It was too soon to crow, however, as the blue-and-white admirers quickly found out. Highland took a “brace,” and the fiercest hammering failed to give the necessary gain, so the visitors again obtained the ball.
Then a kicking duel took place, in which Walker got the best of Sterndale at the end, though it was nip and tuck at first. The visitors having the advantage of the wind, Walker made the most of it. At the conclusion of this volleying, Renwood was downed with the ball in his grasp on Rockspur’s ten-yard line, and once more the fighting was uncomfortably near the goal-posts of the home team.
The Highland rushers were desperate, and they tore through Rockspur’s interference with a fierceness that could not be resisted. It was impossible to make a gain by a hard drive at Highland’s centre, and, fearing to lose the ball there, Sterndale punted.
It was an unfortunate kick, for the ball flew low and Powell jumped in front of it. It struck him on the chest and bounded back over Rockspur’s goal line. There was a mad scramble, from the midst of which Stubby Fisher wiggled out like a slippery eel, and a moment later was sprawling spider-fashion on the ball.
Then a wild yell of triumph went up to the blue sky from the crimson bleachers, for the ball was down behind the home team’s line and Fisher had it. The players themselves seemed dazed for a moment, and the faces of the Rockspur lads were full of dismay.
There was no delay. The ball was not punted out, but Fisher brought it straight on to the field from the spot where the touchdown had been secured, although that made it necessary to try from a difficult angle. The men lined up, and the stocky little Highland quarter-back squared himself for a try at the goal.
A sudden hush, a quick twinkling of Fisher’s short legs, a desperate kick, and away flew the yellow egg. Seconds before it reached the posts, as it seemed, the crowd saw it was a miss, and a mingled yell of satisfaction and shout of dismay arose.
The ball fell to the ground, leaving the score 6 to 4 in favor of the home team.
“It’s all right, fellows,” breathed Sterndale. “They’ll never overtake us now.”
It was his manner of trying to give confidence to his men.