“How could I be on-side, I’d like to know? Even if I was--” “Second question,” interrupted Tommy. “Your side has the ball ten yards from the opponent’s goal line and on the fourth down makes a forward pass over the line. You receive the pass. You stand with one foot on the end line, but the ball reaches you a yard inside the zone and you complete the pass. What about it?” Hank looked about for aid, but met only grinning countenances. “The ball came down _inside_ the zone?” he asked cautiously. “A yard inside. You have to reach well out for it.” “If I catch it it’s all right,” said Hank. “You said I had my foot _on_ the end line, not _over_ it. Anyway, if the ball was inside--” Ted’s chuckle unsettled him, and he scowled his annoyance. “Hang it, I didn’t say I could answer all the catch questions you could think of! Just the same, I’ll bet I’m right about that. Ain’t I, Ted?” “Third question,” said Tommy inexorably. “Oh, shut up! Answer your own fool questions!” “Behave, Hank!” admonished Coles. “Put the question, Tommy.” “You’re captain of your team, Howard, and the other side has the ball between your fifteen and sixteen yards. One of your side is caught holding and the umpire penalizes you fifteen yards. What would you do?” “What down was it?” asked Hank, mazed. “I mean, who had the ball?” “The opponent, on your fifteen and a half. One of your gang is caught holding in the line and the ump socks you the penalty and puts the ball forward fifteen yards from where it was put in play. You’re captain of your team. Get it?” “Sure, but what can I do? The ball still belongs to the other fellow, doesn’t it?” Several of the listeners were exchanging puzzled glances, while Hank’s forehead was a network of wrinkles. Of the dozen there only Tommy and Bert appeared serene, Tommy owlishly regarding his victim, Bert leaning back against the window-sill wearing a faintly amused expression. “That your answer?” inquired Tommy. “Gosh, I don’t understand what you’re getting at,” fumed Hank. “If my side had the ball, all right, but you say it hasn’t. What would you expect me to do, anyhow? Sass the umpire?” “Look here, Tommy,” broke in Jim Galvin, “I don’t get that any more than Hank does. What’s the answer?” “I’ll tell you in a sec. First, how many of the questions did Howard answer correctly?” “None, so far,” said Jim. “He doesn’t seem to have answered the last one at all yet.” “Wait a minute!” Hank protested. “What was wrong with the first answer? He asked--” “You could have caught the ball yourself, Hank, if you were on-side,” said Ted. “Shut up a second. What’s the catch in the last one, Tommy?” “Why,” Tommy replied sweetly, “if I’d been captain instead of Hank I’d have protested the placing of the ball half a yard from the goal line!” “Gee, that’s right!” exclaimed Chick. “It ought to have gone to the one-yard line! Isn’t that right, Tommy?” “Right as rain, old dear.”