The _Capella_ unit had drawn first blood.
"Well, hot-shot," snarled Roger back on the starting line, "what
happened to the big pass-stealing idea?"
"I tripped, Manning," said Tom through clenched teeth.
"Yeah! Tripped!" sneered Roger.
The whistle blew for the next goal.
Tom, with an amazing burst of speed, swept down the field, broke stride
to bring him in perfect line with the ball and with a kick that seemed
almost lazy, sent the ball from a dead standstill, fifty yards over the
_Capella_ goal before any of the remaining players were within five feet
of it, and the score was tied.
The crowd sprang to its feet again and roared his name.
"That was terrific!" said Astro, slapping Tom on the back as they lined
up again. "It looked as though you hardly kicked that ball at all."
"Yeah," muttered Roger, "you really made yourself the grandstand's
delight!"
"What's that supposed to mean, Manning?" asked Astro.
"Superman Corbett probably burned himself out! Let's see him keep up
that speed for the next ten minutes!"
The whistle blew for the next goal, and again the three boys moved
forward to meet the onrushing _Capella_ unit.
Richards blocked Astro with a twist of his body, and without stopping
his forward motion, kicked the ball squarely toward the goal. It stopped
ten feet short, took a dizzying spin and rolled away from the goal line.
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