“I don’t see why,” Fudge objected.
“Think a minute,” answered Dick gently. “The quarter kneels to hold the ball and then runs with it. The opponent might think once that it was a bona-fide placement-kick, Fudge, but the next time he would be on the lookout. And instead of getting sucked in he’d watch the quarter and his backs would go through outside of tackle and smear the pass. But never mind that. It looks promising for a one-time play and, I believe, it’s going to be just what we will want on Saturday. I only wish you’d thought of it before, Fudge.”
“So do I. But, say, I’ve got another one——”
“Save it for next season,” laughed Dick. “There’s no time to teach more plays now. What’s the matter with your ear?”
“Some idiot kicked it, I guess.” Fudge felt of it cautiously and winced.
“Better bathe it. It’s pretty well swollen. Well, thanks for the play, Fudge.”
There was a mass-meeting in assembly hall that evening and the fellows sang and cheered enthusiastically until, at nine, Lanny and Dick appeared and mounted the platform. Lanny spoke first. He had a simple, direct way of talking that pleased his hearers, and to-night, although he said nothing very new, he managed to work the meeting into a fine frenzy. Cheers followed, repeated over and over, and then Dick arose and faced a new tumult. He couldn’t help but contrast this greeting with that which had met him at that former meeting, and the thought brought a smile to his face. When the cheers had subsided he spoke:
“Fellows, there isn’t much anyone can say on the eve of a big game; and, anyhow, Captain White has got ahead of me. I do want to thank you personally, though, just as White thanked you on behalf of the team, for the splendid support you have given us all season.” A few chuckles were heard. “I want to thank you too for your—for the good feeling you’ve shown me. I appreciate it. And I want to tell you that it has made a difference; helped more than you can possibly realize. I don’t want to seem to be asking for credit for whatever share I’ve had in the development of the team, but I do want to say to you that when I undertook this job I didn’t appreciate what it meant. It’s been—well, it’s been hard work, fellows; harder work than I expected. And there have been lots of discouraging moments. And that’s why I say that you’ve helped me, just as you’ve helped us all, by letting me know, as you have let me know, that you had confidence in me in spite of my—my limitations.”
“Now, fellows, your part—your share in this isn’t done yet. It won’t be done until the final horn squawks Saturday afternoon. You can do a lot from now on, quite as much as you’ve done already. I want you not only to believe thoroughly that we’re going to win, but I want you to make the team understand that you believe it, and I want you—I ask you particularly to make Springdale know that you believe it. There’s a lot of talk nowadays about psychology—whatever that is—and some of it’s probably poppycock. But I firmly believe that there’s such a thing as so impressing the adversary with your confidence that he will be affected by it. It isn’t just a theory, either; I’ve seen it work out more than once!”