CHAPTER XV
ONCE MORE BASKETBALL
"Father, do you care if I'm on the squad, you know, in basketball?"asked Betty at breakfast one morning shortly after the Valentine party.She had not heard from Larry and was beginning to think it all a dream.It hadn't happened!
"I'll not be on the regular team, you understand, and I'm not likely tobe called into the games at all, but the inter-class games are on nowand the sophomores are _too_ good, and, bless you, the little freshmenare amounting to a real menace!"
"A _menace_! That will never do," said Mr. Lee.
"Hurray for the sophomores," said Dick.
"I hope we beat you," laughed Doris, "though it will be a sort ofdisgrace if this senior class doesn't win. It's always been good inathletics."
"I am glad to see that you can look on both sides, Doris," said Mrs.Lee.
"Oh, don't give me credit for wanting Betty's class to beat, Mother. I'd_love_ to see the sophomores win!"
"It is a good thing Betty is going to the university next year," laughedMr. Lee.
"Oh--am I? I'm glad to hear it's decided, Father," spoke Betty. "I didwant to go away, but I don't now."
"What has changed you?" quickly asked Doris. "Is it Ted's or Chet'sbeing there?"
"Doris," rebuked Mrs. Lee, who thought her daughter too pert in mannerand her question too personal.
But Betty replied to her sister, "So far as I know, either may be goingaway. I understand that both of them expected to sample some otherschool, for the experience. But when they once start in here they get toliking it and make their friends and all. I think talking to MarcellaWaite and her friends influenced me."
Betty knew that Doris would not think of Larry in this connection.
Returning to the discussion on basketball, Betty told her father thatone of the girls on the team was just down with mumps and another had abad ankle. Her father asked her if she wanted to risk getting one, too,but Betty said that her playing was not likely and anyway no worse thanthe practice games that she was doing now a _little_.
"I was throwing the ball into baskets in the gym yesterday, Father, andthey just begged me to help out, or be where I could legitimately becalled on. Carolyn and Kathryn were both after me. And, Father, I'm notgoing to do a thing in the university but get my lessons, take music andswim!"
"Very well, then. I suppose you must. Vale. _Cura ut valeas_."
This was her father's frequent way of telling them, in the language ofCicero's Letters, to take care of themselves. He excused himself andleft the table, the sound of the car being taken from the garagereaching those left at table as soon as it was possible for Mr. Lee toget there. He was leaving early and the children could get to school bystreet car.
So it came about that Betty "sat on the side lines" during the lastcompetitive games, when everybody was highly keyed. The seniors, inspite of losses, for another girl came down with mumps in the midst ofevents, were still eligible to win the contest when their last game wascalled. It reminded Betty of that other contest, when Mathilde almostsucceeded in giving the game to Marcella's team against whom they wereplaying. Mathilde was such a cheat. Whenever Betty was inclined to feelsorry for her marrying a boy with a taste for liquor so pronounced, shethought that Jack was not doing so much better. And Mathilde, though noton the team, was not far from Betty today in the familiar old "gym"where quite a crowd had gathered to see the last game that the seniorswould play against any of the others. And it was the sophomores again,the class team that had done so well. There sat Doris, rooting for thesophomores, but waving her hand once in friendly fashion at her sister.But it was hard to keep to good sportsmanship. Besides, Betty had hadenough successes!
The game was an eager one, tense. The seniors had the advantage ofsuperior public poise, perhaps, and longer experience. The sophomores,however, were out to win. One senior girl finally, to Betty's dismay,began to blunder and play badly, giving a big advantage to thesophomores, who needed no prompting in regard to taking it. Then thegirl was taken out of the game and there was a consultation. Mathildemoved over to Betty's side, where they were watching the game, and hopedthat she would be called to take her place. "I just wanted to jump rightup and take that ball!" cried Mathilde. "What made her so stupid?"
"I think she must be sick, Mathilde. Carolyn had her arm around her."But Betty had felt the same way. Could they win now? They must! Then thechampionship game would be the last.
But the director was coming in their direction. Mathilde hopped uphopefully, but again was disappointed in having Betty chosen before her.Betty felt almost sorry, though she was in the mood to do anything--allto save the game. Ah, Betty could make baskets, and with Carolyn andKathryn there!
Fast and furious went the last part of the game. Rooters called and gavethe Lyon High cheers to encourage the players. The sophomore rootersgrew quiet as the score began to pile up for the seniors. "Well, itbegins to look as if we'd have to wait till next year to smite 'em inclass contests," sighed Doris to her chum.
"Never mind, if they do beat us this time, we'll be the ones to playagainst them in the championship games unless we lose our next game withthe freshies."
Breathless and delighted with victory, Betty after distinguishingherself in brave help and rescue at an important juncture, talked it allover with Carolyn and Kathryn. "Oh, you girls are simply marvelous, theway you pass to each other!"
"Yes, and the way you got on to everything just as if you had beenplaying with, us all along!"
"I have, in spirit," laughed Betty. "I've seen every game and notedevery thing you did."
Carolyn and Kathryn were forwards and had, indeed worked up a "system"as they declared to Betty, but that amounted only to an almostinstinctive knowledge of each other's probable action under the rulesand suggestions of their coach. "Now if we just had you for captain,"laughed Carolyn, "we could play the whole game without anybody else!Don't tell Gwen I said that, though. She's great."
"Wouldn't that make an interesting game," said Betty, "three on thefloor!"
But Carolyn said that she was a true prophet when Gwen Penrose, seniorcaptain, before the championship game came down with the prevalent anddisgustingly childish disease. The ranks were decimated indeed and theother class was rejoicing. The other girls on the senior team wereworried. They were all needed in their own particular duties. No onewanted to take the responsibility of being captain. Then with oneaccord, coach and girls decided that Betty could do it, and Betty,hesitatingly, said that she would try.
"You led a team to victory once, Betty--just do it again," urgedKathryn.
"It's a risk, girls, but then, somebody's got to do it--only it shouldbe one of the original second team."
"The best ones are down with mumps, too, Betty, and it looks as if thefates have elected you to do the job."
"Well," Mickey Carlin told a sophomore boy, "if Betty Lee is captain ofthe senior team, it's goodnight for your girls. She's president of theG. A. A. anyhow, and seems to have a _gift_ for leadership and any sortof athletics. But the mumps seems to be the seniors' Waterloo. If Bettygets it, you may have hope."
"She's had 'em. Dick Lee said so," replied the sophomore boy, grinning."But I'll not mention it to the girls."
"You forget about Doris," suggested Mickey. "I don't want to mentionanything else discouraging, but it isn't impossible for the sophomoresto get the mumps playing this way with the seniors, you know."
"Forget it! Mumps, indeed!" But the next day he did not come to school.Mumps had struck even a sophomore.
Fortunately the little epidemic spread no farther, once recognized.Betty, neglecting other things temporarily, practiced basketball tillthe championship game, the center of so much interest, was on. Cooloutwardly, but tense within and alert to every play, Betty as captainalmost prayed for success. This year was her farewell to competitiveathletics. Her mother, saying that she could not stand the excitementand hoped that Betty would not get hurt, r
efused to attend the game.Betty did not know whether she spoke in earnest or was joking; but theticket she had for her mother she gave to Amy Lou, who had begged to goand was now in a state of high delight, saying that one of her schoolchums had a cousin on the squad and that she was to be taken over fromschool in an automobile, if she could only have an excuse to get outearly.
That matter was attended to and Doris shook her finger at Amy Lou with acomical expression, asking her which team she "would root for." "Will itbe Betty's class or mine?" she cried, shaking, her head to suggest direconsequences if Amy Lou chose Betty's.
"Well, but _Betty_ is _playing_," decided Amy Lou on the spot.
The hour arrived and a game fast and furious was on, closely watched,well played by both sides. Never before had it seemed so difficult forany senior on the team to make a basket. The sophomores were "setagainst it," said Doris Lee to Amy Lou and her friend, both of whomwould ask questions at the most exciting moment!
Again swift passing and long shots were employed by the seniors. Therewas little scoring on either side till almost the last of the game. Andthen it was Betty, who at the last minute made another basket and gavethe seniors what was necessary to win over the sophomores by _onepoint_!
Both teams were due for congratulations. "Now that was what we call agood game," said Doris decidedly to Amy Lou. "Of course, whoever winswould like to win with a higher score, but it makes more excitement thisway."
"My oldest sister," explained Amy Lou to her schoolmate, "is presidentof the G. A. A. and the best swimmer in school, that is, of the girls.That was her, captain of the senior team. She gets prizes and things,too."
"I know all those girls on the team," airily replied Amy Lou's friend."My cousin tells me about them. But I guess your sister is real good. Isaw her make that basket at the end."
"Betty can do anything she tries to do," said loyal Amy Lou, more loyalthan wise on some occasions. "She is going to see if I can't come to thegame the faculty has with the regular team. It's terribly funny, always,and they have all sorts of stunts. The worst is getting Mother to let meget excused from school early."
"Oh, that is never any trouble for me," said the other child. "Sometimesthey come for me and just take me to a movie."
Amy Lou was rather envious at that statement and wondered what herparents would say if she repeated it at home.
"I'll take you some time," offered the child.
"Thank you, but I wouldn't be allowed," said Amy Lou. She had alreadyexpressed her thanks for the kindness of this trip.
Meantime a tired and excited Betty was receiving congratulations for theteam and for herself. While Amy Lou went home with Doris, Betty took aplunge and shower and was carried off to Carolyn's, for the Gwynne carwas to call for Carolyn. They scarcely talked on the way and the onlybit of energy shown by Carolyn that evening was when she called up tosee if Betty could stay all night. It was one of those quiet, restfulvisits that Betty could have with Carolyn and that Carolyn enjoyed withher. She almost told Carolyn about Larry's arranging with Marcella to bewith her at supper that night of the party. But it might lead to otherthings and the only thing that Carolyn said about it was to comment onhow nice it was of Marcella to put Betty with Larry.
"I always did think that Larry Waite was interested in you, Betty.'Always' means last summer, of course. He must be four or five yearsolder than you are. I imagine he must have asked Marcella to place himwith you. She was telling me how his father depends on him. It seems theolder brother went into the navy and is somewhere way off, in thePhilippines, I imagine."
Betty looked interested, responding by smiles and attention. "I neverheard Marcella say," she answered, "and Larry never spoke of it that Ican remember."
Betty's memories of Larry were still too precious to be talked about,even with Carolyn. Perhaps she would have the promised letter soon. Butif he made this trip for his father and had lessons to make up, he mightnot have time. That he would not forget, she was sure. It was differentnow.