Again the tandem was hurled at the same point, and again Gillam met the shock of it.  This time the defense worked better, and Robinson lost the half-yard of gain and another half-yard on top of that.

“Six yards to gain,” said the score-board.  And the purple-decked stand voiced its triumph.

Robinson wisely decided to yield possession of the ball and get away from such a dangerous locality.  On the next play she punted and Paul was brought to earth on Robinson’s fifty yards.  Now was the time for Erskine to test her offensive powers.  On the first play, using the close-formation, Gillam slashed a hole between the opposing center and right-guard and Mason went through for two yards.  The next play netted them another yard in the same place.  Then Paul was given the pigskin for a try outside of right tackle and reeled off four yards more before he was downed.  It was quick starting and fast running, and for the moment Robinson was taken off her feet; but the next try ended dismally, for in an attempt to get through the left of the line between guard and tackle Mason was caught and thrown back for a two-yard loss.  Another try outside of tackle on that side of the line netted but a bare three feet, and Foster dropped back for a kick.  His effort was not very successful, and the ball was Robinson’s on her twenty-seven yards.

Now she tried the tackle-tandem on the other side of center, hurling right tackle, followed by left half with the ball, and full-back at the guard-tackle hole.  Paul led the defense this time, and again Robinson was brought up all standing.  Another try at the same point with like results, and Robinson changed her tactics.  With the tandem formation, the ball went to full-back, and with left end and tackle interfering he skirted Erskine’s right for seven yards and brought the wearers of the brown to their feet shouting wildly.  Perhaps no one was more surprised than Bob Devoe, for it was his end that had been circled.  Certainly no one was more thoroughly disgusted than he.  The Robinson left end had put him out of the play as neatly as though he had been the veriest tyro.  Devoe sized up that youth, set his lips together, and kept his eyes open.

Robinson now had the ball near her thirty-five yards and returned to the tackle-tandem.  In two plays she gained two yards, the result of faster playing.  Then another try outside of right tackle brought her five yards.  Tackle-tandem again, one yard; again, two yards; a try outside of tackle, one yard; Erskine’s ball on Robinson’s forty-three yards.  The pigskin went to Gillam, who got safely away outside Robinson’s right end and reeled off ten yards before he was caught.  Again he was given the ball for a plunge through right tackle and barely gained a yard.  Mason found another yard between left-guard and tackle and Foster kicked.  It was poorly done, and the leather went into touch at the twenty-five yards, and once more Robinson set her feet toward the Erskine goal.