, only to be thrown back without
a gain. One more fierce attempt, and the ball went to the scrubs on
downs.

It was unprecedented. It was revolutionary. It shrieked unto heaven. The
poor, despised scrubs were actually holding the haughty 'Varsity men on
even terms. More than that; they even threatened to win. They seemed to
forget that they were doormats for the "regulars," mere "sparring
partners," to be straightened up with one punch and knocked down by the
next. The "forlorn hope" had suddenly become a triumphant hope. The
worm had turned, and turned with a vengeance. Pale and panting,
plastered with mud and drenched with sweat, with "blood in their eyes"
and here and there a little on their features, they faced the "big
fellows" and gave as good as they took.

Reddy, the college trainer, danced up and down on the side lines and
sputtered incoherently. "Bull" Hendricks, the head coach, stamped and
stormed and yelled to his charges to "put it over." The things he said
may not be set down here, but he gave the recording angel a busy
afternoon. His words stung like whips, and under the lash of them the
'Varsity men braced themselves desperately. They burned with shame and
rage. Were they to have a defeat "slapped" upon them by the scrubs? The
college would ring with it, and it would be the sensation of the season.

But the scrubs were not to be denied. They had caught the 'Varsity "off
its stride," and they fought like tigers to clinch their advantage.
Every ounce of strength and determination that they possessed was called
to the front by the prospect of impending victory. A daring run around
the left end netted them twenty yards, and they gained fifteen more on
downs. An easy forward pass was fumbled by the regulars, who were
becoming so demoralized that the men fell all over themselves. The
panic was growing into a rout that promised to end in a Waterloo.

The referee was poising his whistle and looking at his watch, ready to
blow the signal that marked the end of play. There was but one chance
left--a goal from the field. On the 'Varsity team only two men had
seemed to keep their heads. The quarterback and fullback had sought to
stem the tide, but in the general melting away of the defence had been
able to do but little. The ball was now on the scrubs' forty-yard line.
The player who had it fumbled in his eagerness to advance it, and the
'Varsity quarterback pounced on it like a hawk. With almost the same
motion