“Do you mean I’m to play?” shrieked Dan, leaning over the railing and regarding the breathless Ridge with astounded countenance.
“Of course! Will you get a move on?”
“But I can’t play! I’m on probation! I’m—”
“I don’t know anything about that,” yelled Ridge in a panic of impatience. “Payson says you’re to play, and play you shall if I have to carry you down there myself! Vinton, for the love of Mike, get your togs on! I’ll help you! Don’t stand there with your mouth open like a blamed idiot! Can’t you move? Don’t you understand that—”
But Dan was moving now.
[CHAPTER XXVII]
VINTON’S VICTORY
Yardley had fought her way down to Broadwood’s twenty-four yards and Loring was despairingly hurling the backs at the slowly yielding green line. First down again on the twenty-yard-line! A plunge through left guard for a scant yard; a run outside of tackle for three; third down and six yards to go, the goal-posts standing there mockingly almost above them. Loring wouldn’t risk a forward pass again. A try for a field goal was the only thing, and yet even if it succeeded it would still leave them two points behind. If only they might get a touchdown. He hesitated, the signal on his lips, hesitated, caught Colton’s dejected nod, and decided. Kapenhysen walked back, Loring following and dropping to his knees. Carefully the latter smoothed and patted the turf. The two lines, watching each other like boxers in the ring, shifted and moved, ready to close the instant the ball was passed. On the side-lines the silence grew and deepened. Then back came the ball into Loring’s waiting hands, his fingers clutched themselves about it, turned it and put it to earth. The lines swayed. Green-clad figures leaped through, arms up-stretched in the flight of the pigskin which, arching in slow flight, propelled by Kapenhysen’s mighty toe, was making surely for the cross-bar. A sudden thunder of sound, wild and discordant, filled the air. Blue banners waved triumphantly. On the score board the figure 4 topped the enemy’s 6. Back to the middle of the field trotted the teams.
Around the corner of the home stand came two figures. One was in everyday clothes, the other in the blue and khaki of Yardley.