“Very well, McCranie. And my name is Haynes, also without the ‘Mister.’”
“It is now,” replied the trainer, with a chuckle, “but I’m thinking that when we’re better acquainted ’twill be just ‘Coach’!”
CHAPTER III
A BOY ON CRUTCHES
Two workouts that day, although each was brief, left Stuart’s body rather lame, for, while he had led a mildly strenuous life in camp and at sea during the last three months, some of the muscles brought into play in football practice were decidedly flabby. At supper that first evening, although he hid his twinges, the fact that he appeared to be the only one of the squad inconvenienced by the day’s activities caused him to acknowledge to himself that there might be something in summer training after all!
He prepared for the conference with Coach Haynes by determining to be rather on his dignity, telling himself that, in the interest of future harmony, it would be well to deal with the other with a firm hand, to let him understand right at the start that revolutionary changes in the conduct of the team or the campaign would not be welcomed. There was, for instance, the coach’s plan of doing away with the training table, as silly an idea as Stuart had ever heard of! Stern measures now might prevent later trouble, the captain reflected.
The coach, however, appeared in a most conciliatory mood, paid respectful attention to Stuart’s ideas and failed to show the cloven hoof at all. On several occasions Stuart forgot his dignity and, to his later annoyance, found himself laughing heartily. They made excellent progress. Some of the coach’s notions didn’t coincide with Stuart’s, but he was so far from insistent, so evidently open to conviction, that for the most part the captain let them pass unchallenged. After all, Mr. Haynes had no more to say in favor of a thorough grounding of the team in the fundamentals than Stuart knew to be tenable. Nor, though he certainly showed a leaning toward the old-style football, did he asperse the newer and trickier plays. He found some fault with the schedule, but there Stuart was at one with him, for undoubtedly the playing of Walsenburg as early as the middle of October was a mistake. Stuart explained that Walsenburg had refused a later date and that, rather than lose the benefit to be had from a game with an opponent of Walsenburg’s mettle, it had been decided to take her on in early season, slipping Williston down the schedule to the Saturday before Pearsall.
“We must just make up our minds to a defeat on October 16, then,” replied the coach smilingly.
“I’m not so sure, sir,” said Stuart. “We’ve got quite a bunch of veterans this year and I guess we’ll be able to squeeze through with no worse than a tie. Walsenburg won’t be running very strong herself at that time.”
“Those big schools start out stronger than we do,” said the coach. “We won’t trouble about it, though. Sometimes, I think, a trimming isn’t bad medicine for a team along in the early season. It’s likely to cure overconfidence.”