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Page 15
That night she searched her room, and the next day gave her desk in school
a thorough overhauling, but the list of signals remained missing.
The sophomore players with their substitute team met that afternoon in the
gymnasium. It was their last opportunity for practice. Saturday they would
rise to victory or go down in ignominious defeat. The latter seemed to
them impossible. They had practised faithfully, and Grace had been so
earnest in her efforts to perfect their playing that they were completely
under her control and moved like clockwork. There was no weak spot in the
team. Every point had been diligently worked over and mastered. They had
played several games with the freshmen and had won every time, so Grace
was fairly confident of their success.
"Oh, girls," she cried, wringing her hands in her earnestness, "don't make
any mistakes. Keep your heads, all of you. I am convinced we are better
players than the juniors, even if they did get the pennant last year. For
one thing I don't think they work together as well as we do, and that's
really the main thing. Miriam, you missed practice yesterday. You are
going to stay to-day, aren't you?"
Miriam nodded without replying. She was busy with her own thoughts. She
wished she could hit upon some way to humiliate Grace Harlowe. But what
could she do? That was the question. The members of the team adored their
gray-eyed, independent young captain, therefore she would have to be very
careful.
She had been steadily losing ground with her class on account of her
constant association with the juniors, and the slightest misstep on her
part would jeopardize her place on the team. She had a genuine love for
the game, and since she couldn't play on the junior team, she concluded it
would be just as well not to lose her place with the sophomores. In her
heart she cared nothing for her class. She had tried to be their leader,
and Grace had supplanted her, but now Grace should pay for it.
All this passed through Miriam's mind as she covertly watched Grace, who
was reassuring Anne for the fiftieth time, not to worry over the lost
signals.
"Don't tell any one about it," she whispered to Anne. "You may find them
yet."
Anne shook her head sorrowfully. She felt in some way that those signals
were bound to make trouble for her.
"By the way, girls," said Grace, addressing the team, "has any one any
objection to Anne and Jessica staying to see the practice game? They have
seen all our work and are now anxious to see the practice game. They know
all the points, but they want to see how the new signal code works."
"Of course not," answered the girls. "We won't turn Oakdale's star pupil
out of the gym. Anne shall be our mascot. As for Jessica, she is a matter
of course."
"I object," said Miriam. "I object seriously."
"Object?" repeated Grace, turning in amazement to Miriam. "Why?"
"You know that it is against all basketball rules to allow any one in the
gymnasium during practice except the regular team and the subs. If we
follow our rules then we shall be certain that nothing we do reaches the
ears of the juniors. We have always made an exception of Jessica, but I
don't think we should allow any one else here."
"And do you think that Anne Pierson would carry information?" exclaimed
Grace sharply. "Really, Miriam, you are provoking enough to try the
patience of a saint. Just as if Anne, who is the soul of honor, would do
such a thing."
An indignant murmur arose from the girls. They were all prepared to like
little Anne, although they did not know her very well.
"How can you say such things, Miriam?" cried Nora.
"I didn't say she would," said Miriam rather alarmed at the storm she had
raised. "But I do think it is better to be careful. However, have it your
own way. But if we lose the game----"
She paused. Her judgment told her she had said enough. If anything did
happen, the blame would fall on Grace's shoulders.
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