Some sportily inclined chaps began to offer even money that Fardale would not score during the game.
"Here’s a chance for somebody to make a small fortune," said Smart. "If I had money, I wouldn’t take that kind of an offer—oh, no!"
But the betting part of the crowd found no takers.
Singleton kicked off to Rivermouth’s twenty-yard line. Hurting again demonstrated his superior ability at this kind of work by driving the ball back to Fardale’s forty-yard line.
Then something happened that gave Rivermouth a shock.
Merriwell caught the ball, heeled the ground, and smashed it into the territory of the home team. It was a grand punt of fifty yards, and Hurting was compelled to take the ball on the run, which resulted in a fumble.
Kent and Burrows had followed down under the ball with great speed, and the latter blocked Hurting, while Kent dropped on the oval.
By this piece of work Fardale got the ball on Rivermouth’s fifteen-yard line, and the visiting crowd went wild with joy.
"I’m afraid it won’t do us any good," said Jabez Lynch.
"I see you are afraid!" exclaimed Teddy Smart. "You are shaking with terror!"