The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1938-02-04
CHAPTER IX-Continued

Second down, twelve to 60, with
the State cheer booming across the
field now. What did that Fardale
quarterback think he was doing,
slamming his lighter players into
States impregnable defense? Futile
and silly. The State men were
laughing.
Another formation for a run. But
no, it was a fake. Springall took
the ball and kicked quickly. He got
it away and the wind helped carry
it along.
Washburn, Fardale's left end, got
through this time between guard
and tackle. The over-confident State
men had been caught almost fiat
footed, and Washburn did some
clever side-stepping and little fast
running. He downed the ball-catcher
well over in States territory.
A bit disguised, but still conf
dent, State settled down to show the
home boys some real football. OF
course Fardale knew what it was up
against. Otherwise a long kick
never would have been considered
on second down. That early in the
game, it was the trick of team
lacking faith in its driving force.
Anyhow, that was the way State
doped it.
Merriwell was trying to take it
easy on the bench. He was trying
to keep from getting too tense. If
he got into this game at all, he
wanted to be in the right condition,
mentally and otherwise.
He watched the State steamroller
start rolling, saw it steadily and
surely grind forward into Fardale
territory. 1t was humping the
breath out of the blue-and-white de-
tenders. And it hadn't yet turned
to either of the two scoring plays
Kane had so carefully drilled his
players against. Had the scout been
mistaken about those plays?
No! There was the first one, a run
around the strong end by the right
halfback, with States end blocking
Washburn, Fardale's left end, in to-
ward the line.
And now, with a heavy but swift
interferer ahead of him, that back
field man came booming round the
flank and went romping over the
chalk-marks for a touchdown.
Washburn had failed. He had for
gotten Kane's order not to worry
about leaving a hole in the line, but
to get outside the opposing end man
and fight him off, while striving
himself to get out still further out,
if possible, to force the runner to
swing wide. Had he remembered
to follow instructions the run might
have gained, but it would not, in all
probability, have been good for a
touchdown.
With the crowd in the south stand
chanting States fighting song, fol-
lowing a stirring cheer, State lined
up to attempt a place-kick for the
extra point. The angle was a little
difficult, but State kickers seldom
missed the posts. One of them
booted the leather now, and Far
dale failed to touch the ball.
But the wind took a hand. It
swerved the ball just enough to
carry it against one Of the posts,
and caromed off outside. Six points
instead of seven.
State didn't mind that. Six points
were merely starter. Those conf
dent fellows were thinking they
might make go or more before the
final whistle blew.
Time out now and a pause in
which the school band played "Fair
Fardale." Kane was sending man
in to take Washburn's place.
Hodge!
Frank had forgotten that Bart had
been transferred from the scrub the
night before. Now he saw him fling
off his wraps and start out on to
the field. The fellow who had
thought himself buried with the
dead ones who were doomed never
to play for Fardale was ordered to
get into the game ahead of Merri-
well.
Frank was human, and in that
moment he felt twisting stab of
the commonest and meanest of hui
man emotions. Jealousy. That was
something he had though he'd
learned to control and hold at bay,
but it got him now and stung him
deep and hard.
He and Hodge were the only two
freshmen to make the squad, and to
a certain extent he had helped
Bart's reputation with the coach by
yielding to Inza's wishes and say
ing a good word for the fellow at
every opportunity. Now Hodge was
going into this game to fight for
Fardale and Frank was still glued
fast to the bench.
Merry had been too busy to see
Inza for more than a moment or
two since Sunday, but only last
night Barney had told him that
Hodge had managed to see her
often. And the frank Irish boy had
expressed his conviction that she