"Never mind," answered our hero. "It's all right."
"Tom's pluck and luck won for him," said Jack, and Tom was the hero of the school, for Doctor Meredith publicly commended the youth for his action, and Mr. Appleby was fair enough to beg Tom's pardon before the whole school.
"But we've got to have a new quarterback," said the perplexed football captain as the time approached for the last big game—that for the championship.
"Yes," admitted the coach. "Better a new one than that sneak Sam
Heller. I'm glad he's gone. Is Tom's ankle fit for him to play?"
"He says he'll play, anyhow!"
"Good for him. Well, I guess we can make a shift."
The football game was one long to be remembered. It was played on a cold, crisp day, and a record-breaking crowd was in attendance. For the first three quarters neither side scored. There were brilliant runs, sensational kicks and tackles, brilliant passing, and good plays generally, but the teams seemed too evenly matched.
Then came the last quarter. Foot by foot the ball had been worked to within striking distance of the rival's goal.
"Now, boys, a touchdown!" cried the captain.
Smith, the new quarterback, gave the signal for Tom to take the pigskin through center, and Tom, with lowered head and fiercely beating heart, leaped forward. There was a crash as the two lines of players met, and then, struggling forward, tearing himself loose from restraining hands—pushed, shoved and all but torn apart, Tom forced his way onward.