"36—27—43——"
Gordon shifted his feet, and—
"Hold up!" barked the coach. "Gordon, don't give the play away. Shifting your feet like that makes it a cinch for the other fellow. Get your position now and hold it until the ball's passed. All right. Once more, Quarter."
"36—27—43—86!" wailed McPhee. "36—27——"
The pigskin shot into his waiting hands, Gordon leaped forward, took it at a hand-pass and ran out behind his line, left half in advance, turned sharply in and set the ball down.
"First down!" called McPhee. "Sturges over."
"Hold up! Try a forward pass, McPhee. You're on the ten yards and it's third down. Get into this, you ends. Put some pep into it!"
"Signal! Martin back! 37—32—14—71—Hep!" The backs jumped to the left one stride. "37—32——"
Back flew the ball to the full-back, right end shot out and down the field across the mythical last line, the defence surged against the imaginary enemy and Martin, poising the ball at arm's length, threw over the line to Lee.
"All right," commented the coach. "That'll be all for today. Trot all the way in, fellows."