Laura Bentley was the first to turn in a paper.

“Twenty dollars,” she announced, quietly, though with evident pride.

“Eleven dollars,” announced Belle Meade.

After a good many of the girls had made accounting they boys had a brief chance.

When it came Dick Prescott’s turn he spoke so quietly that those nearest him thought he said six dollars.

"Sixty dollars?" repeated Mr. Morton, more distinctly.  “The best offering yet.”

“I’ve one more,” added Prescott, in the same low voice.

“Then speak up more loudly,” directed the submaster.  “There are a lot of young people here who want to hear.”

“Here,” continued Dick, handing in another paper, “is a communication signed by the members of the city’s Common Council.  They signed as individuals.  They agree to hire the Gridley Military Band, of twenty-eight pieces, to be on hand at the Thanksgiving game and to play for our High School eleven.”

None of Dick’s partners had secured less than twenty-five dollars.

When all the subscriptions had been turned in, and the amount footed up by Coach Morton, that gentleman announced, in tones that betrayed excitement: 

“The total subscriptions amount to nineteen hundred and sixty-eight dollars.  That will put us on a fine footing for this year, and leave a good balance over for next year!”

Then the enthusiasm broke loose in earnest.  Two score of fans turned, at once, to find Dick & Co., who had started the scheme.  But Dick & Co. had quietly vanished.

Before it adjourned that night, the Athletics Committee, with the help of Captain Sam Edgeworth, found one effective way of rewarding those who had conceived this highly successful subscription campaign.

Dick Prescott was appointed cheer-master for the great Thanksgiving Day game.  More, Dick was to name any one of his chums as assistant cheer-master.

As the cheer-master bosses the noise that is so indispensable a part of the game, the honor that had come to young Prescott was no mean one.  No Gridley freshman had ever before achieved it.

Dick left to his partners the selection of assistant cheer-master. They settled on Dave Darrin.

CHAPTER XIV

ON THE GRIDIRON WITH COBBER SECOND

Once upon a time Thanksgiving Day was an orgie conducted in honor of that national bird, the turkey.

In these happier days, in every live community, the turkey must wait until the football game has been fought out.  Then the adherents of one eleven eat crow.

Gridley’s great game of the year was scheduled to begin at three o’clock.

However, a large part of the fun, at a really “big” game consists in being on hand an hour ahead of time and hearing and seeing all the fun that goes on.

Promptly at the tick of two o’clock the Gridley Band blew its first blast, to the tune of “Hail, Columbia!”