“What things, you idiot?”
“Don’t remember the word. Something like balisick. A sort of lizard, you know.”
“Oh, basilisk? There ain’t no such animal, Monty.”
“Isn’t there?” asked Monty dryly. “You come over to my room and see if there isn’t.”
“Has he performed on the piccolo any more since you threw it out the window?”
“No, I almost wish he would,” said Monty sadly. “It would be better than his beastly silence. I don’t know whether he ever found the thing again. If he did he’s hidden it, for I haven’t seen it since.”
Hollywood School came on Saturday and sprang a surprise. Hollywood had fallen victim to Mount Morris two weeks earlier by the one-sided score of 20 to 3, and Grafton did not look for a very difficult contest. Coach Bonner started the game with five substitutes in the line-up, but before the second half was well along he had to hurry his best players into the breech. During most of the first period the two teams gave a discouraging exhibition of football. Fumbles were frequent on each side and mistakes of judgment many. The ball changed hands continuously and neither side threatened the other. It was only in the last few minutes of the quarter that any real form was shown, and then it was the visitor who showed it. An unexpected forward-pass went away for nearly thirty yards, finding Grafton’s backs and ends asleep at their posts, and the enemy was suddenly knocking at the gate. However, another fumble turned the tide before the Grafton defense was thoroughly tested and the play went back to midfield.
In the second quarter Blake tried out two new plays with poor success and Ordway made a thrilling sixty-yard run from near his own thirty that placed the ball on Hollywood’s threshold. Grafton’s supporters, and they were many today since the whole school had turned out and most of the village as well, demanded a touchdown and settled comfortably back in their seats—if they were lucky enough to have seats—to watch the annihilation of the Hollywood line and the securing of six points. But nothing like that happened. Hollywood dug her cleats in the turf and stood strong. Ordway, Winslow and then Caner smashed at the wall and failed to more than dent it, and the attempted forward-pass across the line to Tray resulted in a touchback, as Tray never even got a finger on it. Hollywood kicked on third down from the twenty-five-yard line and Ordway juggled the ball, finally being thrown for a loss. Two attempts at the left end netted a scant six yards and Winslow punted. The kick was short and Hollywood secured it near her thirty-five yards and began the march that surprised Grafton immensely. Without losing the ball, the visitors went straight down to Grafton’s eight yards, using the simplest line-plays and concentrating on Grafton’s left. Hersum, playing guard for Kinley, was the weakest spot, although James, at tackle, was not much stronger. The secondary defense worked heroically, but Hollywood was not to be denied. Hersum gave place to Little, but still the gains continued and almost before the spectators realized what was happening the ball was on the eight-yards.
Even then, however, the supporters of the Scarlet-and-Gray refused to credit the possibility of a score. Longley gave place to Musgrave at center and Hollywood’s first attempt was thrown back. But a puzzling pass behind the line followed by a slam at right tackle netted four yards and backed the defenders to their goal line. Hollywood faked a forward-pass and the fullback carried the pigskin into Musgrave for more than half the remaining distance. Another charge by the same back, with the whole weight of the visitors behind it, did the business after a long moment of doubt. The ball was no more than across when the pile-up was disentangled, but in such a case an inch is as good as a yard. Hollywood missed the goal widely.