The consensus of opinion after the contests were over credited the Independents with having shown more foot-ball and better foot-ball than the School Team and fellows began to express the wish that the former team and not the latter was to meet Adams Academy on Thanksgiving. As one boy put it: “The Independents are just as much our team as Hopkins’ bunch is, and they’re a whole lot better. Why shouldn’t we put our best team up against Adams? Gee, I’m sick of getting licked every year; I’d like a change!”
The Independents came fast the next few days. The discouraging thing was that only ten days remained until Thanksgiving and the close of the football season and that in spite of all efforts Malcolm had been unable to find any more games. Bannard School had offered to play them the Saturday after Thanksgiving, but when Malcolm had asked for an extension of the season the faculty had refused. But there was next year to think of, and meanwhile there were battles royal every afternoon between two very even elevens, and Rob had not given up hope of finding one more foe to demolish.
On Wednesday the news spread through school that the Independents had challenged the School Team to a practice game the following Saturday, on which day, following established custom, the School Team had no contest, preferring to give all her time to perfecting herself for Adams. The news was hailed with delight and the School waited impatiently to hear the outcome. When it was learned that the School Team had declined the challenge there was a veritable howl of disapproval. Rob had little to say in public, but there were frequent conferences in Wellington’s room, and on Thursday morning there was a notice in Academy Hall announcing a mass meeting to be held that evening “to discuss the foot-ball situation.” The notice was signed by prominent members of the four classes.
The assembly-hall was full when Northrup of the senior class called the meeting to order. The rival foot-ball coteries were there in full attendance, Rob and Wellington and Pierce and Malcolm and their associates grouped together on one side well toward the front and Hopkins and Prentiss with their supporters sitting across the hall. Northrup began by explaining that the meeting had been called on account of a general sentiment favoring an open discussion of the foot-ball situation. “We have,” he said, “two teams here now, the School Team and a second team known as the Independents. I’m not a player and don’t pretend to know a great deal about the game, but as far as I can learn the Independents are doing better playing than the other team. A week from to-day we meet Adams and, as you all know, Adams has been beating us right along of late. So the suggestion has been made that it would be well for us to put against them the strongest team we have, whether that is the so-called School Team or the Independents. And it has been further suggested that in order to determine which is the better team a game be played between them on Saturday.”
Northrup sat down amid loud applause. Wellington followed and spoke to like intent, and was in turn followed by three others, a senior and two middle class fellows. The meeting was clearly in favor of the plan outlined by Northrup and when some one demanded that the captains of the two teams be asked to speak there was much clapping of hands and stamping of feet. Hopkins got up and claimed recognition.
“We all want Riverport to win the game,” he began rather listlessly, “and I think she will.”
Mild applause greeted this, while some one at the back of the hall called “That’s what you said last year!”
“But as captain of the School Eleven I resent this interference by—” he glanced across the hall—“by a lot of disgruntled fellows who have formed what they call a foot-ball team and who all this Fall have been doing all in their power to make trouble for me and my management and my team.”
“It isn’t your team!” called a voice. “It’s the School’s team, Hop!”
“It’s nonsense to suppose that a team that has played together no longer than this Independent team has can face Adams and—and win. As for playing the Independents, why, we’re willing enough to do that—”