“Granting that, though, Captain Harven,” interrupted the coach, “how do you know that Le Gette really did what you say he did? As I understand it, there is no way of telling whether a voter drops in a black ball or a white ball at your elections. Has Le Gette acknowledged he voted against Orr?”
“No, not in words. He doesn’t have to. I know! His looks were enough. Besides, he was the only one there that could have! The others all wanted Neil elected.”
“Well, suppose you’re correct in your assumption,” said the coach. “There is more than a reasonable doubt, I’d say, but suppose you are. Do you seriously ask me to fire Le Gette for this offense and on this evidence?”
“No, for I’ll fire him myself,” flared Stuart. “I’m captain of the team, even if being captain doesn’t amount to much this year! At least, I fancy, I’ve got the right to say whether or not a player is fit to be on the team!”
Mr. Haynes shook his head gently. “I doubt that, Harven.”
“What! Do you mean to say——”
“Exactly.” The coach’s voice was quiet but very firm, very assured. “I mean, Captain Harven, that it is the coach’s place to select the players. That I take to be one of his duties. If he is to instruct a team in football he certainly has the privilege of deciding who shall belong to that team; in other words whom he considers eligible to his instruction. And if he has the power to choose the members he must surely have the power to dispense with them.”
“Where does the captain come in in your scheme?” sneered Stuart.
“The captain has the duty of leadership,” replied the coach, without appearance of offense. “The team selected, he becomes its head, responsible to the coach for its obedience to his orders and, more than all, for its morale. There should be close and frank coöperation between captain and coach. The captain undoubtedly should occupy an advisory position in all matters pertaining to the team. He should act as a liaison officer between the players and the coach. I am sorry that coöperation between us so far this season hasn’t amounted to much. From the first, rightly or wrongly, I have observed an attitude of resentment in you toward me. I have said nothing, in the hope that it would pass, in the trust that you would soon set aside any slight personal dislike of me that you had and meet me fairly and frankly halfway. But this you don’t seem inclined to do. I’ll acknowledge that the matter of the training table was unfortunate, but I think that, were you perfectly fair to me, you would acknowledge that no offense was meant and sponge it off the slate, Harven. Wait, please: let me finish. There can’t be divided authority in the running of a football team any more than there can be in any other effort toward success. It is best to have the duties of your office and mine clearly defined for our mutual understanding. I am paid a salary—two thousand dollars, to be exact—to come here and do my level best to turn out a winning football team. As I understand it, I am responsible only to the Committee on Athletics and, under them, am in full command. I couldn’t do the work justice if matters were any different, Harven. You have been chosen the captain of the team, an intermediary between the players and the coach. Your authority does not extend beyond that of any other member of the team outside the team. To grant you the right to select and discharge players would be fatal to my authority. You would become the court of last resort and your word would be law, not mine. I couldn’t work under those conditions. Surely you must see that, Captain Harven.”
“Until this year the captain has had an equal say with the coach in the affairs of the team,” answered Stuart hotly. “Until you came there was never any question as to who had authority or who hadn’t!”