The Half-Back

down the field and practice formations. Bac

Remsen, in the grimiest of moleskins, stood talking to the captain, and, in obedience to the command of the latter, some fifteen youths, clad for the coming fr

were down for a stiff thirty minutes of practice. Joel March shivered with the rest of the backs and waited for the coach

e drop-kicks. Post, you do the same, please. And let me see, what is your name?" addressing a good-looking and rather slight youth. "Ah, yes, Claus

e. His handling was wrong, his stepping out was wrong, and his leg-swing was very, very wrong! But he heard ne

lot better. Now kick." Joel caught the ball n

ber that the broader the surface that propels the ball the greater will be the accuracy--that is, the ball has less chance of sliding off to one side when the striking surface is large. Here'

wn to play left half on the second eleven, and beside him, at right, was Wills, a promising lower middle boy, who was an excellent runner, but who, so far, had failed to develop any aptitude for kicking. Cloud and Clausen occupied similar positions on t

y, for the right half when he tried to arise found that his ankle was strained, and so had to limp off the ground supported by Greer and Barnard, the one-hundred-and-sixty-pound right tackle. Turner, a new player, went on, and the ball was put in play again, this time for a try through left tackle. But the second's line held like a stone wall, and the runner was forced back with the loss of a yard. Then the first eleven guards fell back, and when the formation hit the second's line the latter broke like paper, and the first streamed through for a do

up to take the new position. "That was his signal to take the leathe

and presently, when their quarter knelt on the last white line, the dreaded happened, and Blair lay between the posts with half the second eleven on top of him, but w

ayer and that, explaining his faults or saying a good word for his work. In the second half many of the second eleven went into the first, the deposed boys retiring to the side-lines

ncouraging slap as he trotted back to his place. The next play was an ordinary formation with the ends back, and the ball passed to left end for a run back of quarter and through the line outside of guard. It worked like a charm, and left end sped through with Joel bracing him at the turn and the left half going ahead. Four yards were netted, Meach, the substitute left half, being tackled by Po

a shake or two and resolved to forgive and forget. A play similar to the last was next tried with an outlet on the other side, outside tackle. But it resulted in

as they took up the new position. Joel

ause he made such a bull of his play in th

said Joel. "That sort of thing doesn't help. Watch your chan

back and Joel, whispering "Kick!" to himself, turned and raced farther back from the line. Then the ball was snapped, there was a crossing of backs, and suddenly, far out around the right end came Cloud with the pigskin tightly clutched,

eed. But he was reckoning without his host. Joel started gingerly up to meet him. The field was streaming down on Cloud's heels, but too

er, and with a leap Joel was on him, tackling hard and true about the runner's hips. Cloud struggled, made a yard, another, then came to earth with Joel's head snugly pillowed on his shoulder. A shout arose from the crowd. The field came up and Joel scrambled to h

id Remsen in sharp, incis

rom the field, passing through the silent and un

is taste for it, and when, a few minutes later, neither side having scored a

h. "That settles Cloud's chances. Remsen was laying for him anyhow, you know, and

appened, though

be afraid of Cloud

. Of course I couldn't have let him go by, and I don't suppose it

Cloud mad! I passed him a minute or two ago. 'You ought to try golf, Bart,' said I. You should have seen th

tournament, Wes

o one has ever done the fourth in two before; it's the Bogey score. Don't forget that you have promised to go around with me. They say Whipple is practic

House, while Joel entered the gymnasium and was soon enjoying the lu

elf dry with a big, crimson-bordered towel. "Mr. Remsen wasn't any to

big center good-naturedly. "The idea of playing a

ds just the same

this sally was a boot launched at the center rush, for Tom Warren's middle name was in reality Saalfield, and "Stumpy" was a cognomen rather too descriptive

he Westvale Grammar School in the afternoon. Golf had fewer admirers than had the other sport, but what there were were fully as enthusiastic, and the

The Hill in five," that Blair was "putting better than Grimes did last year," and that "West had taken four to get out of Sandy." All of which was undoubtedly