nd made her distance. Then, with the
pigskin back in Robinson territory, Erskine was caught holding and
Robinson once more took up her advance. Carey at right tackle weakened
and the Brown piled her backs through him. On Erskine's thirty-two yards
he gave place to Jewell and the tandem moved its attack to the other
side of the line. Paul and Gillam, both pretty well punished, still held
out stubbornly. Yard by yard the remaining distance was covered. On her
fifteen yards, almost under the shadow of her goal-posts, Erskine was
given ten yards for off-side play, and the waning hopes of the
breathless watchers on the north stand revived.

But from the twenty-five-yard line the steady rushes went on again, back
over the lost ground, and soon, with the half almost gone, Robinson
placed the ball on Erskine's five yards. Twice the tandem was met
desperately and hurled back, but on the third down, with her whole
back-field behind the ball, Robinson literally mowed her way through,
sweeping Paul and Mason, and Gillam and Foster before her, and threw
Bond over between the posts with the ball close snuggled beneath him.

The south stand leaped to its feet, blue flags and streamers fluttered
and waved, and cheers for Robinson rent the air until long after the
Brown's left half had kicked a goal. Then the two teams faced each other
again and the Robinson left end got the kick-off and ran it back fifteen
yards. Again the battering of the tackle-tandem began, and Paul and
Gillam, nearly spent, were unable to withstand it after the first half
dozen plays. Mason went into the van of the defense in place of Gillam,
but the Brown's advance continued; one yard, two yards, three yards were
left behind.

Mills, watching, glanced almost impatiently at the timekeeper, who, with
his watch in hand, followed the battle along the side-line. The time was
almost up, but Robinson was back on Erskine's thirty-five yards. But now
the timekeeper walked on to the gridiron, his eyes fixed intently on the
dial, and ere the ball went again into play he had called time. The
lines broke up and the two teams trotted away.

The score-board proclaimed:

Erskine 0, Opponents 6.

CHAPTER XXII

BETWEEN THE HALVES

Neil trotted along at the tail-end of the procession of substitutes, so
deep in thought that he passed through the gate without knowing it, and
only came to himself when he stumbled up the locker-house steps. He
barked his shins and reached