Jess was a member of the basket-ball team, as was Laura. And on the team Hester Grimes played. Hester was a strong girl and could play well if she chose; but her temper was so uncertain that Mrs. Case considered it necessary to watch the butcher's daughter very closely.

"And I wish you all to remember," said the physical instructor, the day before the match at East High, "that we must play fair. Play the game for the game's sake-not so much to win. If one desires, above all things, to win, he or she may forget to be perfectly fair. No foul playing. We are going to an opponent's field. Let us win a name for playing clean basket-ball, whether we win the game or not."

"What's the use of playing if we don't play just as hard as we know how?" demanded Jess.

"Play for all there is in you," agreed Mrs. Case. "I will see that you do not overexert yourselves. But do not lose your tempers. And do not forget to cheer for the opposing team after the game, whether it wins or loses. Be fair, and let the sport be clean."

"Did you watch Hessie while Mrs. Case was talking?" whispered Jess in Laura's ear.

"No."

"She looked so scornful! I hope she won't make us unpopular with the East High girls. But you know how mean she acts sometimes when we play with some of the scrub teams."

"It will be too bad if she makes a scene," said Laura, thoughtfully, "and shames us before our opponents. The girls of Central High will then get a bad name for playing foul-and we can't afford to have _that_ reputation."

CHAPTER XIX-HESTER FOULS THE GAME

Basketball is not an easy game to learn, but it is both a splendid exercise as played under the rules of the Girls' Branch and a game of skill.

Because of the many rules, and sub-divisions of rules, the players must bring to the basket-ball court the quickest intelligence and a serious desire to excel. No laughing or talking is allowed during play. The success of the game is based upon the players giving to it their undivided attention.

It can be played by from five to nine players on a side, and the time of play is usually two halves of fifteen minutes each. Mrs. Case refused to allow her pupils-the girls of Central High-to play more than thirty minutes, and the younger girls could only play the game in three "thirds" of ten minutes each, with five or ten minutes' rest between each two sessions of play.

It was a rule, too, that no girl could play without a physical examination as to her fitness, and the Central High team-the champion team of the school-was selected from among the strongest and best developed girls. This team was now billed to play a similar team selected from among the older girls of the East High of Centerport, and as made up by the physical instructor, was as follows:

Jess Morse, goal keeper Celia Prime, right forward Mary O'Rourke, left forward Hester Grimes, forward center Laura Belding, jumping center Lily Pendleton, back center Bertha Sleigel, right guard Nellie Agnew, left guard Roberta Fish, goal guard.

Besides the nine members of each team, the game called for nine other a.s.sistants-a referee, two umpires, a scorer, a time keeper, and four linesmen. Because of the possibility of so many foul plays, all these a.s.sistants and watchers were necessary. The ordinary "basket-ball five"

was hardly known at Central High, as so many girls wanted to play.

On the Friday afternoon the hall in which the basket-ball court, or ground, of the East High girls was situated, was well filled, in the visitors' part, with the parents and friends of both teams. This was really the first occasion of any athletic trial between the girls of the two schools, although the boys, in their sports, had long since become rivals.

Naturally the girls of Central High were excited over the prospect. Mary O'Rourke, the captain, as well as Mrs. Case, warned the players for the last time in the dressing room to keep cool, play fairly, and to give and take in the game with perfect good-nature.

"Good-nature wins more games than anything else," said Mary. "Just as soon as a girl gets fl.u.s.tered or 'mad' at her opponent, she begins to lose ground-makes mistakes, and fouls the other player, and all that.

Remember that the referee and the umpires will be sharp on decisions to-day. 'Didn't know' will be no excuse. And by no means speak to the officials. If you have anything to report, report to me."

"My!" sneered Hester to Lily, "doesn't she think she knows it all? Who told her so much, I'd like to know? I guess there are others here who know the game quite as well as she does."

"But she's captain," said Roberta Fish, one of the juniors.

"And how did she get to be captain? Favoritism, Miss!" snapped Hester.

"Come on, now!" advised Nellie Agnew, good-naturedly. "We don't want to go into the game in this way. We've got to pull together to win.

Loyalty, you know!"

"Bah!" said Hester.

"That's what the black sheep said," laughed Nellie. "Don't _you_ be the black sheep of Cen-High, Hessie."

The teams were called into the field and the referee put the ball into play in the center. Laura and her opponent jumped for the ball and Laura was fortunate in getting it. During the next few moments, upon signals from their captain, the girls of Central High pa.s.sed the ball back and forth and suddenly tried for a goal. It was from the field and would have counted two points; but Celia made a fumble, and the ball did not reach the basket, but was stopped by the left forward of the East High team.

The ball was in play immediately, but was in the hands of the home team.

When Hester Grimes's opponent got the ball, Hester leaped before her and raised her arms. But she over-guarded and instantly the warning whistle sounded from the side lines.

"Foul!" proclaimed the referee.

In a moment the play went on, but again Hester had a chance at the girl with the ball and once more the whistle blew sharply. Hester was guarding round, with her arms spread and crooked, instead of straight.

And to be called down for a foul twice in succession stung Hester Grimes sharply. Her face grew red and her eyes flashed angrily.

"You wait, Miss!" she whispered to the girl who held the ball.

"Silence on the field!" commanded the referee. "Play!"

Hester's fouling put her team-mates out not a little, and the ball was carried to their end of the field and their opponents scored.

"Get together, girls!" commanded Mary, in a low voice. "Don't lose your heads."

But Hester had become thoroughly angry now, for she saw that she would be blamed for the score against her team. She played savagely thereafter, and suddenly one of the home team cried out in pain. Hester had collided roughly with her.

Again the whistle. "I shall ask Captain O'Rourke to take that girl out of the game if there is any further rough play," declared the referee, who was the physical instructor at West High.

The other girls of the Central High team were ashamed. The first half ended with no further score on the part of the home team; but, on the other hand, the visiting team had been held down to a "goose egg." When the girls went to their dressing room there were some murmurs against Hester's style of playing.

But Mrs. Case stopped this instantly. "If one of our team has shown excitement, we must not blame her too harshly," she said, seriously.

"This is our first time playing away from our own field. Be careful.

Take time to think, Hester--"

"That referee is unfair. They've given the game to East High, anyway. It was all fixed beforehand," snarled the culprit.

"Listen, Hester," said the teacher, gravely. "That is neither sportsmanlike nor truthful. You must restrain yourself. You are one of the best players we have; but you are fouling the game, and if you do not have a care we shall lose through your fault. Keep your temper.

Don't make it necessary for me to remind you again."

This did not soothe Hester's feelings. Mrs. Case had spoken sharply at last, and Hester went back to the field "just boiling inside," as she told her chum.

The second half began. Again Central High was quicker in getting away with the ball. This time they kept it in play among themselves, too, until a goal was made; but if was from a foul and counted only one point.

Their friends cheered them, however, and as soon as the ball was put into play again the girls of Central High went at it with their old tactics and made splendid runs, finally getting another goal, this time from the field. The visiting team was then ahead in the score.

But the very next minute, when Hester had a chance to get into the game again, she s.n.a.t.c.hed the ball from her opponent's hands. It was so plain a foul that the girls did not need the whistle to cease play. And when the ball came back Hester's team-mates were "rattled" again and East High secured another clean goal.

Indeed, all through the two halves the playing of the East High girls was perfectly clean, while that of Central High was spoiled by Hester.

Her rough work was noticeable. Mary O'Rourke tried to keep her out of play as much as possible, and in doing this weakened her side. Before the end of the second half East High scored again, and the score finally stood, when the whistle was blown to cease playing, at seven to three in favor of the home team.