on the Army won. As the teams lined up for the
kick-off, there was a tremendous outburst of cheers from the Army
supporters who, of course, vastly outnumbered the loyal Blues who had
accompanied their team. What the latter lacked in numbers, however, was
made up by the enthusiasm with which they cheered the wearers of the
Blue colors, that had waved triumphantly over so many hard-fought
fields, and which, they hoped, was now to add another trophy to their
list.

Since the Blues had lost the toss for position, they were entitled to
the kick-off. Bert took careful aim and lifted the ball far and high.
Ordinarily it would have been good for at least fifty yards, but the
wind limited it to thirty-five. Caldwell was down under it like a flash,
but Birch, of the Army, made a fair catch and kicked back for twenty
yards. Drake got possession of the ball, and the Blues had it on the
Army's forty yard line.

A forward pass, superbly engineered by Tom, gave them twelve yards. They
gained eight more on two successive downs, but were penalized five yards
for off-side play. On the next play they gained their distance, but on
the next, in attempting to skirt the end, Axtell dropped the ball, and
the Army left pounced upon it instantly.

It was now the Army's ball, and they immediately started to try a
plunging game. The Blue line held like a rock, however, and then the
Army tried one of their favorite formations. They lined up as though for
a kick, but the back who had dropped behind as if for that purpose,
either tried a forward pass or made a quick dash around the ends. To
complicate the play still further, it was sometimes passed to still
another back before the attempt was made. It was a clever "fake," and
against a weaker or slower team might have worked. But the Blues had
practiced many a weary hour in breaking up just such a combination, and
they met it and smothered it so effectually, that before long the Army
recognized its futility and fell back on straight football.

And here for the first quarter they fairly held their own. McAlpin,
their giant fullback, proved a tower of strength, and when he was given
the ball plunged through the line like a thunderbolt. There seemed to be
no holding him, and his team backed him up so powerfully that he made
his distance easily on the four downs. The ball was still in the Army's
possession when the referee's whistle announced the end of the first
quarter, and the field was swept by t