Though the boy threw himself heart and soul into the struggle, no special opportunity came to him until ten minutes of the period had passed. Then Wynn threw a wide diagonal forward pass from his own nineteen-yard line and well beyond scrimmage. The ball went off into the open where Garry was uncovered and in the midst of several of his own teammates. Garry received the ball on his own forty-one yard line and streaked down the field on a gallop for a sixty-yard run, outstripping Abbott by a hairbreadth and plunged over the line for a touchdown. Wynn missed kicking the goal. But now the score was 13 to 7 and only three minutes left for play. The Pawling boys were determined to die, if die they must, in the last ditch. After several line plunges had failed to gain distance Wilson made a gallant run of twenty-two yards where he was downed by Dittler. Before the ball could be put in play the whistle sounded, and a second victory was chalked up for Lenox. The fans went wild, and Garry had to make a run for the shelter of the gymnasium to escape the mauling and pounding of the enthusiasts. "Johnny-on-the-spot as usual!" exulted Ted. "A bit of luck," said Garry modestly. "Most of the Pawlings were on the other side, and I had almost a clear field." "They simply can't keep you off the regular team, if you keep on playing that way," declared Rooster. "Oh, yes, they can for this first year, I'm afraid," answered Garry. "That freshman tradition is mighty strong at Lenox. We're lowly scrubs to be used in a pinch, but not good enough for the first string. Gee, but I'd be glad of a chance to play in a full game from start to finish!" "I'm afraid our chances are worse than ever now," put in Nick Danter thoughtfully. "You see, Mr. Phillips may be especially leary in using any of us on the regulars, because, since we were members of the old Hill Street team, it might be thought a bit of favoritism." "That is, you think Mr. Phillips will stand up so straight that he'll fall over backwards," said Garry. "Well, I don't. I think he'll do just what he thinks is best for the team, no matter what any one says. That's the kind of man he is." A few days later, as Bill and Garry were going along a rather secluded street in the outskirts of the town, they saw, a little way ahead of them, Sandy Podder and Lent Stewart, together with a crony of theirs of the same stripe, Garry's old enemy, Chat Johns. Sandy turned at the sound of footsteps, saw Garry and Bill, and then held a low but animated discussion with his companions. "Let's get ahead of them," suggested Garry. "The very sight of them makes me sick." "Same here," agreed Bill, and the two boys quickened their steps. As they passed the three cronies, Sandy remarked to Lent: "Aren't you glad you're not a thief, Lent?" "I sure am," was the reply. "I've no ambition to get behind the bars." "I'd hate even to have a thief in the family," put in Chat, with an evil grin.