"It’s Hal! It’s Hal! He’s going to play!"
How he thrilled! Doris was happy because he was going to play.
"I’ll do my best!" he thought.
"Darrell!" cried the cadet who was leading the cheering. "Ready for Darrell, fellows! Now—one, two, three!"
Then, at the word three, the great crowd lifted up their voices as one man and cheered for Hal Darrell.
"Look out for that man Gilson," said Steve Nunn, to Darrell. "He’s a bad egg, and he’ll put you out of the game if he can."
Hal nodded and took his place in the line as it formed. Having been made a regular substitute, he had learned the signals of the team.
It was plain that Fardale had resolved to get the ball farther away from the dangerous point, if possible, by kicking, and Fairport prepared in haste to receive the kick. When the ball was snapped Gilson flung himself on Darrell like a tiger, but Hal blocked him nicely, and the line held well for Singleton to kick.
Big Bob was fortunate in getting in a splendid punt, which Emerson caught in Fairport’s territory. Kent had escaped Wade, and was coming down like a hawk, so Emerson kicked in return.
This time the ball fell into the hands of Dick Merriwell. Dick decided to try his luck, and he booted the leather still farther into Fairport’s territory.