The Girls of Central High at Basketball Part 22

They won point after point. Half way through the first half Central High was three points in the lead. When there were five minutes still to go they made another clean goal, putting them up two more points.

But the Lumberport girls played well, too; they did not "go to pieces"

because the visitors' efforts were crowned with success. They fought steadily and made a goal during that last five minutes.

Then the girls of Central High got the ball and made a run with it down the field. Nellie seized it again and turned swiftly to throw. As she did so her ankle turned under her and she came down upon one knee with a little cry. The umpire was about to sound the whistle for time; but the doctor's daughter sprang up instantly and threw the ball straight into the basket. As she did so the timekeeper sounded her whistle. The half was over.

Two of the girls ran to help Nellie, who stood, as Bobby said, "on one leg like a stork!" She hobbled to the dressing-room between them.

"Oh, dear me! who'll we put in, Laura?" wailed Jess.

"You sha'n't put in anybody," cried Nellie, gritting her teeth to keep back a cry of pain as she set the injured foot to the floor again.

"This will be all right in a moment."

"Looks like it!" cried Dorothy.

"You're knocked out, Miss," said Dora. "You know you are."

"I'm not!" replied Nellie.

Mrs. Case came hurriedly in. "You'll have to rest that ankle, child"

she said. "Captain Belding will have to put in a subst.i.tute."

"No, Mrs. Case. I'm going to play out the game," declared Nellie. "You must not forbid it. I've only twisted my ankle. It will be all right to-morrow. I'll show you!" she cried, and began stripping off her shoe and stocking.

CHAPTER XX

WINNING ALL ALONG THE LINE

"I Can't allow you to take risks, Nellie Agnew," cried the physical instructor. "What would the doctor say to me?"

"I'll tell you what Daddy Doctor would say," returned Nellie, grinning grimly to answer the shoot of pain that went through the injured ankle.

"And what is that, Miss?"

"He'd say: 'Grin and bear it! Play up!'" laughed Nellie, yet with a choke in her voice. "Bring me my bag, Bobby. I want my 'first-aid'

kit."

"Nellie!" gasped Laura, amazed to see the gentle girl so firm. "We can find somebody else to put in instead of you----"

"Yes, but you're not going to," cried Nellie. "Give me that bandage, Bobby. There, Mrs. Case! you know how it ought to be used.

Tight--tight, now! That will hold me up. And, really, half an hour's rest would cure the ache, anyway. Daddy Doctor admires pluck. He admires Hester's bravery. I guess I wouldn't be his daughter if I didn't have just a bit of pluck myself."

"Hurrah for Nell!" squealed Bobby, waving a second bandage over her head, and the pin coming out, the strip of muslin soon became a tangle of ribbon-like cloth.

"Can she do it, Mrs. Case?" asked the doubtful Laura.

"She _shall_ do it!" returned the instructor. "It won't hurt the ankle--bound up like that. Now, on with her stocking--and her shoe. Does it hurt, Nellie?"

"It's all right," declared the doctor's daughter.

"Does the shoe hurt it?"

"It's all right, I tell you," insisted Nellie, standing up.

Then the gong rang. The girls started for the door. Nellie was not the last one to reach her position. At first the audience was amazed to see her in place after she had hobbled off the field between two of her mates. Then, understanding, they cheered her--the boys deafeningly.

"You're all right, Nellie Agnew!" yelled Chet from where the boys of Central High were ma.s.sed.

And how those girls of Central High played! Perhaps it was the inspiration of Nellie's courage. Perhaps it was the inspiration of the cheering spectators. But never before had Laura and her team-mates played better basketball than in that second half with the Lumberport team.

Nor did the latter team "go to pieces." Every point was fought for.

Suddenly the ball reached Nellie's hands again. Her guard was in front of her. She dashed quickly back, as light of foot as she had been before her injury. Her guard was after her, but Nellie dodged to the right and then caged the ball from almost the center line!

"Good for you, Nell Agnew!" shouted the spectators.

Again the ball was at center and was tossed up.

"Shoot it to Nell, Laura!" advised some boy in the audience. "She'll know what to do with it!"

"Quick, there, center! don't be all night!" yelled another.

But the girls of Central High kept their heads about them. They watched their captain's signals. The Lumberport jumping center threw the ball the wrong way. Again Nellie jumped for it, and almost fell again; but she shot the ball true and fair to the basket.

By this time Nell was the heroine of the whole crowd. Her opposing guard was putting up a splendid game, but she was always just a breath too late. Laura saw that the doctor's daughter was keyed up for fine work, and she let her have the ball once more.

Nell dashed first to the left, then to the right; she completely lost her guard, and the guard from the other side ran in to intercept her.

This is not altogether good basketball, and it gave Nell a splendid opening.

"Shoot it here, Nell!" cried Laura.

The ball pa.s.sed through the hands of three Central High girls--a triple play often practiced on their own court--and then--plop! into the basket! Another goal to their score.

Time and again the Lumberport team came near to making a goal; but at the end the tally stood with the visitors eight points ahead of their opponents, after a fifteen-minute session that abounded in good plays and vigorous action.

The crowd from Central High certainly were in fine fettle when they marched down to the dock and went aboard their steamer. There was a fine spread in the cabin and Chet Belding made a speech. That was arranged for beforehand and most of Chet's speech dealt with "Why Prettyman Sweet Eats So Much." Pretty was used to being joked, and didn't mind it much as long as Chet was talking and _he_ could continue to graze at his pleasure upon the good things on the table.

"Only, I say!" he exclaimed, when Chet's speech was concluded, "I don't see why I am always selected to point a mowal and adorn a tale.

Weally, I don't eat so much more than anybody else--according to my height."

"That's right, Purt!" cried Lance. "There's a lot of you--lengthwise!"

"And just think what a thin sh.e.l.l you've got," cackled Billy Long.

"That's why it takes so much to fill you up, old boy."