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Read Ebook: Change Signals: A Story of the New Football by Barbour Ralph Henry Relyea C M Charles M Illustrator
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Ebook has 1750 lines and 69923 words, and 35 pages
"I've taken this side of the room," announced Towne. "I knew you wouldn't care. Anyhow, as I was here first I had a right to change, you know."
"All right," said Kendall. "I don't care which side I have. I suppose there isn't much difference."
"No. Only I was on that side last year and I thought I'd like a change," replied the other. "Did you bring anything to fix up with, Burtis?"
"N-no, I don't think so."
Towne frowned and looked about the walls. "We'll have to get some pictures, I guess. Cooke, who roomed with me last year, had a lot of stuff, but of course he took it off with him."
"Did he graduate?" asked Kendall.
"No, he's moved into Whitson. A chap named Guild wanted him to room with him. Cooke didn't want to do it much, I guess, but Guild insisted. We'd ought to have about three good pictures over there around the windows. I'd have thought you'd have brought something along with you."
"Well, I didn't think of it," answered Kendall. "Besides, I don't believe I had anything to bring."
"You live in the country, don't you?" asked Towne.
"Yes, near Roanoke. It isn't exactly country, though. I mean there's a good many houses out our way. We're only two miles from town."
Towne laughed. "Two miles! That sounds like country to me, all right. What do you call country, Burtis? I suppose Roanoke is just a village, isn't it?"
"N-no, not exactly. It's got twenty-seven hundred inhabitants."
"Think of that! A regular metropolis, isn't it? Ever been to Bangor?"
"Yes, once; just for a day. It's a nice city, I think."
"You bet it is. That's where I live. Know where the high school is?"
"N-no, I don't think so. I wasn't there long, you see. Why?"
"I was going to tell you where I live. Our house is pretty nearly as big as this whole building."
"Gosh, it must take a lot to heat it!" exclaimed Kendall.
"It's heated with hot water," said Towne.
"Like this is?"
"No, this is steam here. Hot water's better. I guess you haven't been around much, have you?"
"Around the country you mean? No, I haven't. Have you?"
"Er--some. I'm going to California and down through Old Mexico some day soon. That's a trip for you!"
"Quite, some ways," agreed Kendall. "This is as far as I've been yet. It doesn't seem much different from Maine, either. You'd think, being as it's so much farther south, that it would be sort of--of different."
"You talk as though Connecticut was down south," laughed Towne. "It gets just as cold here in winter as it does up home. I suppose they put you in here with me because we're both from Maine."
"I guess so. And we're in the same class, too. Maybe that had something to do with it. Those books all yours?"
"Yes. I've got twenty times that many at home."
"Honest?" exclaimed Kendall. "Gosh, you must have a regular library. I'm awfully fond of books, but I haven't got many."
"What kind of books do you like?" asked Towne.
"Any kind; just books," replied Kendall simply.
"Well, there's one kind I haven't any love for, and that's text-books," said Towne, frowning at the array before him. "You could have a mighty good time here at Yardley if you didn't have to study so blamed hard."
"Y-yes, but of course a fellow expects to have to study," answered Kendall. "I don't mind that. I guess I sort of like it. Still, I want to have time enough to play football."
"Say, are you one of those athletic cranks?" demanded Towne distastefully.
"I don't believe so. I don't know anything about athletics. I'd like to play football, though. Do you play?"
"Me? Well, I guess not! You don't catch me wearing my young life away doing those stunts. A good game of tennis now and then is all right, but this thing of working like a slave for a couple of hours every afternoon and getting your bones cracked isn't my way, let me tell you! I don't mind seeing a good game sometimes, but I'm no martyr. Besides, if you make the team you have to go to training table and be just about half starved. Not for mine, thank you!"
"That so? I guess I could stand it if they'd let me play. What do you do to get on the team? Just go to the captain and tell him you want to play?"
Towne grinned delightedly at the new boy's simplicity for an instant, and then, banishing his smile quickly, nodded. "Yes," he replied carelessly, "just see the captain and tell him. And, by the way, it's a good plan to see him pretty soon; so many fellows want places, you know; they might be all gone by the time you get there. See?"
"Yes, thank you. I guess I'd better find him the first thing in the morning. I wasn't sure whether that was the way you did it. At the meeting to-night they said something about reporting on the field, and I thought maybe--"
"What's the good of waiting until morning?" asked Towne, hiding his pleasure under a grave face. "Vinton rooms just down the corridor; Number 28; why don't you run down there now and put in your application?"
"Would it be all right?" asked Kendall doubtfully. "I don't want to seem fresh, you know."
"Of course it's all right! Didn't you hear them saying to-night that they wanted all the fellows they could get? Ever played the game?"
"No, not yet. Maybe he won't want me."
"Never fear! It's new--er--new material they're always looking for. Take my advice, Burtis, and get in your application early. Have you got a blank?"
"A blank? What kind of a blank?"
"Why, an application blank, of course; to write down your name and age and so on, and what position on the team you'd like to have."
"No, could I get one to-night?"
Towne looked doubtful, and finally shook his head. "Not to-night, I'm afraid. Unless--unless Vinton has one he'll let you have. You could ask him, you know. And anyhow it won't matter, I guess. The main thing is to let him know as soon as possible. You could fill out your blank to-morrow."
"Yes, I could do that," responded Kendall eagerly. "You don't think he'd mind my seeing him now, as late as this?"
"Late! Why, it's only a little after nine. That isn't late. Don't you worry about his minding, Burtis; he will be tickled to find another fellow for the team. You see there's a good deal of difficulty here in getting candidates enough. I daresay he will sleep better for knowing that you're going to help him out."
Kendall looked at Towne a bit doubtfully, but the latter's countenance was so innocent that his misgivings passed and he pulled his jacket down and smoothed his hair.
"I--I guess I will, then," he murmured. "What did you say his name was? Winton?"
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