Page:Hugh Pendexter--Tiberius Smith.djvu/119

 his stunt at centre had the other two combinations plucked to a tawdry finish. We regretted while rejoicing; for it required no prophet to see that only a freight-train could cause him and the nth power of energy in his wake to hesitate even, and it would never do to spring the joke on the same college twice.

"But, sir, for a picturesque effect it was purely supernal. It would have placed your heart three palpitations to the good just to study them as they caught on to the varsity spirit and crouched in line, eagerly awaiting the signals. And after they got so they could perform each hurricane dash without a flaw, Tib and I fell on each other's necks and shed tears of distilled joy.

"‘They are so blessed human, Billy,' he sobbed, in apology for his emotion. And he gave each champion a fish.

"Then came a dampener to our spirits that caused us to forget the gridiron for the nonce. I had gone to the beach at the first intimation of clearing weather, but instead of sighting the sealer I beheld four big oomiacs, well filled with jovial murderers. It required no second glance to see that they were our late neighbors, and in the bows of each ferry stood a spear or harpoon brandishing midget, intimating with easy grace that I was next. These simple gesticulations alone evinced that they were