"Probably that isn't what ails me, sir," Dave answered flushing.
"After all, sir, probably I'm just beginning to go stale. If
I can't shake it off no doubt I had better be retired from the
Navy eleven."
"Don't you believe it!" almost shouted coach. "Mr. Darrin, you
will simply have to brace! Give us all the best that's in you,
and don't for one instant allow any personal disappointments to
unfit you. You'll do that, won't you?"
"Yes, sir."
Darrin certainly tried hard enough. Yet just as certainly the
Navy's boosters shook their heads when they watched Darrin's work
on the field.
"He has gone stale," they said. "The very worst thing that could
happen to the Navy this year!"
Then came the first game of the season---with Lehigh. Darrin
roused himself all he could, and his playing was very nearly up
to what might have been expected of him---though not quite.
The visitors got away with a score of eight to five against the Navy.
Next week the Lehighs went to West Point and suffered defeat at
the hands of the Army.
The news sent gloom broadcast through the Naval Academy.
"We get beaten by one of the smaller colleges, that West Point can
trim," was the mournful comment.
It did, indeed, look bad for the Navy!
CHAPTER V
DAN HANDS HIMSELF BAD MONEY
As the season went on it was evident that Dave Darrin was slowly
getting back to form.
Yet coach was not wholly satisfied, nor was anyone else who had
the triumph of the Navy eleven at heart.
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