There was great excitement at this point in the game. If Central High won two clean points it would hardly be possible for East High to recover and gain the lead once more. Laura signalled her players from time to time; but she was hampered whenever the ball came near Roberta, or the time was ripe for a ma.s.sed play. The subst.i.tute did not know all the secret signals.
Had Hester Grimes only been in her place! Her absence crowded the Central High team slowly to the wall. In the very moment of success, when a clean goal was about to be made, they failed and their opponents got the ball. Again it was pa.s.sed from hand to hand. One girl bounced the ball and a foul was called. Again the Central Highs rushed it, and from the foul line made another goal.
Two points ahead, and the boys in the audience cheered madly. No harder fought battle had ever been played upon that court.
"Shoot it over, Jess!" roared Chet, at one point, rising and waving to his particular girl friend, madly. "Look out! they"ll get you!"
"Look out, Laura! don"t let "em get you----Aw! that"s too bad," grumbled Lance Darby, quite as interested in the work of Chet"s sister on the court.
"Hi! no fair pulling! Say! where"s the referee"s eyes?" demanded Chet, the next moment, in disgust.
"Behind her gla.s.ses," said his chum. "I never did believe four eyes were as good as two."
The ball came back to center again and there was little delay before it was put in play. Only three minutes remained. The eighteen girls were as eager as they could be. Madeline Spink and her team mates were determined to tie the score at least. A clean goal would do it.
They rushed the play and carried the ball into Roberta"s country.
Roberta never had a chance! In a moment the ball was hurtling toward the proper East High girl, and no guarding could save it.
A cheer from the audience--those interested in the East High girls--announced another clean goal. The score was tied and two minutes to play!
"Do not delay the game, young ladies!" warned the referee.
They were in position again and the ball was thrown up. No fumbles now. Every girl was playing for all that there was in her! A single point would decide the rivalry of the two schools at the beginning of the playing season. To lead off with this first game would encourage either team immeasurably.
East High led off first; but quickly Laura and her team mates got the ball again and pushed it toward the basket. There was no rough play.
The umpires, as well as the referee, watched sharply. It was a st.u.r.dy, vigorous, but fair game. This was a time when Hester"s hot temper might have brought the team disgrace; and for a moment Laura was, after all, glad that the delinquent had gone home.
Then, suddenly, from full field and a fair position, the ball rose and flew directly for the basket. While in mid-air the whistle was blown.
Time was called and the game was ended.
CHAPTER VIII
THE ROUND ROBIN
The spectators, as well as the players, held their breath and watched the flying ball. Although the whistle had blown, the goal--if the ball settled into the basket--would count for the visiting team. This one unfinished play would give the girls of Central High two clear points in the lead if all went well.
The course of the flying ball was watched by all eyes, therefore. Chet Belding and his mates began their chant, believing that the ball was sure to go true to the basket.
But they began too soon. The ball hit the ring of the basket, hovered a moment over it, and then fell back and rolled into the court! Chet"s chant of praise changed to a groan. The game was over--and it was a tie.
Disappointed as the girls of Central High were, they cheered their opponents n.o.bly, and the East High girls cheered them. The audience had to admit that the game had been keenly fought and--after Hester was put out of it--as cleanly as a basketball game had ever been played on those grounds.
Miss Lawrence, the referee, came to the Central High girls" dressing room and complimented Laura and her team on their playing.
"I was sorry to put off your forward center, Miss Belding, in the first half. If you had brought her into the field in the second half your team, without doubt, would have won," said the referee. "That girl is a splendid player, but she needs to learn to control her temper."
"That"s always the way!" cried Nellie Agnew, when the West High instructor was gone. "Hester spoils everything."
"She crabs every game we play," growled Bobby, both sullen and slangy.
"She ought to be put off the team for good," said one of the twins.
"That"s so," chimed in her sister.
"We"ll never win this season if Hessie is included in this team,"
declared Jess Morse.
Even Lily Pendleton could find nothing to say now in favor of her chum. She hurried away from the others girls, and the seven remaining seriously discussed the situation. It was Nellie, despite her promise to her father, who came out boldly and said:
"Let"s put her off the team altogether."
"We can"t do it," objected Laura.
"Ask Mrs. Case to do it, then," said Jess.
"But who"ll ask her? Hester will be awfully mad," said Eve Sitz.
"I wouldn"t want to be the one to do the asking," admitted the bold Bobby.
The seven regular members of the basketball team were alone now.
Dorothy Lockwood said:
"I wouldn"t want to be the one to sign a pet.i.tion. But that is what we ought to do--sign a pet.i.tion to Mrs. Case asking her to remove Hester."
"What do you say, Mother Wit?" demanded Jess Morse of Laura.
"I vote for the pet.i.tion," said Laura, gravely.
"And who"ll sign it?" cried Dorothy.
"All of us."
"Not me first!" declared Dora.
"We"ll make it a "round robin,"" said Laura, smiling. "All seven of us will sign in a circle, but n.o.body need take the lead in making the request. If we are all agreed Jess can write the pet.i.tion to Mrs.
Case."
"I"ll do it!" declared Jess Morse.
With some corrections from her chum, Josephine finally prepared and presented for their signatures the pet.i.tion, and having read it the girls, one after the other, signed her name in the manner Mother Wit had suggested. The pet.i.tion and Round Robin was as follows:
"We, the undersigned members of Basketball Team No. 1, of Central High, Girls" Branch Athletic League, after due and ample discussion of the facts, conclude that the retention of Hester Grimes as a member of the said team is a detriment thereto, and that her membership will, in the future, as in the past, cause the team to lose games in the Trophy Series of Inter-School Games. We therefore ask that the aforesaid Hester Grimes be removed from the team and that some other player be nominated in her stead."
[Ill.u.s.tration: Josephine Morse, C. Hargrew, Dora Lockwood, Eve Sitz, Nellie Agnew, Laura Belding, Dorothy Lockwood]