Bird snapped back the ball to the captain, instead of to the
quarter, who, all along, had acted as if he meant to take it,
there was a sudden rush on the part of Clifford, but it was too
late.

They had prepared for a play around their left end, but Frank
quickly passed the pigskin to Ralph West, the left half, who
sprang forward on the jump, and tore through a hole made between
the unsuspecting right guard and tackle of Columbia's opponents.
Through Ralph plowed, heaving and plunging his way, aided by a
splendid interference, knocking aside Wentworth, the opposing
right half, and struggling forward for a good gain.

"Oh, look at that, would you! Look! Look! He'll get a touchdown!"

"Touchdown nothing!" growled a disgusted Cliffordite, "What's the
matter with our fellows, anyhow, to be fooled like that?"

"Guess they read our signals wrong!" retorted the admirer of
Columbia High, with a chuckle.

"Oh, wow! Look at that! Hastings nailed him that time!"

Ralph had gone down under a fierce tackle by the big opposing
captain, but the plucky left half had made a good gain, and, as he
rose and held his hand on the ball until Bird came up to take it,
there was an outburst of cheers that warmed his heart.

"Good work, old man!" whispered Frank, as he ran up. "We fooled
'em that time!"