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[Illustration: HE RAISED THE BALL IN HIS ARMS, AND PLACED IT OVER THE
CHALK MARK.]


THE WINNING TOUCHDOWN

A Story of College Football

by

LESTER CHADWICK

Author of "The Rival Pitchers," "A Quarter-Back's
Pluck," "Batting to Win," etc.

Illustrated







New York
Cupples & Leon Company

       *       *       *       *       *


BOOKS BY LESTER CHADWICK


 =THE COLLEGE SPORTS SERIES=

 12mo. Illustrated

 Price per volume, $1.00 postpaid

 THE RIVAL PITCHERS
 A Story of College Baseball

 A QUARTER-BACK'S PLUCK
 A Story of College Football

 BATTING TO WIN
 A Story of College Baseball

 THE WINNING TOUCHDOWN
 A Story of College Football

 (Other volumes in preparation)

 _Cupples & Leon Company, Publishers, New York_

       *       *       *       *       *

Copyright 1911, by
Cupples & Leon Company

THE WINNING TOUCHDOWN

Printed in U. S. A.




CONTENTS


 CHAPTER                           PAGE
      I  A MYSTERY                    1
     II  MORE BAD NEWS                8
    III  ON THE TRAIL                19
     IV  ANOTHER DISAPPEARANCE       26
      V  FOOTBALL TALK               36
     VI  IN PRACTICE                 43
    VII  A NEW TIMEPIECE             53
   VIII  ANOTHER IDEA                61
     IX  A CLASH WITH LANGRIDGE      67
      X  THE BIG CALIFORNIAN         73
     XI  A NEW COMPLICATION          80
    XII  THE MISSING DEED            89
   XIII  THE FIRST GAME              98
    XIV  THE HAZING OF SIMPSON      109
     XV  THE MIDNIGHT BLAZE         120
    XVI  ANOTHER CLEW               129
   XVII  A CRASH IN THE GALE        136
  XVIII  WITH HAMMER AND SAW        141
    XIX  SUSPICIONS                 150
     XX  THE CLOCK COMES BACK       158
    XXI  SEEKING EVIDENCE           167
   XXII  BASCOME DENIES             173
  XXIII  HALED TO COURT             181
   XXIV  DEFEAT                     188
    XXV  BITTER DAYS                200
   XXVI  MOSES IN PHYSICS           206
  XXVII  THE DANCE CARD             213
 XXVIII  THE LEGAL BATTLE           225
   XXIX  ONE POINT LOST             233
    XXX  AN UNEXPECTED CLEW         240
   XXXI  AFTER THE CHAIR            249
  XXXII  "THIS ISN'T OURS!"         260
 XXXIII  A GREAT FIND               271
  XXXIV  THE EXCITED STRANGER       276
   XXXV  THE WINNING TOUCHDOWN      283




THE WINNING TOUCHDOWN




CHAPTER I

A MYSTERY


"Great Cicero's ghost!"

That was Tom Parson's exclamation.

"It's gone!"

A horrified gasp from Sid Henderson.

"Who took it?"

That was what Phil Clinton wanted to know.

Then the three college chums, who had paused on the threshold of their
room, almost spellbound at the astounding discovery they had made,
advanced into the apartment, as if unable to believe what was only too
evident. Tom came to a halt near his bed, and gazed warily around.

"It's sure enough gone," he went on, with a long breath.

"Somebody pinch me to