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- 5. Chapter 6: The Project Schedule and Budget Teaching Strategies This chapter brings everything together to produce the baseline project plan. I have attempted to provide a logical process that ties the project’s goal and plan together so that execution of the project plan ties directly to the success of the project. In addition, this chapter introduces several “traditional” project management tools that are often confused as being “project management.” I try to convey two important ideas to my students. First, project management is more than Gantt charts, PERT charts, or Critical Paths. Although understanding and using these tools are important, project management is more like a philosophy than just a set of tools and techniques. Secondly, although project management software tools can be easy to learn and use, a project plan can be the greatest fiction ever written if a logical thought process is not followed. In presenting this material, I like to give the students an overview and history of the various project management tools before demonstrating and having them work with a project management software tool. I have found that students understand the software application better once they understand what the various project management tools such as Gantt Charts, PERT charts, and network diagrams are and how they are used in the software package. Teaching Chapter 6 in a Nutshell ➢ This chapter introduces a number of traditional project management tools such as Gantt Charts, network diagrams (Activity on the Node), PERT diagrams, precedence diagramming, and the critical path. ➢ In addition, the PMBOK® knowledge area called project cost management is introduced to provide the fundamentals for developing the project budget. ➢ Together with the WBS introduced in the previous chapter, the base line project plan can be developed in order to provide the project’s schedule and budget. The baseline project plan often requires a number of iterations before it is finally approved and ultimately executed by the project team. ➢ An important component of this chapter is a section on Critical Chain Project Management and the Project Management Office
- 6. Review Questions 1. Describe the project planning framework introduced in this chapter. The project planning framework that will serve as a guide for developing and assessing the project plan. It outlines the steps and processes to develop a detailed project plan that supports the project’s MOV. The framework starts with developing the MOV. Next, the scope is defined to support the MOV. Once the project’s scope is defined and validated to support the MOV, the project work is subdivided logically into phases and sub-phases to reduce risk and complexity. Each phase of the project should focus on providing at least one deliverable from the project’s total scope requirements so that the project team can concentrate on each piece of the project while keeping an eye on the whole picture. Phases are largely determined by the project methodology and the approach chosen for carrying out the systems development life cycle (SDLC). Once the project is divided in to phases, activities, or tasks, define the actions needed to complete each deliverable. Tasks require resources, and there is a cost associated with using a resource. Resources on a project may include such things as technology, facilities (e.g., meeting rooms), and people. The detailed project plan is an output of the project planning framework. Once the tasks and their sequence are identified, including the resources required, estimated time to complete, and any indirect costs and reserves, it is a relatively straightforward step to determine the project’s schedule and budget. All of this information can be entered into a project management software package that can determine the start and end dates for the project, as well as the final cost. 2. What is the purpose of a Gantt chart? A Gantt chart visually depicts the general sequence of activities or work tasks. Gantt charts can also be useful for tracking and monitoring the progress of a project. 3. What are some advantages project network diagrams have over traditional Gantt charts? Project network diagrams provide valuable information about the logical sequence and dependencies among the various activities or tasks. In addition, project network diagrams
- 7. provide information concerning when specific tasks must start and finish, and what activities may be delayed without affecting the deadline target date. In addition, the project manager can make decisions regarding scheduling and resource assignments to shorten the time required for those critical activities that will impact the project deadline. 4. Define predecessor, successor, and parallel activities. Give a real-world example of each. Predecessor activities are those activities that must be completed before another activity can be started—e.g., a computer’s operating system must be installed before loading an application package. On the other hand, successor activities are activities that must follow a particular activity in some type of sequence. For example, a program must be tested and then documented after it is compiled. A parallel activity is an activity or task that can be worked on at the same time as another activity. 5. How can parallel activities help shorten the project schedule? Are there any trade-offs? Parallel activities may be thought of as an opportunity to shorten the project schedule since separate tasks can be done at the same time instead of sequentially. They also can be a trade-off since doing more than one thing at the same time can have a critical impact on project resources. 6. What is meant by slack (or float)? Slack, which is sometimes called float, is the amount of time an activity can be delayed, that is, take longer than expected, before it delays the project. 7. What is the difference between crashing and fast tracking a project’s schedule? Crashing a project’s schedule is the process of adding additional resources to some activity on the critical path (or diverting resources from some activity with some slack) in order to shorten the project. Fast-tracking on the other hand is involved in finding activities that were originally planned to be sequential and making them in parallel – that is doing them simultaneously. 8. What is the difference between AON and PERT? AON is a project network diagramming tool that graphically represents all of the project’s activities and their logical sequences and dependencies. It includes a single estimate of the most likely activity durations. PERT is also a project network diagramming tool that shows, in a manner similar to AON, all of the project’s activities and their logical sequences and interrelationships. The main difference is that in the
- 8. PERT tool, the activities’ duration is not the most likely estimate, but a weighted average of estimates including the most likely and an optimistic and pessimistic estimate as well. 9. Define the following and give a real-world example of each (other than the ones described in this chapter): finish-to-start; start-to-start; finish-to-finish; start-to- finish. Finish-To-Start (FS)—A finish-to-start relationship is the most common relationship between activities and implies a logical sequence. Here, activity or task B cannot begin until task A is completed. Start-To-Start (SS)—A start-to-start relationship between tasks or activities occurs when two tasks can or must start at the same time. Although the tasks start at the same time, they do not have to finish together—i.e., the tasks can have different durations. A start-to- start relationship would be one type of parallel activity that can shorten a project schedule. Finish-To-Finish (FF)—Another type of parallel activity is the finish-to-finish relationship. Here, two activities can start at different times, have different durations, but are planned to be competed at the same time. Once both of the FF activities are completed, the next activity or set of activities can be started, or if no more activities follow, the project is complete. Start-To-Finish (SF)—The start-to-finish relationship is probably the least common and can be easily confused with the finish-to-start relationship. A SF relationship, as illustrated in Figure 7.5, is exactly the opposite of a FS relationship. In addition, a SF relationship means that task A cannot end until task B starts. 10. What is the difference between lead and lag? Give real-world examples (other than the ones used in this chapter) of how a project manager may use lead and lag in a project schedule. Lead time is the amount of time by which the start or finish of two or more activities may overlap each other. If it took three times as long to install a window in a house as to paint it, then allowing sufficient lead time for the installer to put in two thirds of the windows before the painter started painting them would allow them to finish about the same time. Lag time is the time delay between the start or finish of one activity and the start or finish of another. If a house being renovated required fumigation before remodeling and the fumigated house needed to be aired out for two days before it was safe to be worked in, then a two-day lag time (or negative lead) must be built into the schedule. 11. Why do many people inflate their estimates?
- 9. People often inflate or add cushioning to their time estimates in order to give themselves a form of “safety” to compensate for uncertainty. People may build safety into each task for three basic reasons. First, you may inflate an estimate if your work is also dependent upon the work of someone else. For example, you may add a cushion to your time estimates if you believe there’s a good chance your work will be delayed if the person you are depending upon will not finish their task or work on time. Second, you may increase an estimate of an activity because of pessimism arising from a previous experience where things did not go as planned. Third, the project sponsor or customer may not be happy with a proposed schedule and therefore decides to cut the schedule globally by say 20 percent. If you know this is going to happen, you may inflate your estimates by 25 percent just to guard against the cut. 12. Does adding safety, in terms of an inflated estimate, to each task or activity ensure that the project will be completed as scheduled? Why or why not? The answer is mainly due to human nature. More specifically, many people tend to wait until the last minute before they begin to work on a task. This is often referred to as “student’s syndrome” as many students procrastinate and then begin working on an assignment right before it’s due – regardless of how much time is available. If things don’t go exactly as planned, the task or assignment ends up being late. The second reason why projects are still late has to do with “Parkinson’s Law.” In essence, this law states that “work expands to fill the time available.” For example, an individual or team assigned to complete a particular task will rarely report finishing early because there is no incentive. They may be afraid that management will cut their estimates next time or the individual or team waiting for them to complete their task won’t be ready. As a result, the safety built into an estimate disappears. Any time saved by completing a task early is wasted while any overruns get passed along. A third reason why added safety does not ensure that projects are completed on time has to do with the multitasking of resources. Goldratt calls this “resource contention” whereby a project team member often is assigned to more than one project. In addition, this person may be required to attend meetings, training, or find him or herself pulled off one project task to work on another. As a result, this person can become a “constraint” to the project because they are no longer able to devote their time and energy to tasks on the critical path. Subsequently, the task takes longer and so does the project. 13. In the context of critical chain project management (CCPM), what is resource contention? The critical chain is different from the critical path in that it also takes into account resource contention. Continuing with our example, let’s say that each project task is to be completed by a different resource (i.e., person or team). Task C is on the critical path but is also part of the critical chain because of its potential to become a bottleneck if the
- 10. resource assigned to this task must multitask by working on different projects. If this is the case, the CCPM approach takes a more project portfolio view and would suggest that other projects begin or start so that the person or team working on task C can be dedicated to work solely on this particular task for this project. 14. In the context of CCPM, what is the purpose of buffers? CCPM follows a completely different assumption: instead of adding safety to each task, put that safety in the form of buffers where needed the most. This would be in the form of feeding buffers, resource buffers, and a buffer at the end of the project. 15. What is the critical chain? How is it different from the concept of a critical path? The critical chain is different from the critical path in that it also takes into account resource contention. 16. What does prorating the cost of a resource mean? Give an example. Prorating the cost of a resource is allocating portions of the total cost to more than one activity. For example, we can estimate the cost of a salaried employee by prorating her or his salary. This just means that we assign a portion of that salary to the task at hand. For example, let’s say that the fully loaded, or true annual, cost to the organization is $65,000. If this employee works a five-day work week, the associated true cost to the organization would be for 5 °ø 52 = 260 days a year. Therefore, the prorated cost per day would be $65,000 °¿ 260 workdays = $250 a day. 17. Why should the project manager ensure that the project resources are leveled? The project manager should ensure that the project resources are leveled to prevent resources from being over allocated – that is requiring the same resource to be utilized on more than one task at the same time. 18. When does the project manager or team have the authority to begin executing the project plan? Once the project schedule and project budget has been approved by the project client or upper management it becomes the baseline plan and then the project manager and team has the authority to begin executing the plan. 19. What is a task? Provide three examples of some typical tasks in a project. Tasks, or activities, define the actions needed to complete each deliverable of a project. Some examples could be:
- 11. • Define user requirements • Set up server • Train users 20. What impact can the sequence of tasks have on a project’s schedule? Tasks can be performed in sequence and in parallel. When tasks are performed in sequence, one task, the successor, cannot start until another task, the predecessor, is complete. If the predecessor task is delayed, the successor task will have a delayed start. If these tasks are on a critical path, the delay can in turn the entire schedule. On the other hand, the overall schedule can be shortened if resources are available and there is a lack of dependencies to allow some tasks to be performed in parallel. 21. How can resources impact the schedule of a project? Completing an activity or a task requires resources. Parallel activities may be thought of as an opportunity to shorten the project schedule; however, they also can be a trade-off since doing more than one thing at the same time can have a critical impact on project resources. Knowing the critical path can influence a project manager’s decisions. For example, a project manager can expedite, or crash, the project by adding resources to an activity on the critical path to shorten its duration. The project manager may even be able to divert resources from certain activities, for example, Activity E because this activity has some slack or float. Diverting resources can reduce the overall project schedule, but keep in mind that there may be a trade-off—shortening the schedule by adding more resources may inflate the project’s budget. 22. What is a baseline plan? What purpose does it serve once the project team begins to execute the project plan? The baseline plan is the project schedule and project budget that has been approved by the project client or upper management. Once the project schedule and project plan are accepted, the project plan becomes the baseline plan that will be used as a yardstick, or benchmark, to track the project’s actual progress with the original plan. Once accepted, the project manager and project team have the authority to execute or carry out the plan. As tasks and activities are completed, the project plan must be updated in order to communicate the project’s progress in relation to the baseline plan. Any changes or revisions to the project’s estimates should be approved and then reflected in the plan to keep it updated and realistic. 23. Why do many organizations have a “kick-off meeting?”
- 12. Once the project charter and project plan are approved, many organizations have a kick- off meeting to officially start work on the project. The kick-off meeting is useful for several reasons. First, it brings closure to the planning phase of the project and signals the initiation of the execution phase of the project. Second, it is a way of communicating to everyone what the project is all about. Many kick-off meetings take on a festive atmosphere in order to energize the stakeholders and get them enthusiastic about working on the project. It is important that everyone start working on the project with a positive attitude. How the project is managed from here on will largely determine whether that positive attitude carries through.
- 13. Another Random Scribd Document with Unrelated Content
- 14. “You’re a ’ole lot of hiddiots!” he cried, his disgust breaking all bounds. “You heven laugh at a fool!” “Don’t—don’t cast reflections on yourself!” said Smart. Billy reached for him, but Ted knew better than to fall into those muscular hands, and he dodged away. “Hi’ll ’ave nothing more to do with you!” declared the Cockney lad, as he turned and stalked out of the room, and the laughter behind him added to his disgust as he closed the door.
- 15. CHAPTER XXV—THE SPOOK APPEARS Ted Smart saw it first, but no one believed him when he told about it. Ted declared that he turned over in bed and beheld a white, ghostly form floating slowly and silently across the room about two feet from the floor. He also declared that he could see through the white form and discern solid objects on the farther side. But every one knew Smart was given to exaggeration, and so they laughed. “Did you really see anything at all?” asked one. “Oh, no!” exclaimed Ted derisively; “I didn’t see a thing. I am stone blind, and I can’t see anything.” “But it was dark.” “Oh, the moon didn’t shine in at the window at all!” retorted the little fellow. “It was dark as pitch! I can see better in the dark than I can in the daylight!” All of which meant exactly the opposite. “Well, what was the spook doing in your room, Smart?” “Ask me! Just floating round, I fancy. But when the old thing floated my way I just sat up and said, ‘Shoo!’ like that. The thing stopped and stretched out a hand toward me. I said, ‘Oh, Lord!’ and went right down under the bedclothes. I don’t know how long I stayed there, but when I rubbered out the spook was gone.”
- 16. “A pretty bad case of nightmare,” was the verdict, but Ted did not accept it. He insisted that something had been in his room. True, his door was locked when he got up and looked around, and the “something” was gone. Ted was the last fellow at Fardale to be able to impress any one with such a story. They guyed him at every opportunity about it. One after another the boys came to him and asked him to tell them about the “spook.” They kept him repeating the story over and over until he became tired of it. Then when he became disgusted and refused to talk about it any more they laughed and kept up the sport by gathering around him and repeating what he had said. Later in the day, Smart said: “I wonder if spooks have to comb their hair. My pet comb and silver-backed hair-brush are gone. Don’t know where they could have gone to unless my spook took them.” Of course he was advised to look around thoroughly in his room for the missing articles. He did so, but the comb and brush he could not find. Ted could not understand why any one should wish to steal the comb and brush. The very next night Joe Savage saw the “spook.” Savage and Gorman roomed together, although they were not the best of friends, having come to a misunderstanding over Dick Merriwell and football matters. Joe knew not just what awakened him. It seemed like a long, low sigh. However, when he opened his eyes, he dimly saw a white form standing at the foot of his bed. His first thought was that Gorman had arisen for something, but a moment later he discovered
- 17. that Gorman was peacefully sleeping beside him, breathing regularly and somewhat loudly. Savage was a fellow of considerable nerve, but now he was startled in spite of himself. His room was not on the right side for the moonlight to shine in at his window, but still there was light enough for him to make out the white figure, which had the general semblance of a human being. Joe thought of Smart’s spook-story. “Rot!” he told himself. “That’s what’s the matter. I must be dreaming.” He deliberately pinched himself, discovering that he was very wide-awake. The thing seemed to be looking straight at him, and a feeling of unspeakable queerness froze him stiff in bed. He tried to convince himself that it was a case of imagination, but the longer he looked the plainer he could see the ghostly figure. After a while he became convinced that there really was something white there at the foot of the bed. Then through the room again sounded that long, low, tremulous sigh. It was expressive of unspeakable sadness, and about it there was something inhuman and spiritlike. Savage felt himself getting cold as ice. He began to shiver so that the bed shook. In that moment he was ashamed of himself, for he was not a fellow who believed in such nonsense as ghosts. Summoning all his will-power, he sat up in bed, expecting the thing would vanish, in which case he would be satisfied it was an hallucination of some sort. Instead of vanishing, the ghost stretched out a hand toward Joe as if to grasp him.
- 18. Immediately Savage lay down again. The thing slowly moved away, disappearing from view. Joe lay there, hearing Gorman still breathing regularly and stentoriously, but straining his ears for some other sound. The door leading from his room to the corridor was not in view. Joe had remained silent thus a full minute or more. At last he forced himself to get out of bed and step out of the alcove into the room. He was still shaking, but he looked about in vain for the spook. The thing, had vanished from the room. He crossed the floor quickly and tried the door. It was locked. “Well,” said Savage to himself, “I wonder if I really did see anything! I’m almost ready to swear I did, and yet——” He lighted a match and looked around as well as he could. Lights were not permitted in the rooms at that hour, but he did not believe any one would observe the light from a burning match. The striking of the match broke Gorman’s slumber. He choked, started, and sat up. He saw Savage in the middle of the room, holding the lighted match above his head. “What’s up?” grunted Abe, rubbing his eyes. “I am,” answered Joe. “What are you looking for?” “The spook.” “Hey?” “I saw it,” said Savage. “What’s the matter with you?” growled Gorman, in deep disgust. “Come back to bed.” The match burned Joe’s fingers and he dropped it. “I saw something,” he declared.
- 19. “Been dreaming,” mumbled Gorman, lying down. But the darkness seemed to convince Joe that he had really and truly seen something. “No,” he declared grimly, “I know I saw something at the foot of the bed.” “Pooh!” ejaculated Abe, and he got into a comfortable position and prepared to sleep again. After returning to bed Joe lay a long time thinking the matter over. “I’m not a fool,” he thought, “and I am ready to bet my life that there was some kind of a thing in this room.” The impression settled on him so that he found it almost impossible to get to sleep. As he lay thus a sudden wild yell echoed through the corridors, followed by a commotion. Joe had left the bed at a single bound as the yell rang out. Another bound seemed to take him to the door of his room. He found some difficulty in unlocking the door, as the key was not in the lock, and he was compelled to take it from the hook where it hung and use it to unlock the door. By the time he got outside, with Gorman at his heels, the corridor was swarming with excited cadets in their night garments. “What’s the racket?” asked Savage, of the nearest fellow. “Jim Wilson saw a ghost,” was the laughing answer. “Wouldn’t that jar you!” But immediately Savage was eager to question Wilson. This was prevented, however, at this time, as the boys were hustled into their rooms.
- 20. “What do you think of that?” asked Joe, when he and Gorman were back in their room. “Jim Wilson’s a scare-baby,” returned Gorman. “If any other fellow had yelled like that I’d thought it a joke to get up a sensation. Wilson would never think of such a thing.” “But I saw something here in this very room a while ago.” “Don’t tell anybody that,” sneered Abe, as he again prepared to sleep. “They’ll take you for a big chump.” Gorman was a fellow who liked to sleep, and he declined to make any further talk. During the remainder of the night all was quiet about the academy.
- 21. CHAPTER XXVI—THINGS ARE MISSING “Hey, Savage!” said Gorman, as they were rushing through dressing in order to be present at roll-call; “where’s my watch?” “How do I know?” returned Joe, as he buttoned his shirt. “Where you put it, I suppose.” “No it isn’t. It’s gone.” “Well, I think you’ll find it if you look for it.” “But I can’t find it!” snapped Gorman. “I left it right here on the table last night, where I leave it every night. It’s gone now.” “Well, you needn’t look to me for it!” flung back Savage, whose temper had been ruffled by the tone assumed by his roommate. “I hope you don’t think I took your old watch? I have one of my own, and—Hey! where’s my knife?” Savage was very neat and trim in his habits, and he always cleaned his finger-nails mornings when he reached a certain point in his dressing. It was shortly after washing his face and hands, as that was the best time to do so. Just now he had thrust his hand into his pocket for his knife, only to discover that it was gone. Gorman paid no attention to Joe, but continued to look around for his watch, a scowl on his face.
- 22. Savage felt hastily through his pockets, then began to look around himself. “Seen my knife?” he demanded. “No!” snapped Abe; “but I’d like to see my watch. It’s mighty strange where that watch has disappeared to.” Joe stood still, his hands in his pockets, thinking. “I had that knife last night,” he muttered. “I sharpened a pencil with it. I was sitting right there by the table. I put it back into my pocket. Funny where it’s gone.” Then the two boys found themselves staring suspiciously at each other. “My watch is valuable,” said Gorman. “My knife was a present from my mother,” said Savage. “I thought everything of it.” “My watch was a present from my father. It was worth a neat little bit.” “I can’t help that. I know it is a good watch. You’ll find it——” “I don’t know about finding it. I had it last evening. I wound it up just the same as usual before going to bed. I remember very distinctly winding it.” “Well, your watch didn’t walk out of this room, did it?” “How about your knife?” There was little satisfaction in these questions, and they suddenly realized that they would have to hustle if they were to be on hand at roll-call, whereupon they hastily completed preparations and scudded out of the room, both in a very bad temper. After roll-call and morning service there were a few moments before breakfast. Savage came upon a group gathered about
- 23. Gorman, who was telling of the mysterious disappearance of his watch. Just as he came up, Jim Wilson joined the group. “Lost your watch right out of your room?” he said. “Well, I lost mine last night, so I’m in the same scrape.” “Perhaps your ghost took it, Jim,” laughed one of the group of lads. “Ghost?” exclaimed Gorman. “Why, confound it! Savage said something about a ghost. I woke up in the night and found him standing in the middle of the floor, holding a lighted match over his head. He was white as a sheet.” “How about that, Savage?” demanded several of the boys, who had noted the approach of Joe. Savage shrugged his shoulders. “I wasn’t going to say anything about it,” he declared; “but I did see something in our room last night.” Jim Wilson grew excited. “What was it like?” he asked wildly, much to the amusement of some of the boys. “Was it tall and white, with long arms, and did it just seem to float along without making a sound?” “I couldn’t see it very plainly. It stood at the foot of the bed. But it was white.” “Did it groan just awful?” “No; but it uttered a doleful sigh.” “My ghost groaned. Gosh! It made my hair stand right up. Then when the thing lifted its arm I just gave a yell. It vanished quick enough. I got out of the room. Don’t know how I got out there. Don’t know how I opened the door. Perhaps it was open. I can’t say.
- 24. Laugh, you fellows! I don’t care! I tell you there was something in my room!” “I suppose you fellows know,” said a tall, solemn lad, “that a chap committed suicide here at the academy once?” “No?” cried several. “Sure thing,” nodded the tall fellow. “Cut his throat. He was daffy.” “Dear me!” murmured Ted Smart, who had just strolled along in company with Dick Merriwell. “What a delightful way to kick the bucket! I admire his taste!” “But was there a fellow who really committed suicide here?” “Yes,” nodded Dick Merriwell. “My brother told me about it. His name was Bolt. The room he killed himself in was closed for a long time. Some of the fellows used to sneak into it nights when they wanted a little racket. There was a story about the room being haunted; but, of course, that was bosh.” “Was it?” said the tall fellow, in a queer way. “Perhaps it is the ghost of Cadet Bolt that is romping around here once more,” suggested a mocking lad. “What do you think, Smart?” questioned a boy with squinting eyes. “I have found it a bad practise to think,” answered Ted evasively. “It is wearing on the gray matter, don’t you know.” But they observed that Smart was not as lively and jocular as usual. “This spook seems to be a collector of relics,” said Dick. “He has collected something wherever he has appeared. First he got away
- 25. with Smart’s comb and brush, then Gorman’s watch; Savage lost a knife, and Wilson is also out a watch.” “Well, what do you think of it?” was the point-blank question put to Dick. “It’s very remarkable,” confessed Merriwell. “Oh, there’s nothing in the ghost-story, of course!” said a bullet- headed boy. “Perhaps there is,” said Dick. “What?” cried several, in surprise. “You don’t believe it?” said one. “You don’t take stock in spooks?” “I might not take stock in this one,” admitted Dick, “if it were not that he has taken stock wherever he had visited. In other words, the fact that he has carried off some valuable articles leads me to believe in him.” “But how——” “Why——” “You don’t——” “I can’t see——” “You mean——” “It seems likely that somebody, or something, has been prowling round this building,” said Dick, cutting them all short. “There goes the breakfast-bell.” There was a general movement to form into ranks to march to the dining-hall by classes, as was the custom, and the subject was dropped for the time being.
- 26. CHAPTER XXVII—DICK MAKES A DISCOVERY The mystery of the “spook” that had so suddenly appeared at the academy grew with every night. Strange sounds were heard in the corridors, sentinels were frightened, and little articles and things of value continued to disappear from the rooms of the cadets. “I wonder if this yere spook has visited us, pard?” said Brad Buckhart, one morning. “Why?” asked Dick. “My knife is gone now. The critter seems to take to knives and such things as a duck takes to water, and so I thought maybe he had wandered in here and appropriated my sticker.” But Brad dismissed the matter with that, nothing more being said about it. The “spook” excitement continued to provide a topic of interest for the boys, but the approach of the football-game with the New Era A. A. finally surpassed it in interest. Various were the opinions expressed in regard to the probable outcome of the game with New Era. Some thought New Era would not be able to score, some thought she would make the game interesting, some even thought there was a chance for her to win;
- 27. but the majority seemed inclined to the idea that Fardale, thus far undefeated, would not fall before this team. When the report came that the Trojan A. A., which had been defeated by Fardale, had not permitted New Era to score and had rolled up twenty-eight points, it seemed a settled thing that the cadets were to have an easy time of it. The members of the team grew overconfident, something Dick warned them against. “Oh, we’ll eat those galoots up!” declared Buckhart. “Perhaps so,” said Dick; “but we don’t want to be too sure of it. You know it is never possible to know just what to expect from one of these independent teams. They are full of tricks, and they are not over-particular about their methods.” “Oh, if they are looking for rough-house, they can find it! Remember what happened to the Trojans when they tried that sort of business.” Dick remembered that the Trojans had been battered into a state of amazed decency. Chester Arlington’s interest in the football-team seemed very keen. He was out every day to watch practise, and he cheered and encouraged the boys like a most loyal supporter of the eleven. He even went further than that. Darrell’s shoulder had been injured, and Chester declared he knew just how to massage the muscles to bring it back into perfect condition. He peeled off his coat, to the surprise of all, and gave Hal’s shoulder a rubbing after practise each day. And it was a fact that Darrell’s shoulder improved amazingly beneath this treatment. Seeing which, some of the other fellows, who were bruised or lame, ventured to ask Chester to give them a little attention.
- 28. Dick was not a little surprised when Arlington consented and seemed so intensely eager to have every man on the team in the finest possible condition. Buckhart looked on in deepest distrust. Leaving Arlington in the gym, working over Bradley, stripped of coat, vest, and hat, and sweating handsomely, Brad followed Dick from the building and spoke to him as they walked toward the barracks. “This yere Ches Arlington is puzzling me some, I admit I can’t just make out his little game now.” “Then you think he’s up to some game?” asked Dick. “Pard, he’s crooked. He’s been against us ever since he found he couldn’t get on the team. There is no reason why he should flop now.” Dick thought how Chester had been compelled to humble himself and ask a favor. Was it possible there had come a change of heart in the fellow? “I suppose you’re right, Brad,” he said. “But I don’t see what harm he can do. He seems to be doing considerable good.” “I wouldn’t let him put his paws on me if every bone in my body was out of place and he could put them all back!” exploded the Westerner. “Bradley’s just thick-headed chump enough to let him do it.” In the meantime, Arlington had attended to Billy Bradley, who was the last one to seek his attention, and had donned his coat and vest and found Hal Darrell waiting. Bradley departed, leaving Arlington and Darrell together. “Well, Arlington, old man,” said Darrell, with a puzzled smile, “I never thought you’d come down to it.”
- 29. Chester flushed a bit. “Come down to what?” he asked. “Rubbing these fellows you consider so far beneath you. It is amazing!” “I suppose so,” admitted Chester. “You have turned Good Samaritan.” “For my own benefit.” “For your benefit?” “Exactly.” “I fail to catch on. How for your benefit?” “I’ve got to get on my feet somehow, Darrell. You know my dislike for Merriwell has led me into betting heavily against Fardale, and I have been soaked good and hard.” “Yes, I know.” “I know you did, but every time I thought I had a sure thing. With Merriwell off the team I should have been eager for Fardale to win. With him on it, I hated him so much that I was more than eager for the other side to win. Fardale secured victory after victory; but that simply made me all the more confident that the tide must turn and she must lose. What’s the result? I’m flat. Of course, I can get more money, but really, old man, I’m ashamed to call for it.” Thinking of the money Chester had lost and had squandered in foolish ways, Hal did not wonder that he was ashamed. Truly, it was astonishing that a boy of Chester’s years could have so much money to fling about without thought or reason. “That’s the explanation,” nodded Arlington. “I must get on my feet somehow.” “I don’t see how you expect to do it by——”
- 30. “This time I’ll back Fardale.” “Why, you can’t find any one to bet on New Era.” “Oh, yes, I can! Those New Era fellows have sent some chaps into town looking for bets.” “Why, great Scott! we downed the Trojans, and the Trojans buried New Era!” “All the same, the sports who are looking for bets seem confident that New Era will make Fardale look like thirty cents.” “But you say you’re broke. How are you going to——” “I’ve raised money on everything I could hook. I’ve borrowed some. I want to borrow ten of you, Hal. You know I’ll pay if I lose, but I won’t lose. Will you let me have a sawbuck? It’s my chance to get even, and I’m going to make the best of it.” “Why, yes, I think I can squeeze out a tenner,” said Darrell. “But you will be in up to your eyes if we happen by any chance to drop this game.” “If Fardale loses, I’ll have to make a clean breast to mother and get her to put me on Easy Street again. But Fardale’s not going to lose. That’s one thing I’m sure of. And I want every man in the best possible condition. That’s why I’m working so hard on the fellows who will let me polish them up. See?” Hal saw, but still it seemed strange that Chester Arlington, proud, haughty, independent, should do what he was doing. The following day was Friday. After practise Arlington again stripped in the gym and gave his attention to those who would have him. There was more or less football talk, and the boys gradually dressed and wandered out. A few were left when a little incident
- 31. occurred that must be recorded. Again Arlington was working over Bradley. Sweating, he paused to pull out his handkerchief and wipe off his face. As he removed the handkerchief from his pocket a knife dropped to the floor. He picked it up and then paused, staring at it. Dick noticed this, and he saw Chester stop and stare at the knife. He also noted a frown on Arlington’s face, a puzzled expression. Suddenly Dick showed interest. “Let me see that knife, Arlington,” he demanded. Chester surrendered it. “Is this your knife?” asked Dick, with something like accusation in his voice and manner. “No,” admitted Chester, “it is not.” “But it came out of your pocket?” “It dropped to the floor when I took my handkerchief out. I never saw it before.” Dick stood looking straight at Chester. Somehow Arlington’s manner seemed truthful. In a moment, however, he grew angry beneath Dick’s persistent gaze. “What do you mean by staring at me that way?” he demanded hotly. “Do you think I’m lying?” “No,” said Dick, turning away and putting the knife in his pocket. “I know the owner of this knife, and I’ll give it to him.” Then he walked out. Chester started as if to follow him, but stopped and turned back, saying to Bradley: “I think you’re all right now.”
- 32. “Here’s your knife, old man,” said Dick, as he handed the knife over to Buckhart in their room after supper. “Hey?” exclaimed the Texan. “Why, why, where——” “It is your knife, isn’t it?” “Sure as shooting. But where did it come from?” “I saw Chester Arlington pick it up from the floor in the gym.” “When?” “To-day.” Brad looked surprised. “Why, it couldn’t have been there ever since I lost it,” he said. “Somebody would have found it before this.” “It seems that way,” said Dick; and he did not explain to Brad that the knife had fallen first from Chester’s pocket as he pulled out his handkerchief. Why Dick chose to keep silent on this point he hardly knew. He was mystified over the knife incident. Chester Arlington did not seem like a fellow who would resort to petty robbery. Surely he would not steal an ordinary pearl-handled knife, worth perhaps three dollars, when he spent money lavishly? And yet Dick had heard it hinted within a day or two that Chester was hard up, and that his parents had declined to advance more money for him to squander until a certain time had passed. Strange thoughts were flitting through Dick’s head. Placed in a desperate situation, would Chester be tempted to pilfer? The “spook,” the missing trinkets and articles of value, these things Dick thought about. Then he wondered if there was not some way for him to solve the mystery and clear up the whole affair. But, in the meantime, the football-game with New Era took his attention.
- 33. CHAPTER XXVIII—A SLIPPERY TRICK In the following manner the two teams faced each other on that dark, wet, dreary Saturday afternoon: FARDALE SPRINGVALE Shannock Right end Porter Jolliby Right tackle Kinter Bradley Right guard Sheehan Tubbs Center Rouke Dare Left guard Mahoney Gardner Left tackle Reed
- 34. FARDALE SPRINGVALE Buckhart Left end Huckley Smart Quarter- back Eyster Merriwell Right half- back Sampson Darrell Left half- back Nelson Singleton Full- back Austin A snow-storm had been threatening, but had turned to a rain-storm, the weather becoming milder. It was not a downpour—just a weak, unpleasant drizzle. But a drizzle could not keep the cadets from turning out to witness the game. They packed the seats reserved for them. There was not the usual large gathering of spectators from the village and surrounding country, although the attendance was not light. The visitors were the first to come trotting out on the field. They wore some sort of leathery-looking suits, and in the rain those suits glistened strangely. They did not resort to the practise of falling on
- 35. the ball in warming up, but passed the ball from hand to hand and did a little kicking. The Fardale team came jogging out in their well-worn suits. They went at the preliminary practise in the usual manner. Brad Buckhart squinted at the New Era players, a peculiar expression on his face. “Whatever sort of suits have they got on?” he said, turning to Jolliby. “Ask me sus-sus-sus-something I cuc-cuc-can answer,” stuttered the tall boy. “This rain makes ’em shine like grease,” said Brad. “They’re a queer-looking bunch.” The cadets had given their team a cheer on its appearance. The band was not out. But the boys were prepared to sing and root in earnest. Dick Merriwell had looked the enemy over. One of the fellows attracted his attention. When he drew aside with the referee and the captain of the visiting team, he said: “Captain Huckley, there is a man on your team whom I know to be a slugger, as well as a professional. His name is Porter. I have played baseball against him, and know what he is.” “Porter?” said Huckley, not at all pleased. “I think you must be mistaken about his character. He’s all right.” “Then he has changed greatly for the better,” said Dick. “He has no great liking for me. I had some trouble with him once.” “Well, you can’t ask me to break up my team just because you happened to have some trouble with one of the men on it.”
- 36. “I don’t ask you to break the team up; but you may find it a good plan to give Porter warning to play straight football. Those fellows up there on the seats won’t stand for crooked work.” “That’s all right,” came with a sneer from Huckley. “We’ll have a snap with your little team to-day, Captain Merriwell. There won’t be any need of our resorting to anything but the simplest kind of football.” “That remains to be demonstrated. Perhaps you may change your mind later.” “Time is passing,” said the referee. “The game will begin late now.” “We’re ready,” announced Dick grimly. “Flip the coin. Mr. Huckley may call it.” “Heads,” said Huckley, as the coin spun in the air. “Tails,” announced the referee. “Your choice, Captain Merriwell.” There was not much wind, and Dick decided to kick off. So Fardale took the ball and the eastern goal to defend. Singleton kicked, but, in spite of the fact that there was no wind, the ball flew off to one side and went out of bounds. When it was brought back the big fellow took plenty of time and smashed it hard and fair. Up into the air and away sailed the ball. Over the muddy field raced Buckhart and Shannock. Sampson caught the ball. He made no attempt to return the kick, but leaped forward. Buckhart seemed to have the fellow foul. He tackled, but somehow he failed to hold the fellow, his hands slipping off in a most surprising way.
- 37. Sampson dashed onward. Gardner fancied he saw his opportunity. He closed in on the runner and made a beautiful leap for a tackle. “He’s got him!” cried the cadets. But, although Gardner’s hands fell fairly on the runner, he was unable to hold Sampson, who slipped away from him and still kept on. Darrell was the third man to tackle the runner, and he brought him down, although Sampson nearly slipped from his grasp in the struggle. But New Era had carried the ball back to her forty-yard line. “Whatever have those galoots got on?” growled Buckhart, as he hurried to get into the line-up. “Why, I tackled the fellow all right, but he went out of my hands like grease.” Gardner said nothing. He felt chagrined over his failure to stop Sampson. There was plenty of confidence in the New Era players as they lined up for the scrimmage. There was a sudden signal, a single word spoken, and the ball was snapped and passed to Sampson. The runner went straight into Fardale’s center, which was the strongest point of the home team’s line. Those fellows in the shiny suits hit the line hard, and Sampson came through on the jump. It seemed that a dozen hands grabbed him, but he twisted and squirmed and slipped away and kept on for ten yards before being stopped. Merriwell was in the scrimmage, and he made a startling discovery. “Boys!” he palpitated, as they prepared to line up again, “their suits are greased!”
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