CHAPTER XV
THE DASH FOR THE GOAL
"The day, the important day, Big with the fate of Cato and of Rome,"
quoted Dick.
"It is the sun of Austerlitz," chimed in Tom, not to be outdone inquotation, as he drew aside the curtains of the hotel window and saw thebright rays streaming over the city roofs.
"As long as it isn't Waterloo, we'll have no kick coming," added Bert."I'm tickled to death to see that it's this kind of weather. I'd hate toplay on as muddy a field as we had with the 'Maroons.'"
"The paper predicted rain yesterday," said Tom, throwing up the window,"but from the bite in the air, it seems cold enough for snow. How wouldyou like to play on a snowy field, fellows?"
"Not for mine," replied Dick emphatically, "although the Western teamsdo it often. Only a few years ago Chicago and Michigan played in whatwas almost a blizzard."
"I'll bet the teams kept warm enough," commented Bert; "but it must havebeen tough on the spectators."
"O, those dyed-in-the-wool football fiends don't care for a little thinglike that," said Dick. "We'll never play to empty benches, no matterwhat the weather. But hurry up now and come down to breakfast. We won'tdare to eat very much at lunch and we'd better fill up now."
It was Thanksgiving Day, and the Blues had come up to New York the nightbefore, so that they might have a good night's rest before the mostimportant game of the season. The game was to be played at the PoloGrounds and public interest was so great that all the seats had beensold out long in advance. It was a foregone conclusion that the vastamphitheater would be crowded to capacity when the teams should cometrotting out on the gridiron.
The excitement was the greater because of the superb form shown by bothteams all through the season. Seldom had competitors been more equallymatched. Both had come through their schedules unbeaten, and theshrewdest followers of the game were hard put to it to pick a winner.Even the games played by each with the "Maroons" did not give much of aline. The "Greys," to be sure, had made two touchdowns, while the Blueshad only tallied one. But, on the other hand, the "Maroons" had scoredon the "Greys," while the Blues had been able to keep their goalintact. The "dope" was perplexing and the wisest tipsters were all atsea. Man for man, the "Greys" had a slight advantage in weight. But theBlues were admitted to have the finest backfield in the country, andWilson was "touted" as the greatest player seen at full for the lasttwenty years. All in all, it was a "toss up," and many predicted thatneither side would score.
But no such neutral tint shadowed the rosy dreams of the Blues. Theywere full of fight, and brimming over with confidence. All theircripples had come back except Ellis, who was just able to limp aroundwithout a crutch. But Morley in his place had rounded to in great shapeand there was scarcely a shade to choose between the two. Boyd's knee,hurt in the game with the "Maroons," was all right again and, best ofall, good old Hodge was back again at right tackle, having at last madeup his conditions. He plugged up the only really weak place on the team,and made the line twenty per cent. stronger than it had been withouthim. For all these reasons the team felt itself unbeatable, and wereeager for the hour to come when they might prove it. Even Dan, the oldbulldog that served the team as a mascot, moved about with unusualalacrity and seemed to have caught the contagion.
"He's actually smiling," declared Tom, as he patted him affectionately."It's up to you to bring us luck to-day, old fellow."
Hendricks and Reddy, although delighted to see the way the boys werefeeling, felt it incumbent to add a word of caution.
"You're going to win, boys," said the former; "but you'll have your workcut out for you. Those fellows are never easy, and there'll be somethingdoing every minute. Get the jump at the very start, and keep forcing thefight. Go in for straight football until you feel them out, and don'tresort to the 'fireworks' until you have to. And keep your eyes on thatquarterback of theirs. He's one of the trickiest in the game and alwaysliable to start something."
"Not forgetting the full," added Reddy, "they say he's as big and strongas a bull elephant, and it's aching he'll be to stack up against you,Wilson."
"Let him come," grinned Bert. "I'll try to make it interesting."
Even New York, big and indifferent as it is to most things taking placewithin it, was agog with interest over the contest. The front pages ofthe papers were devoted to a review and comparison of the teams, andbulletin boards were prepared for the great crowds expected to gatherabout the offices during the progress of the game. Broadway and FifthAvenue were alive with flags and the college colors, and the lobbies ofthe hotels were packed with a swarming mob of undergraduates. Tally-hoswith merry parties and tooting horns rolled up the Avenue, and hundredsof automobiles joined in the procession. The subways and elevated roadswere crowded to the doors, and at one o'clock, although the game did notbegin till two, there was not a vacant seat in the vast stadium, whilethousands of deadheads seized every point of vantage on the bluffs thatsurrounded the grounds. The stands were a perfect riot of beauty andcolor, and the stentorian voices of the rival rooters, to which wasjoined the treble of the girls made the air echo with songs and shoutsof defiance.
After a light lunch the teams had been bundled into swift autos andhurried to the field, where they made their final preparations andunderwent the last scrutiny of coach and trainers. Both were in superbfettle and ready to present their strongest line-up, and when theytumbled out on the field, amid frantic roars of greeting, there seemednothing to choose between them.
The preliminary practice was sharp and snappy. The crisp tang of the airwas a tonic to which all responded, and the inspiration of the hugecrowds spurred them on to do their prettiest. Bert attracted especialattention as he kicked goals in practice. His fame had preceded him, andthe college men in the stands were kept busy at the behest of asister--or somebody else's sister--in "pointing out Wilson." Otherheroes of the gridiron also came in for their meed of admiration, and bythe time the game was started expectation was wound up to the highestpitch. Everyone felt, as the young gladiators faced each other, that thegame would be "for blood."
Nor were they disappointed. From the moment the referee's whistle blew,the playing was of the most desperate kind. The "Greys" had won thechoice of goal and the Blues had the kick-off. Bert poised himselfcarefully and shot the ball down the field far and high. Hamilton made afair catch at the thirty yard line, but Caldwell had gone down like aflash, and nailed him before he could run back.
The ball belonged to the "Greys." Dudley went through left and tacklefor a gain of five. Hamilton gained two more on the other side of theline. Again Dudley tried between center and guard, but caught a Tartarin Dick, and was thrown back for a loss of three. The bucking game wasnot panning out and the ball was passed back to the giant fullback,Livingston, for a kick. The snapping was good and the kick speedy, butBert burst through the line like a whirlwind and by a superb leapblocked it in mid-air. It was a rattling play and the Blue stand shookwith cheers.
The teams lined up for the scrimmage on the "Grey's" thirty-five yardline. Hodge plunged through for seven with the whole "Grey" teamsprawling over him. A forward pass, beautifully engineered by Tom,garnered eight more. Martin skirted left end for a pretty run of fifteenyards, but was tackled so heavily by Livingston that he dropped theball, and Felton pounced upon it. It was a close call for the "Greys"and a sigh of relief went up from their partisans when on the next playa great punt by Minden sent it whirling down the field and out ofdanger. A furious battle ensued, but Fortune seemed angry at the Bluesfor their disregard of her gifts, and the quarter ended with the ball inthe middle of the field.
Nor, try as they would, could they gain in the next period against thestonewall defense put up by the "Greys." Perhaps the Blue attack wassomewhat more savage than their own, but they made up for that bysuperior weight in the line. Their signals were working perfectly andthey moved with the precision of a machine.
Twelve minutes of playing time had elapsed when,
with the ball on the"Greys'" forty yard line, Bert suddenly dropped back for a kick. The"Greys" burst through, but it got off perfectly. High in the air itsoared like a hawk, headed straight for the goal. A groan rose from the"Grey" stands, while those in the Blue sprang to their feet, in a burstof frantic cheering. But, just as it neared the bar, a stiff gust ofwind from the north caught it and deflected it from its course. Itcurved down and out, striking the post and bounded back into the field,where Ensley fell upon it.
The hearts of the Blues went down into their boots, while theiropponents capered about and hugged each other.
"What's the use playing against such luck as that?" growled Drakedisgustedly.
"It's tough, all right," agreed Bert, "but they can't get all thebreaks. It'll be our turn next."
Before the ball could be put in play the period ended, and the teamswent to their quarters for the fifteen minute rest before the finalstruggle.
"Hard luck, boys," consoled the coach, "but things are due to change.Wilson deserved that goal if he didn't get it, but that's part of thegame. You've got their number. Keep on hammering the line, and if youfind that won't work, uncork that variation of the forward pass. Go innow and eat them up."
As the fellows filed out, they passed Dan, the bulldog, dressed in abrand-new suit of blue in honor of the occasion. Tom stooped and pattedhis head.
"Get on the job, old boy," he urged. "Show those fellows that you arethe real thing in mascots."
Dan barked reassuringly. But he took his time in thinking it over. Andthe hard luck of the Blues still persisted.
A fruitless attempt to buck the line by either team failing to yield thedesired gain, there followed a kicking duel between the two fullbacks inwhich Bert easily carried off the honors. But slips and off-side playingneutralized the advantage.
On the "Greys" forty yard line they tried out "Bull" Hendricks' newvariation. The ball was passed to Bert, apparently for a drop kick, butimmediately on receiving the ball, he started on an end run as thoughthe move had been a "plant" to draw in the end rush. Thinking the wholething a fake, the halfback at first hesitated to come in, but Bert kepton parallel to the line of scrimmage until the half dared hesitate nolonger, as it looked certain that Bert was bent on a run around theends. In the meantime the long run had given Drake time to get down thefield, and Bert, turning swiftly, sent the ball to him in a beautifulspiral swing. It would have worked to a charm had not Drake tripped ashe started on his run and been savagely tackled by Livingston before hecould regain his feet.
"Another good thing gone wrong," groaned Dick. And it certainly seemedas though "the stars in their courses" were fighting for the "Greys."
A moment's breathing space, and the fourth quarter opened up. With astrength born of desperation the teams went at each other hammer andtongs. The "Greys" were heartened by the good fortune that had declaredso steadily for them and they played like wild men. A brilliant runaround left end netted them twenty yards, and a forward pass gained tenmore. Inspired by their success they "forced" their luck until they wereon the Blues fifteen yard line with the ball in their possession. Buthere the Blues braced savagely.
The crowds were standing now and crazy with excitement. The "Grey"followers shrieked to their favorites to "put it over," while from theBlue stands their football song came booming from twenty thousandthroats:
"Steady, boys, steady. You're fighting for your father, You're fighting for your mother, You're fighting for your sister, You're fighting for your brother, You're fighting for the Blue. Hit them up, rip them up, tear their line in two. Steady, boys, steady."
Panting, pale, determined, the team heard, and their muscles stiffened.Livingston plunged in but was thrown back on his head. Dudley tried andfailed to gain an inch. The line was impregnable, and Ensley droppedback for a kick. But like lightning, Bert was on him so suddenly thatthe ball shot up and back over Ensley's head. Without checking hisspeed, Bert scooped it up on the bound and was off down the field.
Such running! It was flying. Its like had never been seen on a footballfield. On he went, like a bullet. Down that living lane of fortythousand people, he tore along, his eyes blazing, his head held high, aroar like thunder in his ears, while beneath him the white lines slippedaway like a swiftly flowing river. On and on he went, nearer and nearerto the goal.
Behind him came the "Greys" like a pack of maddened wolves. But theBlues were coming too. Savagely they hurled themselves on the enemy,grasping, holding, tackling and brought them to the ground. Then fromthe tangle of legs and arms emerged Tom and Dick, and running like thewind put down the field to the help of their flying comrade.
Victory! Before him was the goal, but twenty yards away. Behind himpounded his pursuers, who had made up ground while he was dodging. Hecould hear their panting and almost feel their breath upon his neck. Onemore tremendous leap, and like an arrow from a bow, he flashed over theline for a touchdown. He had made a run of ninety yards through a brokenfield in the last minute of play.
* * * * *
Some days later when the "tumult and the shouting" had died away--whenthe "sound of revelry by night" had ceased--when the "lid" for a momentopen was again "on"--when the snake dances and the bonfires and thetoasts were over--Bert, more than ever the idol of his college, togetherwith Tom and Dick, were bidding good-by to Mr. Melton at the railroadstation.
"And remember," he called through the window as his train pulled out,"I'm going to hold you boys to that promise to come out to my Montanaranch. I'll give you a corking good time."
How "corking" a time they had, how full of dash and danger, adventureand excitement, will be told in
"=BERT WILSON IN THE ROCKIES.="
* * * * *
Transcriber's Notes:
Obvious punctuation errors repaired.
Page 83, "althought" changed to "although" (broad grin, "although)
Page 138, "Elllis" changed to "Ellis" (Poor old Ellis)
Page 205, "pecipitated" changed to "precipitated" (found themselvesprecipitated)
Page 220, "yard" changed to "yards" (twenty yards away)
"Good-natured" is printed with the hyphen, without the hyphen and as oneword (goodnaturedly) in this text. This was retained.
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