So things stood on the Saturday when the ’varsity, with a long string of substitutes, journeyed off to play Phillips School.  Fully half the school went, too, and “rooted” hard for a victory.  Phillips had been cleanly beaten last year, 12-0, and there was no reason to doubt that today’s contest would be any harder for Brimfield.  At least, there was no reason that Brimfield knew of.  But for once coaches and team were caught napping and Phillips proved a difficult problem to solve.  In the end Brimfield trotted off—­perhaps limped off would be closer to the truth—­with Phillips’ scalp, but the score was 16-14, which indicates how closely defeat had hovered over the visitors.  Only an almost miraculous field-goal by Rollins, who had taken Harris’ place at full-back, in the third period, had saved Brimfield from disaster.

Brimfield had won two touchdowns, both in the first half of the game, by the hardest sort of plugging.  Every bit of generalship that Marvin knew had been called on and every ounce of strength that the team was capable of exerting had been necessary.  Jack Innes had kicked the first goal without difficulty from a rather bad angle and then had missed the second, also without difficulty, from directly in front of the posts.  Meanwhile Phillips had scored once, getting the ball over on a smash through right tackle from the seven yards, and had followed with a goal.  In the third period the home team had had things very much her own way, for, although it had not managed to add to its score, it had held Brimfield safe.  The fourth quarter was also Phillips’ up until the last few minutes.  A series of forward passes had carried Phillips from her own forty yards to Brimfield’s twenty, and from there two trick plays had taken her to the twelve.  Three line attacks had netted only six and Brimfield’s supports were sighing their relief when Phillips’ apparent attempt at a field-goal turned into a forward pass that landed safely in the arms of a Phillips end and behind the line.  Again Phillips kicked goal, and, with some seven minutes to play, the score stood Phillips 14, Brimfield 13, and it only remained for the home team to keep the visitor away from her goal to hold the game.  It was then, however, that Brimfield had given another exhibition of her fighting spirit.  Carmine was put back at quarter, Rollins went in for Harris, and Thursby took Captain Innes’s place at centre.  Carmine took many chances.  There were several lateral passes which made gains, two forward heaves that in some unaccountable manner landed right, a number of end runs that helped, and a desperate attack at the Phillips centre between these.  And, almost before anyone realised how things were going, Brimfield was besieging the Phillips goal.  She lost the ball on the twenty-six yards, recovered it again on the forty-eight when Phillips punted short, pulled off a double pass that sent Still spinning around left tackle for twelve yards, hurled Rollins through