really and truly expected to score a triumph against the hard-playing
Marshall crowd.

To all such inquiries the boy had returned a merry answer, simply
saying:

"We're going to do our level best, and we have hopes, that's all I can
say. Tell you more about it this evening."

When he heard Big Bob calling out this request a look of real concern
flashed across Jack's face, the very first that morning. He feared
lest the other was about to spring some sort of disagreeable surprise
upon him at almost the last hour.

All along he had managed to keep Bob sort of buoyed up with constantly
renewed hope that his troubles were sure to end in smoke. But
evidently the big fellow had suffered in secret, and was in quite a
nervous state of mind.

"Certainly I can, Bob!" he exclaimed, starting to cross over to where
the other stood, looking so forlorn that had any observing fellow come
along just then and noticed the expression on his face, he might have
spread an alarm to the effect that the big fullback was ill, and
consequently there would be a weak spot in the line-up that afternoon,
as sure as anything.

"I hate ever so much to bother you, Jack, with my personal affairs,
just when, of course, you've got your hands full of the coming battle
on the gridiron; but I must ease my head or something will burst, I'm
feeling that wretched."