Anything on earth to keep up your crowd's
courage!"

In the laugh that followed many a gray-clad cadet joined simply
because he could not help himself.

"If we don't break at some point it's all ours to-day," Wolgast
was informing the players nearest him. "I've never seen Darry
so wildly capable as he is right now. The demon of victory seems
to have seized him."

Dave's limp had vanished. He was ready for work---aching for
it. Wolgast worked his left flank once more, and the Army was
sorely pressed.

"Brace up, Army!" was the word passing again among the West Point
men. Douglass, captain of the Army team, was scolding under his
breath.

But straight on Darrin and Dalzell worked the ball. It was when
Wolgast decided to rest his left that Farley and Page came in
for more work. These two midshipmen were excellent football men,
but the Army's left was well defended. The Navy lost the ball
on downs. But the Army boys were sweating, for the Navy was now
within nine yards of goal line.

The Army fought it back, gaining just half a yard too little in
three plays, so the ball came back to the blue and gold ranks of
the Navy.

"Brace, Army!" was the word that Cadet Douglass passed. "And
look out, on the right, for Darrin and Dalzell!"

There was a feint of sending the ball to Farley, but Darrin had
it instead. The entire Army line, however, was alert for this
very trick. Playing in sheer desperation, the cadets stopped
the midshipmen when but a yard and a half had been gained. With
the next play the gain was but half a yard. The third play was
blocked, and once more the cadets received the pigskin.

Both Army and Navy cheermasters now refrained from inviting din.
Those of the spectators who boosted for the Army were now silent,
straining their vision and holding their breath. It began to
look, this year, as though the Navy could do with the Army as
it pleased.

Wolgast lined his men up for a fierce onslaught Darrin and Dalzell,
panting, looked like a pair who would die in their tracks ere
allowing the ball to go by them.

In a moment more the Army signal was being called out crisply. The
whistle sounded, and both elevens were in instant action.

But the cadets failed to get through. The middies were driving
them back. In sheer desperation the cadet with the ball turned
and dropped behind the Army goal line---a safety.

CHAPTER XIV

THE NAVY GOAT GRINS

All at once the Navy band ch