Then he rode back to Poodle and shouted, “I feel great, now. This’s something _like_ training! Watch me play to-morrow. I’ll eat the San Dinero gentlemen.” Poodle was cold and gloomy and pessimistic, by this time. “I hope you do,” he said, as though he didn’t believe it. “So do I, Pood’. Look here. I s’pose I’m a fool but—if San Dinero licks us—I’ll wish I’d never seen an aeroplane, or Mexico. Gee, I wish the game were on, right now.” They were a little quiet as they loped back to the stable. CHAPTER XXVIII THE BIG GAME The Santa Benicia team came on the field, after the first half, with Left Eared Dongan in the line-up. Pink Eye Morrison had hurt his ankle, at left end, and had been replaced by Dongan. Otherwise, they had gone through the first half without injury, and the score was six to six. Was Hike in the game? Rather. When the coach saw him on Thursday morning, bright of eye and ruddy of cheek, there was no question of his going in. “What did you do to get in such good shape?” he asked. “Rested _right_,” replied Hike. He had never played so well, though he did not try for any spectacular runs. He was making sure that Santa Benicia, rather than Hike Griffin, should win. The teams held each other down well, during the second half, and then Hike got around the San Dinero end with the ball. He had practically a clear field before him. The Santa Benicians were ready to spring up and yell their “hike, Hike, _hike_!” But on his shoulder Hike felt the touch of Left Ear’s hand. Left Ear had followed him, close and swift, as interference. There was a kind of thrill in this support from Poodle’s old enemy. Left Ear could make the touch-down, with this clear field and— Hike suddenly passed him the ball and yelled, “_Beat it!_” Dazed, Left Ear seized the ball and ran faster than he had ever run before. He was winded when he dropped on San Dinero’s goal-line, but he had made the touch-down that won the game. A few minutes more of playing, and the Santa Benicians flocked on the field, yelling “Victory!” and carried off Pink Eye, Bill McDever, Left Ear and Hike on their shoulders—though Poodle still declares that it was Hike who got most of the cheers. What Hike cared for more was the hand-shake of three people: Left Ear, who looked curious about the eyes as he said, “Thanks, old Hike”; Poodle; and—Lieutenant Jack Adeler! “Just got back in time for the game,” the Lieutenant said. “The country’s been pacified, and the robber bands broken up. But there’s one piece of bad news. Captain Welch got free, and he’s disappeared again.” “Got _free_?!” [Illustration: HIKE PASSED “LEFT EAR” THE BALL AND YELLED “BEAT IT!” _Page 272_ ]