s that they had occupied when the whistle had
announced the expiration of time. They felt somewhat dazed,--on the one
side overwhelmed with the wonderful thought that victory was theirs; on
the other stunned with the bewildering thought that the impossible had
happened, bringing defeat and disappointment.

Teeny-bits felt as if he wanted to rest where he had fallen in the last
scrimmage with his body against the brown earth and let the happiness of
victory sink in slowly, but suddenly he was aware that a howling mob had
descended from the stands, that the members of the Ridgley team were
surrounded by frenzied schoolmates who were insisting on lifting them up
on their shoulders and carrying them off the field. He saw Neil Durant
struggling in the grasp of half a dozen yelling Ridgleyites and the next
moment felt himself lifted bodily and carried forward jerkily. He tried
to resist but did not have the strength; and so he let them raise him up
and transport him where they wished. It was a queer sight that met his
eyes as he looked round him and saw his team-mates' heads and shoulders
bobbing up and down above the milling crowd.

Never had Ridgley enjoyed a triumph more. Old-timers and young fellows
alike were joining in the snake dance. Old Jerry, the janitor, was there
prancing about in a comical, stiff-legged way; Mr. Stevens and half the
faculty were there and every member of the school, while mothers,
sisters and friends looked down from the stands and wished that they too
might join the whirling mob.

The members of the team finally escaped from those who wished to honor
them and made their way to the locker building where they sat and talked
for a few minutes, regained their breath, rubbed their bruises and
looked each other over. Outside they could hear the howling of the
paraders and the booming of the bass drum as a line was being formed to
march from the field to the school.

Meanwhile the Jefferson team, occupying another part of the locker
building, was making ready to leave. In the shower-bath room the members
of the two teams came together and exchanged such words as befit losers
and winners when the fight has been fair and square and fast from
beginning to end. While Neil Durant was dressing, Norris came over and
held out his hand.

"Neil," said the captain of the Jefferson team, "I didn't believe that
you could get away with it and I want to tell you that I think you have
a great team. I never played