Howard Roger Garis

“ Gathering speed the ponderous truck, with its load of humanity—the cadet football team shot down hill, bumping over stones and hollows, swerving from side to side, the steering wheel making the firm hands of the driver tremble.
"Haven't you got two brakes?" gasped Dick.
"Yes—got the foot on one—she won't hold her with this load," was the panting answer.
"Can't we jump out before it goes any faster?" asked Hal Foster. ”

“ There was an anxious moment, and the cadets and instructors waited in fear and trembling.
"He may be overcome by the powder fumes," said the colonel. "Poor lads—they may both be killed."
An instant after the colonel had spoken a form appeared in the blackened doorway. One form? No, two, for in his arms Dick Hamilton bore the limp body of Dutton.
"He's got him! He's got him!" yelled Paul Drew, and a great shout followed his words.
On staggered Dick with his burden. Grit saw his master in the now dimming light from the fire, and barked joyfully. ”

“ Around the end of the line came smashing the Blue Hill full-back who had taken the ball from his left half-back. Right around he came, but Dick was there to tackle him. With all the fierceness and energy of which he was capable the young millionaire sprang at his man. They came down together.
The ball rolled from the full-back's arms at his impact with the earth, and like a flash Dick saw his chance. He was up in an instant, had grabbed the leather, tucked it under his arm and was racing down the field toward the goal of his enemies. ”

“ Porter and Weston knew better than to disobey, for their chums, who had been present at the spread, had whispered to them of the dire penalties that would follow a disregard of the hazing instructions of the upper classmen. So the two cronies marched gravely up and down the dark street, while occasional pedestrians paused to gaze, chuckle silently as they realized what was in progress.
"I'm not going to stand it!" indignantly declared Porter after a half hour of the ordeal.
"We'd better," counseled Weston. "I don't want to stay at Kentfield for a month with not a soul to speak to but you. ”

“ Blue Hill was frantic and might take any unfair advantage. The Kentfield men were like hounds after a stag—it seemed that nothing could keep them back. Dick sent Ray Dutton through centre for five yards.
He came back into the line gasping, for he had been tackled hard.
"Only a little more now, fellows!" yelled the captain. "Nothing can stop us now."
"Yes, we can!" cried Haskell in desperation. "Don't let 'em through, boys!"
His half-wild players managed to stop Stiver with the ball after a three yard gain. But two more yards were needed—six feet. ”

“ We can get two of the best coaches in the country—say one from Yale and one from Princeton. They can come here, and in a few weeks I'm sure they can whip our team into shape. We have the material—all it needs is to be developed."
"That's right—but how can we afford to pay for a Yale and a Princeton coach?" demanded George Hall.
"I'll attend to that end," replied Dick calmly. "This is my treat. I want Kentfield to have the best eleven in the league, and if coaching can do it we'll have it. Then we can win some games. I'll pay for the coaches, and we'll see what they can do. ”

“ After that the Kentfield lads took it a little easier, for which their opponents were duly grateful. Teddy Naylor kicked a beautiful field goal, and then time was called, with the score fifty to nothing in favor of "Dick Hamilton's team," as his chums insisted on calling it.
"Oh, but I feel good!" cried our hero as he ran to the dressing rooms.
"You look like a peach," said Paul. "One eye is half closed and your nose looks as if some one had hammered brass work on it." ”

“ And how eager that same scrub was to make touchdowns against the Varsity! How they did work, taking desperate chances all the while, and the individual players making names for themselves by brilliant dashes. For they all wanted to get on the first team, and they bore in mind what the coaches had said about giving them a chance if they did well.
"We certainly have our work cut out for us," remarked Dick, after a particularly gruelling day. "I'm as lame as a fellow who's tumbled downstairs." ”

“ I don't expect a walkover, but there ought to be no question as to who is going to win—unless this auto affair has got on the nerves of our lads."
The crowd continued to arrive. The grandstands were like some gorgeous sunset in appearance, with the hats of the pretty girls, and the waving of flags and banners. Cheers and songs, made music in keeping with the day.
"Line-up!" came the cry, and when the whistle blew, and the ball was kicked off, twenty-two figures clad in earth-stained suits made a mad dash for each other. The game was on. ”

“ Scores of expectant lads sat in the meeting room of the Kentfield Academy gymnasium. They faced two quiet gentlemen, who, from time to time, whispered to each other. Beside the two gentlemen were Teddy Naylor and Innis Beeby, who also, as the minutes passed, conferred in low voices.
"Hadn't we better start?" asked Innis, of the football captain.
"No, we'll wait a few minutes longer. Porter and Weston aren't here, and I want them to come."
"Those fellows will never train for the eleven."
"Yes they will. There is good material in both of them. Here they are now. I guess we've got enough. ”

“ I have made an offer to Burke Martin of Yale, and Wilson Spencer of Princeton."
"Martin and Spencer!" cried Teddy in delight. "Say, if we get them here they'll make even the goal posts play the game. There aren't any two better coaches living."
"It pays to get the best," said Dick, with a smile. "I have had my father send a line to the athletic committee of the Tigers, and I told him to write to our distant relative who once went to Yale, and get him to put in a good word for us."
"Fine!" cried the captain. "I fancy they'll make the team all over again when they get here. I may lose my place." ”

“ Then came a smash at the Blue Hill centre, and to the dismay of Dick, Paul Drew fumbled the ball. In an instant one of the Blue Hill players fell on it, and quickly booted it out of danger.
There was a groan, and Dick felt his heart sink. All their brilliant work in the sequence had gone for naught. The Blue Hill crowd went wild with delight.
"Line up!" called Dick grimly, and once more he began his line-smashing tactics. But there was no gain, and a kick was called for. Similarly the opponents of Kentfield could not advance the ball, and they punted. ”

“ I thought your team was such a much!" yelled an ardent Blue Hill supporter to some Kentfield cadets in the stand next to him.
"So it is," was the cool answer, though there was a sore heart back of it. "We never play our best until the other team gets a touchdown. That's the only look-in your fellows will have."
"Oh, it is; eh?" demanded the other with a hoarse laugh. "Well, just watch our boys rip you all to pieces from now on."
The goal was kicked, making the score six to nothing against our friends, and Dick saw dubious looks on the faces of his chums. ”

“ Then came the line up.
"Watch out now, boys," warned the captain, as the Dunkirk quarter-back began giving the signal.
At the line of Kentfield came a man, hurling himself toward a hole that had been partly opened between Paul Drew and George Hall. Into the opening the man went, but no further, for he was neatly stopped. Only a yard was gained.
"That's the way to do it!" cried Dick in delight. "Hold 'em, boys! Hold 'em!"
Once more Dunkirk made a gallant try, this time around left end, but again the man with the ball was nailed, and thrown for a loss.
"They'll have to kick," cried Dick. ”

“ Nearer and nearer to their own goal they were pushed, until the ball was within five yards of it. Dick begged and pleaded, but it is likely that not all the urging in the world could have prevented a touchdown, only that the whistle blew, ending the half, and the tired players rushed from the field.
"Well, we didn't score," remarked Dick somewhat gloomily to the coaches who hurried out to him.
"Score? Nobody expected you would against that team!" cried Mr. Martin. "But look what you did. You equaled them all around, and they couldn't score on you."
"They feel worse than you do!" ”

“ I'll cultivate the acquaintance of Porter and Weston, though I don't care much for them."
A better day for football practice could not have been desired. There was just enough crispness in the air, and the gridiron, newly marked with its chalk-lines was green under the autumn sun as a crowd of cadets released from drill and studies, flocked over the campus, shouting and laughing.
"Line up there, you scrubs!" called Paul Drew. "This is where we walk all over you. Here, Dick, catch this!" and he kicked a puzzling spiral toward the young millionaire. ”

“ As for our hero, he had a worry that he kept to himself, and, now that his father had returned to Hamilton Corners, the lad let it prey on his mind even more than he had when the millionaire was at the academy.
"Our fortune in danger," mused Dick. "That sure is tough luck. Not that money is everything, or really much in this world. But, after you've gotten used to having it, I guess it's hard to spin along without it. But perhaps it won't be so bad as dad fears. I would certainly hate to give up my steam yacht, and I may have to leave Kentfield. ”

“ Once more the boys looked at one another, but this time, instead of with puzzled glances, it was more with looks of fear, or at least uncertainty.
"Haskell University," murmured Dick Hamilton.
"Champions of the Military League year before last," added Innis.
"And likely to be again this year," put in George Hall.
"And he wants us to tackle them—us the tail-enders," muttered Jim Watkins. "It can't be did! We'd all be in the hospital, fellows, and our team would be crippled."
Talk was flying thick and fast now, and almost every remark seemed to be against the daring plan of the coaches. ”

“ The latter went into the fine points of the game, emphasizing the needs of the individual players, laying stress on what the backs, tackles, ends and guards should do, and urging on the lads the necessity for fast, snappy playing.
"Demoralize your opponents by the quickness with which you jump into formations," said the Yale man. "As soon as one play is finished be ready for the next. In defense, never give up, no matter how the game seems to be going against you. Hold hard, tire out the other side, and then you may have a chance to get the ball and—win!" ”

“ They can't stand that smashing attacking business, but you can hold them if you try. Then, at the right time, get the ball and take it up. One touchdown and goal will tie the score, and another touchdown will win the championship for you."
"Boys, will we do it?" cried Dick, turning to his cadets as they surrounded him in the dressing rooms under the grandstand. ”

“ If we hadn't had so many men knocked out we could have won, even at that. Blue Hill made one touchdown against us by straight playing. We were about to do the same to her. Then they got one on a fumble. It was my fault for being so silly as to be knocked out, but——"
"It wasn't your fault at all!" cried Dick. "No one could have played better than you did. That whack on the head was enough to bowl anyone over."
"Yes, I guess it was," admitted Ray, as he gently felt of a lump the bandage covered.
"And the way they handled Paul was rotten," went on the captain. ”

“ The scrub, against whom the Varsity matched forces that afternoon, had been having some secret practice of their own, and they worked a couple of tricks on the rather surprised first team that netted a good gain, and eventually a touchdown.
"That's something you must be on the lookout for," said Mr. Martin, who was a bit chagrined over what had happened. "It isn't enough to play well on your own team, you must watch what the other fellow is doing. Now try again, and put some ginger into your work." ”

“ The best men must be picked on the team."
"Sure!" cried someone.
"But who's going to do the picking?" demanded Beeby.
"That's what I'm coming to," went on Dick. "I was going to tell you my plan, when I had to leave this afternoon."
"Tell it now!" was the general shout.
"This is it!" replied the young millionaire. "You know what good coaching can do for a team. I think that's what we need, and it is casting no reflection on the present coaches, for we all know they can devote only a little time to the work. ”