THE FIRST GAME
It would have been hard to tell how the suspicion took form among the
girls of Central High that Hester Grimes knew more than she should
regarding the gymnasium mystery. Whether she had spoiled the
paraphernalia herself, or hired somebody to do it for her, was the
point of the discussion carried on wherever any of the
girls--especially those of her own class--met for conference.
Older people scoffed at the idea of a girl having committed the crime.
And, indeed, it was a complete mystery how the marauder got into the
building and out again. Bill Jackway, the watchman, was worried almost
sick over it; he was afraid of losing his job.
Bobby Hargrew was about the only girl in Central High who "lost no
sleep over the affair," as she expressed it. And that wasn't because
she was not keenly interested in the mystery. Indeed, like Nellie, she
had seen at the beginning that suspicion pointed to Hester Grimes. And
perhaps Bobby believed at the bottom of her heart that Hester had
brought about the destruction. Bobby and Hester had forever been at
daggers' points.
Bobby, however, was as full of mischief and fun as ever.
"Oh, girls!" she exclaimed, to a group waiting at the girls' entrance
to the school building one morning. "I've got the greatest joke on Gee
Gee! Listen to it."
"What have you done now, you bad, bad child?" demanded Nellie. "You'll
miss playing goal guard against East High if you don't look out. Miss
Carrington is watching you."
"She's always watching me," complained Bobby. "But this joke can't put
a black mark against _me_, thank goodness!"
"What is it, Bobby?" asked Dorothy Lockwood.
"Don't keep us on tenter-hooks," urged her twin.
"Why, Gee Gee called at Alice Long's yesterday afternoon. You know,
she is bound to make a round of the girls' homes early in the term--she
always does. And Alice Long was able to return to school this fall."
"And I'm glad of that," said Dorothy. "She'll finish her senior year
and graduate."
"Well," chuckled Bobby, "Gee Gee appeared at the house and Tommy,
Short and Long's little brother, met her at the door. Alice wasn't in,
and Gee Gee opened her cardcase. Out fluttered one of those bits of
tissue paper that come between engraved cards--to keep 'em from
smudging, you know. Tommy jumped and picked it up, and says he:
"'Say, Missis! you dropped one of your cigarette papers.' Now, what do
you know about _that_?" cried Bobby, as the other girls went off into
a gale of laughter. "Billy heard him, and it certainly tickled that
boy. Think of Gee Gee's feelings!"
Not alone Bobby, but all the members of the basketball team were doing
their very best in classes so as to have no marks against them before
the game with the East High girls.
Mrs. Case coached them sharply, paying particular attention to Hester.
It was too bad that this robust girl, who was so well able to play the
game, should mar her playing with roughness and actual rudeness to her
fellow-players. And warnings seemed wasted on her.
Hester never received a demerit from Miss Carrington. In class she was
always prepared and there was little to ruffle her temper. The
instructors--aside from Mrs. Case--seldom found any fault with Hester
Grimes.
The game with the crack team of the East High girls was to be played
on the latter's court. The girls of Central High had been beaten there
in the spring; this afternoon they went over--with their friends--with
the hope of returning the spring defeat.
Bobby had been in the audience and led the "rooting" among the girls
for Central High at the former game. Now she had graduated from a mere
basketball "fan" to a very alert and successful goal guard.
This was Eve Sitz's first important game, too; but the Swiss girl was
of a cool and phlegmatic temperament and Laura Belding, as captain,
had no fears for her.
The audience was a large one, and was enthusiastic from the start. The
girls of Central High always attended the boys' games in force and
applauded liberally for their own school team; so Chet Belding and
Lance Darby, with a crowd of strong-lunged Central High boys at their
backs, cheered their girl friends when they came on the field with the
very effective school yell:
"C-e-n, Central High!
C-e-n-t-r-a-l, Central High!
C-e-n-t-r-a-l-h-i-g-h, Central High!
Ziz-z-z-z----
Boom!"
The teams took their places after warming up a little, their physical
instructors acting as coaches, while the physical instructor for West
High School of Centerport was referee. The officials on the lines were
selected from the competing schools.
It was agreed to play two fifteen-minute halves and the ball was put
into play by the referee. The girls of Central High played like
clockwork for the first five minutes and scored a clean goal. Their
friends cheered tumultuously.
When the ball was put into play again there was much excitement.
"Shoot it here, Laura! I'm loose!" shouted Bobby, whose slang was
always typical of the game she was playing.
"Block her! Block her!" cried the captain of the East High team.
Most of the instructions were supposed to be passed by signal; but the
girls would get excited at times and, unless the referee blew her
whistle and stopped the play, pandemonium _did_ reign on the court
once in a while. Suddenly the ball chanced to be snapped to Hester's
side of the court. Her opponent got it, and almost instantly the
referee's whistle blew.
"That Central High girl at forward center is over-guarding."
"No, I'm not!" snapped Hester.
The lady who acted as referee was a bit hot-tempered herself, perhaps.
At least, this flat contradiction brought a most unexpected retort
from her lips:
"Central High Captain!"
"Yes, ma'am?" gasped Laura Belding.
"Take out your forward center and put in a substitute for this half."
"But, Miss Lawrence!" cried Laura, aghast.
"You are delaying play, Miss Belding," said the referee, sharply.
Laura looked at Hester with commiseration; but she did not have to
speak. The culprit, with a red and angry visage, was already crossing
the court toward the dressing rooms. Laura put in Roberta Fish, and
play went on.
But the Central High team was rattled. East High got two goals--one
from a foul--and so stood in the lead at the end of the half. The
visiting team did not work so well together with the substitute
player, and the captain of East High, seeing this fact, crowded the
play to Roberta Fish's side.
"My goodness!" whispered Bobby Hargrew, as they ran off the field at
the end of the half. "I hope that's taught Hester a lesson. And this
is once when we need Hester Grimes badly."
"I should say we did," panted Laura.
"We've got to play up some to win back that point we lost, let alone
beating them," cried Jess Morse.
Nellie Agnew was the first to enter the dressing room assigned to the
Central High girls. She looked around the empty room and gasped.
"What's the matter, Nell?" cried Bobby, crowding in.
"Where is she?" demanded the doctor's daughter.
"Hessie has lit out!" shouted Bobby, turning back to the captain and
her team-mates.
"She's got mad and gone home!" declared Jess Morse. "Her hat and coat
are gone."
"_Now_ what will we do?" cried Dorothy Lockwood.
And the question was echoed from all sides. For without Hester it did
not seem possible that the Central High team could hold its own with
its opponents.