absolute silence, for once more the heavily breathing players had
gathered in battle array. Again came a hot scrimmage. The ball was
over the side lines now, and out of bounds. So it had to be
brought in. Clifford had it for a change, but the conditions were
desperate with them now, with their home goal close behind. Let a
Columbia player once get his hands on the oval, and the chances
were he could carry it over the line for a touchdown.

The man who did the thinking in this emergency knew his business.
When the next scrimmage was on, many of the spectators were
astonished to see a Clifford player jump away from the melee with
the ball in his grasp, and hurl himself deliberately across his
own line.

Immediately the crowd gave expression to their feelings. Some
cheered, while others groaned, as the play was understood best.

"Why, that man is a traitor to his team!" exclaimed one indignant
fellow.

A Columbia graduate, who happened to be sitting next to the
speaker, gave him a look of contempt, as he remarked:

"On the contrary he proved to have an exceedingly clever head on
him. Stop and think for just a minute. They were close up to
Clifford's goal. The chances were ten to one in that scrimmage
that Columbia would get the ball, and with the next play carry it
across the line. That meant a touchdown. Then if they could kick a
goal, as is likely, they would count six. As it is now, Columbia
gets only two because that quick-witted fellow put it over his own