THE CODFISH LOSES HIMSELF.
The team with all its paraphernalia went through to London that
night, and the next morning took train for Brighton about fifty miles
south on the English Channel, where all were quartered at the Grand
Hotel on the Esplanade facing the channel. Training quarters were
established on the grounds of the Brighton Athletic Club which had
been generously offered to the visitors by the Board of Governors.
It was an eager lot of athletes that tumbled out of the tally-ho at
the Club that morning, for the trainers insisted that the practice
should begin at once, and the men themselves, cooped up as they
had been for a week, were no less anxious to get to work than the
trainers were to have them.
Several scores of people, attracted to Brighton by the news that
the Yale and Harvard teams would train there for the week previous
to the match with Oxford and Cambridge, were in attendance when the
Americans got into action. "A likely looking lot," was the English
comment.
After a light work-out, Armstrong and McGregor were called to the
jumping pit.
"Try a few," said Trainer Black, "but make it easy and be careful you
don't twist your ankles. We're badly enough off as it is."
After measuring out the runway and taking half a dozen practice
runs, McGregor made a leap of something over 21 feet on his first
try. Frank followed, but did not show anything impressive. Again he
tried, but whether from the enforced idleness on the steamer or from
physical condition, again fell far short of the jump he expected to
make.
"You're not getting any lift at all," said Black, coming up at that
moment. "Shoot high in the air when you strike that take-off."
Frank attempted to follow instructions, but his legs felt heavy and
dead. He knew very well without information from the trainer that he
failed to get his height. The more he jumped, the worse he got, but
persisted until Trainer Black said: "That's enough, now. Jog around
the track a couple of times and go in. You are off to-day but I guess
it will be all right to-morrow."
But the next day, while there was a little improvement in his
distance, Frank was far behind his American performances. McGregor
jumped consistently at 22 feet and a half. The strange ground did not
seem to bother him in any way, while with Frank either the straight
runway, the different conditions of air or the week of partial
idleness on shipboard had played havoc with his skill. Naturally, he
began to worry, and this had its effect in keeping him back.
On the third day on English soil the whole team was taken up to
London to the Queen's Club grounds so that the athletes might have an
opportunity to try out the track. It proved to be a faster and better
track than the one they were working on at Brighton and everyone was
well pleased with the result of the day's work. Frank had improved a
little on his jumps, but was still inches behind his Harvard mate.
Several times he had succeeded in getting a good spring, but failed
to hold the distance. It did not make him feel any happier to note
that the English writers, after watching the performances of the two
American jumpers, had counted them out of the contest entirely.
"Vare," wrote one sporting critic, "will have no trouble in winning
the broad jump for the American representatives are not in his class.
It is unfortunate that their best jumper was unable to come across
the water because of an accident in practice a few days before the
Americans were to sail. But even with Hotchkiss, the injured Yale
man, at his best he could not expect to measure up to the great
Oxford jumper who has been doing 23 feet and over, consistently in
practice, and has never yet been extended to his full limit to win in
any event he has entered. With the broad jump a foregone conclusion
for the Oxford-Cambridge team, the chances seem to favor the English
athletes to carry off the meet."
Frank laid down the paper. "So, they've written us off, have they?
Perhaps we may fool them yet," and he ground his teeth together,
resolving that if he were beaten out it would not be because he did
not try. But the next day's practice on the Brighton track yielded
no better results. As he was walking slowly down the runway with
feelings of disgust at his poor showing, he was accosted by a tall
stranger whom he had seen talking with the captain a few minutes
before.
"Do you mind if I give you a word of advice?" said the newcomer.
"Certainly not. If you can show me how to get out about a foot
further, I'll be the happiest jumper in the United Kingdom."
The stranger smiled. "You are too anxious about this jumping
business," he said, "and you're working too hard at it. You have
plenty of speed and a good spring, but you don't get high enough at
the take-off. Supposing we try a little experiment."
"I'll try anything," said Frank, eagerly.
"I used to jump a little myself," said the stranger, "and my trouble
at first was very like what yours is now. I couldn't get up. So I
tried an experiment which I'm going to try on you now." Stepping
to the side of the track he picked up a high hurdle and placed it
about four feet behind the jumping-block, in the pit itself. "Now,"
he continued, "I want you to clear the top of that hurdle by six
inches or more. At your highest point of flight bring your shoulders
and arms well forward, so you will hold all your distance when you
strike. Try it."
Frank went back the full length of the runway, started at an easy
lope and gathering full speed fifty feet from the end of his run
struck the block squarely, and sprang high into the air. He had the
feeling that it was a good jump but was not prepared for what the
measuring tape showed--22 feet, 8 inches.
"That's better," said the tall stranger. "But I want you to go even
higher than that. Clear the hurdle by a foot or more if you can. Get
your greatest speed right at the take-off and _think_ high as well as
go high."
Again Frank rushed down the runway and leaped with all his power,
clearing the hurdle by a foot or more. By this time half a dozen of
the members of the team were gathered by the jumping pit. Recognizing
a good jump, one of them seized the tape and measured:
"Twenty-three feet, one-half inch," he sang out. "Well, maybe we have
a chance for that jump yet. Good boy, Armstrong."
Twice more the stranger sent Frank down the runway and each time the
jumper rose to expectations. On the last jump the tape showed 23
feet, 1½ inches.
"Now, we'll take the hurdle away, but you must _think_ it is there,"
continued the coach. "Have it in your mind as you come up to the
block that you are going away above the imaginary mark. Jumping is a
matter of brains as much as of legs. Try it without the hurdle."
This time Frank almost equaled his former jump, and as the figures
were announced, his teammates crowded around him, congratulating him.
"That's the stuff, Armstrong," said Trainer Black. "You may throw a
scare into these Englishmen if you keep up that gait."
"Who is that man coaching me?" inquired Frank, a little later.
"That, didn't you know? That's Princewell, an intercollegiate
champion of ours a few years back, one of the best in the business in
his day."
"He certainly knew what was the matter with me," said Frank, almost
beside himself with happiness. "I'd give a leg to beat Vare."
"I don't expect that," said Black, "because Vare is a great jumper,
one of the best in Great Britain. If you give him a good run for his
money you will have done something we will all be proud of. We can
win without the broad jump if our calculations are right."
But alas for Frank's high hopes, the next day saw him below 23 feet
again, and work as he might, he fell back steadily. Without the
impetus given by Princewell, who had gone to London, he could not get
within six inches of his best marks of the day before. Black finally
ordered him to the clubhouse. "I don't want you to put on jumping
shoes again before Saturday." Saturday was the day of the games.
"But I need the practice," Frank remonstrated, "I'm just getting the
knack."
"Forget it," said the trainer, "and do as I tell you. I'll take the
risk. You mustn't jump again before you go into your event. And I'd
advise you to keep off your feet as much as you can. Rest, rest, man.
That's the best thing you can do just now."
Frank turned away heartbroken. "If I could only keep at it, I'd get
the trick back. I had it yesterday and I've lost it to-day."
"Keep off my feet," grumbled Frank that night to Gleason. "Rest and
keep off my feet. I wonder if he intends to have me keep my bed."
"O, you're too nervous, that's all. A little country air would be
good for you. Say, by Jove, I've got an idea, rest, recreation, off
your feet, on the job and all that."
"Open up, my son."
"It's this. Let's hire a motor and see some of this blooming country.
I don't suppose they object to your exercising your eyes."
"I'm with you if the captain hasn't any objection. We've been
sticking pretty closely around here."
"It's a monumental idea and worthy of a great brain like mine."
The captain had no objection and was indeed glad of it since he felt
it would take Frank's attention from the coming games.
"And how about the motor? I'm not a bloated bondholder like you, but
I'll go my halves."
"Oh, run away. I've been aching to find an excuse to spend some money
round here. I know where I can get a little pippin of a machine for
ten shillings the hour. Ten shillings are $2.50 our money and cheap
when it includes a dinky little chauffeur with a uniform. Watch me
produce!" And away the Codfish dashed down the street. In twenty
minutes he was back with a snappy little, high-powered runabout
painted a flaming red color. "Couldn't get a blue one," he apologized.
Frank hopped in alongside the driver, and the Codfish perched behind
in the rumble seat. For two hours Frank forgot entirely about the
Yale-Harvard-Oxford-Cambridge track meet, and his part in it. And
those who have traveled in the beautiful lanes and highways of Sussex
will understand his absorption. Again in the cool of the afternoon
Gleason appeared for another "personally conducted" tour, this
time to the west of Brighton, along the shore road. Eye-tired from
watching the moving panorama of country and town, Frank Armstrong
slept, free from the regular nightmare of broad-jumping competition
in which he never could quite reach his best.
The great day of the contest came around at last and found the
American athletes pitched to a high degree of excitement. A final
trial of the Queen's Club track had given some very satisfactory
performances, which more than hinted at an American victory. Burrows,
the Harvard sprinter, had run the hundred in nine and four-fifths
seconds, and seemed sure of not only this event but of the two
hundred and twenty as well. With these two secure, the American
athletes had a clear lead in the race for victory.
"This is the great day, boys," announced Trainer Black at the
breakfast table. "Train leaves for London at 10:30. Games at two
o'clock. Put all the stuff you need in your suit cases. They will go
up on the train with us."
"Do we lunch in London?" asked someone.
"No, we have a bite on the train which gets to London at a little
before twelve. It's a half-hour's ride in taxis from the station to
the Queen's Club grounds. We won't get there much before half past
twelve or a quarter to one. That'll give us plenty of time to dress
and be ready for the Johnny Bulls by two o'clock."
Frank finished his packing quickly, sent his suit case down to the
hotel lobby, and began to fidget around. "I'm as nervous as a cat,"
he said to himself. "If they had only let me keep on working I'd have
been a lot better off, but this waiting, waiting bothers me to death."
"Oh, there, you little jumping jack," came the hail from the street,
"come and take a ride, guaranteed last appearance before breaking the
world's record."
"Can't," said Frank. "Train leaves in less than two hours. Have you
packed up?"
"Packed up, no. The valet will do that. Who wants to pack suit cases
a morning like this? Come on, you short-skate, come on and forget
Queen's Club."
"I'll go you for an hour," said Frank, "but that's the limit. I don't
want to take any chances with a busted tire five miles from nowhere."
"This machine is guaranteed bust-proof. You can trust the old
reliable. It is even fool-proof."
"I'd need that assurance with you around."
"And you're coming?"
"Yes, but only for an hour."
"Don't worry, I'll have you back, hope to die if I don't."
Away shot the little runabout on the Eastbourne road. As before, the
chauffeur acted as guide and pointed out various objects of interest
as they spun along the smooth road. "Just down there to the east
about twenty miles the way we're heading is Hastings."
"That's where William the Conqueror had his little scrap one day some
moons ago, isn't it?" inquired the Codfish.
"Yes, sir, he fought a bit of a fight there, and just over to the
left there is the Duke of Buccleuch's estate. And down there in the
field where you see that house in the trees I was born meself, sir."
"Good for you," said the Codfish, "fine place to be born, nice open
spaces; a very good piece of judgment. And the old folks still live
down on the old New Hampshire farm?"
"Yes, sir, they are living there now. I say, would you mind stopping
at the door, sir? My mother's been ailing, and I'd like to see her a
minute."
"Dutiful and kind-hearted son, we'll be happy to stop for you. Better
still, you give me the steering wheel and we'll drive on for a mile
or two and pick you up on the way back."
"Can you drive?" asked the chauffeur dubiously.
"Can I drive? Can a duck float? I've driven a six-sixty Pierce Arrow
through the White Mountains, but you wouldn't know what that means.
Let's see," said the irrepressible Codfish, as he slipped into the
driver's seat just vacated by the chauffeur and worked the shift
lever as he spoke: "First speed inside ahead, second speed outside
ahead, high, outside back. Reverse, inside back. I've got you, Steve.
We'll be back here in fifteen minutes. Please be waiting at the
church for we haven't too many spare minutes this morning."
"Be careful, sir," called the chauffeur, "it's a heavy penalty
driving without a license."
"Same thing in our country, but we're hard to catch," the Codfish
shouted back over his shoulder as, with motor speeding up, he dropped
into high gear and fled up the road like a red shadow.
"This is what we should have done long before this," quoth Gleason,
"a chauffeur is a clog on conversation."
"Yes, but he's handy to have along under certain conditions."
The boys drove along in silence for five minutes, when Frank, with
his mind on train time, said: "Better turn now, old man. We've been
out nearly thirty minutes, and thirty more makes an hour, my time
limit."
"You're great on mathematics. Let's go up this road through the
village there to our right and out back on the main road, pick up the
gent who went to visit the old folks, and then I'll drop you in dear
old Brighton in some few minutes. But first let us explore a little."
"I'd rather we explored some other time," Frank remonstrated.
But the Codfish was willful. He found a road leading to the left,
circled the village and came back again to a highway. "Now, let's
see, where did we leave that chap?" he mused. "Right along here some
place by the willows, wasn't it?"
Driving slowly, the boys scanned the roadside for their chauffeur,
but no sight of him could they discover. "Well, it certainly was
here somewhere, and if he hasn't the gumption to come back as per
agreement, he can stay behind, eh, what?"
"Gleason, this doesn't look like the road we came on," said Frank, in
alarm.
"Well, it's a good road, isn't it?"
"But no road is good unless it leads to Brighton. Remember your
promise. That train leaves at ten-thirty and it is five minutes of
ten now. And, moreover, we're lost."
"Lost, your eye! How can we be lost when I'm at the helm?" But,
nevertheless, the puzzled look on the Codfish's face continued to
grow deeper as the minutes passed away and nothing was seen of the
chauffeur. "I say," he called to a passing farmer, "can you tell me
if this is the road to Brighton?"
"Naw. Second turn to the right and then keep straight ahead."
"How far from here?"
"'Bout five mile."
"The country is saved. Now see the dust fly. Twenty minutes to do
five miles. Oh, it's a cinch. That chauffeur can walk home. I'll
settle."
Fifteen minutes later the Codfish drew up at the outskirts of a small
village. "Is this the way to Brighton?" he inquired of a passer-by.
"This _is_ Breyting," with an accent on the "is."
"What?" almost yelled the driver of the red car.
"This _is_ Breyting, I tell you."
"How do you spell it?"
"B-r-e-y-t-i-n-g, Breyting."
"Oh, Lord, we want B-r-i-g-h-t-o-n, Brighton, down by the sea, where
all the piers and pebbles are."
"Oh, why didn't you say so at first? Take the road to the left down
about half a mile. It'll bring you down to the far end of the street
that runs along the water."
"How far is it?" asked Frank in a despairing voice.
"'Bout twelve or thirteen miles."
"And fifteen minutes to do it in. This is awful!"
"Cheer up, cheer up," said the driver, making a great show of
confidence which he didn't in the least feel. "We may do it yet."
Opening the throttle the car fairly leaped along the road. "It's
exceeding the speed limit, but in a good cause," said the Codfish.
"Lord, I hope the tires stand up."
He had hardly spoken the word when the right front shoe gave way
with a loud bang. The car careened to the right sharply, crossed the
shallow ditch with a lurch that nearly threw the boys out of their
seats, and, finally, under control again, was steered back on to the
road to fetch up with a violent jerk when the emergency brake was
driven down hard.