Behind the Line: A Story of College Life and Football

rust into the hack and driven away, and saw the conspirators for whom the vehicle afforded no room separate and disappear in the gathering darkness. Livingston's emotions were varied: admirat

gained the ascendency, and he resolved that although Neil wo

, already bewildered by the appearance of the freshman president on the scene, were more than ever at a loss. They stood under an awning across the street, some twenty or thirty of them, and asked each other what it meant. Content with the sup

m in the hack!" Care

ve off with him!"

k their heads and gazed bewildered through the rain to where a raised window-shade gave them occasional

h-rah-rah, Rah-r

wning turned puzzled

y cheering Fletcher for?" was

ve exchanged places with the gallant confounder of sophomore plots, who was pictured in most mi

tion of honored guest. For after the first consternation, bewilderment, and mortification had passed, his captors philosophically accepted the situation, and under the benign influence of cold chicken and hot soda biscuits found themselves not only able to display equanimity, but to join in the laugh against themselves and to admire the cleverness displ

eaded toward home the journey occupied surprisingly little time, and at ten Neil was back in his

let me into it

to tell Paul all about it from first to last, and Paul laughed until he choked; "I

ed him out to each other in admiring awe; older and more influential ones went out of their way to claim recognition from him; sophomores viewed him with more than passing interest, and upper-class men predicted for him a brilliant college career. Even the Dean, when he passed Neil the following afternoon and returned his bow, allowing himself something almo

e invention of a Harvard trainer, rigging the dummy with hook and eye-bolt, so that when properly tackled the stuffed canvas effigy of a Robinson player became detached from its cable and fell on to the soft loam much after the manner of a human being. But to bring the dummy from the hook necessitated the fiercest of tackling, and ma

me by being so rude as to bring that dummy off. Now, once more; put some snap into it! G

he deceived himself into momentarily thinking the dummy a sophomore, he tackled fi

t get into this. Greatly to his surprise and disappointment McCullough took his place at left half, and Neil sat on the bench and aggrievedly watched

and try drop-kicking. Keep a strict count, and let me know how

At first it was hard to keep from turning his head to watch the progress of the game, but presently he became absorbed in his work. As a punter he had been somewhat of a success at Hillton, but drop-kicking had been left to the full-back, and consequently it was unaccustomed work. The first five tries went low, and the next four went high enough but wide

ed to his labor determined to better his score. And he did, for when the teams trotted by him on

ery good, and there's no reason why you shouldn't learn to kick from drop or placement as well. Take my advice and put your heart and brain and muscle into

unchristian hours and practising before chapel occurred to him, but upon maturer thought was given up. No, the only thing to do was to follow Mills's advice: "Put your heart and brain and muscle into it," the coach had said. Neil nodded vigorously and rubbed himself so hard with the towel as to almost take the skin off. He was late in leaving the house th

ead of the feet, and a bow-shaped piece of steel which fitted around the operator's knee served as steering apparatus. The youth who sat motionless on the seat was a rather pale-faced, frail-looking lad of eighteen

id Neil, approaching. "Stay wher

u needn't bothe

rouble was soon found; the chain had bro

me," said Neil cheerfully. "Keep your seat

other you, Mr. Fletcher. You see I have my crutc

way to Walton. Here, I'll take the chain off and

ughed the other, beginning to forget some of his shyness. "

nd the tricycle and pushing it before him

practise. I go out v

guess you've broke

said Neil. "It's wonderful how you can get around on

y almost for so long that I've got a pretty good muscle now. My father had this one made for me only tw

it weak," said Neil, "or it wou

cle's," answered the boy. As Neil was behind him h

wheel the thing down to the bicyc

-I'll have them send up for it. I wouldn't ha

have them send, it will be some time to-

it before then," answ

ty in the reply that the boy on the seat yielded, but f

t's awfully nice of you

't see how I could do any less. By the w

ney

here up the road," laughed Neil. "

es

lped Burr on to his crutches, and would have

day. My room's on this floor, too. I'm awfully much obliged to you for what you've

ght. I'll take this nag down to the blacksmith's now and get him reshod. If th

m not here just give it to him, please. I wish, th

ack," laughed Ne

t forget you're c

of many years' dependence upon them. His lower limbs, slender and frail, swung from side to side, mere useless ap

eep round on stilts or pull himself about on this contrivance! I mustn't forget to call on him; I dare say h

p near the railroad, and the proprietor, a wizene

he protested shrilly. "It's t

needs is to have a chain link welded or glued or something; it won't take five minutes. And the fellow that owns i

" The little man

elp," answered

tricycle, grumbling all the while and shaking his head angrily. "Who said it was broke?" he dema

Besides, I've just told you it didn't

" answered the oth

find words, and contented himself with bending back the damaged link and emitting a series of choking sounds which Neil r

nd get out

s. How

ss grin and a chuckle. "Twenty-five cents for the

ng a quarter on the bench. "That's

ietor of the repair-shop was still calling

elled his steed toward the campus. "Maybe he will put a curse upon me