Hockey
Ingred signed her name next morning as a member of the Rainbow League,
and received a neat notebook with a Japanese design of purple irises
stencilled on the cover. Though the new society was supposed to be run
entirely by the girls themselves, it was much encouraged at
head-quarters, and special allowances were made for its activities. Miss
Burd sent for a book on _Toy-making at Home_, and gave the Handicraft
classes an indulgence to concentrate for the present on the construction
of little windmills, carts, dolls' furniture, trains, jigsaw puzzles,
and other articles described in its fascinating pages. Such a number of
girls had joined the League that many willing hands were at work, and at
Christmas they hoped to have a sale of the best of the toys in aid of a
fund for War Orphans, and to send the remainder to be given away as
treats for poor children.
Lispeth was highly enthusiastic, and full of future schemes.
"We'll do toy-making this term," she decreed, "and then next term we can
think of something else. In the spring and summer we'll have a Posy
Union to send bunches of flowers to sick people. We can't do anything of
that, of course, during the winter, unless some of you like to put down
bulbs; it would be lovely to give a pot of purple crocuses to a little
crippled child! I think making the toys is just A1. I want to start a
manufactory!"
"Barring the glue," said Susie Wakefield. "It smells simply abominable
when it boils over. Why doesn't somebody bring out a patent for
sweet-scented glue?"
"Sweet-scented glue! You Sybarite!"
"Why not? They could make it out of all those delicious gums and resins
you read about in books on the Spice Islands, instead of--by the by,
what is glue made of?"
"Horses' hoofs, I believe, but I fancy it's better not to ask what it's
made of. I don't think your gums and resins would do the deed so well.
We'd best stick to good old-fashioned glue."
"That's just what I complained of--I _do_ stick to it, or rather it
sticks to me. I get it all over my hands, and smears down my overall."
"Then you're an untidy workwoman, old sport, and I can't do anything for
you except recommend 'Gresolvent.'"
The girls were grateful for the latitude of the Handicraft class, for
otherwise they would have had little or no time to give to the
construction of toys. The homework of the College was stiff, and
certain games were compulsory. The hockey season had begun, and fixtures
had been made with other schools in the neighborhood.
"We must see that the old Coll. keeps up its reputation," said Blossom
Webster, the games captain. "Last year, when we had Lennie Peters and
Sophy Aston, we did a thing or two, didn't we? 'What girl has done, girl
can do!' and we've just got to buck up and try."
"Rather!" agreed the team.
Among the various matches which had been arranged was one with The
Clinton High School Old Girls' Association. It was an amateur team of
enthusiasts, who, debarred from playing any longer for their school, had
established a club of their own. They had sent a challenge to Grovebury
College, and it had been accepted.
"Saturday morning's a weird time for a match!" said Blossom, re-reading
the letter to her chums. "But their captain says it's the only time they
can get their field. It's used by another club in the afternoons, so
she's fixed eleven o'clock."
"It suits me rather decently," said Janie Potter. "I'm going out to tea
in the afternoon, so I couldn't have come if the match had been at
three. Don't stare at me like that! _No_ I'm _not_ a slacker! I must
accept invitations to tea sometimes, even if I _am_ in the team. What a
dragon you are, Blossom!"
"Good thing some one keeps the team up, or you'd be gadding off
tea-drinking instead of playing!" returned Blossom grimly. "Grovebury
expects every girl to do her duty on Saturday. It will be bad luck for
the season if we lose our first match."
The Clinton Old Girls' Association had its field at Denscourt, a town
ten miles away from Grovebury. It was arranged by the team, and for any
girls from the college who cared to come as spectators, to meet at the
railway station at 10:15, and travel together under the escort of Miss
Giles.
Ingred, who was a keen player, and very proud of having been placed in
the reserve, was to spend Friday night at the hostel, instead of
returning as usual to Wynch-on-the-Wold.
Nora, Verity, and Fil were also to be numbered among the spectators.
On the eventful morning, as the girls were just finishing breakfast, a
telegram arrived for Rachel Grant. She tore open the yellow envelope,
and her face fell as she read the brief message. Her mother was
seriously ill, and she must return home immediately. Mrs. Best went
upstairs at once to arrange for her hurried journey, and to help her to
pack.
Downstairs at the breakfast-table the girls discussed the bad news. They
were very sorry for Rachel, and also for themselves, for she was their
right inner.
"It's like our luck!" fretted Janie Potter.
"Too disgusting for words!" groused Doreen Hayward.
"Poor old Rachel!" groaned Fil.
"What's going to be done?" asked everybody, as they folded their
serviettes and left the table.
That question was answered by Miss Giles, who beckoned to Ingred in the
hall, and said briefly:
"Ingred, will you fetch your hockey-stick and pads?"
Ingred did not need telling twice. To take Rachel's place was indeed an
honor. Such a chance did not come often. With huge satisfaction she
donned her neat navy-blue skirt, edged with its orange band, and her
blouse with its orange collar and cuffs.
"You lucker!" sighed Nora enviously. "I'd just jolly well give
everything I have to be in the match to-day. It's not much sport to
stand by and cheer. Oh, don't think I'm trying to get out of coming! I'm
going to look on and see that you do your duty. If you're not playing
up, I'll hiss!"
"I'll do my best," laughed Ingred, "and if I drop down for sheer lack of
breath, I shall expect you and Verity to carry me home. There!"
"Right you are! It's a bargain, though you'd be a jolly heavy burden, I
can tell you."
The team, Miss Giles, and about twenty girls as spectators, were
punctual to their appointment, and assembled at the station just in time
for the train. By a little maneuvering, combined with good fortune, they
secured three compartments to themselves, for a solitary old gentleman,
whom they found in possession of a corner seat, bolted in alarm at such
an invasion of schoolgirls, and sought sanctuary in a smoking carriage.
Some generous spirits had brought chocolates and butter-scotch, which
they shared round, and Nora, the irrepressible, produced from her pocket
a mouth-organ, with which she proceeded to entertain the company, until
frantic raps from the next compartment made her aware that Miss Giles
heard and disapproved of her amateur recital. Naturally the talk was
largely about hockey and the chances of the match. It was known that the
Old Clintonians were a strong team, for most of them had been the crack
players of their school. To beat them would indeed be a feather in the
cap of the college.
"Too good to come off!" groaned Blossom gloomily.
"Nonsense, you can't tell till you've tried! Make up your mind you're
going to win!" said Nora indignantly. "I shan't speak to you again if
you lose this match!"
"I'm only one out of eleven, please!"
"Well, I don't care! One who makes up her mind to fail can spoil
everything, and vice-versa, so just buck up and win!"
The hockey ground was not very far from the station at Denscourt, and
when the Grovebury contingent arrived they found the Old Clintonians
ready and waiting for them. The eleven ran into the pavilion and took
off the long coats that had covered their gym costumes; then trooped out
on to the field, as neat and business-like looking a team as could be
imagined. Blossom, with her chums, Janie and Doreen, took good stock of
their opponents.
"They're a strong set, and will take some beating," said Janie.
"Rather!" agreed Blossom. "You may be sure we're not going to goal just
when we please."
"They look topping sports!" commented Doreen.
Everything was now in perfect order; the teams were placed, and the
umpire blew her whistle for the match to begin. As the account of such a
contest is always much more interesting when narrated by an actual
spectator, and as Nora wrote a long and accurate description of it
afterwards to a cousin at school in London, I will insert her letter,
and allow it to speak for itself.
(_This letter is an account of a real match, written by a real
schoolgirl._)
"Grovebury College.
"_My Dear Margaret_,
"I simply must tell you about the hockey match we played last
Saturday!
"The team played the Clinton High School Old Girls' Association at
Denscourt. Our girls were awfully keen to meet them, and were not
at all daunted by the fact that they were exceptionally strong.
"About twenty of us went as spectators, and as we were about to set
off to the station with the Eleven, Rachel Grant, the Left Inner,
received a telegram, conveying news of her mother's serious
illness. To our great misfortune, she was obliged to go home at
once, and the first girl on the Reserve, Ingred Saxon, had to fill
her place.
"Miss Giles, the Games Mistress, went on to get the tickets, and,
in spite of some delay, we managed to meet her in time to catch the
train. It is ten miles from here to Denscourt, and we arrived there
in about twenty minutes.
"The field is not very far from the railway station. The team girls
were taken to the pavilion, and when they were ready, the captain
tossed up. Veronica Hall, the opposing captain, who is a tall
strong girl, and a fine hockey player, won the toss, and chose to
play against the wind for the first half. At exactly eleven, the
center forwards, Blossom and Veronica, began the bully-off. There
were three dull clashes as their sticks met, and then with a
dexterous stroke, Blossom passed the ball to her Right Inner, Janie
Potter. Before she could strike, the wing on the opposite side
captured the ball, and with a clean drive sent it spinning down the
field. It was soon stopped, however, by Doreen Hayward, the Right
Half, who, after successfully dribbling it past the enemy Inner,
sent it hard out to Aline West, the School Right Wing. Soon Aline
had the ball half-way up the field, but suddenly she stumbled, and
fell headlong to the ground. Before she could rise, the ball had
been sent to the rival Center Forward, who, with a magnificent hit,
drove it nearly into the goal-circle. There it was splendidly
blocked by Kitty Saunders, our Left Back, and quickly passed to
Evie Irving, the Left Wing. There was a brief, though fierce,
struggle for possession of the ball between the two wings, in which
Evie was victorious. She neatly avoided the Clinton Right Half, but
the ball went off the line. The opposing Half-back rolled in--to
her wing, as she thought--but with a swift movement, Ingred Saxon,
the Left Inner, reached the ball first, and taking it with her, ran
up the field like lightning. The Inner on the other side was an
equally fast runner, but Ingred easily evaded her opponent's
continued efforts to get the ball for some time.
"'Oh! has she lost the ball?' 'No. Is she still flying on, the ball
before her?' 'Will she pass the rival back safely?' were the
questions which thronged my brain, nearly paralyzed with
excitement.
"Not able to dribble the ball any farther, and being attacked by a
girl wearing the Clinton colors, Ingred hit the ball out to her
wing, who struck in to center again. The Left Back on the opposing
side stopped it just as it entered the goal-circle.
"'Clear!' yelled one of the onlookers, unable to contain herself,
and with a fine stroke the Back sent the ball flying away to the
other side of the field. It went with such force that, although our
Right Back made an attempt to stop it, it raced past her stick and
over the outside line. After the roll-in, nearly all the play was
carried on practically in the center of the field. Each side
displayed some excellent passing, but when the whistle blew at half
time, neither had scored. By this time all the girls were hot and
panting, except the Goal-keepers, and were ready for the brief
rest. Our Eleven stood in a group together, sharing the lemons
which the Clinton girls provided, and discussing the events of the
last half-hour.
"'Girls!' exclaimed Blossom, our captain 'we simply must win this
match! We shall have the wind against us the next half, but we are
not going to let things end in a victory for the Clintonians, or in
a draw either, are we?'
"'No!' was the decided answer.
"A few minutes later every one was in her place again, but of
course defending the other goal. Blossom and Veronica were once
more bullying-off. This time the latter was the quicker of the two,
for, with a clever hit, she succeeded in sending the ball away to
her Left Wing. The Clinton Left Wing began to dribble it along
towards the goal we were defending, and, when confronted by our
Right Half, passed it to her center. I almost screamed out to our
Center Forward not to let Veronica keep the ball, for I knew she
was a dangerous opponent. She was well up the field, and with a
neat turn of her stick sent the ball past our Right Back. There was
only one girl now to prevent her from getting a goal! Blossom was
now fast gaining, and then, just as Veronica came within shooting
distance, her foot slipped in the slimy mud, and she lost her
balance. Blossom was level with Veronica by this time, and before
the Clinton captain could steady herself, she had sent the ball far
away from the danger zone.
"The play went on fairly evenly again until five minutes to twelve.
I felt wild with anxiety, and I am sure the others did too, for
there were only five minutes left.
"The ball had just been sent over the line by one of the Clinton
girls, and our Left Half rolled in. The wing missed the bill, but
Ingred took it, and--well, I cannot tell you clearly what happened
after that. I still have in my mind the picture of Ingred, who, the
ball at her side, literally flew up the field, her feet scarcely
touching the ground. No one knows how she did it, but by some
marvellous playing she passed all her opponents, and shot the only
goal of the whole match just three seconds before the whistle blew
for 'Time.'
"Of course Ingred was the heroine of the hour. As she was being
escorted to the pavilion, flushed but triumphant, Miss Giles said
to her: 'Well played! I am proud of you!'
"Those few words of praise meant a good deal to Ingred, and we all
felt how well she deserved them, especially as it was only by
accident that she played in the team at all.
"I do hope I have not tired you by going too fully into our match,
but I know you are interested in our school games, hockey in
particular. I will tell you about our later fixtures when I see you
at Christmas, so until then--Good-bye.
"With love from your affectionate cousin,
"Nora Clifford."