CHAPTER XIX ON THE TOURNAMENT COURTS
The spy went down, more under the force of a well-directed blow that Samhad planted on the back of his neck than from the force of Sam's weightthat fell upon him.
"I've got him!" yelled Sam. "I've got the miserable spy. Come here,fellows, quick! Oh-h-h-h! Ouch!" There was a despairing wail in the voiceof the Tramp Boy now. The note of triumph had left it.
Sam's companions had sprung up with his first call and started into thegrove, but though they could hear their companion they were unable tolocate him.
Sam Crocker's yells were now half smothered, so it seemed to hiscompanions. Then all at once they saw Sam rise from the ground, saw himwith both hands clapped to his face, heard his unintelligible yells forhelp. The boys ran at top speed.
"What is it?" shouted George.
"Catch him!" moaned Sam, suddenly sitting down again.
"Catch whom?"
"The spy! the spy! He's getting away. He ran that way. Chase him."
The boys now began to understand. With one accord they spread out andbegan running through the grove, shouting to each other as they ran, butno trace of Sam's spy did they find. He had had ample time to make hisescape while Sam was trying to make his companions understand what hadhappened.
The girls had dropped their racquets and ran out, following the boys.They found the unhappy Sam, hands still pressed against his face, rockingto and fro and groaning.
"Oh, Sam, you have hurt your poor nose again," sympathized Miss Elting."Get a pail of water. No, we will take him back to camp where we can givehim better treatment," said the guardian. Sam permitted himself to beassisted to his feet and slowly led back to the camp of the Meadow-BrookGirls. Miss Elting promptly set to work to wash the blood from his faceso that she might determine how serious was the hurt that he hadreceived.
It was while she was thus engaged that George and his companionsreturned. They were in none too good humor either.
"You are a fine one to send us off on a wild goose chase like that!"growled George. "I don't believe you saw any one at all. You must haveseen a shadow."
Sam found his voice.
"Look at my nose! Does that look as if I hadn't seen any one? Does mynose look as if I had met a shadow?" he roared, his roar ending in agroan, for, in opening his mouth, he had hurt his nose again.
"Tell us what you did see," urged Baker, his voice growing sympatheticwhen he saw that Sam was suffering.
"I think we shall have to take him to a physician," announced theguardian. "I fear this is a little beyond my ability as a surgeon. Can'tyou wait until he is fixed up, George?"
"Yes, but if he's able, he must tell us now," replied the captain. "Ifthere is anything at all to this we should know it at once. Think you cantalk, Sam?"
"Ye--es, if you won't nag me. Ouch!" Sam remonstrated as the guardiantouched his suffering nose.
"Never mind. I won't do it again," said Miss Elting gravely. "I thoughtthat perhaps I might be able to straighten your nose, but see that is notbest, nor had I better put on any adhesive plaster. The doctor would haveto take it off, thus causing you useless additional pain. Tell them,please, if you are going to do so. We must get you to a doctor at once."
"I was coming through the grove when I discovered a fellow hiding behinda tree," explained Sam Crocker with many a halt and groan. "I crawled uptoward him. I didn't like his looks. Then I saw he had a pair of operaglasses. Through the glasses he was watching the girls at practice."
"What!" shouted George. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I did, but you thought I had seen shadows. Shadows don't give a fellowthis," he added, pointing to his own disreputable nose. "When I got upclose enough I jumped upon him. I punched him at the same time. He wentdown and I on top of him. It looked like a soft thing for me. I yelled toyou boys about that time. But Fate was against me. Do you know, thatfellow knew all about my sore nose, knew that it was the one particulartender, sensitive spot on my whole body. The scoundrel jerked his elbowback just like this. It hit me on the nose and made me yell. Oh, it hurtawfully. I just rolled right off him and clapped both hands to my poornose. It was bleeding badly. Then the fellow jumped up. I made a grab forhim; then, what do you suppose he did? He kicked me in the nose, kickedme right on the sorest spot in my whole body. I don't mind being kicked,but to be insulted by being kicked on the nose--that's _too_ much for aself-respecting Tramp. If you catch him, don't do anything to him. Justbring him to me."
"Would you know the fellow if you were to see him again?" questionedGeorge, frowning.
"I don't know. I think so, although I saw his face only for a second."
"How was he dressed?"
"He had on a pair of shoes, heavy ones," was Sam's innocent reply.
"What kind of suit?" persisted George.
"Didn't notice it. Don't think I saw it at all."
"Boys, this is serious," declared Captain Baker, turning to his fellowTramps. "Some one has been spying while the girls were at practice. Weshould have posted guards, but I didn't think we should be bothered thisafternoon. There are some queer people around here. Of course, we can'tblame them for wanting to know all they can, but we may blame ourselvesfor letting them find out. We shall see to it, however, that thisincident is not repeated."
"I wonder if he saw our signals!" gasped Jane.
"He did, no doubt. We were making them about that time. But, girls, keepyour eyes open. If the boys don't catch the guilty ones, we shallundoubtedly do so when we get in the tournament. If this spying has beendone in the interest of any of the players, the girls will know oursignals when we face the net," declared Harriet. "The spy may not haveheard our explanations, but if he is sharp he will be able to identifythe signals with the plays that follow. When any of you sees that heropponents understand our signals you will know you are getting close tothe fellow who hurt Sam's nose. Then you just watch. Are you going tosend him to a doctor, Miss Elting?"
"I'll take him in the motor car," said Jane.
It was arranged in that way, Miss Elting and Captain George accompanyingthe injured boy, who really was suffering more than he ever remembered tohave suffered in all his life. The other Tramp Boys remained with theMeadow-Brook Girls. The boys were angry and the girls indignant at theattack on Sam Crocker, but there was nothing to be done in the matter nowexcept to wait and watch.
Sam was brought back in Jane's car. His face was plastered until he waswell-nigh unrecognizable, but it was the same old familiar voice thatinquired if supper were ready. The girls had forgotten all about themeal. Their minds had not been on eating at any stage of this eventfulday. They hurriedly set about preparing a meal for themselves and theboys.
"The doctor says he will not be permanently disfigured," Harriet informedher companions. "Of course, he must not get any more such knocks on thenose. It's too bad, now that the tournament is on."
"I have my voice left," answered Sam. "I can yell, and now that theplasters are there to hold my nose in place I won't crack my face doingso. I'm going to do some yelling. Another fellow may be heard to yell,too, but he won't yell in the same tone, not if I lay my gentle handsupon him."
The girls were tired and they were to have a long day's practice on thefollowing day, so the boys were permitted to go to their own camp at anearly hour in the evening. There the Tramps discussed ways and means oftrapping the spy and giving him the thrashing he deserved, not so much onaccount of his having spied on them as because of his brutal kicking ofSam Crocker. The elbow jolt was necessary in order to free himself, butthe kick in the nose was not. It was the kick that he should be punishedfor, the lads decided, after sitting in judgment on the matter for a longtime. They, too, went to bed with their minds fully made up as to whatthey would do when they found the man. It would not have been a pleasantprospect for him had he known.
Next morning Harriet was out at daylight. Shortly afterward she saw themen setting the nets on the tournament courts.
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"Here is our chance, girls," she cried. "The nets are being placed. Getready and we can have a long practice before the rest of the community isstirring."
There was some grumbling, but Harriet being recognized as the leaderamong the girls, her suggestions were usually adopted. They were in thisinstance and were warmly seconded by the guardian. As soon as they couldget ready they did so and were off across the fields, each eating a pieceof bread. There were no Tramp Boys in sight at that early hour, only theworkmen and a manager who was directing the placing of the nets onmeasurements already laid down. Jack Herrington had reasoned that some ofthe contestants might desire early practice and, to give them all anopportunity, had ordered the nets set up at daybreak.
Miss Elting asked permission to use the courts, which was granted; thenthe girls began a game, after first having warmed up, for the morning waschill. There being no one to see them except the men at work, they didnot hesitate to use all their tricks and secret plays, making good use ofthe signals all through the set. Harriet and Tommy won the first game,Hazel and Jane the next.
Acting upon the suggestion of the guardian the girls were not playingfast games that morning, but instead they were playing for accuracy andperfection. They were devoting a great deal of attention these days toform, seeking to make their movements as graceful and artistic aspossible and yet obtain the best results from their playing. In thisinstance Miss Elting was their critic.
So interested were the Meadow-Brook Girls in their work that they failedto see a man climb the fence from the street and cross the lot toward thecourts. His approach was shielded by the stand built for the tournamentspectators. They were unaware of his presence as he stood behind thestand, where he watched the whole of the second set. Then to theiramazement he suddenly appeared before them, having walked around to thefront of the stand without attracting attention to himself until HarrietBurrell had called "Game!"