Roy, running in,
brought the first's left half-back to earth. The tackle was a hard one
and the half-back lost the ball and sprang to his feet to find Roy
edging toward the first's goal with it under his arm. It was the
second's first down then, and Roy sent full-back crashing against the
opposing left-guard for a yard and a half. That began an advance that
the first was unable to stay. Roy was everywhere, and time and again,
when the whistle had blown, he was found at the bottom of the heap still
trying to pull the runner ahead. But a fumble by the second's
left-tackle, who had been drawn back for a plunge, changed the tide and
the ball went back to the first almost under her goal posts. A halt was
called, Johnny King conferred a moment with Mr. Cobb and Roy was
summoned to the first, Bacon slipping across to the other line. But Roy
could have told King then and there that the change wouldn't pay, for he
knew Horace Burlen. And it didn't. King frowned and puzzled during three
plays. Then his brow lighted.

"Change those centers," he commanded.

Forrest, amazed and embarrassed by the unexpected honor, changed places
with Horace.

"Somebody tell him the key number for the signals," said King. "Forrest,
let's see you wake up; you're slower than you were last year. Now get in
there and do something!"

And Forrest smiled good-naturedly and bent over the ball.

Things went better at once, and, Forrest and Roy working together like
well fitted parts of a machine, the ball went down the field on straight
plays and over the line for the first score. But Forrest had to work,
for Horace, smarting under the indignity of a return to the second,
fought over every inch of the ground. The ball was taken from the first
and given to Bacon. And then there was a different story to tell. Bacon
piled his men through center, Horace getting the jump on Forrest every
time and crashing through in spite of the efforts of the secondary
defense. King shook his head and frowned. Then he called Jack Rogers out
of the line and talked to him for a minute, while the players repaired
broken laces and had their heated faces sponged off. Roy, making the
rounds of the men, cheering and entreating, caught by accident a portion
of the conversation between the two.

"That's where you've made your mistake," King was saying sorrowfully.
"You've failed to see the possibilities in Forrest. Slow? Sure he is;
slow as an ice wagon! But you could have knocked