So the scrimmage ended.
Russell didn’t go over to the Sign of the Football that afternoon when he left the gymnasium. Jake had rendered first aid to his swollen and extremely painful nose, but Russell didn’t quite fancy parading that disfigured feature in public. Stick appeared slightly peeved when he got back to the room, but a glimpse of his friend’s countenance seemed to restore his good humor, or so, at any rate, Russell thought. Stick received a brief and bald narrative of the affair, voiced as much sympathy as he ever voiced over the misfortunes of any one but himself and put the matter aside.
“Kincaid was in this afternoon,” he announced. Mr. Kincaid was the Physical Instructor. “Wanted prices on a lot of gymnasium stuff; dumb-bells, eight pairs of clubs, a punching-bag—quite a lot of things. I brought the list back. Told him we’d let him know to-morrow.”
“But you could have figured the prices easily enough with the catalogue,” protested Russell troubledly. “He will think we’re a funny bunch if we have to hold a conference before we quote him prices!”
“That’s all right, but we’ve got to remember that Crocker’s got everything marked away down, Rus,” replied Stick placatingly. “If we want to get this sale we’ll have to beat Crocker, I guess.”
“Do you think he went to Crocker’s, too?”
“I don’t know. He didn’t go that way when he left the store, but he may have been there first.”
“Well, we’ll give him the regular prices with the regular discounts,” said Russell. “Let’s see the list.”
Stick produced it and Russell ran his eye down the typewritten memorandum. The list was surprisingly long and represented a very neat profit for the seller. Russell pulled a pad of paper to him and began to figure tentatively, appealing to Stick at intervals when memory failed him. But Stick answered at random and seemed little interested in what, three weeks ago, would have been a stupendous affair. Russell wondered. Had Stick informed him of the conversation on Saturday with Mr. Crocker he might have understood his partner’s indifference, but Stick had been very careful to make no mention of that.