“Why not? What’s the idea?”
“Well, I don’t believe he cares for it any more. He’s a funny duck, McNatt. I guess it would take a lot of persuasion to get him back.”
“But I thought from what you said that he wanted to try it,” said Joe, puzzled. “What does he want?”
“To be let alone, I think,” answered Willard, smiling. “No, the idea was mine, Joe. McNatt hasn’t any more ambition to play football than I have to—to collect mushrooms! But when he told me about having played full-back I remembered that we are hard up for a fellow for that position, and so I came over here to speak to you about it.”
“Well, dog my cats,” exploded Joe, “if the fellow can play football it’s his duty to do it! Doesn’t he know that? Where is he? I’ll have a talk with him. I don’t suppose he’s worth bothering with, but there’s always a chance! And we can’t afford to miss it!”
“What are you going to say to him?” asked Willard.
“Say to him? Why, that we need his services, of course. I’ll tell him that if he shows up decently he will stand a good chance of playing against Kenly. I guess that ought to fetch him.”
“That might fetch some fellows, Joe, but I’m afraid it wouldn’t fetch McNatt.” Willard shook his head gently. “I may be wrong, but I guess he’s about as stubborn as they make them. You know you can tell a lot about a fellow’s—er—character by his physical formation, Joe, and McNatt’s got long legs and—and everything.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” answered the other impatiently, “but, stubborn or not, he will play football if I get after him!”