"Yet that bunch of fellows contains some of the material that is needed in putting forth the best High School team this year!" "Humph!" commented Dave disgustedly.

"Yet, Dick, I was almost surprised that you would stop and listen, without letting the fellows know you were there." "It does seem sneaky, at first thought," Prescott admitted, almost shamefacedly.
"Hold on there!" ordered Dave.

"I don't believe you'd do a thing like that, Dick Prescott, unless you had an honorable reason for it." "I did it because the honor of the High School is so precious to me---to us all," Dick replied.

"We want to put forth a winning team, as Gridley High School has always done.

Now, these 'soreheads' aim to defeat that by keeping a few of the best players off the eleven.