Betty Lee, Freshman Part 10

During the second quarter there was no scoring. The Eagles were determined to prevent further scoring by the Lions and risked little punting. They were able, however, to spoil any fine little plans of the Lions. Betty, who could not remember sometimes the various positions of the players, though she could note their work, watched the vigorous tackling and the opening struggles of the plays and found it necessary to make an effort not to become too worked up over the contest. But the Lions must win this time! They had barely won over the Eagles the year before, but the championship was not at stake then for an outside team had developed into one that had beaten both Eagles and Lions, and the Eagles had lost one other game.

Time out saw some of the boys going out to the side lines and as they returned, Ted Dorrance saw a vacant seat just below where our three girls sat and vaulted into it. "h.e.l.lo!" said he. "This is a better place than I had before. Anybody rented it?"

"Not that I know of," laughed Carolyn. "Some freshman we don't know or some outsider sat there, I guess."

"He's lost out now," said Ted. "How are you ladies enjoying the game?"

Ted looked up at Betty as he spoke.

"It is a wonderful game," sighed Betty, "but I can't feel easy about our beating yet!"

Ted laughed, drew a package of peppermint "life savers" from his pocket and handed it up toward the feminine fingers. "Perhaps these will do you some good," said he. "As to feeling easy, n.o.body does, though some would say so. But take it from me, girls, and keep it under your hat, something is going to happen."

"Oh, tell us, Ted!" exclaimed Peggy.

Ted shook his head in the negative. "Official secret. I happened to get hold of it. Sh-sh!"

Betty, with both dimples showing this time, for she really had two, exchanged an amused glance with the merry Ted, who now whirled around as several boys returned to take seats beside him, and one, looking up from below to see no room there, hopped into another vacancy lower down.

"You'll not have to fight for your seat, Ted," remarked Carolyn. "Aren't you seniors proud of Freddy?"

"Yeah. But I wish this was a game where the coach could put in a few subst.i.tutes. However, the other team is as bad off."

As he spoke, the attention of all centered on the gridiron once more; but Betty was handing Ted the little package of "life savers," and as he took it, he leaned back to whisper near her ear as she stooped, "Watch the Don!"

Inquiring eyes met Ted's with interest. He nodded. "Do as I said," he said jokingly, as he, too, turned to give his full attention to the field.

Betty wondered. The "Don" was noted for his good interference. Were they going to let him do something else? Anyhow she would watch him, as Ted directed. How nice it was of Ted to tell her! But Carolyn had given her an amused glance just after Ted had turned away. She must be careful or those ridiculous girls would keep on teasing her. Not that she cared.

Very conservative, indeed, were the plays of the third quarter. Very watchful were both teams. But the Eagles must score if possible, of course, since the only score had been made by the Lions. Hard they fought. Alasthe Lions were penalized for some breach of the rules by Don, nothing serious, Ted said, just some little regulation about "time"!

"That old heathen!" exclaimed Ted, looking back at Betty, who wanted to ask Ted if this were what she was to watch Don for. "But just wait.

We'll show them!"

Next in excitement came a fifteen-yard holding penalty imposed on the Eagles. But as if in desperation, toward the last part of the quarter, a forward pa.s.s by the Eagles was successful, and Jim Pickett, clearing all interference, made a seventy-five-yard run and a touchdown.

"_Now_ hear the Eagle scream!" exclaimed Ted. "What's the matter with our team that they let Jim get away with that? But it was a pretty run.

Jehoshaphat, we're even now! Nothey've lost the kick! Hooray, we're one ahead!"

Ted was either talking to himself or to the boys around him, but the girls followed his boyish discourse with interest. And the next calamity was even worse. In the next play one of the fiercest Lions was hurt.

They walked him off, but one arm hung limp and Ted, who again rushed away to find out the damage, returned with the information that "Skimp's arm was broken!"

"Oh, will that let them beat us, do you think?" asked Betty, leaning forward.

"Not necessarily," replied Ted, "but it's a big loss," and Ted looked a little grim. "Besides that, Freddy's twisted his ankle, mind you!"

"But we mustn't give up, Betty," urged Carolyn. "We have to root all the harder to encourage the team!"

What had become of the play Don was to make, Betty wonderedif that was what Ted had meant?

The play of the third quarter, interrupted by much time out, went on to the finish, the Lions discouraged and not doing their best, Ted said.

The Eagles made apparently easy gains and took every advantage, until after a rapid advance toward their goal and in the last few minutes of the quarter Jim Pickett made another touchdown by catching the ball punted to his position and running free to the goal. In the excitement the final point to be gained by the kick was again lost. But now the Eagles' score stood ahead! Where were the brave Lions?

"Well," said Carolyn, "now comes the tug of war. It's the last quarter and everybody is tired out, and Freddy is limping off the field and it doesn't look so good!"

"Never say die, Carolyn," Peggy cheerfully put in. "The boys aren't going to lose the championship without a fight!"

Ted had disappeared again. The Eagles were having a snake dance and their band was parading, the forty pieces blaring triumphantly. "My, they do play well," said Betty. "It's grand that the high schools are big enough to have such music!"

"I can't say that I appreciate the Eagles' band right now, Betty," said Peggy, "and you won't either, when you've been here a little longer."

A gleam of hope seemed to arrive with bright Ted, who came jumping up to his seat just below the girls and smiled as he sat down. "We'll lick 'em yet, girls," he cried. "Freddy is resting a little and getting his ankle bound up, and he's going to play all right. They've a pretty good subst.i.tute for Skimp; at least I think that Bunty will play a good game.

So all is not lost. Cheer up!"

The Eagles' heroes were just as glad for a short rest as Freddy or any of the weary Lions. Rec.u.mbent forms lay about the field, presumably drawing strength from Mother Earth. Then, as the immense audience began to grow restless over delay, heads were bent together, in conference over coming plays, and the formation was made, while encouraging though brief cheers came from the rooters. After all the singing, cheering and rooting in every known way and the expenditure of considerable energy and enthusiasm, the band, the cheer leaders and the occupants of the seats in the stadium were tired enough to long for the close of the game. Yet tensity marked the opening of the quarter.

"Let's go," suggested one of the teachers next to the girls. Carolyn looked around in surprise, to see if it could be Miss Heath, usually so loyal to the Lions. But possibly with the teacher from the other school she rather hated to see the finish.

But no, it was not Miss Heath who had suggested going. "If you like, certainly," she was saying, "though it may be a little difficult to get through the crowd."

"That is so," replied the other, "but I think the game is practically over. Your big runner is injured and I scarcely think that the Lions can do much, with the subst.i.tute that they have for that other boy. I saw him play once before and he lost advantage once by fumbling when he might have done something."

"Oh, _can't_ we 'do much'!" said Carolyn, in a voice low enough not to be heard by Miss Heath or her friend. "She thinks she's so sure of the Eagles!"

Peggy and Betty grinned back at Carolyn, but settled themselves to watch the fray.

Again the struggle was on. Good! Freddy Fisher was running about as actively as ever, watched by the Eagles. Twice the ball was given to him, but although he did not appear to be lame as he ran, he could make little headway before he was downed. The Eagles "screamed" again, rooting loudly, and hoa.r.s.e encouragement came from the ranks of the Lyon High rooters. "Atta-boy! Freddy, rah! Fight, fight, fight, fight!"

Then came the surprise. Betty had forgotten to follow Ted's advice in regard to watch "Don."

Who had the ball this time? Betty was as surprised as any one to see "Don" with the ball, freeing himself from immediate interference and starting off. Oh, could he do it!

The surprised Eagles pounded after the mysterious foreigner while from the Eagles' rooters cries of "get that man! Get that man!" were wildly repeated.

Betty's heart was in her mouth. "What did I tell you!" Ted was shouting to the boy next him, as the Lion rooters stood up in a body and cheered.

"Run for it, Don! Watch out for Matt! Look out there, Don! Hooray, they didn't get you that time!" In these and like phrases, the boys in front of Betty and others expressed their feelings, while the lad on his way was trying to escape his enemies, all too ready to recover from their surprise and take measures to stop him.

Betty's view was unimpeded. Now a tackler launched himself at Don. Oh!

Don stumbled a little! No, he got away and the tackle clutched the air.

"He's free! he's free!" cried Carolyn, jumping up and down.

Gaining a little on the pursuit, running with more confidence, the "Don"

sped down the long path toward the goal, the ball held tightly. Cheers arose and the fierce roar of Lyon High in rejoicing followed the running lad. A few Eagles still followedbut Don had escaped! The "mysterious"

player was to divide honors with Freddy in the championship game and equal the number of yards won by the Eagles' quarterback, Jim Pickett.

"He's made it! He's made it!" shouted Ted, embracing the boy next to him, as Don completed his spectacular play and won his touchdown.

"Girlswhat did I tell you, Betty! _Now_ watch the Lions do a snake dance!"

The Lions' second touchdown put them ahead and after that there was nothing but grim effort, defence, blocking and wary play on both sides until the quarter ended. The Eagles, indeed, tried one or two desperate chances in the hope of scoring, but the Lions, with equal determination, blocked their every attempt, while an almost silent stadium of spectators watched closely every play.