ll me you've been here all night!" he said at last.

"I came in through the kitchen window after you were asleep and I didn't
want to disturb you," said Teeny-bits. "I was looking for a good sleep
before the big game."

"I guess you got it _all right_," said Daniel Holbrook.

"What time is it?" asked Teeny-bits.

The station agent hauled out his big silver watch, looked at it
critically and announced: "Twenty-nine minutes past twelve."

"Past _twelve_!" repeated Teeny-bits. "It can't be."

Daniel Holbrook swung round the face of the watch and proved the
correctness of his statement. "Kinder late for a boy to be gettin' up,"
he remarked with a chuckle.

Teeny-bits had made an instant resolve that this kindly couple who were
father and mother to him should not be burdened with his troubles. He
jumped to his feet and cried:

"The game starts in an hour and a half; I've got to hustle up there."

"Not until you've eaten," said Ma Holbrook, firmly. "Dinner's ready this
minute."

Teeny-bits did a bit of swift mental calculation; the team was already
at lunch; he could not reach the gymnasium in time to be with them; it
would be better to eat here and join the squad at the field.

"I don't want much," he said. "Just a little and then I'll have to go."

"I'll hitch up Jed," said Daniel Holbrook, "and we'll all ride up
together; your ma and I were intendin' to start pretty soon, anyway."

Thus it happened that Teeny-bits Holbrook rode up to the game behind the
sorrel horse and arrived at the locker building fifteen minutes before
the contest was scheduled to begin. While the sound of the preliminary
cheering and singing rang in his ears he pulled on his football togs in
frantic haste, dashed out of the building and ran along behind the
stands until he came to the opening that led underneath to the field
itself. He appeared at the players' shelter just as Coach Murray was
about to shout out the order for Neil to bring the team in off the
field.

Mr. Murray's features wore an expression that was sterner than any that
had been seen on his face that fall. The Ridgley team had been
experiencing a species of stage fright. It seemed that Neil Durant was
the only one of the back-field who could hold the ball. Campbell and
Stillson and Dean had fumbled again and again, and Campbell was the
worst of the three. When the coach saw Teeny-bits he closed his mouth
with a click and looked the left-half back through and through wi