ALICE HAS A CHANCE
The four chums were certainly regarded as the heroes of the school that
day, for they had been instrumental in winning a victory that went down
in the history of the institution as a most brilliant one.
"I didn't know you had it in you, Stumpy," said Ned, as the nine reached
the high school grounds on the return trip.
"Me either," replied Fenn. "It sort of 'growed,' like Topsy in Uncle
Tom's Cabin."
"To think of beating the Preps," murmured Bart. "It's the finest thing
that ever happened."
"How's your wrist, Lem?" asked Frank.
"Hurts like the mischief. Sandy came down on it with all his force."
"Say, I wonder if he meant that?" asked Fenn.
"Meant it? What do you mean?" asked Bart.
"Well it looked queer," went on Fenn. "There we were in a tie game and
we needed every advantage we could get to hold it. Then Sandy gets up to
one of his tricks, and he might have known something would happen. It
always does when he tries his funny work."
"You don't mean to say you think he deliberately hurt me, do you?" asked
Lem, winding his handkerchief around the swollen wrist.
"Well, I wouldn't want to accuse any one unjustly," Stumpy continued.
"But I heard he was going around saying things about being done out of
his place as substitute pitcher, in practice, by me. Maybe he thought
he'd just hurt Lem a little so's he could have a chance to finish out
the game."
"I'd hate to believe it of him," remarked the captain, "but he certainly
did act rather strange. He went off angry, too. Well, it can't be
helped. Guess we'd better not say anything about it unless he tries to
do something else. Come on to the drug store, Lem, and we'll get some
arnica for that wrist."
Most of the boys dispersed at the school campus where the stage had left
them, but the four chums, with Lem in their midst, walked up the street
together.
"I wouldn't be afraid to tackle 'em again," observed Ned. "We've got
their measure now."
"Maybe they'll ask for a return game," said Bart. "Hello," he added,
"here comes my sister and Jennie Smith. Look out, Stumpy, or Jennie will
be doing the Juliet act to you."
"Guess not," spoke Fenn, and he started to walk away, but Ned held him.
"Don't desert in the face of the enemy," he said, and Fenn had to stay.
"Oh, is some one hurt?" cried Alice, as she saw the cloth around Lem's
wrist. "How nice! I mean how fortunate I happened to meet you! Now I
will have a chance to treat you!"
"Going to treat us to ice cream sodas?" asked her brother unfeelingly.
"Don't be foolish, Bart! What is it Lem; is your wrist broken?"
"Only sprained, I think."
"Let me look at it," demanded Alice, and, regardless of the crowd that
gathered, when the five boys and two girls formed a group on the
sidewalk, Alice proceeded to undo the handkerchief and other cloth Lem
had wound about his wrist.
"Wait a minute," said Alice. "I must look at my book on
first-aid-to-the-injured to make sure what it is," and she took a little
volume from a bag she carried on her arm. Rapidly turning the pages she
read:
"'A sprain is the result of violent twisting, stretching or partial
tearing of the ligaments about a joint, and there is often a fracture at
the ends of the bones.' Are you sure there isn't a fracture, Lem? I'd
love to treat a fracture as I never had a chance at one yet."
"I hope not," murmured the disabled pitcher. "It's bad enough as it is."
He was rather uneasy under the pressure Alice brought to bear on his
wrist as she turned it this way and that, in an endeavor to see if it
was broken.
"Do I hurt you?" she asked.
"Well--er--that is--no!" and Lem shut his teeth tightly together.
"Come right over to the drug store," spoke Alice, as she led Lem by the
injured wrist. He tried not to show the pain she unconsciously caused
him. "I will get some hot water and hold your hand in it for an hour and
a half."
"Half an hour's enough," Lem said. "I haven't got time for any more."
"I must go by the book," Alice declared firmly. "A good nurse always
does that."
Alice walked into the drug store, leading Lem as though she had done
that sort of thing all her life. The four chums followed.
"Some hot water please, in a deep basin," requested Alice of the clerk,
and, though the man behind the counter looked in wonder at the strange
cavalcade, he brought out the basin full of the steaming liquid.
"Put your wrist in," commanded Alice as she rolled up Lem's sleeve.
He thrust his arm in, half way to the elbow.
"Ouch!" he yelled. "It's hot!"
"Of course it is," replied the girl coolly, "it has to be. Now while we
are waiting the hour and a half let's talk about the game. It will help
you to forget the pain. Maybe Bart has money for some ice cream soda."
"I'll buy 'em," said Lem, trying to get his uninjured hand into his
pocket.
"You'll do nothing of the sort," decided Alice. "You're a patient.
Whoever heard of a patient standing treat?" and she motioned to her
brother.