CHAPTER VII
AN ACCIDENT
Things were happening thick and fast these days. Classes and study hallwere realities. Rainy weather cut the soccer season short. Mimi, towhom the game was new, stayed on first squad but did not make the team.She was flashy and fast but she was used to making goals with her handsand not her feet. Now when basket ball practice started--and it didthis week--she would show them something. There had been a long letterfrom Mother Dear from New York mailed the day they sailed; a letterfrom Dottie with all the B. G. Hi news. Mimi had answered Dot with newsthat she was on the Prep tennis double team. She omitted soccer. Dotdidn't play soccer anyhow. The literary clubs had started rushing,placards of the first artist concert were posted and six weeks' testswere beginning to bob up their ugly heads. Sue was gaining weight,Chloe growing most distant, and Betsy and Mimi continued to admire eachother secretly but antagonize each other publicly. Something was boundto happen to break the growing tension. Two weeks later it did.
When Mimi grew up and looked back at her school days, she knew that thescene of her most exciting moments was the gymnasium. Here she yelledher breath out, played her heart out, knew defeat as well as victory.Here she was her best or her worst. Basket ball meant more to her eventhan swimming. You swam by yourself but basket ball depended on theperfect timing and teamwork of your team mates to whom you felt closerthan any other group of girls, ever.
The first day the notice was up, Mimi reported for basket ball.Strangely enough she and Betsy both signed up for the forward berths.When Mimi saw Betsy's square, back-handed signature under her own, shehad a bad moment. Perhaps she should have signed up for running center.She had played running guard but Sheridan kept strictly to girls'rules. As guard she could not score and, being a good shot, she wanteda position where she could prove her ability.
Mimi never forgot those first skirmishes. How hard she tried to passaccurately, aim carefully, catch the ball firmly and be light, sure,fast. Miss Bassett was a splendid coach. She tried first onecombination and then another. Betsy and Jennie forwards, Mimi andJennie centers. Evelyn and Betsy centers. Matilda and Mimi guards. Shehad let the girls choose tryout positions but she wanted to be surethey were playing where they would give the team most. Then came thecombination which clicked. Betsy and Mimi at forwards together. Mimimade what appeared impossibly long shots rather than pass to Betsyunder the goal. Betsy called loudly to guards and centers for the balland shot quickly from any angle she received it rather than pass toMimi. They looped goal after goal.
"How about that combination?" Miss Bassett asked Dit while the girlsrested. Dit was calling the game and Miss Bassett had been studying theplayers from the side lines.
"Best yet," Dit answered, tapping her forehead thoughtfully with herwhistle, "if we can get that individual starring idea out of theirheads and make them play for the team."
"Signal practice will do that," Miss Bassett assured her. She had takenindividuals before and welded them into a team that put, "team, team,team" above everything.
"Give them ten more minutes of drill and dismiss them, please, Dit. I'mgoing to the office."
"All right, girls," Dit said, and when she spoke they listened closely."We are going to practice pivoting and shooting. Divide up quickly intwo line, one on either side the basket and let the leaders be as farback as the first court line so that there will be room to run andpivot before you shoot. Here I'll show you."
She didn't need to show Mimi. She knew. Nothing was more fun thancatching a pass solidly as she ran forward. Usually Mimi leaped forwardto meet the ball. Then with one foot rooted firmly, she knew how topivot away from the guard and let the ball fly swiftly toward the goal.Mimi held her breath those times when the ball would loop around theedge of the hoop before it finally slipped through the knotted stringbasket.
Happily she trotted to her place. Today she would show Dit how fast andaccurate she really was. She would show up better than she ever had.Out of the corners of her merry blue eyes she saw Betsy in the oppositeline with the same determined look on her face. The whistle blew.Thump, thump, thump went the ball against the slick floor as the firstpasser dribbled down the side line before throwing the ball. Thud--theball hit the backboard. A girl rushed in to catch it before it hit thefloor, ducking to keep from colliding with the girl who had just shot.Two girls more and it would be her time. Mimi was impatient--smack--shecaught the ball--thump, thump, thump she was running beside it.Accurately timing the speed of Betsy who was coming in fast she passed,then as swiftly as her legs would carry her, she raced toward the goal.She forgot everything in the world except the fact that she must keepher eye on that ball and catch it before it hit the floor. Betsy wasmoving rapidly with the same idea, "keep your eye on the ball." Coacheshave preached it year in and year out since there have been coaches.
Thud--the ball against the backboard again. Mimi's arms up to catchit--Betsy rushing away, arms up from having shot--Whack!
The two girls collide----
Betsy is knocked out. Mimi staggers back, her hands covering her face.When Betsy moans she drops her hands. The stunned feeling vanishes.Betsy is hurt, badly hurt Mimi fears. While Dit dismissed the girls,Mimi drops on her knees beside Betsy. Betsy's mischievous eyes areclosed, the lids fluttering slightly. Her face, usually so rosy andanimated, is white and still. Her short hair is stuck to her head withperspiration. More than anything in the world, Mimi wanted Betsy toopen her eyes.
"Dit, please, open both those windows," Mimi pleaded, choking back asob. "Oh, Dit----"
"There, there, Mimi. She'll come around soon. Here, bathe her face withthis wet towel."
Mimi lifted Betsy's head to her knees and holding it gently, she putthe cold cloth on her forehead. A lump was rising on Betsy's temple.She flinched and opened her eyes as Mimi unwittingly touched it.
"Oh," Betsy cried.
"Take it easy, Betsy. You're all right now. A nasty bump. Here, Mimi,let's help her up and get her to her room. I've sent for Miss Bassettto meet us there."
"I can get up," Betsy said weakly.
Mimi lifted from one side and Dit tugged at the other. Mimi avoidedBetsy's eyes. She hoped against hope Betsy wouldn't think she had doneit on purpose.
Miss Bassett was waiting in the door of Tumble Inn. Sue and Chloe wereout.
"Lie down, Betsy. There, now let me look you over."
Miss Bassett bent her arms, arched her knees.
"Nothing but a 'goose egg' on your head. Massage it with Mentholatum,Mimi. Better rest until supper."
When Mimi leaned over Betsy to rub her forehead she felt a warm gushfrom her nose.
"Why, Mimi!" Dit exclaimed. "Your blouse--blood--it's your nose."
"Yes ma'am. It hurts!"
Mimi sank down on the bed by Betsy.
Miss Bassett was instantly alert. Light as her touch was, it hurtfearfully. The blood was dripping down her throat gagging her. Painswere shooting through her head. She could feel her nose swelling. Whata sight she must look!
"Fracture," Miss Bassett pronounced gravely. "Dit, go for Dr. Ansley.She left me a short time ago for the Infirmary. Don't be frightened,Mimi. It isn't serious. I don't believe you'll need splints but we'dbetter let Dr. Ansley take a look."
"Will I have to go to the Infirmary? Please, please, let me stay here."
"Please," Betsy added earnestly. "I'll take care of her and keep thingsquiet."
Daddy never seemed so far away--Daddy with his sure, skilled hands andhis make-you-feel-better manner. But Mimi was brave. She sat quietly inthe straight chair by the window while Dr. Ansley worked on her. Betsywatched intently. She was smiling at Mimi, her eyes saying, "goodsport, good sport, be brave." Returning the smile, Mimi swallowed thetwo capsules the doctor held out.
The thing which hurt most was the slow realization that she was out ofbasket ball for the season. Some one else would play forward with Betsy.
Betsy must have known her bitter thou
ghts, for after the Doctor, MissBassett, and Dit had gone she said:
"I'd rather play forward with you than any one."
Knowing what the admission must have cost, Mimi replied: "Me too, andnow I can't play at all!"
"It's my fault because I didn't watch where I was going."
"I didn't either."
"I am going to do something nice to make up for it."
Mimi fell asleep wondering what it would be. Nothing could be asprecious as what she had lost but Betsy had said it was nice and Betsykept her word.