Cinder Path Tales

A VIRGINIA JUMPER 149 under usual conditions would have resulted in a summary drop fromthe team, we did not take the boy at his word. We were in des­ perate need of a broad jumper, and hoped that he might get out of the rut, and pick up that extra foot or two before the games. We thought it possible, also, that in a big contest the boy might be stirred up a bit, very much to his benefit. On this April morning I talked aboutas plainly as I knew, using good old Anglo- Saxon phrases, andnot many French idioms. I would not care to see my exact words in print, and I am afraid some of the bright eyes that I hope to please with this book would open widewith surprise. A traineris given a certain license, like the driver of a yoke of oxen and the captainof a football team. I knew one of the latter who was seriously blamed because his puritanical training forbade the use of any stronger language than " board of health" when a signal was lost or the ball was dropped. Out in the open air, and among strong men, it is very easy to form the habit of using strong words on occasions like this. I told Dick, ineffect, that I had given him time and attention that rightfully belonged to other men on the team, and had nothing to show for it; that he could do better, and