"You knocked him down," someone said.

"I don't care. Served him right. No business to get in my way!"
snapped Sam.

"Are you hurt, Tom?" asked Bruce anxiously, as he bent over his friend.
"Were you hit hard?"

Tom's head cleared. It had struck rather heavily as he went down, yet
it was but a passing faintness. He struggled to his feet, with the aid
of Bruce, and some of the lads who leaped from the auto.

"I--I guess I'm all right," Tom answered slowly. "What happened?"

"Sam Heller's car struck you," said Bruce quietly. "And it was on the
wrong side of the road. Where's Heller?" he asked of some of that
lad's friends.

"Here I am," blustered the bully. "What's the matter? I didn't mean
to hit him. The steering gear is stiff. I tried to turn out. Anyhow,
only the mud guard brushed him. Who is it?"

There was no need to answer for, as the group about our hero parted,
Sam Heller came face to face with Tom.

CHAPTER VI

ON THE GRIDIRON

Sam started back, almost as though he expected Tom to strike him, but
our hero did not raise his hand. There came a grim tightening of his
lips, and into his eyes that had been dazed by the fall there was a
look of anger, but that was all.

"By Jove! Fairfield!" exclaimed Sam. "I--I didn't know it was you. I
wouldn't for the world have------"

"I suppose if it had been someone else you'd have ridden right over
him," said Tom quietly.

"No, indeed. But--er--I guess I was going a bit too fast. I didn't
see you--or--rather, I thought you'd step over a bit more."

"Step over more!" exclaimed Bruce. "What do you want; the whole road?
We were on the proper side for you to pass. What's the matter with
you, Heller?"

"Oh, I didn't mean to do it I tell you. My car is a new one, and the
steering gear is a bit stiff. I wouldn't have done it intentionally
for the world."

"That's right!" exclaimed Frank Nelson, a Sophomore who had been riding
on the front seat with Sam. "I thought Tom would get out of the way."

"Thanks," responded Tom briefly. "I would have, if I'd known what was
going to happen."

"Are you--are you hurt--much?" faltered Sam.

"No, it was only a glancing blow," and Tom began to brush the dust from
his clothes, assisted by Bruce and some of those with Sam.

"I--I'm sorry," faltered the owner of the car. "I wouldn't have done
that for anything, and------"

"Especially after the 'trick' you played on my friends this summer,"