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On the next play Dean exhibited a bit of good judgment that worked to the advantage of the Ridgley team: noticing that the Jefferson quarter was dangerously close to the line he saw the chance to slip a punt over his head. The stratagem worked; the punt that Neil Durant sent away quickly sailed over the quarter-back's head and rolled down the field to the Jefferson five-yard line.
As the quarter-back's signals rang out there was perceptible activity and alertness at School's right end. As the ball was snapped, School's right wing went through the needful movements, but Dick Prescott, over at left end, had the ball. Ripley and Purcell were supporting him. Straight into the opposing ranks went Ripley and Purcell, the rest of the school team supporting. It was team work again.
"That's better!" says the County captain, as presently the ball comes out with a bound full into the quarter-back's hands, who holds it, and, to the horror of the boys, makes his mark before he can be collared.
He glanced at Neil and their eyes met. The quarter-back's mind was made up on the instant. "Signal!" he cried. "Steady, fellows; we want this; every one hold hard!" He trotted back to the thirty-five-yard line and dropped to his knees, directly behind and almost facing center. Neil took up his position three yards from him and facing the goal. Pearse and Smith stood guard between him and the line.
These muttered orders caused a grim smile among the Tottenville High School boys, for the only way to tie the score would be to force Gridley to make two more safeties -a hard thing to do against a crack eleven in seven minutes! Dick and Dave Darrin were called into play as soon as the visitors had the ball in their own hands once more. The "trick" signal sounded from quarter-back's lips.
That sign meant: "Emergency signal code!" Then he bent over to snap the ball back, and the figures that shot from quarter-back's chest carried different values from those that any enemy could guess. "Eight -eleven -four -ten!" Then the ball went back to quarter, who started from a crouch without straightening up. Gridley's whole attack seemed to swing to the right.
The quarter-back's practice on the field came into play, and the college graduate tackled his opponent in the latest approved style. The struggle was short and decisive, and it resulted in Burke declaring his willingness to return to the ship. "The next time you try to size up a new shipmate be sure you are on to his curves," remarked "Hod," as he escorted his prisoner over the gangway.
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