Among these were Clausen and Cloud, their mouths prepared for the burst of ironical laughter that was expected to follow the country boy's effort.
"Drop or punt ?" asked the latter, as he settled the oval in a rather ample hand.
"Which can you kick best ?" questioned Blair.

The youth considered a moment.
"I guess I can punt best." He stepped back, balancing the ball in his right hand, took a long stride forward, swung his right leg in a wide arc, dropped the ball, and sent it sailing down the field toward the distant goal.

A murmur of applause took the place of the derisive laugh, and Blair glanced curiously at the former right end-rush of the Felton Grammar School.
"Yes, that's pretty fair.

Some day with hard practice you may make a kicker." Several of the older fellows smiled knowingly.

It was Blair's way of nipping conceit in the bud.