And so at Erskine men who didn't know a football from a goal-post were hauled from studious retirement simply because they had weight and promised strength, and were duly tried and, usually, found wanting.

One lucky find, however, rewarded the search, a two-hundred-pound sophomore named Browning, who, handicapped at the start with a colossal ignorance regarding all things pertaining to the gridiron, learned with wonderful rapidity, and gave every promise of turning himself into a phenomenal guard or tackle.
On the 5th of October a varsity and a second squad were formed, and Neil and Paul found themselves at left and right half respectively on the latter.

Cowan was back at right-guard on the varsity, a position which he had played satisfactorily the year before.

Neil had already made the discovery that he had, despite his Hillton experience, not a little to learn, and he set about learning it eagerly.

Paul made the same discovery, but, unfortunately for himself, the discovery wounded his pride, and he accepted the criticisms of coach and captain with rather ill grace.
"That dub Devoe makes me very weary," he confided to Neil one afternoon.
"He thinks he knows it all and no one else has any sense." "He doesn't strike me that way," answered his chum.