I'm glad you've been looking ahead, Captain. Out I hope Prescott
will hold out, and suffer no injury whatever from this day's work."

Was Dick anxious? Not the least in the world. He was care
free---jubilant. The Gridley spirit possessed him. He was going
to hold out, and the eleven was going to win its game. That was
all there was to it, or all there could be.

In the first two or three days after his injury at the fire Dick
had traveled briefly in the dark valley of physical despair.

To be crippled or ill, to be physically useless---the thought
filled him with horror.

Then young Prescott had taken a good grip on himself. Out of
despair proceeded determination not to allow his lungs to go down
before the assault of smoke and furnace-like air.

Grace Dodge was not, as yet, well on the way to recovery, but
Dick Prescott, with his strong will power, and the grit that came
of Gridley athletics, was now togging hastily to play in the great
game---though he had not, as yet, returned to school after his
disaster.

Out near the grandstand the band crashed forth for the tenth time.
Gridley High School bannerets waved by the hundreds. Yet Filmore,
too, had her hosts of boosters here today, and their yells all
but drowned out the spirited music.

"Here come our boys! Gridley! Gridley! Gridley! Wow-ow-ow!"

"Hurrah!"

Then the home boosters, who had read Drayne's name on the score
card took another look at their cards---next rubbed their eyes.

"Prescott at left end!" yelled one frenzied booster. "Whoop!"

Then the Gridley bannerets waved like a surging sea of color.
The band, finishing its strain, started in again, not waiting
for breath.

"Prescott, after all, on left end!"

Home boosters were still cheering wildly by the time that Captain
Pike, of Filmore High School, had won the toss and the teams were
lining, up.

Silence did not fall until just the instant before the ball was
put in play.

Drayne, with his headgear pulled down over his eyes, and skulking
out beside the grand stand, soon began to feel a savage satisfaction.

Something must be ailing the left end man after all, for Dick
did not seem able to get through the Filmore line with his usual
brilliant tactics.

Instead, after ten minutes of furious play, Filmore forced Gridley
to make a safety. Then again the ball was forced down toward
Gridley's goal line, and at last pushed over.

Gridley hearts, over on the grand stand and b