“Didn’t think anyone would care!” exclaimed Black, seating himself on an arm of the Morris chair and viewing Clint with astonishment.  “How the dickens do you suppose we can turn out a team if we don’t care whether fellows report or not?  Suppose the others thought that, Thayer, and stayed away!”

“I meant that—­that I’m not much use out there and it didn’t seem to me that it mattered very much if I stayed away once.  I’m sorry, though, if I’ve done wrong.”

“Well, that’s all right,” returned Black, mollified.  “If you didn’t know, that’s different.  Only another time you’d better see Mr. Robey and get permission to cut.  You see, Thayer, at this time of year we need all the fellows we can get.  Maybe you think you’re not very important out there, but that isn’t the way of it at all.  Everyone counts.  You are all—­ah—­you are all parts of the—­ah—­machine, if you see my drift, Thayer, and if one part is missing, why—­ah—­Well, you see what I mean?”

“Yes, of course.  I’ll remember the next time.”

“Well, I wouldn’t let there be any next time if I were you.  To be frank, Thayer, Robey doesn’t like fellows to cut.  If you do it much he’s awfully likely to tell you to—­ah—­stay away altogether!”

“Well, in my case—­” began Clint, with a smile.

“Now today,” went on Black, “Robey wanted you for the second when Tyler got hurt and you weren’t there and we had to play a second squad half-back at tackle.  Robey didn’t like it and jumped on me about it.  And of course I had to tell him that I hadn’t given any cuts.  I’m not supposed to, anyway, but he seemed to think that maybe I had.  If you don’t mind, Thayer, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to tell him if he asks you that you were—­ah—­sick, you know.”

“Do you mean,” asked Clint incredulously, “that he wanted me to play on the second this afternoon?”

“Yes, you see Tyler got an awful bat on the head and he’s out of the game for several days, I guess.  It’s none of my business, in a way, of course, but, if you don’t mind me saying so, Thayer, it’s a poor idea to let chances get by.  If you’d been there today you might have had a slice of luck and found yourself on the second for keeps.  A fellow’s got to be on the qui vive all the time and not miss any chances, old chap.”

“I reckon that’s so,” agreed Clint regretfully.  “You don’t think he will want me for the second tomorrow, Black?”

“Oh, maybe.  You be there, anyhow.  And if he asks you you’d better fake sickness, I think.”

“I dare say he won’t remember by tomorrow,” said Clint.  “But if he does—­”

“Don’t bank on that,” replied Black, shaking his head.  “Robey has a fierce memory.  You’ll find that out for yourself if you stay around awhile longer.”

“If I do,” murmured Clint.

“Well, I think you will unless you get Robey down on you by too many cuts.”

“Really?” Clint asked eagerly.