“Oh, cheer up,” he said. “You ain’t to blame. Of course Hayden’s pretty sore, but Roger is bound to have his way, and he won’t give in to anybody.”
“That’s it,” said Ben; “I feel like an intruder. I feel that I’m doing positive harm to the team. Why didn’t Barker come out?”
“Oh, he’s one of Bern’s friends, and I guess he’s going to stand by him. It will be pretty hard luck to lose ’em both. I dunno how Roger’s ever going to fill their places.”
“I’m breaking up the team,” muttered Ben. “I’d like to play football, but——”
“Most of the fellers don’t seem to think you’d ever be much of a player,” grinned Spotty frankly. “Now if we was going to lose Bern and you could fill his place, it would be different. Anyhow, mebbe Hayden and Barker will come back when the coach gets here. Roger says he’s going to wire for him to-night. He’s got enough money pledged.”
“It will give me no more pleasure than it will Hayden to play on the same team,” declared Ben; “but I’d be willing to do anything for the good of the school. That’s why I thought I hadn’t better play. I’m not anxious to make trouble.”
“Bern says you’ve always been a trouble maker. Oh, he’s got it in for you, all right. But you’ve won a lap on him, the best he can do. It’s bitter medicine for him to swaller. He tried to down you, and he’d done it, all right, if you hadn’t put yourself on top by defending Amy Eliot. That was lucky for you. Urian Eliot has got about as much pull as anybody ’round these parts. You just better let things simmer along, and they’ll come out all right.”
Nevertheless, Spotty’s words added to Stone’s disquietude of mind, for he also believed that the loss of Hayden from the team—to say nothing of Barker—could not be compensated for.
Sunday passed quietly. Not having a suit of clothes to satisfy him, Ben did not attend church. He spent much of the day with Jimmy, and was invited to supper by Mrs. Jones, who had heard all about his bravery and persisted in talking of it. Mamie, however, snubbed him mercilessly.
When Roger appeared at school on Monday morning he informed the boys that he had heard from Winton, who would arrive early enough in the afternoon to begin the work of coaching that day. He even took particular pains to tell Hayden.