"The unexpectedness of it was what got me," added Tom. "How'd you feel about it, Blake?"
"Pretty badly, until the last few days," admitted Charlie.
"You've both done rattling good work this afternoon," put in the coach, encouragingly. "Keep it up."
"No one will ever see me play such a game as I did last time," said Tom.
"We are finding our batting eye, too," remarked Dave. "With a couple more weeks' practice we ought to be right on edge."
"I notice the 'outlaws' are not working to-day," said "Jack Frost." "Guess it means they're still busy for the good of the school. But don't let it worry any one."
The staunch Somers partisans who witnessed the practice were much pleased. And they industriously spread this fact broadcast.
When the students gathered in the assembly room next morning they expected to hear only the usual introductory remarks from President Hopkins. The head of the school, however, instead of dismissing them at the customary moment, rose from his seat at a desk and advanced to the edge of the platform.
"Boys," he said, in an earnest tone, "I wish to speak to you about certain matters which I find are dividing the school into two factions, and, I regret to say, causing considerable ill-feeling."
A murmur of suppressed excitement, which found relief in muffled "Oh's!" and "Ah's!" spread through the hall.