And Sid went on. After him, fiercely, came Langridge. The distance between them lessened. Sid was staggering. His brain was reeling. His legs tottered. The ball seemed about to slip from his grasp, and he found himself talking to it, as to a thing alive.
"Stay there, now--stay there--don't fall out. And--and you legs--don't you give way--don't you do it! Keep on, old man, keep on! You can do it! You can do it!"
Thus Sid muttered to himself. He heard the patter of the running feet behind him. He did not look to see who was coming--he dared not. He felt that if he took his eyes off the last white line ahead of him that he would stagger and fall.
The line was like the crystal globe that hypnotizes one. It held his gaze.
Sid fell in a heap. His breath left him. There was a darkness before him. Down he went heavily.
But, oh, what a shout came dimly to his ears! What a wild riot of cries! He tried to look down and see whether he had crossed the line before he stumbled, but he could only see the brown earth and green grass. He heard someone still running after him. He lifted his head. There, just before him, was the goal line.
With the energy of despair, he raised the ball in his arms, and placed it over the chalk mark, holding it there with all his remaining strength, when someone threw himself fiercely upon him.
It was Langridge, eager, wrathful and almost beside himself with rage. But he was too late. The ball was well over the last line, and, knowing from the attitude of the Boxer player that it _was_ there, the great throng of Randall men and women, young men and maidens, joined in one great cry:
It was--the winning touchdown, for, as the other players, some fearful, some hoping, came rushing up, the final whistle blew, ending the contest that had resulted in championship for Randall.
And then, welling over the field once more, came softly the song: "Either We Conquer, or We Die!"
There were bonfires that night at Randall--bonfires in which the football suits were burned, for the eleven broke training in a blaze of glory. Also there were feastings, for there was no ban on eating now. And, likewise, there was much rejoicing. For was not Randall champion again? Had not her loyal sons again won a victory on the gridiron? Therefore, let the gladness go on!