Behind the Line | Page 5

captaincy, Neil."
The boy with light hair nodded without removing his gaze from the
little flames that danced in the fireplace. They had discussed the day's
happenings thoroughly, had relived the game with St. Eustace from
start to finish, and now the big Thanksgiving dinner which they had
eaten was beginning to work upon them a spell of dormancy. It was
awfully jolly, thought Neil Fletcher, to just lie there and watch the
flames and--and--He sighed comfortably and closed his eyes. At eight
o'clock he, with the rest of the victorious team, was to be drawn about

the town in a barge and cheered at, but meanwhile there was time to
just close his eyes--and forget--everything--
There was a knock at the study door.
"Go 'way!" grunted Neil.
"Oh, come in," called Paul Gale, without, however, removing his
drowsy gaze from the ceiling or changing his position.
"I beg your pardon. I am looking for Mr. Gale, and--"
Paul dropped his legs over the side of the couch and sat up, blinking at
the visitor. Neil followed his example. The caller was a carefully
dressed man of about thirty-five, scarcely taller than Neil, but broader
of shoulder. Paul recognized him, and, rising, shook hands.
"How do you do, Mr. Brill? Glad to see you. Sit down, won't you? I
guess we were both pretty nigh asleep when you knocked."
"Small wonder," responded the visitor affably. "After the work you did
this afternoon you deserve sleep, and anything else you want." He laid
aside his coat and hat and sank into the chair which Paul proffered.
"By the way," continued the latter, "I don't think you've met my friend,
Neil Fletcher. Neil, this is Mr. Brill, of Robinson; one of their coaches."
The two shook hands.
"I'm delighted to meet the hero--I should say one of the heroes--of the
day," said Mr. Brill. "That run was splendid; the way in which you two
fellows got your speed up before you reached the line was worth
coming over here to see, really it was."
"Yes, Paul set a pretty good pace," answered Neil.
The visitor discussed the day's contest for a few minutes, during which
Neil glanced uneasily from time to time at the clock, wondered what
the visitor wanted there, and heartily wished he'd take himself off. But
presently Mr. Brill got down to business.

"You know we've had a little victory in football ourselves this fall," he
was saying. "We won from Erskine by 17 to 6 last week, and we're
feeling rather stuck up over it."
"Wait till next year," said Neil to himself, "and you'll get over it."
"And that," continued the coach, "brings me to the object of my call
tonight. Frankly, we want you two fellows at Robinson College, and
I'm here to see if we can't have you." He paused and smiled engagingly
at the boys. Neil glanced surprisedly at Paul, who was thoughtfully
examining the scars on his knuckles. "Don't decide until I've explained
matters more clearly," went on the visitor. "Perhaps neither of you have
been to Collegetown, but at least you know about where Robinson
stands in the athletic world, and you know that as an institution of
learning it is in the front rank of the smaller colleges; in fact, in certain
lines it might dispute the place of honor with some of the big ones.
"To the fellow who wants a college where he can learn and where, at
the same time, he can give some attention to athletics, Robinson's
bound to recommend itself. I mention this because you know as well as
I do that there are colleges--I mention no names--where a born football
player, such as either of you, would simply be lost; where he would be
tied down by such stringent rules that he could never amount to
anything on the gridiron. I don't mean to say that at Robinson the
faculty is lax regarding standing or attendance at lectures, but I do say
that it holds common-sense views on the subject of college athletics,
and does not hound a man to death simply because he happens to
belong to the football eleven or the crew.
"Robinson is always on the lookout for first-class football, baseball, or
rowing material, and she believes in offering encouragement to such
material. She doesn't favor underhand methods, you understand; no
hiring of players, no free scholarships--though there are plenty of them
for those who will work for them--none of that sort of thing. But she is
willing to meet you half-way. The proposition which I am authorized to
make is briefly this"--the speaker leaned forward, smiling frankly, and
tapped a forefinger on the palm of his other hand--"If you, Mr. Gale,
and you, Mr. Fletcher, will enter Robinson next September,

the--ah--the athletic authorities will