sorry to say, try to hurl yourselves through the air like a catapult,
when the rules of the game say plainly that a tackle is only fair and
square so long as one foot remains in contact with the ground."

So Joe Hooker had been laying down the law to his charges every decent
afternoon, when school was out, for going on two weeks now. He seemed
to feel very much encouraged over the progress made by a number of the
boys.

Already he had weeded out three aspirants for honors on the eleven,
who had shown no genuine aptitude for the exciting game where headwork
and footwork combined go to bring success.

Others feared the coach had his eagle eye fastened on them, being
doubtless conscious-stricken with the knowledge that they were not in
their element. Indeed, it was no unusual thing to hear one of these
boys say to his mates that he hardly knew whether he cared to try for
the squad after all; which admission would serve to let him down
gracefully in case his suspicions were later on confirmed.

But there were others who developed wonderfully under the friendly
instruction of the one-time star player. Among them, besides the tall
chap, Joel Jackman, might be mentioned a number of boys whose
acquaintance the reader of other volumes in this series has already
formed.

There was Jack Winters, looked upon as a leader in all sports, and
late captain of the baseball nine; it seemed to be already taken for
granted that he was bound to be given some position on the gridiron,
for Jack seemed to have a wonderful faculty for getting the best out