The referee had called the captains together, decided the choice of goal, and the two teams were taking their places.
“Their ball,” Johnson commented, intent on the field.
The referee blew his whistle and there was a moment of intense silence as the blue line charged forward and the ball sailed far out on the kick-off. It was a splendid kick, clear to the corner of the field and high. It dropped neatly into a pair of maroon arms and the crowd cheered wildly.
“Wasn’t that a dandy kick!” Scott exclaimed.
“Now watch them run it back,” Johnson exulted.
But they did not run it back so fast. One of the swift blue ends was on the man and downed him in his tracks.
“That man’s some fast,” Scott said.
“Yes,” Johnson said, “too fast. They ought to look out for him. They’ll carry it back fast enough now; that line can’t hold them.”
The ball was snapped, and an attempt made at an end run, but the same man who had followed the kick downed the man for a loss. An attempt at center fared no better and the fullback dropped back for a kick. The ball went out of bounds almost in the center of the field.
Then the real surprise came. The Lawrence team formed quickly, and by a series of lightning plays swept down toward the Minnesota goal. Nothing seemed able to stop them. The stand was as silent as the tomb.