then or afterwards was that the ball did actually go to the drop-kicker, that that youth swung his leg in the approved fashion, that one of the backs—­some said the quarter, while others said one of the halves—­ran back and took the pigskin at a hand-pass, and that subsequently a tackle who had played on the end of the line was seen tearing across the goal line well toward the other side of the field.  There had undoubtedly been a lateral pass, perhaps two, but the Morgan’s players had so surrounded the play that the whole thing was as unfathomable as it was mysterious and as mysterious as it was unexpected.  The one fact that stood out very, very clearly was that the enemy had scored a touchdown.  And, although she afterwards failed to kick the goal, she had accomplished enough to humble Brimfield.  In the two minutes remaining the home team played desperately, trying its hardest to secure the ball and get away for a run.  But the visitors refused to yield possession and the whistle sounded a defeat for the Maroon-and-Grey.

“I think,” said Manager Black to Quarter-back Marvin as they met at the entrance to the gymnasium, “I’ll take a walnut sundae.”

What Quarter-back Marvin replied to Manager Black was both impolite and forceful.

CHAPTER XII

PENNY LOSES HIS TEMPER

What annoyed Brimfield Academy most about that beating was the fact that Morgan’s School was a stranger.  Being defeated in early season was nothing to be sore about; it happened every year, sometimes several times; and the score of 6 to 3 was far from humiliating; but to be defeated by a team that no one had ever heard about was horribly annoying.  Of course Tracey Black insisted to all who would listen that Morgan’s, instead of being unknown to fame, was in reality a strong team with a fine record behind it and an enviable reputation in its own part of the world.  But Tracey didn’t convince anyone, I think, and the school continued to be disgruntled for the better part of a week, or possibly until the Varsity went away the following Saturday and won a clean-cut victory from Benton Military Academy.  Last year the two schools had played a no-score tie game and consequently the Maroon-and-Grey’s victory this year was more appreciated.

Meanwhile Marvin had settled his wager at the village soda fountain and had listened with commendable patience to Tracey’s “I-told-you-so” remarks.  All that Marvin said was, when Tracey had rubbed it in sufficiently:  “There’s just one thing you want to do, Tracey, and that is get a date with those guys for next year.  I won’t be here, but it’ll do me a whole lot of good to hear that we have rammed that old touchdown down their throats with one or two more for good measure.”

“Say, you’re not sore or anything, are you?” laughed Tracey.

“Never you mind.  I can take a licking as well as the next chap, but when a team works a sleight-of-hand gag on you, that’s something different yet!”