[291]
Payson sent Crandall back when the last quarter began, and made two other changes. Holmes took Simms’s place, and Brinspool went in for Marion. Fifteen minutes remained in which to conquer or lose, and as the two teams, each showing the effects of the struggle, faced each other again on Broadwood’s thirty-eight yards it was still anybody’s game.
Broadwood secured six yards on two plays, and then Reid, starting as if to round Yardley’s right end, suddenly stopped, turned and aimed a well-directed pass at the red-haired left end. The latter was quite alone and made a good catch, and in an instant he was streaking5 down the field. Only Holmes was between him and a touchdown, and Holmes was well over on the further side of the gridiron. Ten yards, fifteen yards, and the green-jerseyed youth was still running. Past the center of the field he sped, Holmes closing in on him cautiously, the rest of the enemy trailing along desperately6 in the rear. On Yardley’s forty-five yards the runner swung to the right as though to pass inside of Holmes, but the latter was wary7 and refused to follow. Another ten yards and the two met. The runner dodged8 to the left as Holmes dived, but the quarter’s tackle was sure, and after three struggling paces the Broadwood runner came to earth. Thirty-five yards he[292] had reeled off, the ball was on Yardley’s twenty-seven and Broadwood cheered frantically10. It was now or never for the Green, and all seemed to realize it. Yardley was for the moment disorganized, and her defense11 crumbled12. The Green swept through for eight yards on the first play, gained her distance on the next and stood victoriously13 on the Yardley sixteen-yard line. A conference followed. Evidently Saunders was for trying a field goal, while Captain Raynor wanted a touchdown. Broadwood went back to her line-plunging14. Holmes and Merriwell pleaded and threatened, and the Yardley line braced15. Two yards was all Broadwood gained on her first attack, a yard and a half on her second. There seemed nothing for it then but a try at goal. Reid paced back and took kicking position. Saunders fell to his knees behind center. “Hold ’em now! Hold ’em! Get down, Smith! Stop that man, Peebles!” cried Saunders.
Back went the ball, but not to Saunders. That youth flattened19 himself out of the way, and Reid was running to his right. A cry of warning broke from Holmes.
“Watch a pass! Watch a pass!”
But too late! Adler had been drawn20 in, and far[293] to the right of the Yardley end the red-haired youth stood poised21 for the pass! Frantically a half-dozen Yardley players strove to reach Reid before he could throw. But already he had stopped, turned and was taking aim. Then away shot the ball, arching gently across the field to the waiting Broadwood end. Adler and Kendall rushed down upon him, but the ball descended22 into his hands on the five-yard line and he was away on the instant. Three strides and he was over the last lime mark and heading in toward goal. Simms pulled him down before he had centered the ball, but the damage was done. Broadwood had scored! On the blackboard at the end of the field appeared an ominous23 white figure 6!
The punt-out was caught but Saunders failed to kick the goal, and Yardley took what comfort it might from that. Eleven minutes of playing time still remained, and the Blue’s supporters refused to give up hope. Yardley had only to score a touchdown to tie, while a goal from the touchdown would win the game. The blue flags began to wave again half-heartedly, and the cheering started anew. The cheer leaders, their blue megaphones gyrating, did their utmost, but for a time the responses were weak. Broadwood took the defensive24 immediately after the kick-off and held to it. Yardley played desperately and every trick[294] in her bundle was tried. Twice end runs were started that seemed destined25 to change the complexion26 of the game, but each time the runner was stopped before he could quite get away. From one forty-yard line to the other the play went back and forth27, Broadwood punting on second down if not first and Yardley coming back with her end and tackle plays, punting only when forced to. And so nearly ten of the remaining eleven minutes passed away and Broadwood’s title to the contest grew momentarily stronger. The linesman had announced two minutes left and Yardley had just failed to gain on her second down near the Blue’s trampled28 forty-five-yard line. Holmes tried a quarter-back kick, and it worked, Cousins getting the ball on the Blue thirty-five yards. He was immediately tackled, however, and downed. Near at hand the blue flags were tossing ecstatically, and hundreds of throats were roaring an imploring29 chorus of “Touchdown! Touchdown! Touchdown!”
It was a time for desperate measures. The seconds were ticking off fast. Holmes hurried the line together.
“Come on! Come on! Signals! 38-107-45! 38-107——”
Back went the ball, thudding against Brinspool’s stomach as he dashed forward. Merriwell[295] and Jensen opened the hole and Brinspool staggered through, twisting, panting, the ball clutched tightly. The sound of rasping canvas, of bodies straining together, of grunts30 and cries, of panting breaths! A wild confusion of lunging, struggling forms, of grasping arms, of wide, anxious eyes, of white, tired faces, dirt-streaked and convulsed with effort! A faint, grumbling31 cry of “Down!” and the shrilling32 of the whistle! And Yardley had wrested33 four yards from the enemy!
“Line up, quick!” howled Holmes. “Get into this! We’ve got ’em going, fellows! They can’t hold us! Signals! Right tackle over! 98-16-107! 98-16——”
It was Brinspool again; he was playing to-day as he had never played before all season; it was Brinspool between his tackle and end at the right, Brinspool taking the ball at a short throw and crashing past the Broadwood tackle for another three yards! Then the whistle again, and Merriwell, staggering out toward the side-line, asking the time, and Holmes begging him to come back and never mind.
“We’ve time to put it over,” he cried. “Line up, fellows!”
“Forty seconds!” called the linesman.
Holmes faltered34 and passed a hand over his face. Broadwood, jubilant, broke into exultant[296] cries. “Hold them, Broadwood! It’s their last play! Stop this! Throw them back! Get under ’em!”
“Signals!” growled35 Holmes. “Kick formation! Burtis back!” He turned and viewed the positions. Greene and Brinspool were crouched36 already at the right, and Kendall, white-faced but steady, was raising his hands. “Get this, Burtis, and make it good, boy! Signals! 17-11-21!”
“Signals! Signals!” shrieked37 Greene, as Kendall’s heart leaped. Holmes darted38 a look of murder at the offending Greene.
“Block this kick! Block it!” shrieked Broadwood.
Back swept the ball from between Best’s wide-set feet, back to Kendall at head-height. Up went his hands, out swung a leg and then, with the ball tucked in the crook39 of his left elbow, he was plunging across the field to his left, while shrieks40 and cries filled the air. It was the play that had won the Nordham game, a simple run from kick formation, a play easy to stop if expected, but likely to gain if not. And in this case Broadwood had looked for a kick, reasoning that Yardley[297] had given up all idea of trying to win by rushing, that in the few seconds remaining she would try to mitigate41 her defeat by securing the three points that a goal from field would yield her. And Broadwood was napping on the right of her line. The brilliant Thurston who had made himself feared all through the game, who had spoiled more than one attempt at his end of the line, had crept in and up, desperately determined42 to get inside of the Yardley end and spoil the kick. It was Broadwood’s right half-back, Reid, who first scented43 the danger and started to intercept44 Kendall. Saunders pounded behind him. But the Yardley interference was well formed, well spaced and desperate. Reid went down with Holmes, and Greene blocked Saunders. At that instant Kendall turned in and leaped toward the goal-line, his right elbow locked and his arm stretched out to meet the foe45. Six white lines lay between him and the goal. He crossed two in safety, Greene speeding beside him. Then the enemy swept upon him. Greene threw himself in the path of a frantic9 foe and went down, and Kendall ran alone.
Three white streaks46 danced before his eyes now. A form leaped at him, all blue-clad arms, and Kendall’s open hand flattened against a face and he was still free. Two lines more now, only[298] two! A shock almost threw him from his feet; hands were clutching at his hips47; he whirled on one heel, staggered and broke away; a form dashed in front of him, hands stretching upward; Kendall leaped and went over the falling foe; the last line was under foot! One stride—another!— Many hands fell upon him, dragging him down! He tried to shake free, but they were too many for him! He fell to his knees, something crashed against him, driving the remaining breath from his body, and he toppled over on the turf, the old injury paining horribly and his lungs bursting for air.
“Something crashed against him, driving the remaining breath from his body.”
They led him away to the side-lines, for the leather harness had failed him and the bones had slipped out again. And while the spectators held their breaths, Fales tried to kick a goal. Victory for the Blue depended on his efforts, and he knew it. Weary and panting, he directed the poising48 of the ball, stepped forward and kicked. The pigskin rose erratically49, turned lazily over and dropped weakly to earth in front of the charging Broadwood line. And Fales sat down on the turf, rolled onto his face, buried his head in his arms and wept!
Said the scoreboard: Broadwood 6; Visitors 6.
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收听单词发音
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1
disconsolately
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| adv.悲伤地，愁闷地；哭丧着脸 | |
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2
murmurs
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| n.低沉、连续而不清的声音( murmur的名词复数 )；低语声；怨言；嘀咕 | |
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3
fumble
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| vi.笨拙地用手摸、弄、接等，摸索 | |
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4
plunges
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| n.跳进，投入vt.使投入，使插入，使陷入vi.投入，跳进，陷入v.颠簸( plunge的第三人称单数 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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5
streaking
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| n.裸奔（指在公共场所裸体飞跑）v.快速移动( streak的现在分词 )；使布满条纹 | |
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6
desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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7
wary
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| adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的 | |
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8
dodged
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| v.闪躲( dodge的过去式和过去分词 )；回避 | |
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9
frantic
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| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
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10
frantically
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| ad.发狂地, 发疯地 | |
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11
defense
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| n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩 | |
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12
crumbled
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| （把…）弄碎， （使）碎成细屑( crumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 衰落； 坍塌； 损坏 | |
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13
victoriously
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| adv.获胜地，胜利地 | |
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14
plunging
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| adj.跳进的，突进的v.颠簸( plunge的现在分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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15
braced
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| adj.拉牢的v.支住( brace的过去式和过去分词 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来 | |
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16
implored
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| 恳求或乞求（某人）( implore的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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17
hoarsely
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| adv.嘶哑地 | |
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18
hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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19
flattened
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| [医]（水）平扁的，弄平的 | |
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20
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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21
poised
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| a.摆好姿势不动的 | |
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22
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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23
ominous
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| adj.不祥的，不吉的，预兆的，预示的 | |
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24
defensive
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| adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的 | |
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25
destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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26
complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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27
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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28
trampled
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| 踩( trample的过去式和过去分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯 | |
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29
imploring
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| 恳求的，哀求的 | |
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30
grunts
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的第三人称单数 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说； 石鲈 | |
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31
grumbling
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| adj. 喃喃鸣不平的, 出怨言的 | |
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32
shrilling
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| （声音）尖锐的，刺耳的，高频率的( shrill的现在分词 )； 凄厉 | |
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33
wrested
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| （用力）拧( wrest的过去式和过去分词 )； 费力取得； （从…）攫取； （ 从… ） 强行取去… | |
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34
faltered
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| （嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃 | |
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35
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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36
crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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37
shrieked
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| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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38
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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39
crook
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| v.使弯曲；n.小偷，骗子，贼；弯曲(处) | |
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40
shrieks
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| n.尖叫声( shriek的名词复数 )v.尖叫( shriek的第三人称单数 ) | |
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41
mitigate
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| vt.（使）减轻，（使）缓和 | |
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42
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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43
scented
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| adj.有香味的；洒香水的；有气味的v.嗅到(scent的过去分词) | |
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44
intercept
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| vt.拦截，截住，截击 | |
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45
foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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46
streaks
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| n.（与周围有所不同的）条纹( streak的名词复数 )；（通常指不好的）特征（倾向）；（不断经历成功或失败的）一段时期v.快速移动( streak的第三人称单数 )；使布满条纹 | |
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47
hips
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| abbr.high impact polystyrene 高冲击强度聚苯乙烯，耐冲性聚苯乙烯n.臀部( hip的名词复数 )；[建筑学]屋脊；臀围（尺寸）；臀部…的 | |
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48
poising
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| 使平衡( poise的现在分词 )； 保持（某种姿势）； 抓紧； 使稳定 | |
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49
erratically
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| adv.不规律地，不定地 | |
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