Page:The fighting scrub, (IA fightingscrub00barb).pdf/107

 last period when, held for three downs by a horde of substitutes writhing under "G.G.'s" caustic comments, Sim slipped the pigskin to Tom on a delayed pass, and Tom flashed around the right and wormed through in some remarkable way, reaching the goal-line without much opposition until a frantic back tackled and accompanied him across the last two yards. Being unable to shake off the enemy, Tom just took him along.

Although the Scrub's victory had been secured from a much weakened First, it held some glory, and the Scrub made the most of it. It gave them confidence, and the next afternoon, when the first-string men were back on the job, Mr. Babcock's disciples showed quite a nice brand of football. Of course the First had its way in the end, but it had to fight for it, and fight hard. Ike Patch started at left end for the Scrub, but Clif displaced him after five minutes, and was allowed to play through. Ever since Clif had chased down that loose ball on Friday "Cocky" had seemed to hold him in deep respect, and Tom, not at all certain of his own position, declared that Clif had "vamped" the coach, and was settled for the season. Clif began to believe it himself by Wednesday.

On that afternoon the audience, looking on from a windswept stand and shivering under sweaters, saw a very pretty practice game. The Scrubs romped in from the suburbs armed with three brand-new plays meticulously designed by Mr. Babcock to take advantage of the enemy's weaknesses. The principal weak