"Yes; but he may not believe in football."

"Shucks! Of course Beck believes in football," retorted Dick.
"Doesn't his lumber yard furnish all the wooden goods that are
needed for fences, seats, and all that sort of thing up at the
athletic grounds? Doesn't Beck know that, if he said a word against
football, he never get another order for lumber from the H.S.
Alumni association. Then there's Carleson. He's one of the directors
of the railroad, therefore a big enough man to interview."

"Where does Carleson come in on hot interest in football?"

"Use your head," jibed Dick. "Doesn't his railroad have lots
of jobs transporting the football teams to other games, and bringing
other teams here? Don't mobs of fans follow the teams and pay
fare? Why, H.S. football is a dividend-payer to Carleson. Your
own editor, Pollock, will come out for us. Besides the news football
makes for 'The Blade,' just think of the profit from doing all
the poster and ticket printing for us. Then there's Henley, who
sells the team uniforms and other athletic goods _and he's one
of the aldermen_! Why, man alive, there are a score of big men
in town who can't afford to see H.S. football stopped. Here are
some of their names-----"

Dick rattled it along, giving a long list to Len Spencer, who
jotted down the names.

"Thank you; old man," said the reporter, cordially. "I'll get
these interviews, and it'll make a corking good second-day story.
Pollock says I can push this as far as I like, for it has struck