CHAPTER XX
"WE NEED EVERY POINT"
"Say, old man, I'm mighty sorry about that!" cried the lad who hadcaused the mischief, as he put his arm about Frank. "I wouldn't havedone it for the world--I slipped. Are you badly hurt?"
It needed but a glance at Frank's shoe, whence came a few drops ofblood, to show that he was painfully hurt, if not seriously crippled.
"The spikes have gone clear through!" gasped Sid.
"No, it's not as bad as that," said Frank. "Get my shoe off, fellows,and----"
A spasm of pain prevented him from finishing the sentence and he satdown on the ground. Tom had the shoe off quickly.
It was seen that two of the spikes on Shambler's sole had gone throughthe outer, fleshy part of Frank's foot. There was a little bleeding, butit soon stopped.
"That's got to be looked at at once!" decided Holly Cross when he sawit. "You're likely to go lame, old man."
"Jove! That's bad," murmured Phil, and several black looks were cast atShambler, for all the lads knew how much depended on Frank in the broadjumping contest.
"Oh, I guess I'll be all right," spoke the injured lad, whose pain wasabated somewhat with the removal of the shoe, for his foot had begun toswell. "It's all right, Shambler. I know you didn't mean to do it. I'llbe in shape for the meet all right."
"I hope so, old man," spoke the new lad sincerely, and his former joyousspirits seemed to have slipped from him like a garment. Tom felt himselfdisliking Shambler with a feeling that was akin to hate, and he had tofight hard to keep control of his temper. As it was he murmured underhis breath:
"The cad! I wish he'd never come to Randall!"
"Come on, boys, we'll have to give Frank a hand up," suggested Holly."Help him to his room, and we'll get the Doc to look at him."
Willing hands assisted Frank along, so that he did not have to bear anyweight on his injured foot. Shambler wanted to help, but Tom, Sid andPhil insisted on giving "first aid," and they were sufficient.
The physician looked grave when he saw the injury, not so much at thenature of the hurt itself, for it was comparatively slight, but he wasconcerned for what might develop.
"I don't see how you're going to do any jumping for the next month,"said the physician, when told that Frank was expected to hold upRandall's end of the big events.
"Oh, but I've got to!" declared the Big Californian. "To paraphrase theold saying, 'Randall expects every lad to do his duty.' I've got tojump."
"Then I have to tell you that if you do, you may lame yourself for therest of your life," went on the doctor seriously. "Some of the tendonsare cut, and unless they heal properly you are liable to tear them looseif you put too much strain on them. You've got to be careful."
Frank groaned, and his chums looked anxious. Holly Cross and Kindlings,who were at the conference, shook their heads.
"We'll just have to make other arrangements then," said Holly, as hewalked out with his companion manager. "If Frank can't jump he may beable to help out in the hammer, or weight-throwing contests."
"We'll try that, as soon as he's able to be up," decided Kindlings."This is bad business. I'll give Shambler a call down. He's too fresh."
"No, I wouldn't say anything," said Holly. "He feels badly enough asit is, and we don't want any more disruption among the fellows thanpossible. We aren't going to have any walkover in these games."
"I guess you're right. Well, we'll do our best, but I wish this hadn'thappened."
Frank's foot was very painful the next day, and much swollen, but thedoctor said there was no special cause for alarm, as it had been treatedwith antiseptics.
But the Big Californian had to keep in bed, and this was irksome to him,as he was naturally active. Phil, Tom and Sid did all they could to makehis imprisonment cheerful, and Shambler called several times, to expressover and over again his regret at his carelessness. The others tookrather a liking to him, but Tom could not bring himself to be friendly.He was sure Shambler had some secret that he was afraid would bediscovered.
Tom had not seen Madge Tyler since the memorable day of the May walk,but from his chums, who paid several visits to the co-educationalinstitution, the pitcher learned that Madge had not been out withShambler since.
"I believe she did it just to spite me, because of that little incidentwith Miss Benson," reasoned Tom.
A week after the accident Frank was able to step on his foot, but thedoctor strictly forbade any violent exercise. However he did notprohibit practice at weight throwing, and Frank soon proved himself anexpert at this, almost equaling Dutch, so that Holly and Kindlings madea temporary shift in their list of entrants.
"But I'll be in the jump all right," asserted Frank, and rather to thesurprise of the doctor the injured foot healed so well and rapidly thatthere was a prospect, after all, that the Big Californian could take theplace originally assigned to him.
"I hope he can," said Holly. "For we need him, and Sid Henderson, whilehe's good, isn't quite up to Frank's mark."
Sid knew this himself, but he was, by constant work, gradually improving.Meanwhile hard practice went on among the various track squads.
The grounds at Tonoka Park were being put in shape for the big quadruplemeet, and there was every prospect of success. The various committeesheld frequent meetings, and it was said that many tickets were beingdisposed of, so that there was a prospect of well-filled treasuries.
Many of the lads against whom Tom and his chums had played football orbaseball were to uphold the colors of Boxer Hall and Fairview. Asregarded Exter little was known, though it was rumored that a number ofwell-known amateurs were enrolled under her banner.
"Exter is the only one we haven't a good line on," said Holly Cross oneafternoon, as he called at the room of the inseparables to inquire aboutFrank, who was almost himself again.
"Why, you don't have any fear about her fellows; do you?" asked Tom,taking the call as an excuse to stop studying.
"Yes, I do, in a way. I tell you, boys, Randall will need every pointshe can pile up. You know how we score, with a thousand points as themaximum for the best in each class of events. Seconds and fractions ofinches count, so don't forget that, and go for every last ounce ofstrength or wind that you have. A point in any event may make or breakus."
"Will it be as close as that?" asked Sid.
"Indeed it will. Every man of Randall will have to be strictly on thejob, as I've said before. This isn't a football match, where, if youdon't make a touchdown one quarter, you may the next." Holly spokeseriously.
"Oh, well, we'll be there with the goods," declared Phil.
"I'm sure I hope so," spoke the young trainer, as he took his leave,warning Frank to take care of himself, and get in the best possiblecondition.
"Do you really think you'll jump?" asked Holly.
"Sure I will. I saw the doctor, and while he said I must be careful,still, he didn't absolutely forbid me as he did at first. I'll do mybest."
"Yes, we know that," declared Tom clapping his big chum on the shoulder.
There followed a period of silence in the room, after Holly had left.The four tried to study, but their thoughts were plainly more on thecoming games than on their books. Finally Tom, tossing aside his Latinbook, gave a big yawn and said:
"I'm going for a row. It's too nice to stay in, and there isn't anypractice ordered for this afternoon. Who's coming out on the river withme?"
"Not I," spoke Sid. "I can't spare the time."
"Oh come on, you old misanthrope," urged the pitcher.
"Nope. Take Frank, he needs the air."
"Then you come too, Phil."
"No, I'm back in my work, and I've just got to make it up, or I'll beconditioned, and you know what that means. You and Frank are the brainypair; you go."
"Will you?" asked Tom; and Frank consented.