Bert Wilson on the Gridiron

lling

front of their dormitory, two men were pacing up and down. The close resemblance between them indicated that they were fa

alph," they c

o see you," said Bert. "What lucky w

his welcome. "I had to attend a meeting of directors in New York, and while I

, Dad gets hungry to see the old college every once in so often

e to say anything in defense, on the ground that I might incriminate myself. Any

our rooms. We're not going to let you get away fr

Duff." And they mounted to the rooms that Bert and

they had been closely associated and many things had happened since that time. Yet all the exp

utset, they had been attacked by a Malay running amuck, and only their quickness and presence of mind had saved them from sudden death. Soon after clearing the harbor, they had received the S.O.S. signal, and had been able thereby to save the passengers of a burning ship. A typhoon had caught them in its grip and threatened to send them all to Davy Jones. His flesh crept yet as he recalled the tiger creeping alon

ed of talking about it. And none knew better than Mr. Quinby himself that he owed the safety of his vessel and the lives of all on board to the quick wit of Bert in sending the electric current

st any more pirates la

me white ones before long. They say that the 'Greys' and 'Maroons' are flying the skull and c

actual fight. It was so in my own college days. There'd be all sorts of discouraging rumors afloat and the general public would get the idea that the team was going around

to us to-day," broke in Tom. "Since I heard him, I've had a new re

sweetness about it that was a

y well to diss

he kick us

ed

laughed rem

alive. They'd cut through the hide of a rhinoceros. But that is part of the game, and if a man is over-sensi

answered Tom. "We felt so sore that

He gets you fighting mad, until when you go out you are 'seeing r

football team while you we

root and yell for the team when the big games were pulled off. And many a time since I've traveled from San Francisco all the way to New York to see a Thanksgiving Day game. Sometimes, the result has made me want to go away somewhere and hide, but more often the good old Blue has come out on top, and then I've been so hoarse from yell

to play more of an open game. But we've got a dandy new shift that will give the other fellows something to think about when we spring it on them, and probably Hendr

whistle. I've seen teams touted as certain winners go all to pieces on the day of the game. Then, again, there have been times when the team didn't seem to have as m

f sparkling plays in your t

e now when I think of it, although I didn't enjoy it so much at the time, because it

," came in a chor

ut. They seemed to have everything, weight and strength and speed, and, on the 'dope,' we didn't have a chance in the world. They had gone through their schedule with the smaller co

licked was there too. The game was on our grounds and although the 'Greys' had an immense delegation in their stands, we outnumbered and outyelled them. Say, maybe we d

was winning. We got off to a flying start, and, instead of having to defend our own goal, we took the offensive and kept the ball in the enem

mpt to skirt the ends. It was near the end of the last half, and there was only five minutes left to play. It looked as though it were '

in our hands, halfway down the field. As we had already made one score, while t

ot the ball back to the quarter. He in turn passed it to the back, who got in a perfect kick that sent it far down the field and close to the enemy's goal. One of the 'Greys' made a grab at it, but it was one of those twisting deceptiv

ed. So the 'Grey' runner was well past them before they could stop their momentum and turn in their tracks. The back who had kicked the ba

together, so that, as Lamar neared them, he made a superb dodge and slipped by both

on him. The nearest one was not more than five feet away. He let out a link and fairly flew. The white lines of the field fell away behind him. One more tremendous effort by pursu

ithin our reach and then to have had it snatched away in that fashion! Poor old Peters was fairly

it was magnificent but it was not war,' so, no doubt, many thought of Peters' move that although generous it was not football. Still the finest things in

of Edgar Allan Poe. I remember once, when with just one minute left to play and the ball thirty yards from our goal line, he dropped back for a kick and sent the ball sailing over

tale Manne

hynge ca

lose-pressed

alle popp

ushed within

he one Seco

Balle benet

es down y

ar in fier

eludes y

wixt ye quyv

th on y

Poe hathe k

lle, woef

as myghte D

fyrste o

hy of our steel, all

dit in licking th

" added Bert. "We've won about two-thirds

e talk of substituting other material for it, but nothing had been done. You can imagine our surprise then when, on the day of the game, the Trinity men came out on the field in a full uniform of canvas. It was stiff and shiny and you couldn't get a good grip on it to save your life. That was bad enough, but, in addition, the Trinity boys had covered their uniforms with grease. Our fellows didn't tumble to it until after the game was under way and the enemy were wr

" asked Ralph. "Did they

close score and it certainly played

ball had disappeared. Suddenly, Dillon, of the Indians, darted out and made for the Harvard goal. But he didn't have the ball under his arm, and, after starting in pursuit, the Harvard boys thought it was a mere feint to draw them after him and turned back to see who really had it. Dillon went 105 yards down the field, running like the wind, and crossed the Harvard goal for a touchdown, and then they saw that he ha

hunch that he woul

heart. The Harvard boys had to stand for an awful joshing on the way

tch, but it slipped from his fingers. The Army center had run down under the kick and was close to the ball when it fell to the ground. The Navy men were so close behind that they would have piled on top of him if he had stooped to pick up the ball. So he kicked the ball ahead of him, following it up and ready to reach down and pick it up the minute he had the chance. But t

the other side, and they weren't always scrupulous about the way they did it. I remember one time we were playing a big game, and 'Butch' Allaire, the best player on the Blue team, had his knee badly hurt. We were short of good substitutes, and he felt that he had to continue playing, if it were at all possible. So, after a short wait, he came limping out again to his posi

er did you wear that bandage on your

tied it round the

oys l

actics may have been rooted out of the game, but I'l

' Hendricks is a finished workman when it comes to the use of pet names, after he's

e the exclama

aid to quick thinking. Some advocate it even yet. The coach would take up his positi

I'm going to give you a fearful whack with this paddle. It's up t

f them would be off like a flash the instant the ball was snapped back. After that it wouldn't be necessary. They'd got the habit of a quick

en mental than physical. One coach

nd that I am going to pull the trigger when the ball is snapped,

evelopment of speed, but as between

r studies and then, too, there are one or two of the old Profs I want to see before I turn in. I'll see you again before I go and I'll be th

't he?" said Tom, whe

ood," replied

good luck' of his was p

ly. "Of course there is such a thing as luck, but I

es a 'jinx' follows a man or a team, and everyt

t dead and his

his cow in a

ne came on

house where h

uake came when

e ground that th

collector,

up with the hole

odoo get after us. But, somehow, the result of the game to-day and Mr. Quinby's ta

eys' and 'Maroons' a great big licking. At any rate, if we lose, they'll k

ing him on the shoulder. "God loves a cheerful gi