“Clausen, replace Frazier at right tackle,” T.K. commands. “We’ll run a blue series forty left.” This means the fullback, Frazier, will take the ball on a slant across left tackle. The left tackle and guard will cross block to open the hole. “Once you’re in the clear, cut into that movie hall across the street. It’s an old son of a bitch. Still has a stage with a place out in front for a band. Shag your ass down into that band place. There’s a door there that leads under the stage. From there you come out in an alley. I want everybody else to go left around the movie. Frazier, you head right when you get to the alley. There’s a bakery or something next door. Go through it and come back out here to Grove. With any luck, there won’t be anybody waiting to meet you. After that, you’re on your own. Play it loose, but play it slow. We need maybe another hour to get Healy back in the game. Got it?”

Frazier nods.

“Everybody clear?”

A series of affirmative grunts.

“O.K. On two.”

The Prospectors line up.

“Hut one,” barks T.K., “hut two.”

Brye, filling in at center, sends the ball spiraling back. T.K. hands off to Frazier only seconds before Bumbo Johnson engulfs T.K. T.K. wrestles Johnson clear and breaks away.

The play goes well. Frazier bulls his way into the theater. Dedemus and DeGeller trap his pursuit in the lobby. The other Prospectors pull out of contact and head off to the left around the movie. As T.K. hoped, the Minutemen follow.

T.K. runs with the pack. They reach the back of the movie and shag left, opposite the direction taken by Frazier. Assuming the Prospectors are on their way to give their ball carrier blocking support, the Minutemen follow closely behind.

The whole play is working like a charm. By now Frazier must certainly be vanished and gone.

Then T.K. hears the depressing sound of an amplified whistle coming from Grove.

Numbly he returns to the line of scrimmage, knowing full well what he’ll find there.

As he suspected, Orval Frazier is down on the street. Judging from the cockeyed angle of his arm, it appears to be broken.

It also comes as no surprise to T.K. to see Harv Matision standing over Frazier.

Grinning sadistically.

Yes, it’s going to be a very rough day indeed.