Mr. Foote had a few words to say which no one paid much attention to—except the fellows on the platform, who had to appear polite. Then it was Phin’s turn again. After a welcoming cheer had died away, he announced the enforced absence of the manager, and begged the indulgence of the audience for his inexperience. The audience was becoming waked up by that time—there is nothing like cheering to start the enthusiasm—and there were cries of “You’re all right, Phin!” “Speak out, Phin!” “Don’t be coy!” Hansel, sitting with other members of the team in the front row, thought Phin looked unusually serious. It couldn’t be on account of nervousness, Hansel said to himself, for Phin was quite used to talking in public; and the steady, untroubled gaze of his hazel eyes proved that supposition false.
“Last year,” said Phin, “we raised five hundred and forty-three dollars and seventy-five cents at the mass meeting. It was a good sum, and it carried the team through the season and left a small balance on the right side. This balance has, however, been already expended and the management has been obliged to go somewhat into debt. I am informed that a larger sum will be necessary this year. Before asking for it I am going to read to you the manager’s report for last year, in order that you will know in what manner the money you gave has been used.”
There were signs of uneasiness on the part of several of the fellows, and Bert strove to catch Phin’s eye. But Phin didn’t look in his direction as he took the sheet of paper from his pocket and spread it open. The report wasn’t especially exciting; so much for football paraphernalia; so much for maintenance of the gridiron; so much for traveling expenses; and so on. At the beginning of the present season there had been left on hand ninety-three dollars and forty cents.
“Of this sum,” continued Phin calmly, “thirty dollars and forty cents has gone for footballs, repairs on the tackling machine, and incidental expenses. The sum of sixty dollars has gone——”
“Mr. Chairman!” Bert was on his feet claiming attention.
“Mr. Middleton!” said the chairman.
“It doesn’t seem to me that this sort of thing is interesting. We are here for the purpose of raising funds for the team, and I think we ought to go ahead and do it. There are quite a number of us who have other engagements this evening and want to get away. Besides, it has not been the custom heretofore to go into uninteresting facts regarding the accounts. Nobody, I’m sure, doubts the trustworthiness of the manager. I move that we proceed to business.”
“Does Mr. Dorr insist on finishing the report?” asked Field.
“Not if the meeting doesn’t care to listen to it,” answered Phin suggestively.