Halden walked up to Dick and spoke very softly. “I’ll get you, Bates, if it takes a year!” he said.
Dick nodded. “Come on, fellows! Signals!”
Some ten minutes later Coach Driscoll found Dick on the bench while the first and second squads were taking the field for the scrimmage. “Whipple tells me you had trouble with Halden,” he said. “What was wrong, Bates!”
“He tried to hold up work arguing whether he or I was wrong about a signal I gave.”
“Who was wrong!”
“He was, sir, but that didn’t matter. He wouldn’t work. Just wanted to chew the rag. So I let him go.”
The coach smiled faintly. “You probably did right, Bates, but perhaps in future you’d better report the matter to me first. You see some fellows might question your authority.” The coach’s smile grew. “Well, I dare say Halden won’t trouble you again.” He nodded and went off. Dick looked after him thoughtfully.
“When he smiles he doesn’t look so old,” he said to himself.