THE BIG GAME
The Santa Benicia team came on the field, after the first half, with
Left Eared Dongan in the line-up. Pink Eye Morrison had hurt his
ankle, at left end, and had been replaced by Dongan. Otherwise, they
had gone through the first half without injury, and the score was six
to six.
Was Hike in the game? Rather. When the coach saw him on Thursday
morning, bright of eye and ruddy of cheek, there was no question of
his going in. “What did you do to get in such good shape?” he asked.
“Rested _right_,” replied Hike.
He had never played so well, though he did not try for any
spectacular runs. He was making sure that Santa Benicia, rather than
Hike Griffin, should win.
The teams held each other down well, during the second half, and then
Hike got around the San Dinero end with the ball. He had practically
a clear field before him. The Santa Benicians were ready to spring up
and yell their “hike, Hike, _hike_!”
But on his shoulder Hike felt the touch of Left Ear’s hand. Left Ear
had followed him, close and swift, as interference. There was a kind
of thrill in this support from Poodle’s old enemy. Left Ear could
make the touch-down, with this clear field and—
Hike suddenly passed him the ball and yelled, “_Beat it!_” Dazed,
Left Ear seized the ball and ran faster than he had ever run before.
He was winded when he dropped on San Dinero’s goal-line, but he had
made the touch-down that won the game.
A few minutes more of playing, and the Santa Benicians flocked on the
field, yelling “Victory!” and carried off Pink Eye, Bill McDever,
Left Ear and Hike on their shoulders—though Poodle still declares
that it was Hike who got most of the cheers.
What Hike cared for more was the hand-shake of three people: Left
Ear, who looked curious about the eyes as he said, “Thanks, old
Hike”; Poodle; and—Lieutenant Jack Adeler!
“Just got back in time for the game,” the Lieutenant said. “The
country’s been pacified, and the robber bands broken up. But there’s
one piece of bad news. Captain Welch got free, and he’s disappeared
again.”
“Got _free_?!”
[Illustration: HIKE PASSED “LEFT EAR” THE BALL AND YELLED “BEAT IT!”
_Page 272_
]
“Yes. Through a corrupt judge. He must have done some tall bribery.
He got a writ of habeas corpus, and the judge declared that there
were no grounds for holding him. Not even under bail. Then he made
a quick disappearance. I have no idea where he’s gone; but I don’t
think he’s very likely to love us any too well, and he’ll make more
trouble for us, yet. We must watch out for him.”
“We sure will.”
* * * * *
While they were talking, and walking up to the Lieutenant’s room
with Poodle, Left Eared Dongan was gathering the class for a special
meeting. The regular class-meeting to elect a president had been
postponed till after the Thanksgiving game. Mousey Tincom and others
had insisted on the postponement, fearing that Bluggy Blodgett, the
class bully, might get the office. Hike and Poodle did not know that
there was a meeting.
Left Eared Dongan had been expected to nominate Bluggy Blodgett.
He jumped to his feet before Mousey Tincom could, rushed up to the
blackboard facing the class-room where the meeting was held, and
shouted, “I nominate the best man in the class.”
Then, with a large flourish, he wrote: “Hike G.”
“I move to make that unanimous,” shouted Biffer Townsend, and half
the class yelled “Second t’ motion.” It was carried, with even Bluggy
Blodgett yelling with the rest.
When Hike and Poodle left the Lieutenant’s room, they were met by
most of the class, on their way to the bonfire to celebrate the San
Dinero victory. As they marched, they sang to the tune of “Son of a
Gambolier,” a new song which Left Eared Dongan had written on the
blackboard:
“Oh, you can have most any foolish president you like,
But we’re a brainy bunch of Sophs., and we have chosen _Hike_!
Just watch our speed—it’s us that’s aviating down the pike,
Get wise, be still, and listen to our ‘_hike_, Hike, hike!’”
That night the team met, and elected Snifty Carter, from the Junior
class, for the next year’s captain. Snifty met Hike after the great
bonfire, late in the evening, and said, “Hike, I hope you’ll be on
the job footballing, next year.”
“I sure will,” promised Hike.
“Because,” added Snifty, “the whole school will expect you to win the
game for us.”
“Aw—” was all Hike could say, in astonished protest.
But he looked forward to a great spring, with the track-team, and a
great fall to come.
A LETTER FROM POODLE
“A. READER, ESQ.:
“Some think I ought to be in on the end of this, too, but I don’t
care so awfully much just so Hike has all the credit that is coming
to him! But I might say that I think I’ll land anyway one poem a
month from now on, and maybe some stories, in the school mag.
“It’s a January evening, and old Hike is studying hard, in his
Morris chair, on the other side of the fireplace from where I’m
writing. He’s been hitting the books hard, and I guess he’ll make
up that Latin.
“I think there will be some fun next spring. Besides the track
team, probably we will be organizing a Santa Benicia band of Boy
Scouts, and even though Hike and I do feel so awful grown up, watch
us connect with all the fun.
“Lieutenant Jack Adeler is organizing the band, and he has a plan
to take the scouts on a long outing next summer, down the coast
below Monterey.
“I think we’ll have an exciting time, for I’ve heard that there’s
a bunch of Chinese smugglers down there, in caves and so on, and
horse thieves.
“So when you’re getting ready for scouting, remember that Hike and
I send you a wireless ‘Hullo.’ Maybe we can even lend you some
leggins or frying pans by wireless. Good luck, anyway.
“Well, I’m kind of sleepy, and there’s a fine young bed waiting for
me, and
“So long!
“POODLE DARBY.”
THE END
Transcriber’s Notes
pg 65 Changed: kidnaped young lady
to: kidnapped young lady
pg 121 Changed: were he could again hear the frogs
to: where he could again hear the frogs
pg 178 Changed: Before a stationery motorcycle
to: Before a stationary motorcycle
pg 209 Changed: stood out in hugh wrinkles
to: stood out in huge wrinkles
pg 230 Changed: instead of dwadling across the Yard
to: instead of dawdling across the Yard
pg 254 Changed: Lieutenant straightened his soldiers,
to: Lieutenant straightened his shoulders,