“I don’t know,” was the despondent answer. “I—of course, I’ll have to go when I get word.”
“Do you think she’s worse?”
“I’m afraid so; or else they’re going to operate. But don’t let’s talk about it. It breaks me all up.”
“I should think it would. I don’t see how you could stay in practice after you got the message.”
“I felt as if I had to, Tom. Of course, I know I’m only a small factor in the eleven——”
“I think you’re a pretty big one,” interrupted the left-end enthusiastically.
“Well, thank you for that; but I mean relatively. I’m only one of eleven players, and my place could be filled. Still, I do flatter myself that I’ve got the team into some kind of machine-like precision, which is very needful in a game. I don’t mean that I’ve done it all alone, for I haven’t. Every man has done more than his share, and with a coach like Mr. Lighton, and a captain like Holly Cross, a fellow can do a lot. But I’m a cog in the wheels of the machine, and you know how it is when you put a new wheel in a bit of apparatus. It may be just as good, or better than the old one, but it’s got to take time to work off the rough spots and fit in smoothly.
“That’s the way I feel. I want to stay in the game and at practice as long as I can, for when I drop out, and a new quarter-back comes in, it’s bound to throw the playing off the least bit, and I’m not patting myself on the back when I say that, I hope.”
“Indeed, you’re not! But it must be nervous work running a team when you know—well, er——” and Tom stopped in some confusion.