"I was obliged to say something of the sort" smiled d.i.c.k, "though I tried to say it in a way that wouldn"t hurt his feelings."
"You didn"t succeed very well in salving his feelings, if his looks gave any indication." laughed Greg Holmes quietly.
"Drayne went over to coach afterwards," added Dave Darrin. "Mr.
Morton didn"t seem to give the fellow any more satisfaction than you did, d.i.c.k."
"Who is to be quarter, anyway?" asked Harry Hazelton.
"Why, Dave is my first and last choice," Prescott answered frankly.
"But, personally, I"m not going to press him any too hard for the post."
"Why not?" challenged Greg.
"Because everyone will say that I"m playing everything in the interest of d.i.c.k & Co."
"Dave Darrin is head and shoulders above any other possibility for quarter-back," insisted Greg, with so much conviction that Darrin, with mock politeness, turned and lifted his cap in acknowledgment of the compliment.
"Then coach and the Athletics Committee are intelligent enough to find it out," answered the young football captain.
"That suits me," nodded Dave. "I want to play at quarter; yet, if I can"t make everyone concerned feel that I am the man for the job, then I haven"t made good to a sufficient extent to be allowed to carry off the honors in a satchel."
"That"s my idea, Darrin," answered d.i.c.k. "I believe you have made good, and so good at that, that I"m going to dodge any charge of favoritism, and leave it to others to see that you"re forced to take what you deserve."
"Of course I want to play this season, and I"m training hard to be at my best," said Reade. "Yet when it"s all over, and we"ve won every game, good old Gridley style, I shall feel mighty happy."
"Yes," nodded Harry Hazelton, "and the same thing here."
"That"s because you two are not only attending High School, but also trying to blaze out your future path in life," laughed Dave.
"Well, the rest of you fellows had better be serious about your careers in life," urged Tom. "It isn"t every pair of fellows, of course, who"ve been as fortunate as Harry and I."
"No; and all fellows can"t be suited by the same chances, which is a good thing," replied Prescott. "For my part, I wouldn"t find much of any cheer in the thought that I was going to be allowed to carry a transit, a chain or a leveler"s rod through life."
"Well, we don"t expect to be working in the baggage department of our profession forever," protested Harry Hazelton, with so much warmth that Dave Darrin chuckled.
Tom and Harry had decided that civil or railroad engineering, or both, perhaps, combined with some bridge building, offered them their best chances of pleasant employment in life.
Mr. Appleton, a local civil engineer with whom the pair had talked had offered to take them into his office for preliminary training.
because at the High School, Tom and Harry had already qualified in the mathematical work necessary for a start.
No practicing civil engineer in these days feels that he has the time or the inclination to take a beginner into his office and teach him all of the work from the ground up. On the other hand, a boy who has been grounded well in algebra, geometry and trigonometry may then easily enter the office of a practicing civil engineer and begin with the tools of the profession. Transit manipulation and readings, the use of the plummet line, the level, compa.s.s, rod, chain and staking work may all be learned thus and a knowledge of map drawing imparted to a boy who has a natural talent for the work.
It undoubtedly is better for the High School boy to go to a technical school for his course in civil engineering; yet with a foundation of mathematics and a sufficient amount of determination, the High School boy may go direct to the engineer"s office and pick up his profession. Boys have done this, and have afterwards reached honors in their profession.
So Tom and Harry had their future picked out, as they saw it.
As soon as they had learned enough of the rudiments, both were resolved to go out to the far West, and there to pick up more, much more, right in the camps of engineers engaged in surveying and laying railroads.
"You fellows can talk about us going to work in the baggage department of our profession," pursued Tom Meade, a slight flush on his manly face. "But, d.i.c.k, you and Dave are in the dream department, for you fellows have only a hazy notion that---perhaps---you may be able to work your way into the government academies at West Point and Annapolis. As for Greg and Dan, they don"t appear to have even a dream of what they hope to do in future."
"You fellows haven"t been spreading the news that Dave and I want to go to Annapolis and West Point, have you!" asked d.i.c.k seriously.
"Now, what do you take us for?" protested Tom indignantly "Don"t we understand well enough that you"re both trying to keep it close secret?"
As the young men turned into Main Street the merry laughter of a group of girls came to their ears.
Four of the High School girls of the senior cla.s.s had stopped to chat for a moment.
Laura Bentley and Belle Meade were there, and both turned quickly to note d.i.c.k and Dave. The other girls in the group were Faith Kendall and Jessie Vance.
"Here comes the captain who is going to spoil all of Gridley a chances this year," laughed Miss Vance.
"Hush, Jess," reproved Belle, while Laura looked much annoyed.
I see you have a wholly just appreciation of my merits, Miss Jessie,"
smiled d.i.c.k, as the boys raised their hats.
"Oh, what I said is nothing but the silly talk of him Dra-----"
began Jessie lightly, but stopped when she again found herself under the reproving glances of Laura and Belle.
d.i.c.k glanced at one of the girls in turn, his glance beginning to show curiosity.
Laura bit her lip; Belle locked highly indignant.
Prescott opened his month as though to ask a question, them closed his lips.
"I guess you might as well tell them, Laura," hinted Faith Kendall.
"Oh, nonsense." retorted Miss Bentley, flushing. "It"s nothing at all, especially coming from such a source."
"Then some one has been giving me the roasting that I plainly deserve?" laughed Captain Prescott.
"It"s all foolish talk, and I"m sorry the girls couldn"t hold their tongues," cried Laura impatiently.
"Then I won"t ask you what it was," suggested d.i.c.k, "since you don"t like to tell me voluntarily."
"You might as well, Laura," urged Faith.
"It"s that Phin-----" began Jessie.
"Do be quiet, Jess," urged Belle.
"Why," explained Laura Bentley, "Phin Drayne just pa.s.sed us, and stopped to chat when Jessie spoke to him-----"
"I didn"t," objected Miss Vance indignantly. "I only said good afternoon, and---"
"I asked Drayne if he had been out to the field for practice,"
continued Laura. "He grunted, and said he"d been out to see how badly things were going."
"Then, of course, Laura flared up and asked what he meant by such talk," broke in the irrepressible Jessie. "Then---ouch!"