“He was. I guess he was the most popular fellow we’ve ever had here. You want to speak soft and cast your eyes down when you mention him. He’s a sort of Saint, Saint Ginger!” And Tad chuckled. “Funny your name should be the same though,” he went on presently, when they had paused at the inner edge of the running track and Tad had acknowledged the salutations of numerous comrades. “He doesn’t happen to be a relation of yours, does he?”
“This Ginger chap? Why, do I look like him?” Rodney smiled.
“I’ve only seen his pictures, but――but I kind of think you do――just a little. Still I guess if you were related to him you’d know it. So would we,” he added with a laugh. “You’d be likely to mention it!”
“Who’s the tall fellow in the funny sweater?” asked Rodney.
“That’s Doyle. He’s captain. What’s the matter with the sweater?”
“It’s just faded. It used to be light green. I suppose you know that the school colors are green and gray? Green for the maple trees and gray for the rocks.”
“Punk! Red and blue. There’s Cotting, our coach. They say he discovered Ginger Merrill.”
“Why, saw that he had the making of a good player and――and trained him. Taught him all he knew, they say.”
“Rot!” said Rodney. “Stanley knew football before he ever saw Maple Hill!”
“Well, I don’t know. That’s what I heard.” Tad swung around suddenly and stared at his companion. “Look here, how the dickens do you know so much about Ginger Merrill?” he demanded in surprise.
“Why――you told me about him, didn’t you?”
“I didn’t tell you his name was Stanley, I’d forgotten it, they always call him Ginger; I didn’t tell you he knew football when he came here.”
“Didn’t you? I suppose――I’ve heard lots of fellows speak of him. What’s Cotton doing?”
“His name is Cotting,” answered Tad, still eyeing Rodney speculatively. Finally, when the other had refused to meet his glance, he turned to look at the coach. “He’s taking the fellow’s names. A lot of them are new boys. Why don’t you have a try, Rod?”
“No good. Besides I’m a bit young yet for the team.”
“Cotting likes to catch them young. Stacey began in his first year, and now look at him.”
“I mean look where he is on the team. Only a Third Form fellow and first string quarterback!”
“Do you mean Stacey Trowbridge?” asked Rodney in surprise.