The Boys of Columbia High on the Gridiron : or, the Struggle for the Silver Cup

day was

that Mr. Amos Wellington, not to mention Mr. Oswald, and the women teachers in Columbia High School,

ys congregated, on the campus before the morning session, or down in the lunch room during intermission, when they sampled the various types

than our men,"

in football is gone,"

acity more than heft. And we've got the boys who can do stunts,

he last time this af

want to work in harmony," remarked the fellow who seemed to know, because he h

pot," grumbled anot

it,

hole bunch ever so many times, and with the new

at once, and say I'm knocking, for I'm not. I think a heap both of Ralph West's playing and t

he dudish student, who, while no athlete himself, always felt a dec

lph haven't worked with the rest, to any extent, at least. How can they fill their parts in

hey know the same plays, and once the signals are decided on the whole thing will move along like a well greased machine. He's don

ee cheers for Co

ere given

of lunch, they naturally fell into conversation, and, of course, their t

asked Frank, with a

soph, so we run in different grooves. What

ious to know how Tony looked. While I waited for an answer to the note I carried, I glanced over to where h

t my mark on him?" sug

hen discovered that he was facing it. He turned fiery red when he caught my look, for I really couldn't keep

r me so. I only struck in self-defense, and every

as well by that sneak of an Asa. But he was wise enough to stay home to-d

r school, Ralph, possessed by a sort of fascination to behold his work,

at the author of his woes, and his two chums made threatening gestures;

se, it was easy for him to invent a plausible excuse for this mishap; he had run slap against a door when getting up in

om smiling a bit as he turned away; and this must

for their last instructions, and the trial of the signal code. Frank and the coach were fr

tion result in, Mr. Will

or. A dozen people I interviewed were positive in that belief. For while there is as yet no proof, they declare that on no other grounds c

backward at the last minute. That would confuse Cliff

trickery makes me angry. Because they feel that they were fooled by Bellport is no reason they should want to pass it along, and defeat you

listened to such a thing. It would be just like him to go to the other side and tell t

, believe that anything is fair that promises to bring the advantages to their side. Love of school is al

e signals as they have be

ly, and change the whole order, so that things mean just the opp

nd makes them work to his advantage. And that is what you propose to do now. Watch Lanky; he's up to some mischief or o

, smiling. "Yes; notice, however, that Lanky makes no effort to hold the ball for the kick, but has set it there on the ground," co

sidering how near the game is, you can hardly blame him. Perhaps he's

ir, with his fing

t the ball with a tremendous effort. The result was certainly astonishing, for there was a sudden heavy detonation, and the f

old cover, for the genuine article, having previously hidden the fraudul

to the joke. All but the dazed Buster, who, still sitting there and gaping at the seeming remain

ll, anyhow?" which remark brought out renewed shrieks from the others

y, of course he laughed heartily, for his

all the various plays that were apt to come up during the course of the g

and Frank came together during a period of rest, after a fierce foray, in which every player wor

gainst real foes, but this last practice was to be in secret. Signal work and the drill

eighborhood, completely surrounding the open. Thus it would seem that there could be no on

ing in all we say. When fellows descend to such low practices as betraying their schoolmates to the enemy, they become very crafty.

ea of Mr. Willoughby had reason back of it. In other words, he had made up his mind that when the crowd o

arranged maneuvers. Up to the present he had found it necessary to stop them in the mi

isheveled hair and soiled clothes, he came out of

o ask. Coach Willoughby's b

hown, you're going to mow Clifford down far worse than she suffered at the hands of Bellport. I congratulate you, every one, for the fine form you show. It does my heart good

g for the last time some of the plays by means of which they hoped

eary when the coach declared that they had

et in the place selected, to go over the changed signals," was sp

tain of the eleven. He had whispered his intentions to Lanky, and the latter, while laughing at his fears

without wasting any time, he started to crawl back to where h

groundless. He would spend a short time watching,

been deceived and beaten by the too free handling

llow him to observe the ground he deemed m

inute; for it seemed to him that he had heard

allen to the ground. Eagerly he riveted his eyes on the place, and in this way became awa

hough some little distance away, Frank could see that this was no animal, but a human being, a bo

e was looking on a spy, who had been perched among the thick branches of that pine tree dur

ed of information that was of trem