Five minutes after the Blue team appeared Clearfield’s warriors emerged from the dressing-room and, Lanny leading, trotted out to warm up. Mr. Newman, the Blue’s coach, crossed the gridiron and shook hands with Dick, and the two talked for a minute. Then Mr. Cochran appeared, and, presently the referee, Mr. Lothrop, joined the group. At each end of the field balls were arching over and under the cross-bars, Nelson Beaton and George Tupper trying their kicking feet for Clearfield and Sawtell and Norton for Springdale. Morris Brent, although he had trotted about for a minute with the first squad, had returned to the bench. At two minutes before the half-hour the teams returned to the side lines and Mr. Lothrop walked into the center of the gridiron with Lanny, while from across the field came Captain Torrey, of Springdale. The two leaders shook hands with each other and Torrey with the referee. Then a silver coin gleamed for a moment in the sunlight which since noon had been shining half-heartedly through the sullen clouds, three heads bent over it as it fell, Torrey’s hand waved toward the east goal and the little group broke up. “All right, fellows!” called Lanny cheerfully as he came back to the bench. “We kick off from the west goal. On the run now!” Blankets and sweaters were dropped and eleven purple-stockinged youths raced out to spread themselves across the field. Springdale arranged herself for the kick. A last cheer came from the stand and silence fell. “All ready, Captain Torrey?” called the referee. “All ready, Captain White?” The whistle sounded. Bert Cable, who had teed the ball to his liking, stepped forward and swung his foot and the game was on. CHAPTER XXIV BETWEEN THE HALVES _Clearfield_ _Springdale_ Merrick, l. e. Cummings, r. e. Partridge, l. t. Torrey, r. t. Cable, l. g. Furniss, r. g. Haley, c. Heath, c. A. Beaton, r. g. Connell, l. g. Wayland, r. t. Grey, l. t. Felker, r. e. Borden, l. e. Cottrell, q. b. Kelly, q. b. White, l. h. b. Sawtell, r. h. b. Tupper, r. h. b. Cook, l. h. b. N. Beaton, f. b. Norton, f. b. That was the way the teams lined up at the start, with no surprises on either side, unless, possibly, the absence of Brent at fullback could be considered such. But it had been Clearfield’s policy all the Fall to put Brent in only when a field-goal was called for, and the fact that he did not start the game aroused no suspicion. Morris, blanket-wrapped, sat beside Dick on the Clearfield bench and watched moodily as Sawtell caught the kick-off some dozen yards in front of his goal and sprang forward with the ball. Merrick tried for him and missed and it was Wayland who finally locked his arms about the runner and downed him on the twenty-yard line.