THE MEETING WITH HIXLEY HIGH
Football talk now filled the air at Colby Hall, and for the time being
most of the cadets forgot about how the Rovers had been treated on the
lake by Nappy Martell and Slugger Brown.
Nappy was particularly angry, because of the way he had been treated by
Jennie Mason, on whom he had been sweet ever since they had become
acquainted. Slugger, too, was hurt over what the girls had said about
his meanness. But he was far more put out over the fact that he could
act only as a substitute on the regular eleven, and that Gif Garrison
had finally concluded to put Jack in his place. Fred had not won out
for the first eleven, but Gif had told him he stood so high on the
scrub that he might possibly make the team before the season came to an
end.
"It's all those Rovers' fault," growled Slugger Brown to Martell.
"Of course it is!" was the unreasonable reply. "I'll tell you, Slug, we
ought to do something to get square with those chaps."
"If I break loose and do that, it'll be something they'll remember as
long as they live!" declared Slugger Brown, vehemently.
Nappy Martell looked at his crony knowingly, and then glanced around to
see if anybody was listening.
"Let's do it right now, Slug," he said in a low voice. "I don't care
what it is, so long as we can get the best of those Rovers."
"We'll think it over, Nap. This isn't to be any one-cent, every-day
affair, you know."
"Right you are! I'm game for anything--just remember that!" added the
other cadet.
As Gif Garrison had said, there were three football games scheduled for
Colby Hall that Fall. The first of these was to be with Hixley High
School, located in a town at the other end of the lake. Then would
follow a game of more importance with the Clearwater Country Club, at
their beautiful grounds on the outskirts of Haven Point. And then the
last and most important game of all--that with Columbus Academy,
located about ten miles away. Whether the last named game would be
played at Colby Hall or at the Columbus Academy grounds, was still a
question.
In a few days Jack recovered completely from the spiking he had
received from Slugger Brown, and then he went at his football practice
with greater vigor than ever. He took Slugger's place on the regular
eleven, as already mentioned, and in his first game they beat the scrub
team by a score of 32 to 12.
"Now, that's better!" declared Gif. "You didn't let the scrub walk all
over you."
Fred had been on the scrub team, and, although that eleven had been
defeated, he was in a rather happy frame of mind, for the reason that
out of the twelve points scored he had been directly responsible for
six points.
"I think Fred is going some," remarked Jack to Gif, later on when he
had a chance to speak to the football captain privately.
"You're right, Jack," was the answer. "And I've got my eye on him."
The game with Hixley High was not a very important one, yet it was made
the occasion for quite a gala day by not only the boys of both schools
but likewise the girls attending the high school and also the young
ladies of Clearwater Hall. The Rover boys and some of their chums
invited Ruth and her several friends, including Jennie Mason and Ida
Brierley, to be present, and this invitation was gladly accepted.
"I don't wonder that Slugger Brown and Nappy Martell look so glum
occasionally," remarked Spouter to Jack the day after the invitations
had been given and accepted. "I just had a talk with my cousin May, and
she says Jennie Mason and Ida Brierley are through with those two
cadets. They told Nappy and Slugger they thought they were nothing but
cowards for the way they treated you Rovers on the lake."
"Well, I'm glad they've given up going with that pair," announced Jack.
The last game with Hixley High had been played on the grounds of that
institution, so that the game this year was to take place at Colby
Hall.
"You fellows will have the honor of bringing the girls over from
Clearwater Hall," remarked Jack to his cousins and his chums. "I'll
have to stay here and do a bit of practising."
The auto-stage and a number of automobiles and carriages had been
requisitioned, and also a number of motor boats on the lake, and in
these the young folks from Hixley High School and from Clearwater Hall
journeyed to Colby Hall.
Jack was on the lookout for Ruth and the others, and lost no time in
greeting the girl as soon as she appeared.
"I'm so glad that you're on hand to encourage us to win," said he, as
he took Ruth's hand.
"Thank you. But how are you sure I am here to encourage you?" she
questioned mischievously. "Maybe I'm going to root for Hixley High."
"You dare!" he returned earnestly, and then they both laughed and
hurried towards the grandstand, where seats had been reserved for the
entire party.
"Whoop her up for Hixley High!" was the cry. And then those in favor of
the high school took up the slogan:
"Do or die!
Hixley High! Hixley High!"
"They mean to win if yelling will do it," was May Powell's comment.
"Oh, I guess the cadets of Colby Hall can yell, too," responded Fred.
And he was right, for a moment later there boomed out this refrain:
"Who are we?
Can't you see?
Colby Hall!
Dum! Dum! Dum, dum, dum!
Here we come with fife and drum!
Colby! Colby! Colby Hall!"
And this the cadets repeated over and over again until they were
hoarse.
"Well, I've got to go now," said Jack, reluctantly, as word came for
the team to gather in the dressing room for final instructions.
"Good-bye then," said Ruth, sweetly. And then, looking Jack full in the
eyes, she added earnestly: "Oh, I do hope you'll win!"
They were simple words, but the way in which they were spoken, and the
look that accompanied them, thrilled the youth to the heart, and he
went down to the dressing room on feet that seemed to be walking on
air.
"Now then, boys, I expect every one of you to do his level best," said
Gif. "Hixley High has been bragging everywhere that it has a superior
team this year and is going to walk all over us. I want you to play
with vigor from the very start;" and then followed a number of
directions concerning plays and signals, to all of which his eleven
listened earnestly.
When the Colby Hall team came forth, they were given a loud round of
applause, and this was repeated when Hixley High showed itself. The
high school boys were nearly all seniors, and a glance sufficed to show
that, player for player, they were quite a few pounds heavier than the
cadets.
"If our eleven wins this game they will be going some," was Fatty's
whispered comment to a fellow cadet.
"You're right there," was the answer. "Those chaps certainly look
pretty husky."
It is not my intention here to give the particulars of this game with
Hixley High, interesting as it proved to be. It was not the big game of
the season--that was to come later. During the first quarter, the
playing on both sides was rather rough and ragged, each school doing
its best to wear its opponent out at the very start. In these
onslaughts the weight carried by Hixley High told, so that when the
whistle blew the score was 6 to 3.
"Hurrah! Hurrah!" came from the supporters of the high school. And
again and again they boomed out with their slogan.
"This game isn't over yet!" cried one of the followers of Colby Hall.
"We haven't begun to play yet! Just watch us in the second half!" added
another cadet.
"Oh, dear! I thought Colby Hall would score, sure!" pouted Ruth.
"Those Hixley High boys are awfully big fellows," answered May.
The second quarter opened with a good deal of cheering for each side.
The playing now became more settled, and the ball went back and forth
from the 20-yard line on one side to the 30-yard line on the other.
Then came a mix-up, in the midst of which Jack managed to get the ball
and start with it for the goal.
"Rover has it!"
"Run, Jack, run! Leg it for all you're worth!"
And Jack did run, making the best of his opportunity. Three of the
Hixley High players did their utmost to down him, but when the third
laid him low, he was directly over the chalk mark.
"A touchdown!" was the cry from the Colby Hall cadets. And then they
gave vent to their feelings by tooting their horns and sounding their
rattles.
The touchdown was followed by a skilful kick for goal, and with this in
their favor, Colby Hall went at the game with renewed vigor, so that
when the whistle blew for the ending of the second half the score stood
13 to 6 in favor of Colby Hall.
"That's the way to do it!"
"Keep it up, boys!"
"Oh, wasn't that a splendid run by Jack?" cried Ruth, enthusiastically.
"It certainly was!" answered one of the other girls.
With the score piling up against them, Hixley High grew fairly frantic
in the third quarter. As a consequence, their play became rougher than
ever, and twice they had to be called to order, and once they were
penalized. But their vigor told, and in spite of all Colby Hall could
do to hold them back, they gained constantly, and when the end of the
third quarter was reached the score was a tie.
"Thirteen to thirteen! What do you think of that?"
"Some playing, eh?"
Each side cheered its own, but many were the anxious faces when the two
elevens lined up for the final quarter.
"Now then, boys, dig into them!" cried Mr. Crews, earnestly. "Show them
what Colby Hall can do!"
"Watch 'em--watch 'em closely!" cautioned Gif. "They may try to pull
off some new stunt at the last minute."
Once more the two teams went at it "hammer and tongs." It was certainly
a battle royal, and on more than one occasion it looked as if some of
the players might be seriously injured. As it was, Hixley High had to
put in one substitute, and Colby Hall took on two. But the fighting
blood of the cadets was now up, and with a great rush they carried the
ball over the Hixley High line. They failed, however, to kick the goal,
much to the regret of their followers.
"Never mind, boys," said Gif, encouragingly. "Hold 'em now! That is all
I ask of you--hold 'em!"
And hold them Colby did, although the high school lads fought like
demons to carry the ball across the cadets' territory. Back and forth
went the play, the crowd meanwhile yelling itself hoarse. The ball was
on the Colby Hall 15-yard line when the whistle blew and the game was
over.
"Colby Hall wins!"
"Hurrah! Hurrah!"
Then the horns and rattles sounded out louder than ever, and in a
twinkling the football field was alive with visitors, and the
triumphant eleven was surrounded.