Part 18 (1/2)

”They would, indeed,” answered Mills grimly. ”About ten yards through our line!”

”Well, now we place our left half in our line between our guard and tackle, and put our full-back behind him, making a tandem of our own.

Quarter stands almost back of guard, and the other half over here. When the ball is put in play our tandem starts at a jump and hits the opposing tandem just at the moment their quarter pa.s.ses the ball to their runner. In other words, we get through on to them before they can get under way. Our quarter and right half follow up, and, unless I'm away off on my calculations, that tackle-tandem is going to stop on its own side of the line.”

Sydney paused and awaited Mills's opinion. The latter was silent a moment. Then--

”Of course,” he said, ”you've thought of what's going to happen to that left half?”

”Yes,” answered Sydney, ”I have. He's going to get most horribly banged up. But he's going to stop the play.”

”Yes, I think he is--if he lives,” said Mills with a grim smile. ”The only objection that occurs to me this moment is this: Have we the right to place any player in a position like this where the punishment is certain to be terrific, if not absolutely dangerous?”

”I've thought of that, too,” answered Sydney readily. ”And I don't believe we--er--you have.”

”Well, then I think our play's dished at the start.”

”Why, not a bit, sir. Call the players up, explain the thing to them, and tell them you want a man for that position.”

”Ah, ask for volunteers, eh?”

”Yes, sir. And you'll have just as many, I'll bet, as there are men!”

Mills smiled.

”Well, it's a desperate remedy, but I believe it's the only one, and we'll see what can be done. By the way, I observe that you've taken left half for the victim?”

”Yes, sir; that's Neil Fletcher. He's the fellow for it, I think.”

”But I thought he was a friend of yours,” laughed Mills.

”So he is; that's why I want him to get it; he won't ask anything better. And he's got the weight and the speed. The fellow that undertakes it has got to be mighty quick, and he's got to have weight and plenty of grit. And that's Neil.”

”Yes, I think so too. But I don't want him to get used up and not be able to kick, for we'll need a field-goal before the game is over, if I'm not greatly mistaken. However, we can find a man for that place, I've no doubt. For that matter, we must find two at least, for one will never last the game through.”

”I suppose not. I--I wish I had a chance at it,” said Sydney longingly.

”I wish you had,” said Mills. ”I think you'd stand all the punishment Robinson would give you. But don't feel badly that you can't play; as long as you can teach the rest of us the game you've got honor enough.”

Sydney flushed with pleasure, and Mills took up the diagram again.

”Guard and tackle will have their work cut out for them,” he said. ”And I'm not sure that left end can't be brought into it, too. There's one good feature about Robinson's formation, and that is we can imagine where it's coming as long as it's a tandem. If we stop them they'll have to try the ends, and I don't think they'll make much there. Well, we'll give this a try to-morrow, and see how it works. By the way, Burr,” he went on, ”you can get about pretty well on your crutches, can't you?”

”Yes,” Sydney answered.

”Good. Then what's to prevent you from coming out to the field in the afternoons and giving us a hand with this? Do you think you could afford the time?”

Sydney's eyes dropped; he didn't want Mills to see how near the tears were to his eyes.

”I can afford the time all right,” he answered in a voice that, despite his efforts, was not quite steady, ”if you really think I can be of any use.”

Perhaps Mills guessed the other's pleasure, for he smiled gently as he answered:

”I don't think; I'm certain. You know this play better than I do; it's yours; you know how you want it to go. You come out and look after the play; we'll attend to the players. And then, if we find a weak place in it, we can all get together and remedy it. But you oughtn't to try and wheel yourself out there and back every day. You tell me what time you can be ready each afternoon and I'll see that there's a buggy waiting for you.”