CHAPTER XXII
HOW BELLPORT BUCKED THE LINE
As so frequently happens, Thanksgiving Day was overcast and cold,the air having a tang as of threatening snow.
"Bully football weather!" shouted the fans, as they crowded intothe great park-like field at Columbia; the toss of a coin duringthe week having given Frank's team the privilege of playing ontheir home grounds.
There was even a greater crowd present than on the occasion of thegame with Clifford. This struggle was to effectually decide theownership of that coveted silver cup, and the championship of thetri-school league for the season.
Everybody who could possibly get there was present. The grandstandseemed to be a waving mass of color with the various little flags,and the gay wraps of the school girls, intensely interested inthis battle of brawn and skill between their brothers.
Naturally those from Clifford gathered together for the most part;and Bellport had sent an enormous delegation to whoop things upfor her sturdy team.
Indeed, those Bellport players did look like a serious propositionas they scampered back and forth across the field before the timefor play had arrived. Many a timid heart among Columbia's friendsfelt as though the chances were very much against such a victoryas had been won over Clifford.
Such enthusiasm as abounded! Cheers arose everywhere. Bands ofstudents went about, headed by some valiant cheer captain, andmade all other sounds insignificant beside their clamor, as theychanted their school yell in common, or sang the favorite songs oftheir classes.
"We're going to see a hot old game, anyhow!" cried BusterBillings, as he sat on the bench in the grandstand, being reckonedof little account as a football player, however much he mightshine in baseball.
"What's Bellport's line-up? Seems to me nearly every face here isfamiliar; and I reckon their entire baseball squad has qualifiedfor the gridiron," remarked another observer.
"Just as you say, there's not a fellow missing," sighed Buster;"but then, none of them happens to be gifted with the heft thatfastened its fatal clutches on me at an early age. I'd give theworld to play football, but though they've tried me several times,it's always back to the scrap heap for poor Buster boy."
"Well, they left me out this time, too; my first half in the gamewith Clifford wasn't a howling success. But at any rate I'm a sub,and if a few of the boys get carried off the field they may callon me," and Jack Eastwick patted his chest in anticipation of theslaughter to come.
For the concluding tussle of the High School League the contendingteams presented this line-up:
_COLUMBIA._
Comfort _F.B._
Allen, Captain. West. _R.H.B. L.H.B._
Wallace. _Q.B._
Shadduck. Oakes. Harper. Bird. Daly. Shay. Morris. _R.E. R.T. R.G. Center. L.G. L.T. L.E._
_BELLPORT._
Clay. Coddling. Smith, Jr. Lacy. Alpers. Macy. Smith, Sr. _L.E. L.T. L.G. Center. R.G. R.T. R.E._
Snodgrass. _Q.B._
Banghardt. Bardwell. _L.H.B. R.H.B._
Lee, Captain. _F.B._
The same referee officiated who had managed the game with Cliffordso well. And the coach of each team was busily engaged giving thelast instructions, since the time specified for the opening kick-offwas very near.
Columbia was not boisterous, but there was a look of grimdetermination visible on the faces of Frank Allen and his fellowsthat counted for much.
"It's better to shout after you're out of the woods, fellows,"said the captain, as he drew his squad around him for a last wordere going upon the field.
This time Frank was lucky, and won the toss. He immediatelyselected the goal from which the cold November wind blew, as thatgave Columbia considerable advantage to start with, though itwould be evened up later when the second half brought about achange in base. Still, by then the wind might have died out, andthe advantage lost.
Lee opened matters with a beautiful kick, but the oval wascaptured, and it came Columbia's turn.
Comfort smashed out a fine one, sending the oval far down theenemy's territory. And so fast did the other Columbia fellowschase after it, that when Bellport secured the ball through aclever catch, they found no chance to do anything more than returnthe kick.
After that the fight was on. Columbia sent the ball back into theterritory of the enemy, and at such a bewildering angle, thanks tothe wonderful spiral kick of Jack Comfort, that the player who attemptedto clasp it in his arms allowed it to get away.
"Go it, you tigers!" shrieked many in the crowd, as they sawseveral Columbia men making furious efforts to reach the rollingoval before any of the enemy could throw themselves upon it.
But Coddling was there in time to drop on the ball, though hardlyhad he done so than Shadduck landed on his back, together withvarious others belonging to both teams.
Now Bellport had the ball, and there was great curiosity to knowwhat success they would have in bucking the Columbia line. Reporthad it that never had Bellport been so strong in her line ofattack; and Clifford enthusiasts had warned their neighbors ofwhat was in store for them this day.
Bellport rushed into the fray. The artful Lacy, he who had playedsuch a clever game as shortstop in the baseball tournament thepreceding season, snapped the ball to Snodgrass, who plungedstraight for the middle of the Columbia line backed up by a solidwedge that seemed capable of carrying the heavy quarter-backthrough.
There was a confused mass of struggling players, and a greatcloud of dust, in which figures were to be seen pushing this wayand that.
THERE WAS A CONFUSED MASS OF STRUGGLING PLAYERS.]
"He's down!" shouted hundreds as the dust passed off with thewind, and they could see the situation again.
"But he took several yards with him, and Bellport has the ball.What d'ye think of that sledgehammer way of carrying things, eh?Wait till Snodgrass and Banghardt and Bardwell get workingtogether, and you'll see the Columbia defense crumple up like deadleaves in a fire!"
Of course it was a Bellport admirer who said this; but those whoheard only laughed and waved their Columbia flags the morefiercely. They had full confidence in their boys, and knew whatFrank could get out of them in an emergency.
Once more the teams were lined up, watching each other like somany wild animals, hungry and eager. Lee shouted out some signalsin his sonorous voice. It sounded very like the previous set, butonly those in the secret could know whether the slight differencemeant a new change of action or not.
Then the ball was put in play. Like lightning it passed fromLacy's hands. Snodgrass made out to receive it, and once moreplunged for the center, as if intending to break through, withseveral of his fellows backing him up. The deception was socomplete that the vast majority of the audience really believedhe carried the ball with him.
So a great whoop went up when he was dragged down by one of theColumbia tacklers.
"But look at Smith, Sr., running! He's got the ball, fellows! He'safter a touchdown, and he won't be happy till he gets it! Wow!that's going some!"
"He'll never make it! There's West in the way, and Allen bearingdown on him like a pirate ship under full sail! What did I tellyou? That Ralph West is the best tackier in the county! They madeno mistake when they booted Tony Gilpin out and made room forWest. Where is the ball now, fellows?"
"Under Smith, Sr., and on Columbia's twenty-five yard line!"admitted Buster Billings, unwillingly.
"And Bellport has still another chance to carry it over! If thewind was favorable Lee could boot the pigskin across your goal,and not half try. But I guess they'd rather depend on breakingthrough, or getting around the ends. Keep your eyes
on those boys,for they're as full of schemes as an egg is of meat."
"That sounds encouraging. I was afraid our fellows might have tooeasy a snap, and disappoint their friends by not half trying. Justwait yourself, Bellport. It was the same thing in baseball lastsummer; and yet Columbia flies the banner, all right. You may betreated to some surprises yourself, old chap," remarked Buster,condescendingly.
Again the scrimmage was on. The Columbia tigers were so fast ontheir feet that Clay, who got the ball this time, was unable toaccomplish much before they pounced upon him and bore him heavilyto the ground.
"How's that?" shouted Buster, "our fellows just eat up such easyplays. Bring out some of your fancy stunts, and do something,can't you?"
Three minutes later and the ball came to Columbia. It was time,for Bellport had, by a series of bull-like rushes, carried it overthe twenty-yard line.
"Now to get back some of that lost ground. There they go! SeeShadduck run, will you? He's Mercury, with wings on his feet! Lookat him dodge that left guard! Say, he's going to make it yet, assure as you live he is! Bully boy, Bones! Go it! Go it, youdarling! Oh! what a heart-ache I've got! He's over the line, boys;over the line! A touchdown for us to start things!" and Busterdanced in his excitement, like a rubber ball.
"No he ain't," snarled a Bellport backer, "they downed him beforehe got there! Notice that just three of our fellows are settin' onhis back. He tried mighty hard, but they nailed him a little toosoon!"
"You're mistaken. He held the ball over the line, and it countsfor Columbia, as you can see if you look again," remarked Mr.Allen, who was sitting near.
"That's so," grumbled the discomfited Bellport man, "and with thatwind it's goin' to be as easy as pie to boot the ball over for agoal. Shucks! what ails our fellows to-day? They never did sloppywork like that with Clifford."
"There was a reason, they say. Clifford claims that her signalswere sold to Bellport. Anyhow, there's going to be nothing of thatkind to-day, but clean fighting. There goes Frank to kick goal,and he'll do it, too," answered Buster.
The goal was made easily, thanks to the favoring wind. Then againthe ball was put into play, and fierce ran the rivalry. Sometimesthe fighting was on Columbia territory, and then again the tide ofbattle shifted until it was Bellport's line that was threatened.
Now and then the cheers of the enthusiasts arose and swelled overthat fiercely-contested field like thunder. Back and forth theyswung, both now doggedly determined. A score of plays were madethat brought out cheers from the spectators, regardless of schoolaffiliations; for they liked clean football, and could applaudclever work, even on the other side.
When the heart-rending agony was finally relieved by the referee'swhistle announcing the end of the first half, that score of six byColumbia was the entire counting!