Tully,” said Sable Cash, cutting Tully off on the way to the station wagon. “We need to talk. How about tonight?”
Tully nodded, not smiling. “Call me or come over, whatever you want.”
In Tully's station wagon for the trip home were Cap, Candy, Bobby Jo, Ben, Hoot, and Gabe. Everyone was in a mood to celebrate except Tully, who drove without contributing to the happy chatter.
“You guys looked real tough out there today,” Gabe said. “I think you outplayed the Cobras, and they have a deeper bench, with a twelve-man roster.”
“Nine good players can beat twelve not-so-good players,” Candy pointed out, echoing her brother's pregame thoughts.
“Some of those Cobras are plenty good,” Ben observed. “I'd take Vernon Dewey for my team any day”
“And their quarterback can throw,” Cap pointed out. “But we did all right, huh, Grandpa?”
“You did fine,” Tully replied. “All of you did real well.”
“Cap, you can throw too,” said Bobby Jo. “You were the best quarterback I saw today.”
“Right!” echoed Candy. “When you don't get bomb-crazy, anyway.”
Cap glared at his sister. “What's that supposed to mean?”
“Oh, come on, bro, you love those long, long passes! And they tend to be too long for human beings to get to, sometimes.”
“Hey, I got us both touchdowns today! And neither of them was on a long pass!” Cap was angry.
Candy held up a hand. “Chill out, Cap.”
“Don't tell me to chill out! And when I want you to tell me what I do wrong, I'll ask. If I don't ask, keep your opinions to yourself!”
Candy was startled at her brother's anger. “All I meant was—”
“I don't care what you meant,” Cap broke in. “And I don't care what you think, either!”
Candy settled back in her seat, and no one spoke for several miles. Ben broke the silence.
“Well, I think Candy was right about one thing. Cap was the best quarterback out there today. Jimmy doesn't have the arm.”
“And he doesn't play much defense,” Hoot added. “Whatever that Mr. Cash says.”
Tully slapped the steering wheel. “Cut it out, right now, all of you! I don't like hearing teammates knocking other teammates, and I don't want to hear it again, is that clear?”
“Yes sir,” said Hoot, looking down at his shoes.
“Sorry,” Ben muttered, his face flushed.
“That goes for you, too, Candy, Bobby Jo,” Tully continued. “You ought to have better sense, especially with your coach sitting right here listening to it all.”
“Sorry, Grandpa,” said Candy.
“As for you, Cap, you should know better than to talk to your sister like that. The fact is that she has as good a head for football as you do. Maybe better.”
Cap nodded and muttered an apology.
“Now, for the rest of this trip, I don't want to hear any more arguing,” Tully said, “and I never want to hear any member of this team sniping at a teammate. In fact, I don't even want you to think bad thoughts about your teammates. It's a sure way for a team to fall apart.”
There wasn't much talk at all for the rest of the trip back to Cowpen.
Dinner at the Wadell house was quiet too, with Candy and Cap refusing to speak to each other and Tully not wanting conversation either. Sable had called and was due to come by after the meal.
“Excuse me,” said Tully, getting up with his coffee cup and walking away from the table.
“Huh,” said Cap, watching his grandfather leave the room. “Guess he's not looking forward to Mr. Cash coming over, is he.”
Candy looked straight ahead and didn't reply.
“Oh, I guess you're not talking to me, is that it?” said Cap.
She turned to give Cap a cool look. “I thought you weren't interested in my opinions.”
Cap turned red. “I didn't mean … that is, I wasn't… I asked for your opinion just now, didn't I?”
“Oh, I see,” Candy said, still frosty. “It's only about football that you don't want to hear my opinions. But now you're willing to hear what I have to say?”
Cap fumbled for an answer. “It's not that I don't want—”
“I've been your biggest fan all along,” Candy interrupted. “I keep telling you that you should be the starter and not Jimmy. You didn't mind hearing those opinions. Only when I have something to say that isn't a compliment, you want me to keep my mouth shut.”
“Yeah. I mean … well, no … oh, I don't know what I'm saying. I shouldn't have gone off that way before. I was out of line. Guess I'm nervous about whether I'll get to start or not and I got touchy.”
“I'll say you did,” Candy said, but her look got milder. “I'm always on your side, and you ought to know that.”
“Yeah, I know you are.” Cap spread out his hands. “I won't let it happen any more, all right?”
“You better not,” Candy said, scowling. Then she broke into a sunny smile. “Okay, apology accepted.”
They heard the sound of an engine as someone drove up in front of their house.
“Must be Mr. Cash,” Candy said.
“I wonder what he wants to say to Grandpa,” said Cap. The window that opened on to the front porch was ajar.
“We shouldn't eavesdrop,” Candy warned. “That isn't nice.”
“Oh, no, that wouldn't be right,” Cap agreed. “But if we sort of stayed real quiet, and accidentally heard something…”
“Accidentally, right,” said Candy. “Can't blame us for an accident.” The two sat where they were, not making a sound.
They heard a door slam and then their grandpa's voice. “Sable, come on up and sit.”
A moment later, Tully spoke again. “What's on your mind?”
“You know what's on my mind,” Sable Cash answered. “Who are you going to start at quarterback?”
“Not that it's really your business, but right now I'm leaning toward starting Cap.”
Silently, Candy turned and gave her brother a thumbs-up sign.
They could clearly hear Sable's snort of anger.
“Now why am I not surprised that you picked your grandson over Jimmy”
Tully's voice got very quiet, which Cap knew was a sure sign that he was really angry.
“You saying I chose him because he's family? You think that's the kind of man I am?”
Sable came right back, also sounding hot. “Are you saying you think your grandson is a better quarterback than Jimmy?”
“Jimmy is a good athlete, but Cap's better on defense and—”
“Jimmy can move the ball! He'd never throw those long passes over everybody's head! And he'll get better on defense!”
A scrape of wood on wood told Cap that Tully had gotten up out of his chair.
“And Cap will learn to control his passing. He can throw short too!”
“Not with you coaching this team, he won't!” Now Sable had stood up. Cap and Candy exchanged a worried look. Was this going to get out of hand?
“If you don't like the way I'm coaching this team,” Tully snapped, “you don't have to hang around anymore! It's bad enough the way you make the boys uncomfortable, sniping at me and taking shots at Cap. If you want to help me out anymore, you better put a lid on that!”
“Wadell, you haven't changed one bit since we were kids!” Sable was almost yelling now. “You thought you were hot stuff then and you still do! And I was a better quarterback than you any day of the week!”
Tully laughed. “That still sticks in your throat, doesn't it? That we won the championship and you didn't. Like I said, Cash, if you want to work with this team—”
“Oh, you bet I do! Somebody's got to teach 'em some sense, and it won't be you!”
“Then remember what I say!” Tully cut the other man off with a roar. “Concentrate on being a coach, and don't hassle the kids or me! Cap is going to start the first game and the subject is closed!”
Sable's voice was headed away from the house and back to his truck. “You're as stubborn as you are wrong-headed, Wadell! All right, let your grandson start. But I won't be responsible for what happens!”
“That's right, Cash, you won't!”
Cap and Candy heard the door of Sable's pickup slam and the engine roar to life.
A moment later, as Sable drove off with a squeal of tires, Tully stomped into the dining room to find Cap and Candy staring at him.
“Been listening in, have you?” he demanded.
“Us?” Candy asked, her eyes wide. “We were just sitting here talking.”
“We did hear something, Grandpa,” Cap added, “but it was kind of hard not to.”
Tully was angry, but Cap saw that he wasn't angry at them.
“I guess you heard me say that I'm going to start you in the game against Sandville.”
Cap nodded.
“And I hope you know that it's not because you're my grandson. It's because I think you're a little bit better than Jimmy, all things considered.”
“He sure is,” Candy agreed.
“I'll do the best I can,” said Cap. “And… thanks.”
“You give it everything you have and that'll be all the thanks I need.” Tully paused for a moment. “You know, Sable played for Sandville. Maybe that's why he really wanted Jimmy to start that game, I don't know. But if he gives you any trouble, just remember that it's not you he's mad at. It's me.”
“I wish he'd get over it,” Cap said.
“Well, you just concentrate on doing your job. I'll handle Sable. If we win this game, that'll shut him up.”
Cap put a smile on his face, but to himself he thought, What if we lose?