The Happy Years Page #7

better than you know how.

Stover, there are all sorts

of things you can do now.

You can charge in

like a bull

and kill yourself off

in 10 minutes.

That won't do.

Or you can go in

for grandstand plays

and be carried

off the field.

Now, that won't

do either.

Now, you've got

to stay in the game

and help us keep dickinson

from scoring again.

Understand?

Yes, sir.

Say, stover.

You and i

have formed up

a sort of a feud,

haven't we?

We have.

Let's forget about it,

just for this game, huh?

All right.

Of course, we're still

gonna fight it out

when the time comes.

You bet your life

we are.

Referee:
All right.

All right.

Break it up. Let's go.

Dickinson's ball

on their own 42.

First down, 5 yards to go.

Get set.

48, 42, 36.

Referee:
Dickinson's ball

on the kennedy's 40.

Second down, 2 yards to go.

Get set.

That back.

He's a tough one.

You take him low.

I'll take him high.

32, 36.

Referee:
Dickinson's ball

on the kennedy 30-yard line.

Third down, 6 inches to go.

Tough, this time,

let me see

if i can open it up.

See if you

can get through.

Boy:
Get ready.

22, 27.

Uh!

Uh, what's the matter?

What's the matter?

What's the-

just a little wind knocked

out. That's all, kid.

All right.

Referee:
Dickinson's ball

on the kennedy 22.

First down, 5 yards to go.

Boy:
Get set. 42, 48.

Come on now.

Come on!

Let's go, fellas.

Let's hold them.

Come on now.

How much more time,

tough?

One minute more.

We'll hold them now.

We're all fighting.

Referee:
Dickinson's ball

on the kennedy 16-yard line.

First down, 5 yards to go.

Boy:
Get set. 48, 52, 36.

You can last,

can't you, dink?

You bet i can,

tough.

Let's hold them,

dink, old boy.

They mustn't score.

They won't.

Referee:
Dickinson's ball

on the kennedy 8.

First down,

5 yards to go.

Boy:
Get set.

38, 42, 27.

Referee:
Dickinson's ball

on the kennedy one-foot line.

First down, goal to go.

Tough, hold them.

Hold them, tough.

Boy:
Get set.

48, 52, 36.

They didn't make it!

They didn't make it!

Boy:
We got it!

Tough:
Come on, fellas.

Let's give them a cheer.

Together:
1, 2, 3...

dickinson!

Rah rah rah!

Dickinson! Yay!

now evening with

twilight has fallen

and the birds

to their nests are all gone

we gather around

in the gloaming

and raise up our voices

in song

tough:
Who's that?

It's me-

dink stover.

I came down here...

well, just to feel

how i felt again.

So did i.

You know, tough, they

tell me we held them

4 times inside

the 10-yard line.

4 times, old boy.

It's funny. I don't

remember but two.

Guess i was groggy.

You didn't act

like it.

Well, i was, though.

You pulled me through.

Oh, rats.

No, you did.

How many of us tackled that

fellow on the last play?

The whole bunch.

Hey, dink.

Let's get down.

You know, like we did

on those last plays.

Grr!

Grr.

Uh!

You can last,

can't you, dink?

You bet i can,

tough.

Grr!

Hic! Uh.

Tough, hold them.

Hold them, tough.

Grr!

Grr.

Uh!

Tough, i guess there won't be

any fight between you and me now.

No. Not now.

What did we get

a grudge for, anyway?

I don't know.

I always liked

you, dink,

but you wouldn't

have it.

I was a mean

little varmint.

It's a wonderful school,

tough.

You bet it is.

Say, dink.

Next year,

you and i will be

whipping the new little

varmints into shape ourselves.

I'm going to see that all the

kids in my house walk a chalk line.

Boys:
... with all our hearts

and souls

not basking in the plaudits

of the house, gentlemen?

Not posing heroic in the

dazzling limelight of fame?

Such modesty

astounds me.

Stover, could you descend from

olympus a moment and indulge me?

Wait for me up

in the room, tough.

I'll only be

a couple of seconds.

Stover...

i have some

disagreeable news.

As your housemaster, in

my hands have been placed

the immediate fate of your

career at this institution.

There has been

an official complaint

from the headmaster about

your academic standings.

That must please

you, sir.

You've been my enemy ever

since that first day when...

if i remember rightly, i referred

to you as "old cocky wax."

I recall, stover.

Unfortunately

for you, therefore,

the head of

this institution

has asked me to decide

whether or not

you remain within

our present confines.

Go ahead, mr. Hopkins.

Have me fired.

You've made up your mind,

too, so fire me.

Oh, no, stover.

You shall make up

my mind.

At 8:
00

tomorrow evening,

here in this room, i shall

give you a special examination.

A written examination.

That wouldn't include, of

course, any gerunds or gerundives.

Oh, dear me. No.

Selected translation passages

from those past classes-

when you were

unprepared.

All i can say is i

have no other alternative

than to bow

before your tyranny.

What happened, dink?

Just when everything's

working out all right,

the old roman's gonna wreck

my career at lawrenceville.

Oh, no.

He can't do that now.

We'll stop-

it's no use.

He's been after me,

and now he's got me.

No, he hasn't.

Wait.

I'll get the shad.

We'll form a committee.

Don't you move

from that spot

till i get back here

with the riot squad.

The senate... had named-

had called!

A different thing

entirely.

Had called...

him king and friend.

Oh, what's the use,

hungry?

I can't catch up on 6

weeks' lessons in 24 hours.

Shad:
How's

it going, folks?

It isn't going.

I feared so.

Gentlemen, we come

not to take your money,

but to do you good.

Tough:
Listen, dink.

At 8:
00 tonight, you're

going into that examination

practically padded

with little pieces

of paper covered

with the right word.

Tut-tut. Mccarty,

such crude language.

Mr. Stover.

You know the big water

cooler in the hall?

We'll wait until you're

in the roman's study

long enough to read the

assignment he gives you.

What will happen

then, dink,

will give you a chance

to refresh your memory.

And if you haven't brought

the right answers with you,

hungry smeed, the midget

thinking machine here,

will be outside

the window.

All right.

Now, dink.

You enter

the old roman's study

with dignity

and self-possession.

Blithely, you take

from his hand the paper

containing the dreaded

latin mysteries.

You study it...

nonchalantly.

Then you hear a crash.

The old roman runs

from his study

in hysterical haste.

Quick, smeed.

Try him out.

What's the first

exposition written?

Here.

Suppose it's "the campaign

against ariovistus."

"Caesar crosses rhine."

Oh, no. That's

"destruction of the gauls."

Here's "caesar

crosses the rhine."

"Victory of the romans

in the naval engagement."

That's one of the old

buzzard's prime pets.

Next to my heart.

Hey, it's one minute

to 8:
00.

We don't want to whip him

into a rage by being late.

Good evening, john.

Sit here.

I sincerely hope you're

able to translate these.

Oh, thank you, sir.

Uh, take your time,

john.

Please, mr. Hopkins.

Could i have

the window open?

I'm a little warm.

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