“Never mind the pretty near part. Squad D. Report to-morrow to Mr. Bendix at twelve for examination. Come on, now, I haven’t got all night to do this!”
Kendall pushed his way through the crowded room toward the door. Most of the fellows, he noticed, were changing their football clothes for their usual attire in front of little closets which ran in rows at one end of the room. Some, already disencumbered of everything save huge bath towels, were hurrying toward a doorway from beyond which came the sound of rushing water and eddying clouds of steam. In there, Kendall surmised, were the shower baths. He had heard of them and would like to have tried one, but he had neither towel nor locker. He stood for a moment out of the way and watched the scene. Dan Vinton came hurrying through the outer door and pushed his way through the throng. Several fellows tried to detain him, but he kept on to a bench and rapidly removed his togs, talking as he did so to half a dozen fellows who had followed and quickly surrounded him. In a minute he was off to the showers, still replying to questions as he went and eluding the clutches of friends. Across the room Cowles was still taking names, although his task was about over. The throng began to lessen as the baths swallowed their quota. Kendall turning to reach the door suddenly became aware of a boy who, a yard or two distant, was viewing him uncertainly. It was the boy to whom Kendall had been introduced last night in Vinton’s room, but he couldn’t recall his name. He was in ordinary attire and looked as though he had just entered. When he caught Kendall’s eye he nodded smilingly and stepped across to him.
“We met last night, but I’ve forgotten your name,” he said.
“I remember,” Kendall replied a trifle shyly. “My name is Burtis.”
“Burtis? I don’t think I’ve ever heard that before. Mine is Pennimore. How did you get on at practice, Burtis?”
“Not very well, I guess.”
“One doesn’t at first. It’s a bit discouraging. After you’ve got the hang of it, though, it goes better.” He surveyed the room and finally called across to the manager. “Cowles, where’s Dan?”
“I haven’t seen him, Gerald,” Cowles replied, waving his book and then slipping it into his pocket.
“If you mean Mr. Vinton,” said Kendall, “he went into the bathroom about two or three minutes ago.”