See to it that you keep the noise up to the grade of our playing." "Mr.Confident!" teased Belle.
"Why, you know, as well as we do, that we'll come home with Fordham's scalp!" retorted, Darrin.
"You've heard some of the talk about Fordham's confidence in winning, haven't you ?" asked Laura, a bit anxiously.
"Yes," nodded Dick.

"But that doesn't mean anything.

You know the Gridley record, the Gridley spirit and confidence." "Still," objected Belle, "one side has to lose, and the Fordham boys have all the stuff ready to light bonfires on Thanksgiving night." "Have you any particular friends over in Fordham ?" asked Dave Darrin, with a sudden swift, significant look.
"No, I haven't," retorted Belle hastily.

"And I hope, with all my heart, that Gridley gains the only points that are allowed.
Yet, sometimes, so much confidence all the while seems just a bit alarming." "I won't say another word, then, until after the game," promised Darrin meekly.
"And then----- ?" "Oh, I'll turn half girl, and say 'I told you so,'" mimicked Dave good-humoredly.
It would have been hard to find anyone in Gridley who would have said openly that he expected the home boys to be beaten; but there were many who knew that they were more than a bit anxious.

Before the game, anyway, Fordham's brag was just as good as Gridley brag.
"Won't you be glad, anyway, when the Thanksgiving game is over ?" asked Laura.
"Yes, and no," smiled Prescott seriously.