"Has Darrin been hurt--our Darrin--the great Darrin?" flew from tongue
to tongue.

"Did Jetson do it?" was another question that was instantly asked.

CHAPTER VIII

DAN TRIES HARD TO KEEP COOL

A surgeon and a hospital man were quickly on the spot, the others,
anxious as they were, drawing back considerately to give the men of
medicine room in which to work.

As Dave Darrin was gently turned over on his back it was seen that Damn's
face was a mass of blood.

"Jetson's work," grunted two or three of the players.

"He did it on purpose!"

"If he didn't, then the fellow is too clumsy to be trusted on the
gridiron, anyway."

"We must chase Jetson away from the squad."

"Silence!" remarked Head Coach Havens, very simply, though in a tone
which meant that obedience must follow.

Jetson, however, was not ignorant of the comments that were passing. His
dark face flushed hotly with anger.

"They'll blame anything on me, if I'm within a mile of the field," he
told himself sullenly.

"Is Mr. Darrin badly injured, doctor!" inquired Lieutenant-Commander
Havens of the Naval surgeon.

"I think not, sir, beyond a possibly nasty mark on the face," replied the
surgeon, as he examined and directed the hospital men. "Mr. Darrin is
merely stunned, from too hard an impact of some sort. He'll soon have his
eyes open--there they come now."

As if to back up the surgeon, Dave opened his eyes, staring curiously at
the faces within his range of vision.

"What's all this fuss about?" Dave asked quietly.

"There isn't any fuss, Mr. Darrin," replied the surgeon. "You were
stunned by the force of that scrimmage, and there's some blood on
your face."

"Let me wipe it off then, please, sir?" Dave begged. "I want to get back
in the game."

"You won't play again, Mr. Darrin," replied the surgeon.

"Not play this season?" demanded Dave in anguished amazement. "Please
don't joke with me, sir."

"Oh, you'll play, after a few days," replied the surgeon, wetting a piece
of gauze from the contents of a bottle that he had taken from his bag.
With the gauze he wiped the blood away from Darrin's cheek, revealing a
surface cut of more width than depth. Then a light bandage was put on
over the cut.

"Now, I guess you can rise all right, Mr. Darrin. This hospital man will
go over to hospital with you."

"I'm not ordered to stay there, I hope, sir?" murmured Dave anxiously.

"For two or three days, at any rate--yes," replied t