What had become of the play Don was to make, Betty wondered–if that was what Ted had meant?
The play of the third quarter, interrupted by much time out, went on to the finish, the Lions discouraged and not doing their best, Ted said. The Eagles made apparently easy gains and took every advantage, until after a rapid advance toward their goal and in the last few minutes of the quarter Jim Pickett made another touchdown by catching the ball punted to his position and running free to the goal. In the excitement the final point to be gained by the kick was again lost. But now the Eagles’ score stood ahead! Where were the brave Lions?
“Well,” said Carolyn, “now comes the tug of war. It’s the last quarter and everybody is tired out, and Freddy is limping off the field and it doesn’t look so good!”
“Never say die, Carolyn,” Peggy cheerfully put in. “The boys aren’t going to lose the championship without a fight!”
Ted had disappeared again. The Eagles were having a snake dance and their band was parading, the forty pieces blaring triumphantly. “My, they do play well,” said Betty. “It’s grand that the high schools are big enough to have such music!”
“I can’t say that I appreciate the Eagles’ band right now, Betty,” said Peggy, “and you won’t either, when you’ve been here a little longer.”
A gleam of hope seemed to arrive with bright Ted, who came jumping up to his seat just below the girls and smiled as he sat down. “We’ll lick ’em yet, girls,” he cried. “Freddy is resting a little and getting his ankle bound up, and he’s going to play all right. They’ve a pretty good substitute for Skimp; at least I think that Bunty will play a good game. So all is not lost. Cheer up!”
The Eagles’ heroes were just as glad for a short rest as Freddy or any of the weary Lions. Recumbent forms lay about the field, presumably drawing strength from Mother Earth. Then, as the immense audience began to grow restless over delay, heads were bent together, in conference over coming plays, and the formation was made, while encouraging though brief cheers came from the rooters. After all the singing, cheering and rooting in every known way and the expenditure of considerable energy and enthusiasm, the band, the cheer leaders and the occupants of the seats in the stadium were tired enough to long for the close of the game. Yet tensity marked the opening of the quarter.
“Let’s go,” suggested one of the teachers next to the girls. Carolyn looked around in surprise, to see if it could be Miss Heath, usually so loyal to the Lions. But possibly with the teacher from the other school she rather hated to see the finish.
But no, it was not Miss Heath who had suggested going. “If you like, certainly,” she was saying, “though it may be a little difficult to get through the crowd.”