Pop shrugged his big shoulders. “So he was until a while back. He started off finely. There isn’t a better half-back on a prep school team today than Bert Winslow when he’s playing right. But he hasn’t been playing right for nearly a month. Well, three weeks, anyway. What a fellow has done doesn’t count much. It’s what he’s doing and can do. Frankly, Duke, if you keep on getting a little better every day, as you’ve been doing, you’ll play against Mount Morris as sure as I’m a foot high; perhaps not all through, but half the game, anyway. You take my advice and quit worrying about things. Just put everything out of your mind but playing half and try like the dickens!”
“I don’t know that I want to do that, though, if I’m crowding Bert out and——”
“Piffle! If you don’t crowd him out Jack Zanetti will, or Billy Siedhof, unless he gets a move on and fights for his place. Nick and I were talking about it last night and Nick wanted me to give Bert a hint. But what’s the use? He knows it as well as I do. He’d only tell me to mind my own business. Quite right, too. So I’m going to.”
“Then you think I ought to keep on?”
“Of course. What else? We’re here to lick Mount Morris, aren’t we? If you can help, it’s up to you to do it. Be as sorry for Bert as you like, but don’t let it interfere with your game, Hugh. It’s up to him.”
The entrance of Roy Dresser put an end to the topic, and presently Hugh went back to Lothrop. Bert was not there, for which Hugh was glad. He got ready for bed, found a magazine to read and crawled in. But the magazine lay face-down on the spread, for the talk with Pop Driver had provided him with material for much perplexed meditation.
CHAPTER XXIII
IN THE LIME-LIGHT
The next morning Bert had apparently forgotten his grievance, although he looked as if he had spent an unrestful night and was fidgety and troubled. Hugh saw little of him until practice time. That afternoon there was only light work for the players and the scrimmage with the second team was short, if lively. Bert and Zanetti started the game and later Bert went out in favor of Hugh, and Zanetti gave way to Vail. The latter seemed as good as ever today and went to work with a will. Hugh, during the time he was in the game, had few opportunities for offensive work but made one good rush of some ten yards when he was let loose outside left tackle. Siedhof played a few minutes in Hugh’s place at the end of the scrimmage.
The first showed the effect of the week’s work and undoubtedly displayed a better defence than theretofore. During the fifteen minutes of actual playing time it scored twice on the second and held its opponent safe.