College stories; Sports stories; Yale University -- Juvenile fiction
The practice went well. "We still have a chance against the Tiger
cubs," said the coach. "Only a signal drill for fifteen minutes
to-morrow," he called out as the squad was leaving the field. "Get to
bed early and don't worry yourselves to death. We're going to give
them the time of their lives Saturday."
The cheerfulness of the coach was largely assumed, for the Princeton
cubs were coming up from Tigertown with a long string of victories to
their credit. Only twice during the whole season had they been scored
on, and one of these was a lucky drop-kick. The Yale Freshman team,
on the contrary, had staggered through the season with a showing far
from creditable, and the critics were all predicting a big score for
the visitors.
But in spite of the gloomy forecastings, the Yale Freshmen went into
that game with a determination to do or die, and while they did not
win, neither did the much-heralded Princeton cubs win. Frank watched
from the side-lines the desperate battle up and down the gridiron.
He saw his roommate giving the best that was in him in the struggle,
and prayed fervently that Bostwick might last it out. Every man on
the team was a hero that day, and when the final whistle blew, with
Captain Bostwick still on his feet and playing a whirlwind game in
spite of his injured knee, the score stood at a tie, nothing to
nothing.
Going in on the car the coach had nothing but praise for the team.
"We didn't lick them, but it is a good start for Harvard next
Saturday," he said. "We have a week left, and we'll give the Johnnies
a run for their money, all right."
"Armstrong," the coach added, as he dropped down beside him in the
trolley car, "I'm sorry you didn't get in, but better luck next time."
"O, that's all right," returned Frank. "I was mighty glad to see
Bostwick go through, he showed his sand with that bad knee."
"He certainly did, and he deserves a lot of credit. But I'm going to
keep you at end just the same because I may need you."
"All right, sir," said Frank, but he well knew it was the end of his
ambitions for a place on the team excepting for an accident to the
Captain, which he did not want to think about.
Four days of practice the week after the Princeton contest brought
the team to a condition of fitness which they had not before reached
that year, and on Friday afternoon, escorted to the train by a
hundred of their class, the team with substitutes, coaches, trainers
and a goodly crowd of supporters, set out for Cambridge. As the
'Varsity was away, the Freshman game had the honor of being staged on
the main gridiron.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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