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meant a week. If you wear that uniform, don’t
     expect to play,” said Doug emphatically.
    Jim eyed his brother. The newspaper clipping about Doug’s early football days in high school flashed through his mind, and
     he felt an urge to taunt Doug about it. But that was a coward’s move if there ever was one. He’d never do that.
    At last he shrugged. “Okay,” he said. “But can I practice next week?”
    “Sure. Starting Monday.”
    The Vulcans played the Cadets on the South Field. The Cadets had a perfect win record so far, having beaten the Vulcansonce already, as well as the Saturns and the Astrojets.
    Within three minutes after kickoff, the Cadets scored a touchdown on a twenty-two-yard pass, then converted. Before the quarter
     was over, they scored again, this time failing on the conversion try.
    Jim, sitting on the bench near where Chuckie Gorman, Chuckie’s parents, and his own parents were seated in the stands, watched
     the game with a sick feeling in his heart. There had been times when he wished he hadn’t started to play football because
     of his fear of being tackled. But now he realized that his desire to play was stronger than ever. It hurt to sit here on the
     bench and be a spectator. It hurt to know he couldn’t go into today’s game even if he were the Vulcans’ star player.
    He was sore. Real sore. Doug at least let him put on a uniform and sit on the bench.But thinking about it, what good was it to sit on the bench in football gear if he couldn’t play?
    Still, the desire to play stayed with him. He wanted to prove to Doug and everybody else that he was no longer afraid of being
     tackled. That if he had a chance of intercepting a pass, he would, even if the entire opposing team came flying at him. The
     desire kept building up inside him. He became nervous and fidgety.
    The Cadets scored again in the second quarter and converted to lead the Vulcans 20–0.
    Then Chris Howe uncorked a long pass to Pete Witz. Pete caught it in the left corner pocket and went over for the team’s first
     touchdown. Jim rose in his seat, whistled, and yelled. He yelled louder than anyone else. Those who sat near him cheered along
     with him. They didn’t know that this waswhat he needed — that he was letting out all that built-up steam.
    Ronnie Holmes booted the extra point. In the third quarter, Ronnie broke through right tackle for a gain that put the Vulcans
     on the Cadets’ nine-yard line. On the next play, Ronnie took the handoff from Chris, faked a run to the right, and handed
     off to right end Pete Witz. Pete bolted around left end for a yard gain.
    Chris tried a pass. It was intercepted! The man was downed almost on the spot. The Cadets moved down the field like a steamroller
     till they crossed the goal line for another touchdown. The try for point was good, and they led 27–7.
    Chris scored on a quarterback sneak in the fourth quarter, and Ronnie kicked the extra point. But that was all the Vulcans
     could do. The Cadets captured their fourth game in a row to take top spot in the league.
    “Well, no one can blame
you
for our losing today,” said Chuckie as Jim walked alongside the wheelchair being pushed by Chuckie’s father. “The Cadets
     were just on.”
    “We have two more games to play, and well win ’em,” said Jim confidently. “You’ll see. And I’m going to be in them. I’m going
     to be in them every minute I can.”

11
    J im practiced with the squad on Monday. During scrimmage he wished a pass would be thrown to some receiver near him so he could
     test himself. He wasn’t worried a bit about his burned arm. His mom had put ointment and a clean bandage on it. He felt brand-new
     again.
    He didn’t get a chance to intercept a pass. Doug praised him though on breaking through the line and bringing down the ballcarrier.
     “Just running last week seems to have done you good, Jim,” he said. “You’ve picked up speed.”
    “Know what happened?” broke in Bucky