"Merriwell!" roared the Fardale crowd. "Merriwell! Merriwell!"
With the leaps of a frightened greyhound, Dick Merriwell bore down on Young. Drawing near, he launched himself at the full-back, clutched him, and dragged him to earth. Then others came piling upon them, and the ball was down three yards from Fardale’s line.
It was a play to set both sides wild, and cheer followed cheer.
But again Fardale’s goal was in great danger, and Viewland was happy.
"Hold ’em!" begged Captain Nunn, as the defenders lined up. "Stick your toes in, everybody! Don’t let them have an inch."
And they obeyed him as far as Viewland’s first effort was concerned, and the visitors had made no gain on that down. But the heavy line told in the next attack, and the ball was jammed to within a foot of Fardale’s line.
Panting, desperate, sweaty, and dirt-stained, the defenders made ready for a last stand.
"Don’t let them do it!" implored Nunn. "Steady, all!"
Then came the pass and the shock. For a few seconds it seemed that Fardale was going to swing the heavy visitors back for a loss; then through that mass of straining humanity somehow wiggled Warne. How he did it no one seemed able to tell, but he squirmed through and shoved the ball over Fardale’s line.
When this result became known, Jabez Lynch could scarcely restrain a shout of joy.
Viewland took time in bringing out the ball. The strong wind had to be judged well in kicking for goal, but Young was equal to the occasion, and he sent the oval over the bar in very handsome style.
It was fancied that Fardale would weaken now; but the visitors were surprised to find the cadets stiffer and livelier than ever when play was resumed.
As Viewland had made the first score, it again became Fardale’s duty to kick off, and this time Merriwell was sent in to do the turn. He made a handsome kick, that was almost a duplicate of that with which Singleton opened the game.
Warne got the ball, but he did not advance four yards before Kent had him nailed and stretched on the ground. Then came some swift playing that was almost bewildering to the witnesses. Viewland seemed to think she could make gains by her great weight in charging; but two attempts, with no material gain, set her to thinking something different.