Chapter I: Front Matter

HITTING THE LINE

By Ralph Henry Barbour

PURPLE PENNANT SERIES

The Lucky Seventh
The Secret Play
The Purple Pennant

YARDLEY HALL SERIES

Forward Pass
Double Play
Winning His Y
For Yardley
Around the End
Change Signals

HILTON SERIES

The Half-back
For the Honor of the School
Captain of the Crew

ERSKINE SERIES

Behind the Line
Weatherby’s Inning
On Your Mark

THE “BIG FOUR” SERIES

Four in Camp
Four Afoot
Four Afloat

THE GRAFTON SERIES

Rivals for the Team
Winning His Game
Hitting the Line

BOOKS NOT IN SERIES

The Brother of a Hero
Finkler’s Field
Danforth Plays the Game
Benton’s Venture
The Junior Trophy
The New Boy at Hilltop
The Spirit of the School
The Arrival of Jimpson

D. APPLETON AND COMPANY, Publishers, New York

HITTING
THE LINE

BY
RALPH HENRY BARBOUR

AUTHOR OF “RIVALS FOR THE TEAM,” “THE PURPLE PENNANT,”
“DANFORTH PLAYS THE GAME,” ETC.

ILLUSTRATED BY
NORMAN ROCKWELL

D. APPLETON AND COMPANY
NEW YORK LONDON
1917

Copyright 1917, by
D. APPLETON AND COMPANY

Printed in the United States of America

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I. A CHANCE ENCOUNTER 1
II. THE BOY FROM OUT WEST 12
III. MONTY CRAIL CHANGES HIS MIND 25
IV. “OUT FOR GRAFTON!” 36
V. A ROOM AND A ROOMMATE 48
VI. BATTLE ROYAL 63
VII. MONTY SHAKES HANDS 77
VIII. THE NEW CHUM 88
IX. SOAP AND WATER 103
X. SOME VICTORIES AND A DEFEAT 121
XI. MONTY IS BORED 135
XII. KEYS: PIANO AND OTHERS 144
XIII. STANDART GETS ADVICE 155
XIV. THE MIDDLETON GAME 168
XV. MONTY GOES OVER 178
XVI. COACH BONNER TALKS 190
XVII. BACK OF THE LINE 203
XVIII. WHAT’S IN A NAME? 216
XIX. “BULL RUN” 229
XX. TACKLED 240
XXI. STANDART PLAYS THE PICCOLO 250
XXII. HOLLYWOOD SPRINGS A SURPRISE 262
XXIII. MONTY FINDS A SOFT PLACE 275
XXIV. THE “BLUE” 288
XXV. “FIRE!” 300
XXVI. MONTY RECEIVES CALLERS 313
XXVII. HITTING THE LINE 323

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

The footsteps pounded behind on the frosty turf _Frontispiece_

FACING
PAGE

“Great snakes, haven’t you had enough yet!” marveled Monty 72

“Then I guess you’ve already squealed, and I’d better――――” 164

“Help here, fellows!” 304

HITTING THE LINE