Slowly but surely the Varsity pushed back the luckless scrub. Slowly but surely a touchdown seemed about to be made. Dick gave a signal for a fake kick. John Stiver, the left half-back was to take the ball, run wide toward his own right end, pass the pigskin to Teddy Naylor, at full-back and the latter was to try and advance it for a touchdown. All went well until Teddy got the ball. Then, as he was charging around the end, with Dick and Stiver forming interference for him, he dropped the ball. Something like a groan came from the young millionaire, for he saw their chance to score lost. Tom Coleton, of the scrub, came charging through, but the next instant Dick had made a grab for the pigskin, picked it up, and, dodging Coleton, made a dash toward the goal line. The day was saved, for our hero, making a splendid run, planted the ball squarely between the posts, and behind the final chalk mark. "Touchdown! Touchdown!" came the triumphant cry. "Varsity touchdown!" "But it wouldn't have been one except for Hamilton," remarked Mr. Martin grimly. "Naylor, how did it happen that you couldn't hold the ball?" "I don't know," answered the luckless captain. "We can't have that," remarked Mr. Spencer with a dubious shake of his head. "Well, try for goal." It was an easy shot, and Innis made it quickly. Then the game went on, but the Varsity could not score again, and the scrub was equally unable to advance the ball when they had it. "That will be enough for to-day," announced the coaches. "We are going to make some changes to-morrow. The list of the first squad will be posted in the gym." There were anxious looks among the players. Who would be on the preliminary Varsity team. It was a question every cadet asked himself. "Well, if I don't make it," reflected Dick, "I will have so much more time to try and get on the trail of Mr. Duncaster. But--I want to play football." CHAPTER IX THE ACCUSATION "Come on, Dick!" cried Paul excitedly, as he burst into the room where his chum was industriously boning away over the pages of his trigonometry. "Hurry up!" "What's the rush, son?" calmly asked the young millionaire. "Haven't you heard? The list of the Varsity players has just been posted in the gym." "Who told you?" "Toots. He was whistling 'Just Before the Battle, Mother,' when I spotted him, and he sung out that the list was up. I want to see if my name is there." "It sure is--you played your head off yesterday," declared Dick. "That's no sure sign. I wish I had your chances." "Nonsense!" exclaimed Dick. Yet, deep down in his heart he could not help feeling that perhaps, after all, he might be put on the scrub. He had played his best, but he had made some errors, and one fumble. Yet it would seem that his run and touchdown would count for much. "Aren't you ever coming?" asked Paul. "Jove! I can't wait." "Sure I'm coming," answered his roommate, as he tossed the book upon a heap of others. "No use getting excited though."