CHAPTER II
TRACK TROUBLE
Before the end of the first lap, Rodman Cree had quit. It could hardlybe called his fault, because the elastic waistband which held up hisrunning pants had snapped, and a further awkward gallop with his handsholding up the slipping garment proved futile. So he veered off thetrack.
"No use!" he laughed. "Besides, I'm not a runner, anyhow."
It was the laugh that brought the scowl to Spec's face. "Of course, itwas not his fault," he grunted, "but why does he laugh about it? He'srunning for us to-day; he's our eighth man in the patrol. Doesn't heunderstand that we want to win?"
It had been rather a last-minute affair, this field day betweenthe Black Eagles and Buck Claxton's team, which he had called theAll-School; and it was Specs who had quite unconsciously started it all.
"I guess everybody knows," Specs had said in a loud, clear voiceduring the first morning's recess, "who it was that made this schoolpossible."
"I don't!" snapped Buck Claxton. "Look here, if you Scouts think you'reso much, I'll get together eight fellows who can beat you at baseballor football or track or anything else."
Though Bunny wished that Specs had spoken a little more modestly and ina great deal lower voice, he was not altogether sorry that the fieldmeet had been arranged. Because a half-holiday had been declared, toenable the Citizens' Club of Elkana to inspect the new high schoolbuilding, it was on Tuesday morning that the Scouts (plus Rodman Cree,to round out the eight mentioned in the challenge) clashed with theAll-School team on field and track.
It was Bunny's idea that the field day might spread the Scout movementamong the new fellows of the school, and especially among the followingthat Buck Claxton was rapidly acquiring. The leader of the Black Eaglesfelt, moreover, that they had been too much by themselves, and that asecond patrol would not only wake them out of their clannishness, butthat, in addition, it would keep them from sleeping on their laurels.And, of course, it was a splendid chance to see what they could do whenpitted against boys slightly older and larger.
"That was some race!" chuckled Specs, after S. S. had broken the tape.He and Bunny were walking toward the competitors for the high jump."Buck ran a good race, even if he was nosed out. How about taking himinto the Black Eagle Patrol? He's crazy to get in, all right, nomatter what he says. How do you feel about it?"
"What's the matter with Rodman Cree? He's acting as our eighth manto-day. Seems to me he should have first chance to join the patrol."
Specs wrinkled his forehead. "Y--yes. Oh, of course, he's all right.But he says himself that he just hit the ball by mistake yesterdaymorning; and you saw what happened just now in the half-mile."
Bunny threw back his shoulders. "I don't care whether Rodman Cree isany good at athletics or not. He's the right kind of a fellow; that'sthe main thing. Anyhow, I think he is. Besides, he may make good at oneof these other events."
But wherever his abilities lay, it was plain that the red-headed boyhad not been cut out by nature for a high jumper. Others skimmed thebar as lightly as swallows, but at the very outset Rodman began toflounder and fail. Twice, at three feet, he knocked off the crosspiece;the third time he came down on it squarely, smashing the wood toflinders.
"I'm no high-jumper, I guess," he laughed, as he quit the line ofcontestants. "I seem to be a pretty good faller--only there's nofalling race."
While Specs frowned his disapproval, Bunny tried to hearten Rodman witha word of encouragement; for it seemed to him that under the boy's goodnature there was a raw, sore spot.
"Don't you care!" he encouraged. "Before the morning's over, you willfind that you're good at some one of these events. Besides, Jump willtake care of first place here."
Jump did. To top this win, Bunny finished first in the hundred-yarddash, and, a little later, in the two-twenty. It was not till thediscus throw that the Scout team suffered an overwhelming reverse. Thisdefeat was the more disappointing because Bi and Roundy had countedon scoring points for first and second between them. But in spite ofBi's efforts and Roundy's weight, an All-School boy by the name of BobKiproy proved that he had the knack of discus throwing and that Bihadn't. And Peter Barrett, the farmer boy, without any form at all,managed to land the platter-shaped weight some twenty-six inches beyondRoundy's best. As for Rodman Cree, his throws went woefully wild.
Now followed the most extraordinary event of the morning.
"You can't throw the discus," Specs said maliciously to Roundy. "You'veproved that. Now, why don't you go in and win this hurdle race?"
"All right," snapped the late weight-thrower. "Just to prove that Ican, I will."
It was the 120-yard course, with low hurdles, however, instead of thecustomary thirty-six-inch regulation barriers.
"Don't make a show of yourself," whispered Specs, as Roundy lined upfor the start.
"I wasn't joking," retorted Roundy. "You watch!"
And, to the surprise of everybody, it was Roundy who breasted the tapefirst. While the others were rushing frantically at the hurdles andfalling as they tripped and blundered, Roundy took his obstacles "highand handsome," to use the words of Horace Hibbs. Jump, who should havedone well in this event, hurt his knee at the fourth hurdle, where hewas forced out of the race.
"Attaboy!" exulted Specs, clapping Roundy on the back. "I knew youcould do it."
"No, you didn't, either," Roundy answered, too pleased with hisperformance to be angry at anybody. "But I won the five points allright, even if I'm not one of you light and airy speedsters. What'snext?"
The shot put was won by Bi, and, as Specs put it, "lost by MisterRodman Cree," who finished a bad last.
"I'm leaving now," Bi told Bunny, after that event. "Date with thedentist at eleven, as I explained. Before I go, though, I'd just liketo say that I don't think this new fellow is any good. He can't run.Well, that's all right. But he can't do anything else, either."
"This isn't a secret society, Bi, and it isn't an athletic club. It's apatrol of Boy Scouts. And if Rodman isn't good at some of these thingsthat don't really count, I know he's worth while in other ways."
Bi shook his head. "Let some new patrol take him in. He may be allright, but I'd rather have somebody in the Black Eagles who isn't sucha dub."
With only three more events on the program, the Scouts' lead seemed topromise a sure victory. But when the All-School team romped away withboth first and second places in the broad jump, matters began to lookmore grave. Once more, Rodman Cree made a mess of his efforts as ajumper. He switched between taking off clumsily and falling back afterlanding.
"He just won't do," said Roundy soberly, as the city hall clock struckeleven.
"But he's really trying," protested Bunny. "His laughing and all thatis just on the surface. He likes us, and he wants to make us like him."
"Too many other good fellows in school to bother with him," Roundyretorted. He paused for a moment. "Bunny, I wish I could stay for therelay race, but I promised my father to mow the lawn this forenoon, andI can't get it done unless I start now. You don't need me as a sub, doyou?"
Bunny shook his head. "No; we have S. S., Specs, Jump and myself; andNap could be shoved in at a pinch. You trot along, and this afternoonwe'll tell you how we won. Anyhow, I think this pole vault will give usa nice lead. That's one thing Nap can do, to say nothing of Jump."
Had Nap been satisfied to limit his strength to pole-vaulting, he mighthave made a first in that event; but he came to it exhausted from hisearlier efforts, and his best was a creditable third. Jump's knee,bruised from the hurdles, was bumped again in his first attempt. Secondplace was the limit for him.
When Horace Hibbs called time for the relay race, the summary of eventsstood as follows:
============================================================= | | | POINTS EVENT | FIRST | SECOND +-------------------- | | | Scouts | All-School --------------+------------+------------+--------+-------
---- Half Mile | Scouts | All-School | 5 | 3 High Jump | Scouts | All-School | 5 | 3 220-Yard Dash | Scouts | All-School | 5 | 3 Discus Throw | All-School | All-School | 0 | 8 Hurdles | Scouts | All-School | 5 | 3 Shot Put | Scouts | All-School | 5 | 3 100-Yard Dash | Scouts | Scouts | 8 | 0 Broad Jump | All-School | All-School | 0 | 8 Pole Vault | All-School | Scouts | 3 | 5 --------------+------------+------------+--------+----------- Totals, | 36 | 36 =============================================================
The score was a tie, therefore, with the result of the meet dependingupon the relay race.
"We'll be ready to run in two minutes," Bunny said, and turned todiscover Jump limping toward him. The boy's face was drawn with theeffort he was making to walk naturally.
"I--I'm all right, Bunny. My knee will straighten out in just a minute.Please let me run. I'll be all right as soon as I start."
Horace Hibbs bent beside him, as Bunny examined Jump's right knee,which was discolored from its bruises and already slightly swollen.
"Won't do," said Horace Hibbs firmly. "It will come around all right ina day or two, but he must not abuse it by running in the relay. I won'thave it. You'll have to get somebody else."
Bunny nodded agreement. "Oh, Nap!"
From his blanket on the ground, the Scout pried himself to his feet,with legs none too steady under him.
"Can't use him, either," decreed the Scout Master. "He has beenrunning his head off in every event from the half mile down, and he isthoroughly exhausted. I won't allow him to start."
Bunny frowned. Though the man was right, it left no choice when it cameto picking the fourth runner in the race. For a moment, he wished withall his heart that Bi, or even Roundy, were there; but it was too latenow for wishing.
"Rodman," he called, "I'm putting you on our relay team."
The boy's eyes opened wide. "I'll try, of course, but you know as wellas I do that I can't run to amount to anything."
"All you have to do is your best. Nobody wants any more of you thanthat. Three of us are better than any three on their team. You willstart the third relay with a lead, sure, and if you lose it on yourlap, I'll try to gain it back the last time around."
With quick, eager movements, Rodman Cree stripped off his jersey. "I amgoing to do all I can," he said in a low voice. "And you don't knowhow much I want to help you win."
"Look here," whispered the excited Specs, as he pulled Bunny to oneside. "Do you mean that you are going to trust him to run in this race?"
"There's nobody else."
"He'll lose the race for us."
"Not if we other three gain on our laps as we should."
"He'll lose the race for us," repeated Specs despairingly, "and then,when it's all over, he'll laugh. I know him."
"Places for the relay!" shouted Horace Hibbs.