“None of us,” replied Ned, shaking his head sadly, “are perfect.”
“Well, you come down to the field to-morrow afternoon,” said Dan to Kendall, “and we’ll see. But don’t bring your advertising manager with you. First thing I know he will have you captain of the team!”
“Thank you,” said Kendall gratefully. “Would it matter if I didn’t wear regular things to-morrow?”
“Regular things?” asked Dan. “What sort of things?”
“I mean regular football clothes. You see, I didn’t get any because—”
“You shall have mine,” exclaimed Ned. “I’ve got a perfectly magnificent array of football attire! I shall never use them again; they are yours unconditionally, Curt. My football experience was brief but lurid. Perhaps I didn’t know as much about playing the game as some; in fact, the coach as much as hinted that; but I will say that when it came to outfit, Vinton, I was head and shoulders above the whole field! Complete, that’s the word for it. I don’t believe in doing things by halves, and when I determined to lend my assistance to the football team I obtained a catalogue from a dealer in football necessities and luxuries and bought one of everything. I think I owned everything in any way connected with the game except a gridiron. I even had an assortment of leather and felt pads for my ankles, knees, elbows and shoulders in case I should meet with an accident some time while plunging through the enemy’s line for a touchdown. And I had—and still have—a rubber thing that strapped around my head and covered my little nose; I held one extremity of it between my pearly teeth, and I can still remember how very unpleasant it tasted. All these things shall be yours, Curt. I intend you to be the Beau Brummel of the football field. All I ask is that some day you will allow me to dress you in full panoply, with a complete assortment of rubber bandages, arm and leg guards, nose guard and head guard, and have your picture taken!”
They were still laughing over Ned’s extravagances when the door opened and Gerald Pennimore came in. He shook hands with Kendall and seemed very glad to see him. “I thought you had forgotten your promise to come and see us, Burtis,” he said. “How are you, Tooker? I haven’t seen much of you this fall.”
“Been over to Arthur’s?” Dan asked.
“Yes. He’s getting on all right. The doctor says he can try crutches, if he likes. The sprain wasn’t as bad as it seemed at first, he says.”