CHAPTER VI
THE FIRST GAME
It would have been hard to tell how the suspicion took form among thegirls of Central High that Hester Grimes knew more than she shouldregarding the gymnasium mystery. Whether she had spoiled theparaphernalia herself, or hired somebody to do it for her, was thepoint of the discussion carried on wherever any of thegirls--especially those of her own class--met for conference.
Older people scoffed at the idea of a girl having committed the crime.And, indeed, it was a complete mystery how the marauder got into thebuilding and out again. Bill Jackway, the watchman, was worried almostsick over it; he was afraid of losing his job.
Bobby Hargrew was about the only girl in Central High who "lost nosleep over the affair," as she expressed it. And that wasn't becauseshe was not keenly interested in the mystery. Indeed, like Nellie, shehad seen at the beginning that suspicion pointed to Hester Grimes. Andperhaps Bobby believed at the bottom of her heart that Hester hadbrought about the destruction. Bobby and Hester had forever been atdaggers' points.
Bobby, however, was as full of mischief and fun as ever.
"Oh, girls!" she exclaimed, to a group waiting at the girls' entranceto the school building one morning. "I've got the greatest joke on GeeGee! Listen to it."
"What have you done now, you bad, bad child?" demanded Nellie. "You'llmiss playing goal guard against East High if you don't look out. MissCarrington is watching you."
"She's always watching me," complained Bobby. "But this joke can't puta black mark against _me_, thank goodness!"
"What is it, Bobby?" asked Dorothy Lockwood.
"Don't keep us on tenter-hooks," urged her twin.
"Why, Gee Gee called at Alice Long's yesterday afternoon. You know,she is bound to make a round of the girls' homes early in the term--shealways does. And Alice Long was able to return to school this fall."
"And I'm glad of that," said Dorothy. "She'll finish her senior yearand graduate."
"Well," chuckled Bobby, "Gee Gee appeared at the house and Tommy,Short and Long's little brother, met her at the door. Alice wasn't in,and Gee Gee opened her cardcase. Out fluttered one of those bits oftissue paper that come between engraved cards--to keep 'em fromsmudging, you know. Tommy jumped and picked it up, and says he:
"'Say, Missis! you dropped one of your cigarette papers.' Now, what doyou know about _that_?" cried Bobby, as the other girls went off intoa gale of laughter. "Billy heard him, and it certainly tickled thatboy. Think of Gee Gee's feelings!"
Not alone Bobby, but all the members of the basketball team were doingtheir very best in classes so as to have no marks against them beforethe game with the East High girls.
Mrs. Case coached them sharply, paying particular attention to Hester.It was too bad that this robust girl, who was so well able to play thegame, should mar her playing with roughness and actual rudeness to herfellow-players. And warnings seemed wasted on her.
Hester never received a demerit from Miss Carrington. In class she wasalways prepared and there was little to ruffle her temper. Theinstructors--aside from Mrs. Case--seldom found any fault with HesterGrimes.
The game with the crack team of the East High girls was to be playedon the latter's court. The girls of Central High had been beaten therein the spring; this afternoon they went over--with their friends--withthe hope of returning the spring defeat.
Bobby had been in the audience and led the "rooting" among the girlsfor Central High at the former game. Now she had graduated from a merebasketball "fan" to a very alert and successful goal guard.
This was Eve Sitz's first important game, too; but the Swiss girl wasof a cool and phlegmatic temperament and Laura Belding, as captain,had no fears for her.
The audience was a large one, and was enthusiastic from the start. Thegirls of Central High always attended the boys' games in force andapplauded liberally for their own school team; so Chet Belding andLance Darby, with a crowd of strong-lunged Central High boys at theirbacks, cheered their girl friends when they came on the field with thevery effective school yell:
"C-e-n, Central High! C-e-n-t-r-a-l, Central High! C-e-n-t-r-a-l-h-i-g-h, Central High! Ziz-z-z-z---- Boom!"
The teams took their places after warming up a little, their physicalinstructors acting as coaches, while the physical instructor for WestHigh School of Centerport was referee. The officials on the lines wereselected from the competing schools.
It was agreed to play two fifteen-minute halves and the ball was putinto play by the referee. The girls of Central High played likeclockwork for the first five minutes and scored a clean goal. Theirfriends cheered tumultuously.
When the ball was put into play again there was much excitement."Shoot it here, Laura! I'm loose!" shouted Bobby, whose slang wasalways typical of the game she was playing.
"Block her! Block her!" cried the captain of the East High team.
Most of the instructions were supposed to be passed by signal; but thegirls would get excited at times and, unless the referee blew herwhistle and stopped the play, pandemonium _did_ reign on the courtonce in a while. Suddenly the ball chanced to be snapped to Hester'sside of the court. Her opponent got it, and almost instantly thereferee's whistle blew.
"That Central High girl at forward center is over-guarding."
"No, I'm not!" snapped Hester.
The lady who acted as referee was a bit hot-tempered herself, perhaps.At least, this flat contradiction brought a most unexpected retortfrom her lips:
"Central High Captain!"
"Yes, ma'am?" gasped Laura Belding.
"Take out your forward center and put in a substitute for this half."
"But, Miss Lawrence!" cried Laura, aghast.
"You are delaying play, Miss Belding," said the referee, sharply.
Laura looked at Hester with commiseration; but she did not have tospeak. The culprit, with a red and angry visage, was already crossingthe court toward the dressing rooms. Laura put in Roberta Fish, andplay went on.
But the Central High team was rattled. East High got two goals--onefrom a foul--and so stood in the lead at the end of the half. Thevisiting team did not work so well together with the substituteplayer, and the captain of East High, seeing this fact, crowded theplay to Roberta Fish's side.
"My goodness!" whispered Bobby Hargrew, as they ran off the field atthe end of the half. "I hope that's taught Hester a lesson. And thisis once when we need Hester Grimes badly."
"I should say we did," panted Laura.
"We've got to play up some to win back that point we lost, let alonebeating them," cried Jess Morse.
Nellie Agnew was the first to enter the dressing room assigned to theCentral High girls. She looked around the empty room and gasped.
"What's the matter, Nell?" cried Bobby, crowding in.
"Where is she?" demanded the doctor's daughter.
"Hessie has lit out!" shouted Bobby, turning back to the captain andher team-mates.
"She's got mad and gone home!" declared Jess Morse. "Her hat and coatare gone."
"_Now_ what will we do?" cried Dorothy Lockwood.
And the question was echoed from all sides. For without Hester it didnot seem possible that the Central High team could hold its own withits opponents.