Behind the Line: A Story of College Life and Football

ce. Splashes and flecks of purple and rose and golden light rested here and there on bowed head and shoulders or lay in shafts across the aisles. From where he sat Neil could look throu

r less impressionable than his friend, looked uncommonly thoughtful all the way back to their room, a way that led through the elm-arched nave of Col

usual with pleasurable excitement, they retraced their path and mounted the well-worn granite steps of College Hall for their first recitation. What with

s go--of all sizes and ages, several at the first glance revealing the hopelessn

the turf was springy underfoot, the sky was blue from edge to edge, the new men supplied plenty of amusement in their efforts, the pigskins bumped into his arms in the manner of old friends, and Neil was happy as a lark. After one catch for

t, stockily-built youth with a round, smiling face and blue eyes t

wered Neil

e reply. "But you're a

ow drive from across the gridiron settle

" He paused to send a ball back, and then wiped the pe

g his neighbor with inter

What are you

layed three yea

talking about--or one of them; I think he sa

That's Gale over there, the fellow in the old re

hen back at Neil. He was evidently

aid. "Otherwise you wouldn't know yourselves apart; you're just o

ight and weight. He's half an inch tall

he end of three-quarters of an hour, Devoe gave the order to quit and the trainer sen

and put on weight. This is taking it out of me finely; I can feel wh

panted Neil; "but I'm glad this is

ed back to the yard together, Paul, as Neil saw, being in close compan

year," said Foster. "He's a

exclaimed Ne

th a grin. "So they let him stay a soph. He doesn't care; a little t

iked?" N

small circle." Then he dismissed Cowan with an airy wave of one hand. "By the

"I haven't heard any

him at St. Mathias; you'll like him. He's an awfully good, manly, straightforward chap, just

any one in view. I guess you

nt to see him win. Can't you come round some evening the first of the week?

ted at the gate, Foster going up to his room and Neil traversing the campus and the common to his own quarters. As he opened the stud

Neil, I want you to meet Mr. Cowan. Cowan has quarters up-stairs here.

xtraordinary politeness. He was always extraordinarily polite to persons he didn't fancy, and his dislike of Cowan was instant and hearty. Cowan looked to be fully twenty-three years old, and owned to being twenty-one. He was ful

l of which the narrator played, according to his words, a prominent part, Neil broke into the stream of h

romise to Foster or whatever his name is, because we've got a plan better

u're fooling?

was he that suggested it. With his help and yours, and with the kind assistance of one or t

nothing but grind, so they say; came out of St. Mathias with all kinds of silly prizes and such. What the f

was something of a dab

tation like Gale here can walk all round your baseball man. We'll carry it with a rush! You'll see

u know," said Neil sweetly. Cowan l

u've got sense. I was speaking of the

red Neil. Paul

here--there's Wallace and Knowles and Jones. They're not freshmen, but they can give you int

got lots of supporters, and he's had his campaign under way for a week. If you're defeated I think

" cried Paul, with a trace of anger in his

k you're all wrong about defeated candidates. If a fellow makes a good f

ed Neil reluctantly, "of course I'll do all I can

" cried Cowan. "H

ticed it. Well, as I say, I'll do all I can.

ul. "Tell Foster there's

the dark horse wil

ck politely fr

o the meaning of the last remark, and sought No. 12 McLean. He found the varsity quarter-back writing a letter by means

nd, I say, just look around on the floor th

eil, searching the c

in half the time it takes with a pen. Well, I began this letter last night, and I guess I've spent fully two hours on it altogether. For two cents I'd pitch it out the window!" He pushed back his chair and glared vindi

his head

looking for the w

"Don't suppose you want to buy a fin

all. Foster showed some amazement when he learned of Gale

st of a show, you know, but, of course, if he wants to tr

ngston was easily the popular candidate for the presidency, and Neil failed to understand where Cowan found ground for the encouragin

chum," he would exclaim. "

thout much h