Читать книгу Fourth Down! онлайн

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“Look what you’re doing, Tucker,” warned the coach. “Third down and four to go.” There was amusement in his tone and Toby flushed. Third down and four, he thought hurriedly. That meant that a line play wasn’t the thing. What was, then? He hesitated and glanced doubtfully at the backs. The trainer blew his whistle. Something had to be done and done quickly. If B Team hadn’t been having luck with A’s line there was no use trying to get four yards between tackles, even on a third down. The teams were near the middle of the field, and A had three men back, evidently expecting an open play. Then why not——

“14—23—8——” Toby’s voice sounded very weak and small to Toby. “14—23——”

“Signals! Signals!” The whole back-field was remonstrating, it seemed! His heart sank. He had got his signals wrong! But how? No, he was right. It was the others who were wrong!

“Signals!” he cried, scowling at the nearer of the three backs behind him. “14—27—8—196——”

The team awoke to action. Full-back dashed headlong upon him, took the pass and went, twisting and boring, into the mêlée. Toby threw himself behind, triumphant. His signals had been right, just as he had known! (It wasn’t until after practice was over that he learned that he had changed them the second time!) The play went through for well over three yards, the unfeasible for once proving feasible, and B Team exulted and looked approval at Toby. Toby tried to be modest about it, which, considering that he had called for the play in sheer desperation, not remembering at the moment anything else to call for, wasn’t hard! Some one, too, had walked on his face, and that helped him toward humility.