But now hats were thrown up in the air, and frantic yells resounded when it was discovered that Dick had the ball again, and that Darrin, Hudson, Wadleigh, quarter and left half were fighting valiantly to push him through the stubborn, panting line of Filmore High School.
It was a splendid fight, but a losing one. Filmore was massing all its weight, wind and brawn, and Gridley lost the ball on downs.
An involuntary groan went up from the Gridley spectators.
Five and a half minutes left, and the ball in the enemy's hands!
That settled the game.
The musicians looked at their leader, before taking the music from their instrument racks.
"Keep your music on," called the leader. "We of Gridley are sportsmen enough to play the victors off the field."
The play was quicker and snappier than ever. All the young men
on both sides were using their last reserves of strength and wind.
Pike was making a ferocious effort to get the ball back and over
Gridley's goal line.
But Pike lost, after three plays, and Wadleigh's men again grabbed the pigskin.
"Barely two minutes!" groaned the Gridley spectators, watches in hand.
Dick was seen glancing at Wadleigh and shaking his head almost imperceptibly. But a hundred people on the grand stand saw that tiny shake, and, most of all, Pike took it in.