THE COLLEGE AND THE CIRCUS
fellows seem to have made up your minds to." He hit the desk another blow. It was like a bolt out of blue sky. No one said anything aloud. They were whispering to each other: "What's got into him? What's the matter, anyway?"
Meanwhile Jack went on, every word astonishing and jarring his hearers: "It's bad enough already, as the President said this morning, without making it any worse. Who began it, anyway? We did. I guess I ought to know," he added defiantly, but nobody disputed it. They were only looking pained and puzzled. Stehman knew how to make a tackle as well, according to expert criticism, as any one in the Western Hemisphere, but he did not know how to make a speech, and the horrible stillness in the room was making him feel sick at his stomach. "How about Reddy Armstrong?" said a low voice from the far corner of the room. "Yes, how about it. Jack?" said some one else. "And the Mexican who has it in for you?" said the voice from the corner.
"Well, er—well, did the circus people
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