the "Maroons." The occupants yelled and shouted and
waved their flags at each other in good-natured defiance. At the upper
end a band played popular airs that nobody cared for, and half the time
in the din and tumult did not even hear. In front of the stands the
cheermasters jumped up and down and went through their weird
contortions, as they led the cheers and gave the signal for the songs.

The Blues were gathered in their training quarters, ready and anxious
for the fight. They were like a pack of hounds straining at the leash.
Reddy and his assistants had gone over every detail of their equipment,
and the coach had spoken his last word of appeal and encouragement. This
he had purposely made short. There was little dwelling on the game to be
played, nor any attempt to rehearse signals. The time for that was past.
If they were not ready now, they never would be. He had done his utmost
and now the result must be left to the team and to fate.

At half past one a slight drizzle set in. Old Jupiter Pluvius had lost
patience and refused to hold off until the game was over. But the
general hilarity abated not a particle. It would take more than rain to
drive that crowd to cover. The field had been strewn with straw to keep
the ground beneath as dry as possible. Now, however, it was time for
practice, and a crowd of assistants appeared and raked the straw away,
showing the glistening newly-marked yard lines underneath.

Then a gate at the end of the one of the stands opened and the
"Maroons," in their gaily colored jerseys, trotted on the field. The
"Maroon" stands rose en masse and a torrent of cheers swept over the
field as they gave the team a greeting that must have "warmed the
cockles of their heart."

The boys peeled off their jerseys and commenced punting and falling on
the ball. They kept this up for ten minutes and then gave way to their
rivals.

Out from the other side of the field scampered the Blues. Then
Pandemonium broke loose. The yells were simply deafening, and, as the
home crowd let itself go, the fellows grinned happily at each other and
their muscles stiffened with ardor for the fight.

"Seems as though they were glad to see us," laughed Tom, as he sent the
ball whirling in a spiral pass to Bert.

"You bet," answered Bert, "and we must make them yell louder yet at the
finish."

The practice was short and snappy. There was ginger in every movement
and Bert's tries for goal elicited the unwilling a