“That was hard luck,” Scott remarked when the cheering had subsided.
“Hard luck!” Johnson exclaimed. “Who do you want to win this game?”
“Minnesota, of course,” Scott retorted indignantly, “but to win on a thing like that does not do them any credit.”
“Kept ’em from scoring, anyway,” Johnson answered doggedly.
The ball was kicked into safety once more and the Lawrence team started on another rush for the goal. Again they seemed irresistible, and only a fumble on the ten-yard line saved a score. What had started as a practice game had developed into a real struggle for victory with Minnesota continually on the defensive.
At the end of the first quarter neither team had scored. Again and again in the next period, the fast Lawrence team carried the ball through their heavier opponents only to lose it near the goal line by some slip of their own. Not once were they held on downs. But fate seemed to be against them, for the whistle blew at the end of the second quarter with the first down on the Minnesota two-yard line.
No sooner had the teams left the field for the ten minutes’ rest between halves than the big University band formed in front of the grandstand and marched around the field playing lively airs to try to put some heart into the crowd. It did not succeed very well; the crowd seemed utterly beaten and without hope.
“Is Lawrence a big college?” Scott asked when the music ceased.
“They seem to have a mighty good team,” Scott continued.
“You mean we have a mighty rotten one,” Johnson retorted. “They ought to bury Lawrence, and if they can’t they ought to be ashamed of themselves.”
“They are doing the best they can,” Scott said, “and they ought to be supported. They can’t help it if the other fellows are better.”
“That won’t stop them from getting licked,” Johnson growled.
“What difference does it make if they do get licked?” Scott argued. “You ought to give the other people credit—” he began, when there was a half hearted cheer and the teams trotted out on the field again.
“Now let’s see if the ‘old man’ has put a bug in their ear.” Johnson said, leaning forward with renewed hope.
The game started out pretty much as before, but not so fast. The ball was creeping steadily down into Minnesota territory when a poor pass carried it over the head of the Lawrence fullback, he fumbled in trying to recover it, and a Minnesota man got it. The crowd cheered the poor pass wildly.