CHAPTER V

“Brass” for an Armor Plate

Thursday night and Friday morning more copies of the betrayed signals poured in upon Captain Dick.

Wherever these signals had been received by captains of other school teams, it soon appeared, these captains of rival elevens had punctually mailed them back.  It spoke volumes for the honor of the American schoolboy, for Gridley High School was feared far and wide on the gridiron, and there was not an eleven in the state but would have welcomed an honorable way of beating Prescott’s men.

Moreover, working on Dick’s suggestion, Mr. Morton busied himself with securing several letters that had been received from Drayne’s father.

These letters were compared, Friday evening, with the copies of the signals that had been sent to other elevens.  Under a magnifying glass these collected papers all exhibited one fact that the letters and the copies of the signal code had been struck off on a machine having the same peculiarities as to worn faces of certain types.  It was thus rather clearly established that Phin Drayne must have used the typewriting machine that stood in his father’s office.

Drayne was not at school on Friday.  Instead, an excuse of illness was received from him.

Nor did Mr. Morton say anything to Dr. Thornton, the principal, until the end of the school week.

Just after school had been dismissed, at one o’clock Friday afternoon, Mr. Morton called Dr. Thornton to the private office, and there laid before him the charges and the proofs.

That fine old gentleman was overwhelmed with grief that “one of his boys” should have done such an utterly mean, wanton and dishonorable thing.

“This can’t be passed by, Mr. Morton,” exclaimed Dr. Thornton brokenly.  “If you will kindly leave the proofs in my hands, I will see that the whole matter is taken up officially.”

Friday afternoon the football squad met for more practice with the new signals.  Friday evening each young man who was scheduled as being even likely to play the next day studied over the signals at home, then, under orders, burned his copy of the code.  Saturday morning the squad met for some more practice, though not much.

“I believe all of us are in trim now, sir,” Captain Prescott reported to the coach.  “I am rather sure all of our men know the new signals by heart, and there’ll be no confusion.  But, of course, for the first game, the old snap of our recent practice will be missing.  It has been a hard blow to us.”

“If we have to lose to-day’s game,” muttered Mr. Morton, “I’ll be almost satisfied to lose it to Tottenville, after the manly and straightout conduct of Mr. Jarvis!”

“That same line of thought would make us content to go through a losing season, for all the fellows in other towns who received that betrayed code sent the information right back to us,” smiled Prescott.  “But we’re not going to lose to-day’s game, Mr. Morton, nor any other day’s.  Drayne’s treachery has just about crazed the other fellows with anger.  They’ll win everything ahead of ’em, now, just for spite and disgust, if for no better reason.”