Burton wanted to tell the coach that he thought Billings was getting better. Billings had made a twenty yard run last night. And he had not seemed so afraid of getting hurt.
"I think Judd is ..." started Burton, but thought better of it. The coach was no fool. He was probably aware of Billings" improvement.
Judd knew that he was getting better control of himself. Each little victory that he won, no matter how much anxiety it had caused, seemed to lessen the effort he had to put forth the next time. And Judd had escaped even the slightest injury. Football was not as rough as it looked and a fellow didn"t get hurt every time he fell down. On top of this he was beginning to develop a fighting blood. He could sense himself creating an objective and then feel a desire to reach that objective. If it was the fourth down and they needed three to go, Judd tried to make the three yards with some to spare. He could see himself making it and before he got a chance to wonder whether anything would happen to himself or not, he was in motion. Sometimes he reached the objective and sometimes not, but it wasn"t many minutes before he found himself facing a new situation that had to be settled. And so it went, until the scrimmage was over, Judd not sensing any fear until the actual moment of contact when he was greatly disturbed until he found that nothing had happened to him.
To Judd, football was a variety of hot and cold sensations. The moment he could absolutely overcome his apprehension he knew that he would be able to hit the line hard, that he would be able to run the ends and that he would take the ball when his signal was called with the proper snap and drive.
"Billings, I am moving you up to the first squad tonight," said the coach, deciding. "This will be our last scrimmage before the big game.
We may have need for your toe."
Burton could not conceal his joy. He had taken a liking to Judd ... a peculiar friendship had sprung up between them ... his contempt for the great Bob"s brother was gone.
Hopes of Trumbull followers were heightened when Jimmy Blackwell put in his appearance for practice and limped through signals with the team, his ankle heavily bandaged and supported. Blackwell got away several kicks but they carried little better than thirty yards. He did not take any chances in scrimmage.
The first team lined up for scrimmage with Rudolph in the fullback position. Blackwell, wrapping himself in a blanket, came over to sit down beside Billings.
"Well, Judd, I hear you"ve been placed on the first squad," said Blackwell. There was the trace of chumminess in his voice.
Judd nodded his head, not knowing what to say.
"Looks like we"ll need you, too. I understand you"ve developed into quite a kicker." Blackwell was trying to draw him out.
"Oh, I don"t know..." said Judd, hesitatingly.
Blackwell lowered his voice.
"Say ... I"ve never told this to anyone and I wouldn"t want you to repeat it. This is my last year in high school ... same as it is yours. It"s my third year on the football team. When I first started in I was so afraid of myself that I"d worry myself sick over things that never happened. I could never quite figure you out until that time when I tackled you. I know what it means to stick it out the way you have. But you"ll come out on top if you hang on. Nothing bothers me any more..."
Judd could hardly believe his ears. Could it be possible that a player like Blackwell had experienced the same feelings? Judd thrilled with the thought. It was good news to hear that another person had overcome something similar to that which he was struggling to conquer.
"How ... how long did it take you to ... to get the best of it?" Judd asked, interestedly.
"I still have to fight it ... at times..." replied Blackwell, gazing down at his bandaged ankle. "But the old feeling doesn"t stay with me long. I soon get the upper hand ... The reason I"m speaking about this to you is partly a selfish one. It"s been my ambition to see Canton High defeated. For two years I"ve played on the losing team.
This year we counted on turning the trick ... until I was injured.
Between you and me, Rudolph can"t make the grade. He is fast but too small. We"ll be outweighed at least ten pounds to the man. Rudolph will play for all there is in him but there isn"t enough. If I get in I won"t last long. You saw me out there ... kicking. It"s about all I can do to put the weight of my body on this left foot, to say nothing of booting the ball at the same time ... I don"t know whether the coach will give you a chance unless it"s to make a kick. But if you could get a grip on yourself and let loose once ... say, I"M not even trying to guess what might happen!"
Judd sat, his blood pounding in his veins, thinking of what Blackwell had told him. He was vaguely conscious of the sound of signals being called, of cries of spectators, of the dull tread of running feet. Out on the field the loyal sons of Trumbull High were doing their utmost to get in tip top shape for the biggest battle of the season.
A sudden yell went up as Burton recovered a first team fumble and started on his way toward the goal with a clear field ahead of him.
Rudolph was in pursuit.
It looked like a touchdown for the second team. But Rudolph was slowly gaining. The goal was only fifteen yards away ... now ten ... now five. Rudolph left his feet and his arms encircled the flying Burton.
They came to earth two yards from the last line. The elated second team lined up for first down.
Blackwell nudged Billings. "There"s a situation that might develop in the game with Canton," he said. "Imagine that the second team is Canton. If we hold "em for downs I"ll bet the coach calls you in to kick."
Judd bit his lips and watched. Three times the second team backfield dove into the first team line. But the first team was holding madly now. On the last down the ball was but a foot from the goal line.
Fenstermaker, big guard, broke through the defense and dropped Burton for a one yard loss. The ball went over.
A halt was called in the game. Coach Little had motioned to Rudolph.
Blackwell pushed Billings to his feet. "Get in there! The coach is calling you. What did I tell you? ... Come on ... let"s see a real punt!"
Judd pulled off his sweater and ran out on the field. He knew this was to be one of his big tests. If he made good the coach might see fit to use him in the big game. But more than that--he must make good for Blackwell ... and then there was Bob ... and yes, even his mother! The scrimmage to the other players meant little more than a final strenuous seasoning ... to Judd it meant a fight against unseen odds.
Barley, first team quarterback, picked out a spot about five yards behind the goal line for Judd to stand. Barley was the personification of pep. He ran along the line, slapping his players on the back and exhorting them to hold. He came back to Billings.
"All right ... show your stuff! Kick that ball out of sight!"
Judd reached out his hands. He had a surge of fear. What if the line didn"t hold? What if the pa.s.s was poor? But the next minute the ball was coming back to him. The line wavered and the pa.s.s was low. By the time he got in position to kick the players were almost upon him. He put every ounce of strength into the boot.
Forty yards down the field the ball went twisting and turning. It struck the ground and rolled to the second team"s twenty yard line where a second team player fell on it. The first team was out of danger. Cheers came to Judd"s ears from the few on the sidelines. He had come through under fire.
Coach Little approached Blackwell. "I believe we have unearthed a kicker who can take your place in an emergency," he said, exultantly.
Blackwell was enthusiastic. "Believe? ... Why, Mister Little, that fellow"s on the way to being the best kicker Trumbull High"s ever had!"
The first time that Judd was called upon to run with the ball he was tackled and thrown heavily. His wind was knocked out of him. The Coach and Blackwell looked at each other apprehensively. What effect would this have on Billings? They watched his fellow players lift him up and down while Judd gasped for air. Presently he sat up, then was shoved to his feet. His face was ghastly. Barley asked him if he was all right. Judd wasn"t sure. Barley asked him if he wanted to leave the game. The other players looked on, some a bit contemptuously. Was Billings going to lay down again? Judd shook his head and stumbled back into his position.
When he was next called upon to take the ball he did not follow his interference and tried to evade his tacklers, being thrown for a five yard loss. Barley reprimanded him severely. Judd was almost paralyzed with fear. He kept saying to himself, "No, I will not quit ... I will not quit."
Coach Little and Blackwell looked at each other again. Disappointment was written on their faces. Billings lacked the fighting spirit ... he could not stand hard knocks ... it would never do to trust him with carrying the ball. The Coach likened him to a young high school lad he had known who showed promise of becoming a great baseball player. The boy could catch every ball that he could get his hands on but he was afraid to stand up to the plate ... he couldn"t get out of the habit of stepping back ... he was fearful of getting hit ... and the result was that he lost out all around. Billings was the same way ... only in football.
Judd left the field that night crestfallen. Inwardly he had wanted to play the game ... to get up and play harder than ever ... but for some inexplainable reason he could not make himself. It seemed that he was panic stricken. His outer feelings ran away with his inner judgment.
The school needed him badly but he could not qualify.
There was a letter from Bob awaiting him when he got home. He took it to his room to read it. Bob spoke of the coming game with Canton.
Then there were a few lines of kindly encouragement and advice. "I"ve heard from several sources about your work this fall, Judd, and it certainly has given me cause for rejoicing to learn that you have stuck with the ship regardless of what"s happened. I believe it has done you lots of good. I wish I could get home to see the game with Canton but I can"t figure how to manage it. We have a game Sat.u.r.day and even though you play your game on Friday it would be next to impossible for me to get away. Cheer up, you"re bound to get your chance one of these days. Don"t forget your contract. Hang on! You"ve done fine so far!
The football season will soon be over. And with Blackwell on the injured list there"s a bare possibility you may get into the big game.
Say, wouldn"t that be great?"
Judd put the letter from him with a shudder. Yes, wouldn"t it be great! If scrimmage was hard, what would a real game be with rivalry at high pitch and each team contesting for every inch of ground? Judd wondered how other people could feel the way they did about things.
Just now it seemed to him that the opportunity to play in the big game would be about the worst calamity that could befall him. The way to live up to the contract was not to think of self but to think of the contract. It was just like thinking of the objective and going toward it without stopping to consider what might happen. The only trouble was--Judd forgot what he was going out after when the least thing jolted him. He began to think of himself again and other things faded into insignificance.
CHAPTER IV
FIGHTING SPIRIT
The day of the game dawned with a miserable wet rain falling. The Canton High team and five hundred raving rooters arrived by special train at ten in the morning. Nothing seemed to dampen their spirits.
They came with the intention of winning a decisive victory and having a big time in the doing.
Judd, hollow-eyed from loss of sleep through dread of the approaching conflict, met with other members of the team at eleven o"clock. Most of the boys were in good spirits. The coach had insisted that they eat at a training table and that he supervise the last meal eaten before the big game. He always got the boys in uniform early and gave them an opportunity to wear off the first wave of excitement before the game was called.
Blackwell managed to sit next to Billings. He saw that Judd was almost beside himself with nervousness, playing with his food and making a sorry pretense of eating.
"I--I"d give anything if I could get out of this..."
"No you wouldn"t," prompted Blackwell, "You"d be ashamed of yourself for the rest of your life ... and you know it."