ey!" rang the imploring request from the home
boosters, who were now too restless to keep to their seats.

"Remember your record so far this season!"

"Forceful playing, but keep cool. Use your Judgment to the last,
and put a lot of speed and doggedness behind your science," was
Wadleigh's adjuration.

Those who followed form most close, now had their eyes on young
Prescott.

If he went to pieces that would leave Gridley weak at what had
usually been its strongest point, especially in attack.

And Gridley had the ball again. But what ailed Captain Wadleigh,
the boosters wondered? For he was now sending the ball to the
right wing, as if admitting that Prescott must not be worked too
hard.

"Use Prescott!" shouted one man hoarsely.

"Prescott! Prescott!"

"Yah! Dot's all right. Vot you t'ink Wadleigh has ein head for'
Leafe him und Bresgott alone, and dey hand you der game a minute
in!" bawled the deep bass voice of Herr Schimmelpodt who, nearly
alone of the Gridley boosters, believed that the home team needed
no grand stand coaching.

"But they've only eight minutes left," grumbled the man sitting
to the left of Herr Schimmelpodt.

"Yah! Dot's all right, too," retorted the German. "Battles haf
been won in less than eight minutes. Read history!"

In two plays Captain Wadleigh had succeeded in advancing the pigskin
less than two yards down the Filmore territory.

But now hats were thrown up in the air, and frantic yells resounded
when it was discovered that Dick had the ball again, and that
Darrin, Hudson, Wadleigh, quarter and left half were fighting
valiantly to push him through the stubborn, panting line of Filmore
High School.

It was a splendid fight, but a losing one. Filmore was massing all
its weight, wind and brawn, and Gridley lost the ball on downs.

An involuntary groan went up from the Gridley spectators.

Five and a half minutes left, and the ball in the enemy's hands!
That settled the game.

The musicians looked at their leader, before taking the music
from their instrument racks.

"Keep your music on," called the leader. "We of Gridley are sportsmen
enough to play the victors off the field."

The play was quicker and snappier than ever. All the young men
on both sides were using their last reserves of strength and wind.
Pike was making a ferocious effort to get the ball back and over
Gridley's goal line.

But Pike lost, after three plays, and Wadleigh's men again grabb