fall is coming on and the excitement of the relatively new game of football is in the air. Of course, the Lakeport boys want to start a team, join a league, and win the championship. If only it were that easy. First, they have to contend with a newly-released-from prison all-around bounder, who plagues them throughout the book with thievery here and thievery there. Moreover, the rich, dissolute lad in town, Si Voup, wants to have a team and win the championship at any cost. And it looks for a while like he can meet the cost. The final game of the season pits two teams about equal in talent, and it could go either way.