Basketball is not an easy game to learn, but it is both a splendid
exercise as played under the rules of the Girls' Branch and a game of
skill.
Because of the many rules, and sub-divisions of rules, the players must
bring to the basket-ball court the quickest intelligence and a serious
desire to excel. No laughing or talking is allowed during play. The
success of the game is based upon the players giving to it their
undivided attention.
It can be played by from five to nine players on a side, and the time of
play is usually two halves of fifteen minutes each. Mrs. Case refused to
allow her pupils--the girls of Central High--to play more than thirty
minutes, and the younger girls could only play the game in three
"thirds" of ten minutes each, with five or ten minutes' rest between
each two sessions of play.
It was a rule, too, that no girl could play without a physical
examination as to her fitness, and the Central High team--the champion
team of the school--was selected from among the strongest and best
developed girls. This team was now billed to play a similar team
selected from among the older girls of the East High of Centerport, and
as made up by the physical instructor, was as follows:
Jess Morse, goal keeper
Celia Prime, right forward
Mary O'Rourke, left forward
Hester Grimes, forward center
Laura Belding, jumping center
Lily Pendleton, back center
Bertha Sleigel, right guard
Nellie Agnew, left guard
Roberta Fish, goal guard.
Besides the nine members of each team, the game called for nine other
assistants--a referee, two umpires, a scorer, a time keeper, and four
linesmen. Because of the possibility of so many foul plays, all these
assistants and watchers were necessary. The ordinary "basket-ball five"
was hardly known at Central High, as so many girls wanted to play.
On the Friday afternoon the hall in which the basket-ball court, or
ground, of the East High girls was situated, was well filled, in the
visitors' part, with the parents and friends of both teams. This was
really the first occasion of any athletic trial between the girls of the
two schools, although the boys, in their sports, had long since become
rivals.
Naturally the girls of Central High were excited over the prospect. Mary
O'Rourke, the captain, as well as Mrs. Case, warned the players for the
last time in the dressing room to keep cool, play fairly, and to give
and take in the game with perfect good-nature.
"Good-nature wins more games than anything else," said Mary. "Just as
soon as a girl gets flustered or 'mad' at her opponent, she begins to
lose ground--makes mistakes, and fouls the other player, and all that.
Remember that the referee and the umpires will be sharp on decisions
to-day. 'Didn't know' will be no excuse. And by no means speak to the
officials. If you have anything to report, report to me."
"My!" sneered Hester to Lily, "doesn't she think she knows it all? Who
told her so much, I'd like to know? I guess there are others here who
know the game quite as well as she does."
"But she's captain," said Roberta Fish, one of the juniors.
"And how did she get to be captain? Favoritism, Miss!" snapped Hester.
"Come on, now!" advised Nellie Agnew, good-naturedly. "We don't want to
go into the game in this way. We've got to pull together to win.
Loyalty, you know!"
"Bah!" said Hester.
"That's what the black sheep said," laughed Nellie. "Don't _you_ be the
black sheep of Cen-High, Hessie."
The teams were called into the field and the referee put the ball into
play in the center. Laura and her opponent jumped for the ball and Laura
was fortunate in getting it. During the next few moments, upon signals
from their captain, the girls of Central High passed the ball back and
forth and suddenly tried for a goal. It was from the field and would
have counted two points; but Celia made a fumble, and the ball did not
reach the basket, but was stopped by the left forward of the East High
team.
The ball was in play immediately, but was in the hands of the home team.
When Hester Grimes's opponent got the ball, Hester leaped before her and
raised her arms. But she over-guarded and instantly the warning whistle
sounded from the side lines.
"Foul!" proclaimed the referee.
In a moment the play went on, but again Hester had a chance at the girl
with the ball and once more the whistle blew sharply. Hester was
guarding round, with her arms spread and crooked, instead of straight.
And to be called down for a foul twice in succession stung Hester Grimes
sharply. Her face grew red and her eyes flashed angrily.
"You wait, Miss!" she whispered to the girl who held the ball.
"Silence on the field!" commanded the referee. "Play!"
Hester's fouling put her team-mates out not a little, and the ball was
carried to their end of the field and their opponents scored.
"Get together, girls!" commanded Mary, in a low voice. "Don't lose your
heads."
But Hester had become thoroughly angry now, for she saw that she would
be blamed for the score against her team. She played savagely
thereafter, and suddenly one of the home team cried out in pain. Hester
had collided roughly with her.
Again the whistle. "I shall ask Captain O'Rourke to take that girl out
of the game if there is any further rough play," declared the referee,
who was the physical instructor at West High.
The other girls of the Central High team were ashamed. The first half
ended with no further score on the part of the home team; but, on the
other hand, the visiting team had been held down to a "goose egg." When
the girls went to their dressing room there were some murmurs against
Hester's style of playing.
But Mrs. Case stopped this instantly. "If one of our team has shown
excitement, we must not blame her too harshly," she said, seriously.
"This is our first time playing away from our own field. Be careful.
Take time to think, Hester----"
"That referee is unfair. They've given the game to East High, anyway. It
was all fixed beforehand," snarled the culprit.
"Listen, Hester," said the teacher, gravely. "That is neither
sportsmanlike nor truthful. You must restrain yourself. You are one of
the best players we have; but you are fouling the game, and if you do
not have a care we shall lose through your fault. Keep your temper.
Don't make it necessary for me to remind you again."
This did not soothe Hester's feelings. Mrs. Case had spoken sharply at
last, and Hester went back to the field "just boiling inside," as she
told her chum.
The second half began. Again Central High was quicker in getting away
with the ball. This time they kept it in play among themselves, too,
until a goal was made; but if was from a foul and counted only one
point.
Their friends cheered them, however, and as soon as the ball was put
into play again the girls of Central High went at it with their old
tactics and made splendid runs, finally getting another goal, this time
from the field. The visiting team was then ahead in the score.
But the very next minute, when Hester had a chance to get into the game
again, she snatched the ball from her opponent's hands. It was so plain
a foul that the girls did not need the whistle to cease play. And when
the ball came back Hester's team-mates were "rattled" again and East
High secured another clean goal.
Indeed, all through the two halves the playing of the East High girls
was perfectly clean, while that of Central High was spoiled by Hester.
Her rough work was noticeable. Mary O'Rourke tried to keep her out of
play as much as possible, and in doing this weakened her side. Before
the end of the second half East High scored again, and the score finally
stood, when the whistle was blown to cease playing, at seven to three in
favor of the home team.
The girls of Central High were both disappointed and chagrined. But they
cheered lustily for the winners (all but Hester) and were cheered fairly
in return. Yet Laura and her friends knew that their team had made a bad
impression upon the spectators and instructors because of Hester's foul
playing.
"That girl spoils everything she gets into," declared Jess Morse, to
Laura and Nellie. "I don't see why Mrs. Case lets her play on the team.
We certainly have got a black eye here."
"I'm sorry for Hester--she has such a temper," sighed the doctor's gentle
daughter.
"I do not know whether I am sorry for her or not," said Laura, sternly.
"It will be a long time before these girls over here at the East End of
town will forget this game. It is bad enough to be beaten; but to be
beaten by a member of our own team is what hurts."
"Is that so, Miss?" exclaimed Hester's harsh voice behind her. "Didn't
think I'd over-hear you, did you? You look out, Laura Belding, that you
don't get beaten in another way. I should think you'd had lesson
enough----"
A sudden flush sprang into Laura's face.
"What do you mean by that, Hessie?" she cried. "What lesson do you refer
to?"
But Hester merely tossed her head and went on. Laura was thoughtful for
the remainder of the way home. She was thinking of the veil she had
brought away with her from the haunted house.