Up the grandstand leaped Phil. Tom had hurried after him, ready to do what he could to aid his chum to get a train. Phil saw Ruth and Madge together. At the sight of her brother Ruth cried: "Oh, Phil, wasn't it glorious? I'm so glad you won! Why--wh--what's the matter?" she gasped at the sight of his pale face. "Mother!" he exclaimed huskily. "Didn't--haven't you a telegram?" "Yes. Did you get one, too?" and she fumbled in her muff. "Oh, Phil, I'm so happy! She's all better! The operation was a success, and she's going to get well! I got mine just before the game, and I supposed you did, too. I was waiting for you to come to me, but I guess you didn't have a chance. Oh, I'm so glad!" and she threw her arms around her brother's neck. "Going to get well? Operation a success? Why, I--I didn't get a telegram like that!" exclaimed Phil in bewilderment. "There's mine," said Ruth, producing it. "I left word to forward any that might come to Fairview to me here. I gave the number of my seat here to the Fairview operator, and I got the message just before play began. But didn't you get yours?" Before Phil could answer a diminutive messenger boy pushed his way through the crowd. "Is dis Phil Clinton?" he asked boldly. "That's me," replied Phil quickly, but he hardly knew what he said. "Den here's a message fer youse. I tried t' git it t' youse before de game, but de cop wouldn't let me in on de grass. So I stayed and seen de scrap. Hully chee! But it was a peach! I'm glad youse fellers won. Sign dere!" and the lad held out his book with the message in. As in a dream Phil signed, and then tore open the envelope. The message was a duplicate of the one his sister had. "Any answer?" asked the lad, as he gazed in admiration at Phil, and Tom, who stood close beside him. "Hully chee! But youse is husky brutes," spoke the modern Mercury, but it was only his way of properly admiring the football heroes. "Yes, there's an answer," said Phil, and he scribbled on a piece of paper a bystander thrust into his hand this telegram: "Dear Dad: Best news I ever got! We won the game!" And he signed it with the names of his sister and himself. "May I add my good wishes, not only on the recovery of your mother, but on the way you played the game?" asked Madge, blushing, and holding out her hand to Phil. He clasped her fingers in his. "Same here!" cried Tom, as he caught a roguish glance from the eyes of Ruth. "Oh, but I'm glad for your sake, old man!" and he gave Phil such a clap on the back as to make the teeth of the quarter-back clatter. "I'm so glad!" "I know you are," said Phil simply, and as he shook hands with his chum he knew, somehow, that the little cloud that had come between them had passed away. "Tra, la, la! Merrily do we sing and dance!" cried Tom in the exuberance of his feelings. "Come down on the field, Phil, Madge, Ruth, and we'll play 'Ring Around the Rosy'!"