Page:Lynch Williams--The girl and the game.djvu/77

 voice. "No, they're dragging him—they're slacking—he's stopping them! Down they go! Lord!"

The leaders had fallen. The others stumbled over them. The coach slacked so suddenly that the rear wheels lifted up, came down with a bang, and stopped. But Stehman did not spring up as he usually did after making one of his brilliant tackles. The whole crowd came crowding down the street toward him.

"Stand back! Give him air—give him air, I tell you!… Will you fellows keep the crowd back?… He's all right now! Here's the water! You're all right now, aren't you. Jack?"

The Captain opened his eyes. "Yep," he said; then closed them again as they carried him to the drug store.

"He's killed!" said some excitable person on the outskirts of the crowd.

"Nonsense! He's a football man," said another.

"My, what nerve! Hello, what's that?"

"He's all right, fellows; he's all right!"