Mills, Jones, Sydney Burr, and two other assistant coaches were gathered together, and Mills was talking.

“The ‘antidote’s’ all right,” he was saying decidedly.  “If we had a team that equaled theirs in weight we could stop them short; but they’re ten pounds heavier in the line and seven pounds heavier behind it.  What can you expect?  Without the ‘antidote’ they’d have had us snowed under now; they’d have scored five or six times on us.”

“Easy,” said Jones.  “The ‘antidote’s’ all right, Burr.  What we need are men to make it go.  That’s why I say take Gillam out.  He’s played a star game, but he’s done up now.  Let Pearse take his place, play Gale as long as he’ll last, and then put in Smith.  How about Fletcher?”

“No good,” answered Mills.  “At least—­” He stopped and narrowed his eyes, as was his way when thinking hard.

“I think he’d be all right, Mr. Mills,” said Sydney.  “I—­I know him pretty well, and I know he’s the sort of fellow that will fight hardest when the game’s going wrong.”

“I thought so, too,” answered Mills; “but—­well, we’ll see.  Maybe we’ll give him a try.  Time’s up now.—­O Devoe!”

“Yes, coming!”

“Here’s your list.  Better get your men out.”

There was a hurried donning of clothing, a renewed uproar.

“All ready, fellows,” shouted the captain.  “Answer to your names: 
Kendall, Tucker, Browning, Stowell, Witter, Jewell, Devoe, Gale, Pearse,
Mason, Foster.”

“There’s not much use in talk,” said Mills, as the babel partly died away.  “I’ve got no fault to find with the work of any of you in the last half; but we’ve got to do better in this half; you can see that for yourselves.  You were a little bit weak on team-play; see if you can’t get together.  We’re going to tie the score; maybe we’re going to beat.  Anyhow, let’s work like thunder, fellows, and, if we can’t do any more, tear that confounded tackle-tandem up and send it home in pieces.  We’ve got thirty-five minutes left in which to show that we’re as good if not better than Robinson.  Any fellow that thinks he’s not as good as the man he’s going to line up against had better stay out.  I know that every one of you is willing, but some of you appeared in the last half to be laboring under the impression that you were up against better men.  Get rid of that idea.  Those Robinson fellows are just the same as you—­two legs, two arms, two eyes, a nose, and a mouth.  Go at it right and you can put them out of the play.  Remember before you give up that the other man’s just as tuckered as you are, maybe more so.  Your captain says we can win out.  I think he knows more about it than we fellows on the side-line do.  Now go ahead, get together, put all you’ve got into it, and see whether your captain knows what he’s talking about.  Let’s have a cheer for Erskine!”

Neil stood up on the bench and got into that cheer in great shape.  He was feeling better.  Mills had half promised to put him in, and while that might mean much or nothing it was ground for hope.  He trotted on to the field and over to the benches almost happily.