CHAPTER XI
PRACTICING FOR THE INDOOR MEET
The last bell had just sounded and the girls were leaving the schoolroomfor the day. Two weeks had passed since the Valentine party. Today wasWednesday and the coming Saturday was the date fixed for the IndoorMeet.
The Whitehead School basket-ball team was to meet the Seddon Hall girlsfor their annual game. The year before they had played at Whitehead andwere beaten. This year the game was to be played at Seddon Hall and thegirls were determined there should be no more defeats.
"Wait a minute, you two," called Connie, as she and Angela caught upwith Polly and Lois in the schoolroom corridor. "I've news; such news!"
"What is it?" inquired Lois, in the act of retying Polly's hair ribbon.
"Don't breathe a word about it. I don't suppose Louise Preston wants itknown all over the school," answered Connie. "But as I was going throughSenior Corridor to my music lesson, I heard her say to Gladys Couch(jumping center on the big team): 'Then you won't be here for Saturday?'And Glid said: 'Isn't it awful, Louise, but I don't see how I canpossibly get back before Monday.' Well, of course, Polly, you know whatthat means."
"What's the giddy secret?" sang out Betty, coming towards them from oneof the classrooms.
"Bet, oh, Bet, catch me quick!" cried Polly, falling into her arms in amock faint. "Such news! Tell her, some one, quick!"
"Wah!" exclaimed Betty when she had heard. "You'll have to play on thebig team, Polly. Isn't that bully!"
As they all stood talking it over, in subdued whispers, Louise Prestonappeared at the other end of the corridor.
"Oh, Polly," she called, "can you spare me a few minutes? Let's go inthis classroom; then we won't be disturbed."
She put her arm around Polly's shoulder as she had done the first day.Once inside the classroom, she began:
"We've had some pretty bad news this morning. Gladys Couch received atelegram that her brother is going to be married on Saturday. Well, ofcourse, Glid will have to go home. She can't very well ask them topostpone the wedding," she added, smiling, "and that leaves us without ajumping center. Polly, you know we simply must win this game. You'llhave to play and you'll have to play as you never played before. Betterget some practicing in and, remember, I'm depending on you."
She was gone before Polly could realize what had happened. She spent therest of the day in the gym with Lois and Betty as Louise had suggested.
Misfortunes never come singly. The next day Flora Illington, the othersubstitute center, had a phone message that her father was very ill andshe had to leave at once. Flora was just one of the girls at SeddonHall; apart from her position on the team, she had no particular placein the school.
However, it was with genuine sympathy and feeling that the girls saw herleave and the week after heard of her father's death.
Flora never returned to school and after the letters of condolence werewritten and answered, she was forgotten.
Polly met Louise in the gym that afternoon.
"Isn't it dreadful about Flora?" she began.
"Yes, I hope there's nothing serious the matter with her father," Louiseanswered. Then with a sigh: "I suppose I'm a brute, but I can't helpthinking, there goes another substitute."
"Cheer up," advised Polly, "she probably wouldn't have been needed. Howare the songs getting along?"
"Wonderfully! Betty and Angela handed in two dandies today, but ofcourse I'm looking to the Juniors for most of them."
"Well, so long."
"Don't work too hard, and don't you dare hurt yourself."
"I won't, and you cheer up."
Louise left the gym and Polly jumped into the game, calmly taking theball out of Connie's astonished hands.
She worked furiously all afternoon and when next she had a minute tobreathe she was back in her own room getting ready for her bath.
"I tell you, Polly," sang out Betty from across the hall, "you certainlyplayed this afternoon."
"Hum!" Polly grumbled, screwing her hair up into a tight knot. "I made anasty foul. Thank goodness Louise wasn't there."
"Aren't you two slow pokes ready for your baths yet?" demanded Lois,thumping on the door.
"Well, I can't find my slippers," Polly complained, rummaging under thebed. "Angela," she called, "darling Angela, please lend me yourslippers."
"All right, here they come." And a pair of Chinese slippers flew throughthe transom.
"Thanks! Oh, I say, I asked for slippers, not stilts," Polly grumbled."How do you keep the crazy things on?"
"Ingratitude, thy name is Polly," began Angela, but Polly was half waydown the hall and out of hearing, with Lois and Betty. Lois was saying:
"How did you ever manage to make that foul?" And Polly explained, justas they came to the head of the stairs.
"Why, Connie had the ball and I jumped for it. She tried to pass it toDot and I thought I could get it by batting it back, like this--"
She leaned forward to show what she meant, completely forgetting thestairs. Angela's slippers gave a half twist and she plunged headlongdown the steps.
Miss King said her ankle was badly sprained and the doctor was summoned.
She lay on the infirmary bed, biting her lips and trying to keep backthe tears. The doctor had strapped her ankle and told Miss King that shewas not to put her foot to the ground for two weeks.
At last Louise's voice sounded outside the door.
"All right," she was saying. "I promise to stay only a second." And in aminute she was at Polly's side. It was more than the poor child couldstand. She burst into tears and hid her face in the pillows.
"Oh, Louise," she sobbed, "can you ever forgive me? And you told me tobe careful!"
"Why, honey child, you couldn't help it," comforted Louise. "Here, cheerup, you'll make yourself sick. Angela's downstairs tearing her hair outand swearing vengeance on her poor slippers."
"But the game! Who'll play in my place?" wailed Polly.
"That is just what I came up to talk to you about," Louise told her."Can you suggest any one? We're stumped."
"Wouldn't Betty do? I know she'd be careful about fouls. Please give hera chance."
"I think perhaps you're right. I'll go and talk to her," Louise replied."Be good, dear, and don't worry. I know it's a terrible disappointment."And she leaned over and kissed Polly's hot cheek.
"All right, I'll try. If you see Lois will you ask her to come up andtalk to me? I'll go crazy if I have to stay here alone."
But it was not until some hours later that Lois appeared. Miss Kingthought solitude the best thing for Polly's feverish condition.
"You are a nice one," grumbled Polly when Lois entered the room. "Ithought you were never coming near me again."
"Come near you! Why, I've been sitting outside Miss King's door allafternoon, waiting for permission to see you. Poor darling! How's theankle? Awfully painful?" explained Lois.
"Do you mean to tell me Miss King wouldn't let you in before now?"demanded Polly.
"Yes; she said you were very feverish and she wanted you to rest; andfor goodness' sake don't excite yourself or I'll have to leave; you mustbe kept quiet."
"And here I've been thinking you a cold-hearted wretch all afternoon.Just wait till I see Miss King!"
"What are you going to do to her?" asked that lady herself, poking herwhite-capped head around the corner of the door.
"Oh, there you are, eh?" laughed Polly. "Why wouldn't you let Lois comein before?"
"Because I'm a cross old thing," laughed Miss King. "But just to showyou that I can be nice sometimes, if you have no more fever I'll let herstay and have supper with you. Now what am I?"
"You're a darling and I'll love you forever, but don't you dare find Ihave a fever," replied Polly.
Miss King did find her temperature a little above normal, but so littlethat Lois was permitted to stay, and the two of them had such a jollytime that Polly almost succeeded in forgetting the coming game and herown disappointment, and you may be sure Lois
carefully kept off thatdangerous subject. The time passed so quickly that the bell for studyhour rang long before they expected it, and Lois had to fly to escapebeing late.
"Lo, half a minute," Betty called just before the good-night bell. "I'vesomething to tell you. I am chosen to fill Polly's place tomorrow.Louise just told me."
"I'm awfully glad for you, Bet," answered Lois. "I know you'll makegood, but--"
"Yes, it's that but that makes me so miserable," replied Betty. "How canI be excited and pleased when I know Polly's up there in theinfirmary--Oh, it makes me sick to think of it!" she finished, and beforeLois could reply, she had disappeared into her own room and closed thedoor.
"Poor Betty," sighed Lois sympathetically. "It's all a mean shame."
Just before Miss King turned out the infirmary lights, she delivered anote to Polly. It read:
"Polly Dear:
"Louise has asked me to play in your place on Saturday. I know you suggested it to her, too. Well, my chance has come and I am miserably unhappy at the very thought. I know I'll make a million fouls and we'll lose the game. Darn every bedroom slipper that was ever invented!
"Your doleful, "Betty."
"Poor old Bet," smiled Polly. "Well, if she only makes good I won't behalf so unhappy at not playing myself."
In less than five minutes she was sound asleep, and the next morningMiss King pronounced her temperature normal.