 Jerry, that's Farrokh. He's been playing polo in India for years. No, not for years, Phillips. He just said he had practiced with his father there a few times, and that he played just a little in England. Well, that's more than Jerry's done. What happened then? I didn't see it. Duggan was lucky again. And what I mean this time, he was really lucky. Come on, Bruce, go get him. Hey, come on, tell me, Red. What did you mean Jerry was lucky? Well, I put pony almost double when Bruce checked him, that's all. Gee. There! Bruce made another goal. I avoid Bruce. Yeah, you would root for a new guy. You wouldn't yell for Jerry, of course. Why should I? And why shouldn't I root for Dow Campbell? He's my roommate, isn't he? Gee, I think Jerry's the best rider of all the cadets out there. No, he isn't bad. But he doesn't have the clean form that Bruce does. All right, boys. Let's mount him. All right, all right, let's have it quiet. That was a good workout today. I thought it might give you a little relief from regular practice for the drill to play some polo. And, of course, we'll be getting into real polo practice very soon anyway. You understand? Yes, sir. Very well. Oh, Dow Campbell. Yes, sir? That was a good piece of checking you did against Dugan. Oh, thank you, sir. Very good. Showed smart thinking. Oh, Dugan, you're going to have to watch that. Sort of foresee what your opponent's going to do and avoid him checking you. Yes, sir. All right, that's all. Take the ponies back to the stable. Yeah, all right. Come on, Buck. Oh, Sergeant Alden. Yes? Yes, Morrison. I don't know how to start saying this, Sergeant, but up to now I haven't had a chance to talk with you since. Since you got mixed up in that mess. Is that what you mean? Yes, sir. That's it. I mean, well, I know what a heel I was to loosen that cinch strap on the horse. And I know how lucky I am that Paul Warren wasn't hurt worse than he was. You're right, Morrison. You are lucky. And I might say a couple of things right here. Yes, sir? You're also lucky you weren't expelled from the school. Your lucky Dugan went to bat for you and talked to Major Davis. You're lucky, too, that Dugan and Phillip showed presence of mind that night you fell into the well and that you were pulled out with no more serious injury than you got. Yes, sir. I know I am. Is that all? Well, no, sir. I did have something else I wanted to say, but I wanted to apologize to you first for all the trouble I caused you. All right, Morrison, I'll accept your apology. And what was it you wanted? I'll have to get over to the stable pretty soon. Well, well, it's this, sir. You know that the new cadet from England, Bruce Talcamel, is my roommate. Yes, I heard that he is. Well, don't you think he's a pretty good writer, Sergeant? Good writer? Of course I think he is. Didn't I tell him he was? Yes, sir. But I was wondering if... Well, if you were thinking of using him on the drill team. No, no. I'm not thinking of it at all. Well, sir, you know how much this means to Farrow. How much it means? It's on your mind, Morrison. I mean... Well, all the cadets know, of course, that this meet with Edson is darn important. But Edson and Farrowx have each won the Hunter Craig trophy twice. And that whichever one wins at this time gets to keep it. Yes. So? So... Well, of course all the cadets know it's important to have the best men on the writing drill team. And on the jumps and in the all other events. Yes. Well, if you're thinking of trying to get back on the team yourself, Morrison, you'll have to see Major Davis. Oh, no, sir. I wasn't thinking of that. Oh. Oh, I'm beginning to get what this is all about. You're putting in a plug for your roommate, Dow Campbell, is that it? Well, in a way, sir. What do you mean, in a way? I mean that I think everyone knows that Bruce is a lot better writer than Dugan. That he has had more experience, not only in polo, but all kinds of writing. And I think almost everyone, except maybe Phillips, would agree that he could do more for Farrowx in the meet with Edson than Dugan could ever possibly do. Just a minute, Morrison. Just a minute. Does Dow Campbell know that you're going to say this to me about him? Well, I gave him an idea that I might say something, sir, but, of course, he's pretty modest. He realizes he's new here at the school, and I think he'd adjust as soon as I wouldn't say anything because it might look as though he were trying to do Dugan out of his chances on the team. Well, frankly, Morrison, isn't that exactly what you're trying to do? Oh, no, sir. Not at all. I'm only thinking of Farrowx winning that plaque this year, taking it away from Edson so we can keep it here at FMA. Hmm. Well, Morrison, I'll think it over. But I don't think I'm going to be of a mind to make any changes in the writing team at this late date. The meet comes off next Saturday, you know. Yes, I know, sir. That's why it's so important to have the best writing team we can. Morrison, let me tell you this. We engage in athletic activities here at Farrowx, not to win trophies. That's important to the boys, I know. But that isn't the primary reason for including polo and writing and football and baseball and all the rest of the athletics in our curriculum. The principal reason is to teach cadets self-reliance, resourcefulness, to give them good sound exercise. But the most important of all the reasons back of the athletics is good sportsmanship. Yes, sir, I understand that. The reason why you're not writing on the team right this minute, Morrison, is that, well, not that you aren't a good writer, you are. One of the best here at Farrowx. The reason you're not a member of the writing team right this minute, why you're not going to write in the meet against Edson is that you displayed some pretty bad sportsmanship a couple of weeks ago. Then you don't think there's a chance you'll use Bruce? I didn't say that. I didn't think I was going to want to change the team line-up at this late date. Principally because I know that Jürgen has worked hard. He's gone through a lot to win his place and keep it as a pivot, man. Is that all, Morrison? I guess so. And suggest to Dow Campbell that the next time he wants anything from me or any of the other coaches at Farrowx to come and fight his own battles. Oh, but Sergeant! Excuse me, Phillips, I didn't see you there. Excuse me, sir. I'm sorry I was in your way. Oh, fine, thank you. Well, I'll see you boys later. I have to get over to the stable. Yes, sir. Phillips, have you been standing there behind that bush all the time I was talking to Sergeant Alden? I certainly have, Morrison, right here. And did you hear everything we talked about? I heard everything Sergeant Alden said to you and everything you said to him. That's fine. That's just swell. Well, I'm glad you like it. Of all the low dirty tricks I ever heard of snooping into other people's business. Me? Me snooping into other people's business? That's awfully funny, Red. Me snooping. What do you think you were doing just now? Trying to get Jerry off the riding team and get that hi-hat roommate of yours in honor of Jerry's place. What else was that but snooping? That wasn't why I was talking to Sergeant Alden at all. Yeah, I know what you said to Sergeant Alden. But I also know pretty well why you were doing it. Red, you haven't got one lick of school spirit in you. You've got a streak of yellow running down your back a mile wide. Jerry and I thought you'd changed after that mess you got yourself into and that we got you out of. Mainly that Jerry got you out of by going to... Yeah, by talking to Major Davis. Well, it might interest you to know, Phillips, that I haven't the slightest desire to stay here at this school. Then why don't you leave and quit making trouble? I'd leave in a minute if I could. Major Davis won't expel me and the old man makes me stay here. Old man? My father. He doesn't want me at home so he makes me stay here. And as long as I am here, I'm going to get what I want or know the reason why. Well, I guess Sergeant Alden told you a few of the reasons why you won't. I suppose you're going to run right over now and tell your little roommate all about what you heard that I'm going to tell him and right now. Okay, stupid. If you think that's going to get you or Duggan any place, go ahead and tell him. All right, we'll see you about that. Good luck listening to us talk like that. I wonder what he'll tell Duggan. Were you speaking to someone, Mr. Morrison? Huh? Oh, hello, Bruce. Hello. No, I... Well, I was just thinking out loud, I guess. I understand. I say Sergeant Alden is a peculiar chap, isn't he? peculiar? How? Well, he seemed quite pleasant to me after the lost chucker. Yeah, he told you. You were pretty good on the game. Yes, but just now in the stables, he was quite short. Short? Quite. He was awfully curtain. Well, almost as courteous. Well, what do you suppose caused him to change so quickly? All right. Well, he is a funny guy, all right. You never can tell what he's going to do next. Rather strange for an army man to act that way. Yeah. Well, it's been a long time since he's been in the army. Where are you going now? Oh, I thought I'd go back to Trent Hall and take a shower bath. That exercise rather warmed me up a bit, you know, Mr. Morrison. Say, why don't you drop that in Mr. Business and just call me Red? Oh, I say, you wouldn't mind? Of course not. Everybody else does. Yes, of course. Very well then. I shall call you Red if you'll call me Bruce. That's swell. Shake. Top hole. Well, let's go. I've got some trick to get out of the way. All right. You know, Bruce, you'll be on the writing team yet if you keep on writing the way you did this afternoon. Really? You think so? Yeah. I bet you'd like to be on the writing team. Write against Edson on the meet next Saturday, wouldn't you? Oh, yes, Red. I should like very much to enter. But Sergeant Olden seems to have the team selected. Yes, he has. But of course, if he thought he might be able to make an improvement, maybe you'd have a chance to replace one of the other cadets. Oh, I say, I shouldn't like to do anyone else out of the honor of writing. Well, it's just as Sergeant Allen was saying. There's more to athletics here at Faroaks than just teaching the cadets to write. He says, the most important thing is good sportsmanship. And it would certainly be good sportsmanship for one of the other cadets to give up his position if you could write better than he could. Oh, yes, I see what you mean. Hey, why don't you talk with Sergeant Olden right before a mess tonight? Well, perhaps I shall. Yes, I think I will. That's swell. You know, with your good writing form, you'd make a great pivot man. Oh? Well, yes, I know something about that. In India, I used to go riding with one of the soldier chaps who was pivot man on our team. Is that so? Well, well, say that... Wait just a minute, you two. Oh, Bruce, here comes Phillips and Dugan. Don't say anything about what we've just been talking about. No? Oh, very well, if you say so, Rad. I want to talk to you, Mr. Dau Campbell, and you too, Rad. So, and what about Mr. Dugan? Is that any way to address an upperclassman, Dugan? Never mind that. We're out of bounds right now, and you're not an officer, Morrison. So I'll say exactly what I have to say and you can take it or leave it. I must say, Mr. Dugan, I don't like the tone you're using. No, is that so? Well, isn't that too bad? Mr. Dau Campbell, I know all about the dirty trick you and Morrison are trying to pull on me, and I won't let you get away with it. Do you get that? I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about, but I shan't stand here and allow you to address me in that manner. Come along, Rad. Just a minute. Mr. Dugan, I'll give you just three seconds to let go of my jacket. And if I don't let go, then I shall have to force you to let go. I don't let him bluff you, Jerry. I don't worry. He isn't bluffing me. Here, here, here. What's going on? Dugan, let go of Dau Campbell's tunic. Yes, sir. I think I know pretty well what started this squabble, but I don't want any more of it. Do you understand? All of you. Yes, sir. As long as I'm coaching riding in Polo at Fair Oaks Military Academy, I'll pick the teams. Is that understood? Yes, sir. And nobody is going to influence me in one way or the other in my selection. Is that understood? Yes, sir. All right, very well. I'm going to pass this over for this time. I'm not going to report it. But don't any of you ever let me hear of anything like this happening again. Now, get to your quarters.