“Gee! I don’t see how we can be expected to do much against them, then,” said Dan.
“We couldn’t if we weren’t in lots better training. They’re usually slow and we get the jump on them right along, and that helps. They can’t run much, as a rule, and they can’t punt. It’s in the old-style hammer-and-tongs football that Brewer shows up best. Her line’s a hard proposition. Besides, they’re a rough lot and slug like anything.”
“I wish I were going to play,” said Dan regretfully.
“You’re better out of it,” answered Loring. “You and I are too light to do much against those chaps. I guess, between you and me, that that’s one reason Payson’s keeping me out. He’s afraid some of those chaps will break me in half. I played for awhile last year and got a nasty ankle out of it. Someone deliberately twisted it in a pile-up.”
“Brutes!” growled Dan.
“Well, I don’t know,” answered Loring. “I’ve talked with some of them and I don’t believe they’re so bad. The trouble is that they don’t know the difference between clean playing and dirty. This fellow, McMannis, who coaches them is a professional and he’s all for winning; he’s afraid he will lose his job, you see, if he doesn’t turn out winning teams. I guess they pay him a pretty tidy little sum. You’d better come along and see the game, Vinton.”
“I will,” Dan replied. “How do you get there?”
“Train or trolley. Half an hour by train and a little over an hour by trolley. We usually go by trolley. It’s more fun and there’s lots to see. We have a car to ourselves, you know. Maybe Payson will let you come along if you ask him. He had you on the First the other day and that ought to give you the right to go along if you pay your own fare. Still, he turned a lot of fellows down last year who wanted to go with the team. But you’d better ask him.”
“I guess I will,” Dan said. “Have you fellows got any new plays for Brewer?”
“Nothing much. There’s a fake forward pass that may turn the trick, but it’s risky. No, it’ll be the same old thing, I guess, smash and run, run and smash. I think we’ll be able to work their ends this year.”