The Prospector

Y VERSU

interlacing boughs the genial sunlight falls in a golden glory upon the grass below. The nip in the air, the golden light, the thrilling un

single reverse. Perhaps never in their history have both universities been more worthily

re welcomed with loud and generous cheers, which are, howev

ircles; but the quaint old lady, looking so handsome in spite of her plain black bonnet, awakens

ires the old lady. "They are so mu

y, and Lloyd returns in a mome

u won't like it a bit. You'll thin

ndeed, and I'm not afraid for you. Run aw

acgregor," pleads Brown. "He

e spent in arrangin

anding up in the carriage. "If they would only start

y go!" exc

Pepper, the 'Varsity full back, however, is at the spot and returns into touch. In the throw-in McGill secures the ball, and by a

eir heads down with the ball between them, and shove for dear life. Picking o

Over and over again this play is repeated with very little gain on either side. It gradually becomes apparent, h

arsity!" and, "You've got 'em, McGill! You've go

y, "they are a bit hea

ires Betty,

. But we will be w

t the ball out. Again and again the quarters nip up the ball and pass, but the tackling is so

inch towards the 'Varsity goal th

nch, who is off like the wind across the field, dodges through the quarters, knocks off Martin and Bate, and with

ing slowly to meet his coming foe. Ten feet from the line straight at the full back goes Bunch.

gs at his foe, winds his arms round his hips and drags him down, while The Don fr

oes wild w

, as Pepper's red head emerges from the crowd piled upon him and the prostrate Bunch. Again an

says the old lady approvingly. "Many's the g

n, leading his fellows. "Stone wall! S

en low down he determines to hold the enemy fast till the fury of

e, 'Varsity!" yells

ing their prayer

to," answ

up! Don't be afraid!"

p, referee," a Mo

he referee, who remonstrates, urges, and finall

moves Shock from the centre to the left wing of t

"screw" and before the scrimmage is well formed the McGill stone wall is broken, and Campbe

ck's mother anxiously, to the amazed amusement of Lloyd, who replies, "W

orking of the screw, and it is not to

d go in with new vim, while McGill settle

again the Montreal stone wall is demoralised. But instead of Campbell boring over the prostrate form of his big centre with the ball the McGill

ike a whirlwind, dodging one, knocking off another, running round a third, till

Bunch!" they yell frantically, crowding d

each springs at him. But the wily Bunch has learned to measure that long reach, an

while from a hundred McGill throats rises the

hrow himself toward it, Balfour shoots out his arm, grasps his enemy by the back of the neck, and turning round, hurls him back with terrific force to the ground and clambers on top of him. It is a fierce tackle, giving g

warrior?" says Lloyd as

e-like-Don! We-like-Don!" they chant, surging acros

r teams, push the crowd back, for Bunch is lying motionless upon the ground.

" says big Mooney, hauling

ky McGill half back is up again, an

, generally succeeds in making a few feet, frequently over Shock's huge body. As for Shock, he apparently enjoys being walked upon by his captain, and emerges from each successive scrimmage with hi

claims Lloyd to the yo

ely!" cries Be

ime," he adds, "and no score yet. This is truly a great game." Eagerly the men are ta

blood on Shock's face gives

len anxiously,

ies cheerily, glanci

it, Mrs Macgregor

and team, and it will be no

ck is a little too gentle wit

altogether," she replies cautiously. "But run away, Hamish

t's no credit to you to be a great centre. You'

s old Black, the greatest captain of t

lls out cheerfully to C

"They are a great team, but

team McGill ever sent

pbell, "but they are hardly up

you, and you are

ain's tone, but there was a serious earnestness tha

noti

ight tells in the scrimmage, and of course we do not know th

little Brown. "But what's

roar comes back,

etly, "Balfour is swifte

ce which a man in the struggle feels for one who has achieved

e a great team, and you ar

l you?" cries littl

a little?" But Black is a gentleman

tuck on your own. Remember, those fellows are doing some thinking at this blessed minute. Of course," he went on hesitatingly, "if they kee

Keep at the old game. Close and steady till we get inside th

d they are playing it superbly. While they are sure in their catching and fierce in their tackle, their specialty is punting and following up. In this they are exceedingly dangerous. For t

re!" roars Martin to little Brown. "Do

ith extraordinary meekness, abandons the defence and with the other quarters and forwards, who had been falling back,

f victory strong upon them, and from their supporters on the

oing, goi

going

eizing the opportunity of a throw-in for 'Varsity, he passes the word to his halves and quarters, "Don't give away the ball. Hold and run. Don't pass," and soon he has the team steady again and ready for aggressiv

n have it?" exclaims Betty. "I

ion, for they begin to call out, "Le

, for while his scrim is playing with bulldog grit it is losing snap. True, Shock comes out of every tussle bloody, serene, and smiling as usual, but the other men are showing the punishment of the last hour's terri

Black, taking advantage of a pause in the play whil

but I'm afraid to do

. Their scrimmage is gaining on you. I almos

hese McGill men are so hard upon the ball, so deadly in tackling, and so sure in their catch that he hesitates to give them the opportunities that open play affords. But he has every c

for what is going to happen, catches the ball on the bound and makes for the 'Varsity line with a comparatively open field before him. Fifteen yards from the line he is tackled by Martin, but ere he falls

e ground there is a sickening crack heard over the field. The McGill captain, with Pepper han

y an anxious hush, and when the crowd about the prostrate players is dispersed Pepper is seen lying on his face tearing up

ople begin to

Betty, turning very pale. "Sha

at the old l

she replies quickl

up, much

en, who is the first to meet him.

Hamish?" asks his mother. There i

, we must p

ld lady calmly. "Poor laddie-but he was bravely defen

her in amazement. It was in some such spirit that she

ite with them, but as a full back they have learned to depend upon him. Huntingdon is full of regrets, and

me, I know, bar th

ing, but Campbell w

says shortly, "and g

n from the scrimmage to supply his place, McGi

oal. Bate kicks back into touch, and with desperat

ame. He has everything to win, and to lose b

series of passes the 'Varsity quarters and halves work the ball through the McGill twenty-five line, and by following hard a high punt, fo

come to their strongest and are playing with an aggressiveness that cannot be

find out," she says to Lloyd, "what time there is left." And Llo

me is often won in the last minute,"

Varsity men have never heard him swear, and they awake to the fact that they are face to face with a situation entirely unparalleled in their

his face white, his eyes ablaze, adjuring, urging, e

off the ball, but follow it as hounds a hare, and they fling themselves so

ealised their danger and have men specially detailed to block the great 'Varsity half. Ag

traight into the midst of a crowd of McGill men he plunges, knocking off the hands reaching for him, slipping through impossible apertures, til

hree together, wit

is it?" shrieks Betty,

g a maul in goal, and it is a peety we cannot

ously. "What are they doing to him? Run

Don down," he announces, "but he'll hold all ri

cried Betty

len, in a low vo

cries Betty passiona

ys Lloyd confidently, and

ees Mrs. Macgregor, standing up a

two for his side; if Mooney and Carroll can get the

ons. Campbell stoops down over The Don and shouts into his ear. "Hold on, Don. It means the game," and The Don, lying

are swept helpless into the centre. Madder and wilder grows the tumu

hock to the little quarter, who is g

t off his chest with your knees. Get o

a wild rush of twenty men for each other's throats. Too close to strike they can only choke and scrag and hack each other fiercely. The policemen push in, threatening with their batons, and th

s coming in gasps and he is trembling with the

out Shock, who has

th, for the first time in his football life he loses himself. He hands his friend to a couple of men standi

n when he is down, with your knees! For very little," he continues, struggling to

themselves upon Shock and

ng between his gasps, and Shock, suddenly coming

shion," says his mother, shaking her head. "He mu

out smiling." And the old lady looks at her approvingly

back says pleasantly, "Come, along, old fire-eater. We've got to win t

but before the scrimmage that follows is

e such as has never been seen on that campus. Both sides are eager

quarters." Campbell takes his advice and the rubbers get vigorously to work at legs a

" inquires Camp

didn't bother me at all. I was

here's only one thing to do, men. Rush 'em. They play best in a

d use your whole half back line, however, fo

and pass to Martin and McLaren for the first w

fighting," at which everybody roars except Shock himself, who, a

as to attire, but all eager and resolved, the teams again line up, knowing well that they

as at the first, with this difference, however, that 'Varsity shows perceptibly weaker. Back step by step their scrimmage is forced toward the centre, the retreat counterbala

ses far out to Bunch on the left wing. With a beautiful catch Bunch, never slacking speed, runs round the crowd, dod

ight easily think him none too secure on his legs. Bunch det

this kind of attack. As Bunch comes at him he steps lightly aside, catches the half back about the ne

man after man, while the crowds on the line grow more and more frantic, and at length, clearing the main body, he sets off across the field to more open country on the 'Varsity left. Behind him come Campbel

hand at the end of a rigid arm catches him ful

, the McGill full back, comes rushing at him. Swinging round, The Don shakes Carroll partly off, and with that fierce downward cut of his arm which is his special trick, sends the little quarter flying, and just as Mooney tackles, passes the ball ov

d, yelling like mad people. Even the imperturbable old lady loses her calm for a moment,

between him and the line only a few yards off. Then he does the only poss

respond to the cry and fall in behind Campbell and Shock, who,

m and around them the excited spectators wildly, madly yelling, leaping, imploring, adjuring by all kinds of weird oaths to "shove" or to "hold." In vai

ping on his knees on the line in front o

ass of mingling arms, legs, heads

the McGill men an

ling on friend and foe alike, projects him over the struggling mass beyond the enemy's line, where he is immed

shrieks Betty, wil

nquires Shock's mother. "It will hardly b

captain. "Get off the man! Get

ll men are s

, picking them off an

s the referee through the din, into the ears o

se sound, the crowd of 'Varsity admirers go into a riot of rapture, throwing up caps, hugging each other in ecstatic war d

ll. "Get off the field!

don is protestin

y held, back there. Balfour

n?" returns Campbell. "Your

his legs. I k

e Don has a peculi

rnfully, "that's all rot

o what I say. I want you to re

quiet tone ha

Campbell, "but I think it is quite impossible that you c

crowd, and I know he was brought to a stand. I am pre

, "half a dozen men can. There's

to, hesitates. He has an

" he says, looking pit

moving all th

s shoving a

l you say that Balfour was never bro

replies Shock in great distress

laughter break fro

a moment or two, and then, while the crowd wait breathless for his decision, says, "You can a

o the 'Varsity men, but

wer to the loud protests of hi

us now, and the line i

ing to their places in the scrimmage, began t

t this ball in. Get up, McGill! Get off your knees!" for the

eree succeeds in placing the ball. Instantly Shock is upon it, and begins to crawl toward the line with half

lls the referee.

heads, till at length Shock rises from the bottom of the heap, grimy, bloody, but smiling

that means a great deal, for with Campbell

ves and quarters, Campbell prepares for a suprem

crouching on hands and

feree in a tone of righteous indignation, "Wha

o rise. Campbell seizes the opportunity, lowers his head, and with a yell drops the ball in front of Shock. In the whirl of the screw the ball sli

s the old lady, "will

st whom he had fought in the famous championship

l hold them yet. I've often seen a ball

g like maniacs, while the policeman and field censor

d. Every man is wet, panting, disfigured, but eager for th

h teams begin to manoeuvre for advantage of

themselves upon it, Shock as usual at the

ing stale, and can do no more than grimly hold on. At once Campbell sees the wisdom of this suggestion. The Don, though not so heavy as Shock, is quite as strong, and is quicker tha

e first line on the right, whispering to Sh

l, "'Varsity! now!" At the same instant The Don drops the ball, and with

neither giving an inch, when old Black, yelling

Bate, coming up with a rush, t

sways, and begins to move. The McGill men, shoving, hacking, scragging, fighting fiercely, finally d

ring, the 'Varsity wedge cleaves its way, till on the other side The Don appears with the ball hugged to his breast and Huntingdon h

our points 'Varsity holds the

nd," cries old Black, pushing through the cr

mes the Mont

ly," he says, in a voice that b

Campbell quietly. "It wa

on, recovering himself. "You have a

ave just seen as good, and there's none

ingdon, "McGill would ra

are bound to carry him in on their shoulders, makes fo

er, it's ov

feeling bad. But come along, laddie. Yo

, and needs no words to tell him her h

the glory of driving y

garb?" la

ry," says Helen, her fine ey

ll get your things and we

es, turning away. "I

d seize him, lift him shoulder high, and chanting, "S

uires the old lady, struggling hard to keep out

light. "Listen to them," and beating time with her han