On Your Mark! A Story of College Life and Athletics

s aware of Burley's presence a few rows behind him; when he looked around, it was to encounter the big fellow's smiling regard. There was really

e dressing-tent, he seemed to have an idea that Allan was his especial property. And then the che

ubdued noise and laughter, and when he left the hall it was always as the center of a small circle of fellows, above which Burley towered head and shoulders. Secretly, Allan envied B

football practise. As usual, he was the center of a group, and after Allan had passed the turn he heard their laughter and wondered if Burley had selected him as a butt for his silly jokes. After that A

a St. Mathias fellow, won amidst the howls of the opposition. The rival candidate was elected secretary, but promptly and somewhat heatedly declined. New nominations were called for, and Burley was proposed simultaneously from two sides of the ro

while the chairman rapped wildly for order, he failed to gain recognition. The next moment the election was made

alking most of the time about his chances of making the varsity squad, w

, and two of those don't amount to anything; just high schools. The only game they go away for is the one with D

asked Allan, sup

r our center. Cheesman's a wonder, but he can't do much with guards like Murray and Kirk beside him. Why, Kirk doesn't weigh a hundred and seventy, and Murray's only a

e Morris chair and looked

murmured All

atter with th

uld say, if you ask

uard," said Smi

all," objected Allan. "They do

at Michigan and Wisconsin

ref

an! He must weigh two hun

t weigh a ton. But if he

ou know h

know it, wouldn't he hav

silenced fo

be taught, I guess. And we've got a whole

ss than a cow," said Allan,

you, anyway? You seem to

you what

you off the track; that's no

about that-or anything else.

miths jumped up and seized his c

this time

ven-thirty. He'll be

h you down-stairs, a

he won't.

an. "I've got some surgeon

the front porch in one leap. Then the

ttered. "He must have

es fell on a folded sheet of lined paper. He read the penciled words on it-"Peter Burley"-and, refoldin

n when Allan ran his first practise over the mile. Kernahan didn't hold the watch on him, the distance was u

over. "You ran it a bit too fast at the s

into the freshman team. There was no track work that afternoon, since the Erskine varsity played State University. Allan went out to the field alone and watched the game from the season-ticket holders' stand, and cheered quite madly when the Erskine quarter-back, availing

tion expressed in Allan's neighborhood over the playing of the home team, and much gloomy prophecy was indulged in in regar

office-climbed up the seats and was duly pummeled and laid hold of on his way. Tommy Sweet was a Hillton fellow, and considering that he had been a class ahead of Allan at that school, the two had been quite friendly there until Swe

en a grin and an exclamation-point. His hair was just the color of tow, and the freckles which covered every available portion of his face were several shades darker, but harmonized perfectly. He was tireless in the se

Clarke Mason once said: "I'll bet some day Tommy will commit second-degree murder so they'll give him hard lab

n't it? It'll show up great in the diagram I'm making; see!" He opened his note-book and exhibited a puzzling maze of lines

ed Allan. "Anything

shows how the gains were made and who made 'em. And I've introduced something n

there, I think," answ

made," said Tommy, triumphantly. "Th

u pretty busy. Do you have

s? Oh, yes; I know where that is. I want to come around some evening, if I can ever find the time. How are you getting on? Anything I can do for you? Any fellows you'd like to meet? No? Well, let me know if I can do anything for you. Very glad to, you know. Th

t proved uninteresting, and only the superior weight of the Erskine eleven won them the game finally by the close margin of a safety. Allan followed the throng out of the enclosure and across toward the locker house and the gate. But half-way there the cr

r went up, the line of watchers broke forward, and Allan found himself directly in the path of what at first glance looked like an avalanche of canvas and leather. Springing back, he escaped being

, for all the world like bees on a nest in swarming time. Behind them the second eleven pushed and shoved, and relentlessly the whole mass moved down the field. And

is grasp until his obligations were hurriedly but clearly explained to him. Then he patted the half-back on the shoulder in a paternal manner and retraced his steps to the enthusiastic applause of the convulsed throng. The second team hugged as m

to be his duty appealed to Allan. It had been awfully funny, and Allan smiled as he recalled it. But the incident had held for him something more than humor, just what he hardly knew; but whatever it was, and even thoug