Monty sighed his relief when he heard Caner’s name instead of his, and he settled back on the bench, with his blanket snuggled around him, resolved to be very attentive, and learn all he might from watching the way Caner played. But that mode of imbibing knowledge was speedily denied him, for Manson limped up the moment the game had started.
“Crail, get a ball, and come over here, will you? Willard, you’re wanted, too.”
Wonderingly, Monty received a ball from the trainer, and, accompanied by Willard, a big, solid upper middle fellow, who ranked as third-string center, followed Manson. The latter led them to the end of the stand.
“Bonner wants you to learn to get the ball from center, Crail,” he explained. “We’ll be using the direct pass a good deal from now on, and you’d better be able to handle it. Willard, you go on about eight yards, please. Whoa, that’ll do! Now, Crail, get in place. Squarely behind, please. That’s the ticket. End run on the left first. No, no; don’t hold your hands out. Hide the play until the ball is coming. All right, Willard. One, two, three— Let her go! Get it, Crail! Shoot now! Hard! Run, you rascal! All right! That’s pretty good, but you want to be ready to start the minute the ball gets to you. Tuck it under your arm and swing off with the same movement. Here, I’ll show you. Oh, confound this leg! Snap her, Willard!”
Manson, having discarded his cane, poised himself, and when the ball, turning lazily over and over, came to him, with one motion slammed it into the crook of his left elbow and started away. The next moment he was full-length on the ground, but, as Monty observed, still held the ball. Monty helped him to his feet, and Manson ruefully shook his head.
“I guess I can’t give practical demonstrations,” he said, with a laugh. “Here you are, Willard. Now, try that again, Crail. You see what I mean by doing it together? You mustn’t lose any time doing those two things separately. Swing the ball under your arm, and step off with your left foot at the same instant. The two moves work right together. All right, Willard. One, two, three— Let her go!”
“Better,” he commented, a moment later, “but you must cut out that little hop with your right foot. Swing your left right out. Get your stride at once. That first step’s going to be shorter than the others, but learn to cover ground with it, just the same. Every fraction of a split-second counts, Crail.” Manson snapped his fingers. “Bing! You’ve done a yard! Bing! Bing! You’ve done two yards! Speed, speed, Crail! That’s what counts, laddie! Once more, please!”
“You got it that time. That was a lot better. Now try it to the left. Remember that you still step off with your left foot.”