"Let me go in!" pleaded Rudolph, "Judd's scared stiff!"

The coach glanced sharply at the shivering substitute. The referee's
whistle was screeching demandingly. Blackwell was being helped off the
field.

"No, Rudie ... you're done for the day. It's up to Billings."

The coach turned to Judd.

"Billings, I'm not putting you in because I want to ... it's because I
have to, understand? And if you show yellow ... everyone in Trumbull
and everyone in the state for that matter ... is going to know it."

Judd ripped off his sweater. He passed Blackwell as he went out to
report to the referee. Blackwell called to him. "I'm counting on you,
Judd ... do it for me, old boy!"

The great Bob's younger brother had a mixture of feelings ... the words
of the coach had aroused him more than he had ever thought he could be
aroused ... and Blackwell's plea had brought to him a flash of what it
really meant to forget self. If Blackwell could play as he had played
with a sprained ankle when every step meant a stab of pain ... if
Rudolph had given his best and was even now, though injured, willing to
get back into the battle ... why couldn't he carry on the good fight?
WHY COULDN'T HE? The question suddenly became an obsession with him.
And the answer began to rise up within him ... "I can ... I CAN!"

The ball was on Trumbull's thirty-five yard line and last down. Barley
met Billings on his way out to the team. Judd had an odd thought that
Barley reminded him of a man who had stuck his head out of a sewer hole
and looked at him one day. Why should he think of such a curious thing
as that ... at a time like this? But Barley was shouting something at
him ... the stands were on their feet ... shouting ... shouting ...
what were they shouting? ... why! ... it was HIS name!

"Come on, Billings! Get us out of this hole," pleaded Barley.

And when he said this ... the haunting face of the sewer digger came
back to Judd ... came back in such a ludicrous light that Judd looked
at Barley and laughed. Get him out of the hole? Certainly he would!
The other players--grim, tired, water-soaked--saw Judd laugh. His
first time under fire in the biggest game of the year ... and he could
laugh!

To Barley the laugh came as a ray of sunshine. His worries vanished.
Judd had the attitude of a veteran. Barley ran along the line, kicking
each linesman as the referee's whistle put the ball again in play.
"Get in there and hold that l