
Herr Schimmelpodt looked utterly shocked that anyone should think it possible for another High School eleven to take a game from Gridley.
Dick soon encountered Dave and told him the news he had gleaned from Mr. Macey.
"Been sending their second coach over to watch our play, have they?" laughed Darrin softly. "That seems to show how much they fear us in Fordham."
"I believe we are going to have a stiff game," muttered Prescott. "Hallam Heights and Fordham are the only two teams that think enough of the game to hire two coaches."
"Well, we have Hallam's scalp dangling down at the gym.," laughed
Dave Darrin.
"And we'll have Fordham's in the same way," predicted Dick confidently.