Page:The Winning Touchdown.djvu/122

110 them," was Miss Harrison's contribution to the trio of opinions.

"We ought to be ashamed of ourselves," declared Phil. "Newkirk isn't in our class, and we only play them to sort of open the season, and for practice. Yet they nearly scored on us."

"Oh, we didn't do so bad," was Tom's opinion.

"I think we showed up pretty well, for a team that had to be patched up after we lost two of our best players," came from Sid.

"Well, you fellows didn't play so awful," conceded the quarter-back, "but if Sam had been in much longer there'd have been a different story. Pete Backus is making out all right, and his practice in jumping does him good. But Sam"

"Simpson helped a lot," said the end.

"Yes, better than I thought he would. He didn't get gridiron-fright because he was on the 'varsity, and his head seems to be about the same size as before, barring where he got kicked over the eye," went on Phil. "Understand, I'm not knocking the team!" he explained quickly, for he saw the girls looking at him rather oddly. "Only I know, and so does Kindlings and Lighton, that we've got to do heaps better when we play Fairview and Boxer Hall."

"Oh, our boys are going to beat you!" exclaimed Miss Tyler, with a mischievous glance at her chums.