Frank Armstrong, Drop Kicker

by Matthew M. Colton

  CHAPTER XIII.

  FRANK'S FOOTBALL EDUCATION.

  It is needless to say that the attempt of the society of Gamma Tauto gather Frank and Jimmy into its fold in order to put a curb upontheir growing popularity, failed, in spite of the fact that it hadbeen advanced with the greatest care. The most persuasive members ofthe Campaign Committee, as it was called, had been sent to the tworooms in Honeywell Hall, and the glib-tongued committee men, afterclearing out all but the intended candidates, used every argument.

  "What possible objection can you have to taking an election toGamma?" said the chief of the Gamma expedition to Frank. "Gamma isthe oldest and most powerful society in the School, and runs abouteverything here," he added. It was an unfortunate slip of the tongueand gave Frank his chance.

  "That's just the trouble with Gamma. As you say it runs everything,and as far as I can judge, it doesn't run anything very well."

  "That's a rather bold thing for a Second-year boy to say," suggestedone of the trio. "Most of your class would be mighty glad to get achance to come into it."

  "I can't help it," returned Frank. "I mean what I say. I am only aSecond-year boy as you have told me, but I've been here long enoughto know my way around. I can see very plainly that Gamma is nothelping the School, but hurting it, and I always supposed that themain business of a Society was to help the School and not the membersof the Society."

  "But all the big fellows are with us," said Hastings, a boy who hadbeen elected because his roommate played on the eleven, but whohimself was not an important part of the school life.

  "They may be big on the athletic teams, but I don't see that they aredoing much else. Why don't you take in some one besides the athleticfellows? There's my roommate, David Powers, or Gleason, they bothhave more brains than I have."

  "No, we want you to come first. They will come later, if you come."

  "Oh, so that's it, is it? Well, gentlemen," said Frank, with so muchdetermination that the committee men gave him up as a bad job, "Iappreciate the honor you offer me, but I think I can do more for theSchool by staying outside. Some day I hope to see the Gamma recognizethe boys for what they are worth, and not for the distance they canpunt a football or throw a baseball. It used to be that way, and if Ican help in my little way to putting it back that way, I'll do so."

  "This is your last chance, you know," said Hastings. "If you turn usdown this time you can never wear the Gamma pin."

  "Well, I guess I can never wear it, then, for I wouldn't agree withGamma about most things. It is better for all of us."

  "All right, it's settled," said Hastings, "but you're going to be asorry kid some day."

  "I doubt it," said Frank shortly.

  And that ended the interview. Nearly the same thing was repeated inTurner's room, for Jimmy and Frank were one in their determinationnot to be drawn into the society, as they knew that once in it theywould have to be governed by it, and that didn't suit their fancy atall.

  Dixon and Wheeler were furious when it was reported to them thatboth boys had again turned down the invitation. "They'll regretthat to the day of their death!" Chip stormed. "The impudent littleupstarts! The Gamma will smash them, see if it don't." Wheeler saidnothing, but the scowl on his face boded no good for our friends inHoneywell Hall.

  Two days after the interview in Frank's room, and when the classbaseball series was in full swing, Frank was sent for by BostonWheeler and told to report on the football squad the next afternoon.

  The Codfish was wild. "It's as plain as the nose on your face," hesaid to Lewis, "what they're after; they're going to bury him on thatfootball squad, hold him there and finally give him no chance at all."

  The subject of the discussion appeared at that moment, and theCodfish whipped around on him. "Are you going down on the gridiron?"

  "No help for it," said Frank gloomily. "Wheeler came over himselfto-night and told me to come down. I told him I was no good, buthe insisted that they needed a punter. Horton, also, has suddenlydiscovered that I'm a kicker."

  "I'd refuse," snorted the Codfish.

  "And get the School down on me? No, I can't do that. If they reallywant me I'll be glad to help. And if I can't, I've got to take mymedicine and have neither the fun of our baseball series nor theglory of football. I'm going to try hard to develop myself especiallyfor drop kicking. Gamma or no Gamma, it is the Queen's School elevenand not the Gamma eleven. I'd be a pig not to do what I can to help,little as it may be."

  "Well, maybe you're right," reluctantly admitted the Codfish, "but Ihaven't your forgiving nature. Hey," he called to David, who had justcome into the room, "Frank's going to shyster the baseball end of itand go down to the gridiron just because Wheeler wants him. What doyou think about it?"

  "Just one thing. He can't do anything else."

  "All right, then, down goes the house of baseball, because there'snot another pitcher on the staff of the Piratical Pippins to make adent in a pound of butter at six feet."

  It was indeed with great reluctance that the captains of the baseballnines heard of the break that had been made in their ranks. Practicefell off materially in the following few days, and before the endof the week the nines had disbanded, at sight of which the leadersof Gamma grinned to themselves. So far their plan was working well.Frank's opportunity had been smashed, and they promised themselvesthat he would not have another one if they could help it.

  Frank, although called over to the football squad, was lost in theruck. He had missed nearly two weeks of practice, which in so shorta season as football is a serious matter. Once he was sent in at endon the Second team but did not distinguish himself. In the puntingand drop kicking, which was taken before regular practice, he showedan aptitude. Horton began to take more notice of him, and on severaloccasions took him aside and coached him on the proper step and swingof his leg in meeting the ball. Dixon did not relish these attentionsto Frank, and did all in his power to keep him out of the practice.

  At night in the room Jimmy labored with Frank and endeavored to teachhim what he knew of the play of a half-back. Jimmy was considered thebest back on the Queen's eleven. Thick-set, stocky, short, strong ofleg and thick of neck, and with a trick of running low, he was hardto stop. He was fast, too, because he never took any roundabout wayfor the hole that was opened for him, and when the hole wasn't openfor him he often made it himself by sheer strength. On defense he wasa regular demon. Wherever the ball was, there might be found Jimmy'sflaming top-knot. Never for a moment was he deceived by any tricksthat the opponents might play. His eye was glued to that ball, and hewas always in front of it.

  So, with this knowledge, Jimmy proved a good and patient teacher, andalways after supper the center of the study was cleared of tablesand chairs, and Frank and Jimmy worked for half an hour or so witha ball before taking up the regular lessons. Frank learned quicklyand, when he had a chance, put his knowledge into operation. Inthis, what might be called secret practice, Frank learned to handlethe ball quickly without fumbling it, to shift it rapidly from handto arm-pit, and to take just the right position on his feet. It wassurprising how much skill he was able to acquire in the narrow spaceof a room.

  Once Jimmy, in illustrating how the offensive half-back could helphis tackle, pressed Lewis and the Codfish and David into service.

  "Now, Lewis, you are the opposing guard. Stand here," commanded Jimmy.

  Lewis was dragged into position, protesting, and assumed the attitudeof a crouching guard with his hands on his knees.

  "And you now, Coddy, you stand here at his right. You're thedefensive tackle."

  "Good!" said the defensive tackle. "It's a pleasant job, how much doI get?"

  "You'll get all that's coming to you in a minute."

  "It won't rumple up my hair, will it?"

  "No, don't stand too far out there. That's it, keep your place andlook pleasant. Now, Frank, you're the right half-back and you've gotto carry the ball. Here, David, you snap it back; you don't need toget down, just face Frank an
d toss it to him. That's it, right therewhere you are. Now I'll give the signal. Remember, Frank, you crossover behind me. I'm going to help the offensive tackle to block offhis opponent. You see I haven't any offensive tackle or guard here,but it will do to illustrate. Now, ready all!"

  Jimmy yelled this last as if he were outside on the football field,so earnest was he in his work. David snapped or tossed the ball toFrank, who dashed across behind Jimmy. Jimmy threw himself againstthe unresisting opposing "tackle" and "guard." Over they went likenine pins, Lewis fetching up in the fireplace and the Codfish underthe window seat!

  There was a howl of laughter from Frank, David and Jimmy, but itwasn't echoed by the defensive "tackle" and "guard." Instead theypicked themselves up very carefully and felt of themselves.

  "Where's the automobile that hit me?" said the Codfish, in a ruefultone, feeling his shins tenderly.

  "Some one get a shovel, please," groaned Lewis, "and dig these ashesout of my left ear." He was a sight.

  "All right!" yelled Jimmy, "line up quick, and I'll show you how thecross-buck ought to be played!"

  "Oh, no you don't," said the Codfish, edging away. "You can't show mea cross-buck or a tame-buck or a golden-buck or any other kind of abuck this evening. I've had all I want of football instructions. Ifyou and Frank want to continue your jolly little game, go and borrowa few saw-horses."

  "Why, what's the matter?" inquired Jimmy innocently, while Frankstood holding the ball and grinning.

  "I have nothing to say about Lewis, but if you imagine I'm a choppingblock," grumbled the Codfish, whose hair had been seriously rumpledand his immaculate clothes mussed up, which he didn't relish a bit,"you have six more guesses and you'll never get one of them right."

  "Oh, I say," said Jimmy, "this is in the interests of science, youknow. We've got to teach Frank football, somehow."

  "You can teach him anyhow," said the Codfish, "but you can't make aRoman holiday out of me again. Science is all right, but it can'tbe allowed to flourish at the expense of my dignity. Look at ourpoor friend, Lewis Carroll." The sight was so comical that even theCodfish got over his grouch and laughed.

  "That's what we get every day," said Jimmy. "I wonder if the Schoolknows how many hard knocks its football players get. You've got totake what's coming to you without a whimper. If a fellow is tenderhe better keep out of football."

  "Or out of the fireplace, eh, Lewis?" cried the Codfish.

  "Or from under the window seat," retorted Lewis, who by this time hadmade himself again presentable by a liberal supply of soap and water.

  There was no more football practice that evening; and thereafterwhen the floor space was cleared away for Jimmy's illustration ofthe tactics of the back field, the Codfish and Lewis always found itconvenient to be absent on important business.

  The fall drew on with rapid pace. Sometimes the football eleven ofQueen's seemed to be getting together, but it was only seeming; for,lacking the right spirit, the eleven had no fight in it. CaptainWheeler often chafed at the interference of his quarter-back, ChipDixon, whose bitter feeling toward Frank he could not understand.

  Dixon had forgotten Frank's generous attitude the night of thesupposed drowning of Tommy Brown in the Gamma initiation, andremembered only that Frank had beaten him out in several of hisambitions. It seemed to be forever in his mind that Frank had beatenWarwick with the Freshman nine, and he lost no opportunity to hurthim in the eyes of the coach and the rest of the players.

  But, in spite of his disadvantages and of the scant attention he goton the field, Frank continued to improve. Under the loving coachingof Jimmy at night and much observation and practice on the field,he forged ahead in the knowledge of the game; and once, called inby Horton to replace the full-back when the School eleven held theSecond on its five-yard line, he kicked a neat goal from the field.

  "Good boy!" said Horton that night, as the teams trudged off to thegymnasium. "You are getting the knack of it. I'd give good money ifyou were twenty pounds heavier. But you'll grow. Keep at it, andyou'll surely get a chance at the eleven next year."

  This praise from the coach, heard by Dixon, rankled in the latter'sheart. He set to work planning for an overthrow of Frank's hope, theresults of which will be seen later on. Dixon was so busy workingoff his grudge or trying to do it, that he played poor ball, much tothe exasperation of Coach Horton. The next day after Frank's dropkick, Chip was warned for a rough and ugly piece of work in thepractice, and after some words with the Coach, was sent to the sidelines in disgrace. Walker, the little quarter on the Second team,was pulled over to the position at quarter on the first team, and tothe astonishment of every one, the coach, after running his eye overthe possible candidates to fill the quarter's position on the Secondeleven, ordered Frank to take his place. "He handles the ball like aflash," said Horton, in defense of what he had done, when the Captainprotested; "he's as fast as lightning and, if my dope isn't wrong,he'll make a dandy quarter. He's too light to play anywhere else.We'll give him a trial."

  Horton's change proved to be a stroke of genius, for Frank, althoughnot well acquainted with the signals or accustomed to the place,proved to have a natural aptitude for the position, and it was onlya few days till he began to find himself. His punting, although notgreat in distance, was accurate, and so quick were his movements thathe put a life and ginger in the Second team which brought about avastly different condition on the field. Dixon was finally recalledto his old position on the School eleven, but Frank had improved somuch that Walker came back to the Second as Frank's substitute.

  Jimmy was overjoyed at the turn affairs had taken, and every minutethat he had to spare from lessons he coached Frank on tricks of theback-field play. For hours together the two worked on the handling ofthe ball from center, Jimmy playing center, of course. Frank improvedwith wonderful rapidity. His baseball playing helped him in handlingthe ball, and as the season advanced he began to rival, except inexperience, the resourceful Dixon himself. He had even an advantageof the latter, for he could punt and drop kick as well.