p. Rube slowed up for
you and Knapp struck you from behind. But somehow you shook him off
and stumbled on. Gordon came tearing up and dove at you but Judd threw
himself between and Gordon hit the ground like a ton of bricks. You
jumped over the two of them and staggered on. My, but those were
anxious seconds! At the three yard line you fell upon your knees and
crawled the rest of the distance while three tacklers were beating it
up to get you. Just as you reached the line all three seemed to hit
you at once and knocked you forward. Then the whistle blew! When the
referee untangled the mess and rolled you upon your back he found you
froze to the ball, a foot over the line. Talk about a death grip--they
had to pry that old pigskin loose! Say, Benz, after that,--you missed
the biggest lot of noise that ever happened!"

"Tell me about Rube," pleaded Benz, "My touchdown only tied the score.
His kicked goal won the game!"

"Oh yes," went on McCabe, "You made your touchdown at the right side of
the field. Time was allowed for the try at goal. Rube was forced to
attempt the goal kick at a frightful angle. The crowd was making such
a demonstration, some people even running on the field, that I don't
see how he ever did it. I held the ball for him. He took his time,
fixed it just so; then stepped back. He was cool as a cucumber. The
Pennington bunch glowered at him from between their goal posts. Then
when the play came the field got suddenly quiet. Everyone was standing
up holding their breath as Rube booted the ball. It sailed up, scraped
the goal post, just clearing the bar, and the game was ours! After
that, ... skyrockets!"

"Say! Where is Rube now?"

"Heaven knows! A second later the crowd pounced upon him like a tribe
of Indians. I thought they'd tear him to pieces. They carried him off
with them."

"The lucky stiff!" laughed Benz, but there was no malice in that remark
now.

The students bearing Judd faced about in front of the crackling
bonfire. Cries of "Speech! Speech!" came from Bartlett rooters.

Judd sat on their shoulders, blinking from the light of the fire and
stage-struck at the sea of flickering, ghostly faces in front of him.

"Say something, quick!" whispered McCabe, who stood eyeing the rube,
proudly. "I'd give a kingdom to be in your shoes now!"

"You can have my place for nothin'," offered Judd, generously.

The crowd quieted down and waited expectantly. The rube wa