The cheering and excitement had stopped. Everybody seemed watching and waiting with breathless interest for the result. Hurting was resolved not to fail.
With deliberateness he booted the oval, sending it rotating through the air.
A great shout rose from the crowd, for the ball was taken by a flaw of wind and carried to one side of the posts.
"It’s no use," said Jabez Lynch, in pretended regret. "They are too strong for us."
"Back up! back up!" chirped Teddy Smart, who happened to hear the observation. "You please me very much with your remark. I like the way you talk! It’s too bad you were not retained on the team! You would give the boys lots of courage with that kind of talk!"
"Don’t get sassy, plebe!" grated Lynch, scowling. "You’re too free with your tongue!"
"Really and truly?" smiled Teddy. "Then I’ll bite it right off this very minute."
The applauding crowd continued to cheer as the ball was brought to the center of the field. The first half was drawing to a close, and it scarcely seemed possible that Fardale had time to do any work of consequence, even if she were strong enough, which now seemed doubtful.
Some sportily inclined chaps began to offer even money that Fardale would not score during the game.
"Here’s a chance for somebody to make a small fortune," said Smart. "If I had money, I wouldn’t take that kind of an offer—oh, no!"
But the betting part of the crowd found no takers.
Singleton kicked off to Rivermouth’s twenty-yard line. Hurting again demonstrated his superior ability at this kind of work by driving the ball back to Fardale’s forty-yard line.
Then something happened that gave Rivermouth a shock.
Merriwell caught the ball, heeled the ground, and smashed it into the territory of the home team. It was a grand punt of fifty yards, and Hurting was compelled to take the ball on the run, which resulted in a fumble.
Kent and Burrows had followed down under the ball with great speed, and the latter blocked Hurting, while Kent dropped on the oval.
By this piece of work Fardale got the ball on Rivermouth’s fifteen-yard line, and the visiting crowd went wild with joy.
"I’m afraid it won’t do us any good," said Jabez Lynch.
"I see you are afraid!" exclaimed Teddy Smart. "You are shaking with terror!"