“No, sir,” replied Kendall. “I’ll try.”
Mr. Dana looked at the coach. Mr. Payson hesitated for a moment. Then he took his pipe from his month and dropped it into his pocket.
“All right,” he said. “Go in there, send Greene out and tell Simms I say you’re to kick a goal. And you do it, do you hear?”
“I’ll try, sir,” replied Kendall.
“Report to the referee first, Burtis,” said Mr. Dana, clapping him on the back. “And just forget that there’s anyone near you. Make believe you’re kicking just to show me what you can do, my boy. Never mind what’s ahead of you. Watch the ball and boost it a good one!”
And Kendall, very frightened, ran onto the field.
“Change signals!” cried Simms. “Kick formation!”
Kendall stepped back slowly, measuring the distance, and dug his heel in the turf. Simms scuttled back and dropped to the ground.
“Hold hard now!” cried Dan.
There was a great silence. The stands held their breath and even the players settled into quiet. Only the sound of their labored breathing came to Kendall as he dropped further back.