“Look here, Hop,” Gus interrupted, “you’re not wearing any medals for giving folks what they deserve. I deserved a fair show on your team and I never got it. You don’t like me, and Prentiss doesn’t like me. I’ve played football here for two years; this is my third; and you’ve got half a dozen worse players than I am on the First this minute. So don’t you spout about deserts.”
“And this is the way you get even,” sneered Prentiss. “Stab us in the back the moment we aren’t looking.”
“Oh, come, let’s be honest,” said Gus warmly. “There isn’t any fair reason why the Second Team shouldn’t play another team when it has a chance. It’s just because the other team is the Independents that you’re both sore. If it had been any other outfit you wouldn’t have cared. Well, your quarrels aren’t anything to me. The Second never has played with any team except the First, as far as I know, but there’s no law against it. You go ahead and make all the fuss you want, but it’s nonsense to stand there and call me a traitor.”
“That’s what you are,” cried Hopkins, “a low-down traitor. And you’ve used your position as captain to make traitors of the rest of your team.”
“That’s not so, Hopkins,” Peeble spoke up. “We didn’t have to play. Gus told us about it and said we needn’t play unless we wanted to. Every fellow went in on his own hook. For my part, I don’t see what you’re so hot about.”
“I’m hot because you’ve helped Langton and his gang of trouble-makers,” replied Hopkins wrathfully. “They aren’t the School Team; they’re just a lot of chumps who are sore because they didn’t make it. And when you play against them you—you give them recognition and aid them.”
Joe Law came in at that moment and looked about the group curiously. Hopkins nodded to him and then turned to Prentiss.
“Come on, Ed.” But Prentiss wasn’t ready.
“What’s the good?” he demanded with an ugly scowl for Gus. “Let’s settle it right now. I’m manager of the team and I don’t propose to have my work spoiled like this.”
“We’ll settle it all right,” responded Hopkins, “but not now. You’ll hear from us later, Gus.”