It was Broadwood’s moment and she made the most of it. She had no band to help her, but she didn’t need it! And while the wild cheers were still thundering out, the Yardley players drew up in line under the crossbar, Simms with tears streaming down his tired face, and Bishop himself directed the canting of the ball held by Saunders.
A strange stillness settled over the field. If Bishop kicked the goal—and it was not a difficult one—it would probably spell a Broadwood victory, for the last quarter was fully half over. There were plenty of white faces on the Yardley stand just then and more than one fellow, his clenched hands thrust into his pockets, settled back into his seat and refused to look.
Very leisurely, Bishop, still fighting for breath after his run, directed Saunders. Finally he stepped back, hitched his trousers at the waist, cast a glance at the goal, and—kicked.
Up went the ball, straight for the bar. One brief instant of suspense, and then—bedlam on the Broadwood side and deep gloom across the field! On the score board Broadwood’s 5 changed to a 6.
“How much time?” cried Simms as the teams trotted back to their places. The timer held up one outstretched hand and two fingers of the other.
“Seven minutes, Dan,” panted Simms. “There’s time to kill ’em yet.”
“All right! Hard into it, fellows!” cried Dan.
Mr. Payson sent in Sayer for Norton and Plant for Mitchell, and the game went on. Broadwood resumed the defensive now. Yardley got the ball as far as the Green’s thirty-eight yards only to lose it on downs, and Broadwood promptly booted the leather far up the field again. Simms got away for a twenty-yard run once, and Fayette, who, if he was not Roeder’s equal, was fresh and untired and eager, pulled off a wonderful plunge through the left of the Green’s line and squirmed and pulled himself—and three opponents—along for twelve yards! Hammel pounded the line for gains and Stearns knifed himself through for a yard or two at a time. Then came a fumble by Fayette and a Broadwood player pounced on the ball. Once more Broadwood kicked. Stearns caught the punt on the run, the interference formed about him, and he came pounding back for nearly twenty yards.
Again Yardley took up the journey, but the time was growing perilously short. Past the middle of the field she worked; Hammel; Fayette; Stearns; then Hammel again. Finally an end run by Simms that laid the pigskin on the thirty-five-yard line. A plunge by Fayette netted a scant yard and Stearns tried a skin-tackle play and made six. But he was hurt and Greene took his place. Broadwood seized the opportunity to put three fresh men into her line. Greene was given the ball on the next play and tore off three yards, making it first down again. Only two minutes and a half remained. Simms, hoarse, almost staggering, called signals, changed them and then looked appealingly at Dan.
“It’s all right!” yelled Dan savagely. “Go ahead!”