"Your request should have been made in proper form to the athletic association, Brown," he said, coolly. "If you choose, you can carry the matter to them. Personally, I must emphatically decline to comply with your wishes. What do you say, fellows?" He addressed the members of the nine.
A unanimous "No!" cut crisply above the buzz of conversation.
"I thought so!" exclaimed Owen Lawrence, fiercely. "Afraid, eh? Have to crawl? We want the whole school to know it."
"Not so fast, Lawrence," protested Brown. "I'm sure Mr. Steele is open to reason. What's the use of all this red tape about athletic associations? Rules may be all right in their way; but there are times when they had better be thrown on the scrap heap."
"Our policy is not determined by rules or red tape, Brown."
"What reason can you give for not playing us?"
"Now you've got him!" came in a loud tone from Lawrence.
"We're working on a definite plan," explained Roger Steele, in a conciliatory manner. "Every one of us has the interest of the school at heart; and if there are no internal dissensions the task will be easy. Our team is going to do much better than you think; it's going to improve steadily."
"An answer that is no answer," remarked Brown. "You'll be saying the same thing after the tenth consecutive defeat."
"We can't be jollied," added Lawrence.