“Andy, I wish you’d wrap some tape around here,” said Alf, presenting his wrist to the trainer. “I sent Pennimore up for my wristlet but I guess he couldn’t find it.”
“Lame, is it?” asked Andy. “That’ll fix it. Tell Hanley not to over-skate, cap. He missed a dozen passes last half. There you are,” he added, as he snipped1 the end of the tape with his scissors. “Are you going to put the subs in at the end?”
“Yes, if I can, Andy. Give me the word when there’s a minute or two left, will you? All right, fellows! Now let’s get this game. Hanley, you’ve got to stop getting ahead of the line. You’re missing the pass time and again. Keep back, man; take your position from Roeder and watch the puck. Durf, you’ve got to quit slashing2 with that stick or you’ll be sitting on the boards; the referee3’s got his eye on you. Don’t get ruled off,[269] for the love of Mike! We’ve got all we can do to win with seven men, let alone six. Come on now and let’s get this game and nail it down!”
“What’s this we hear about no hockey cup, Loring?” asked the Broadwood captain, skating up as Alf jumped into the rink.
“Oh, it’s a bit of mean luck, Graham,” answered Alf. “Some one bagged it out of the room the other day and we haven’t laid eyes on it since. We thought, of course, that some smart Aleck had taken it for a joke, but I guess now it was really stolen.”
“That’s hard luck,” said Graham. “I’m sorry. I didn’t see the cup myself, but I heard it was a dandy.”
“It was. It will be all right, of course; I mean that if it doesn’t turn up there’ll be another to take its place, but I suppose we can’t get a new one made for a month or so. I’m awfully4 sorry about it, and I feel rather cheap, too, having to ’fess up to you chaps that I’ve let it get away. If I could find the fellow who took it I’d come pretty near wringing5 his fool neck!”
The Broadwood captain smiled sympathetically and the referee’s whistle summoned the players. The spectators, who had many of them left their positions to wander about, scurried6 back to[270] the rink side. Joe Chambers7 searched feverishly8 for his notebook—for the Scholiast would have a full and detailed9 account of the game in its next issue. Harry10 Merrow squirmed his way to the front row between two good-natured Greenburg citizens; Tom and Paul Rand mounted their box near one corner of the rink; Andy Ryan snapped his bag shut and compared his watch with that of the timer’s; Yardley and Broadwood cheered vociferously11; the referee tossed the puck down between the impatient sticks and the last half began.
Up on the hill at that moment, in No. 7 Dudley, Gerald was crouching12 on the floor and listening anxiously for the sound of footsteps in the corridor. They came finally, drawing nearer and nearer, and at length stopping outside the door. There was a knock, then silence. Another knock, and the door swung softly inward. Cautious footsteps crossed the floor to the table. Gerald raised his head above the level of Tom’s bed. Hiltz, his eyes fixed13 anxiously on the windows and his ears straining for sounds in the building, fumbled14 under his big ulster. Then the familiar maroon-colored bag appeared and he laid it on the table, the cup and base betraying their presence by muffled15 rattling16 that sounded startlingly[271] loud in the silent room. Hiltz turned away, still listening intently, and took one step across the carpet. Then his gaze left the windows, traveled half around the room and fell full on Gerald’s.
Hiltz uttered no sound, but the color fled from his face, leaving it white and drawn17. His wide, startled eyes held Gerald’s for a long moment. It was Gerald who finally broke the tension and the silence. He arose, brushed the dust from his knees and seated himself on Alf’s bed.
“His wide, startled eyes held Gerald’s for a long moment.”
“Well?” he said.
The color crept back into Hiltz’s cheeks and his expression of fright gave place to one of sullen18 defiance19.
“Well?” he echoed.
“You’ve brought it back,” said Gerald, nodding at the cup. “I said all along that you had taken it.”
“I didn’t take it!” said Hiltz defiantly20. “I found it—just now—by accident, and——”
“Where did you find it?” asked Gerald coolly.
“In the cellar—in Whitson,” replied Hiltz, after the barest instant of hesitancy.
“How did you happen to go there?” asked Gerald with a smile. “You were at the rink half an hour ago.”
“I went to get something.”
[272]
“Yes, and you got it, and there it is. What’s the use of lying about it, Hiltz?”
Hiltz’s gaze wandered to the door. Then he shrugged22 his shoulders and sat down in a chair by the table.
“That’s right,” he said. “I took it. I guess you know why.”
Gerald shook his head. “I don’t believe I do, Hiltz. Why?”
“To make trouble for you and Vinton, of course,” answered the other recklessly. “I didn’t want the old cup; I wasn’t stealing it. I meant to bring it back last night and put it in your room, and I tried to, but there wasn’t any chance. There were always fellows about, and after what Collins said I didn’t want to be caught. I guess you’ve got me where you want me now, Pennimore. Of course, I might deny the whole thing,” he went on musingly23, “and say that you made up the story, but I guess no one would believe me.”
Gerald considered judicially24. Then he shook his head.
“No, I don’t believe they would. You see, Hiltz, we all suspected you from the first, but we couldn’t prove anything. If you ask me, I think it was a silly thing to do.”
“I don’t ask you,” said Hiltz angrily. “I[273] don’t give a hang what you think. You don’t like me and I don’t like you, and you can go to Collins this minute, but I don’t have to listen to any of your fool opinions.”
“Why didn’t you bring it back Friday morning, when you had a chance, and say that it was only a joke?” asked Gerald curiously25.
“Because I wasn’t ready to. You and that fool Vinton weren’t worried enough then.”
“I don’t believe either Dan or I worried half as much as Alf did.”
“Well, I’m not crazy about Alf Loring,” answered Hiltz with a shrug21. “He did all he could to help Vinton beat me for the committee. It was none of his business.”
“Perhaps not. The only reason Dan wanted to beat you was so I could get into Cambridge. You kept me out last year, you know.”
“Who said so?”
“It doesn’t matter. I know it’s so.”
“Well, what if I did? I had a right to vote against you, hadn’t I? We don’t want any of your sort in Cambridge.”
“My sort? Just what is my sort?” asked Gerald.
“Oh, you know; stuck-up, purse-proud chaps like you don’t mix with the rest of us. You think[274] just because your father has gobs of money that you’re a little better than we are. How did he make his money, anyway?”
“Honestly,” answered Gerald quietly.
“Yah! That’s likely, isn’t it?”
“It’s so, anyhow. He didn’t get it by lying and stealing, Hiltz.”
“What do you mean by that?” demanded the other suspiciously.
“Well, that’s what you’ve done, isn’t it?” said Gerald. “You lied about me after the cross-country trial and now you’ve stolen this cup.”
“I’ve a good mind to go over there and make you eat those words, you little stuck-up cad!” blazed Hiltz, half rising from his chair.
“I’m not afraid of you,” retorted Gerald, the color rushing to his face. “You did lie when you said I cheated and you did steal that cup!”
“I didn’t steal it, I tell you! I only took it to worry you fellows, and I meant to bring it back before you needed it this afternoon. And I would have if Collins hadn’t threatened to expel the fellow who took it.”
Gerald glanced at his watch.
“Well, I’m glad you returned it when you did,” he said, “for now, if Broadwood wins, we’ll be able to hand it over to her.” He glanced from[275] the cup to Hiltz and then examined his hands frowningly for a moment. Finally:
“Look here, Hiltz,” he said, glancing across, “I never did anything to you personally to make you hate me so, did I?”
“Personally, no,” answered Hiltz. “I’d like to see you!”
“Well, why have you got it in for me so?”
Hiltz’s gaze fell and he shuffled26 his feet impatiently.
“Oh, I just don’t like you. Tubby Jones was my best friend here until Vinton made it so hot for him he had to leave school. And then you came and took Tubby’s place in No. 28, and so—” Hiltz’s voice dwindled27 uncertainly into silence.
“I don’t see what I could do about it,” said Gerald with spirit. “Tubby left school because he got into some sort of trouble. That left Dan alone and he asked me to come in with him. It doesn’t make much difference to me, Hiltz, whether you like me or don’t like me, only—I haven’t done anything to you and I’d rather not have anyone down on me if I can help it. You say I’m stuck-up, but I don’t believe I am. I know there are dozens and dozens of fellows here who are smarter and nicer than I am and who haven’t got wealthy fathers. Last year, when I first came[276] here, lots of fellows used to call me names; Money-bags, and Miss Nancy, and things like that. But they don’t do it this year and so I—I was thinking that they had forgotten about it and—and sort of liked me. I can’t help it if my father has a lot of money, Hiltz. I don’t see what that has to do with me as long as I act decently.”
Hiltz was silent, his gaze fixed on his shoes.
“Do you?” asked Gerald after a moment.
“Maybe not,” growled28 Hiltz. “I didn’t say I had any very good reason for disliking you; I just said I—did.” Gerald smiled and Hiltz looked up suddenly and saw it. “Oh, I know what you’re after,” he broke out. “You want me to eat humble29 pie and beg you to let me off and not tell Collins! Well, I won’t, by Jove! You can go ahead and tell him now. I can stand it. Being fired isn’t going to kill me.”
“I don’t want you to do anything of the sort,” answered Gerald warmly. “I’ve never thought of telling Collins.”
Hiltz viewed him incredulously.
“You haven’t! Why not?”
“Why should I? You say I don’t like you. Well, I suppose I don’t. I couldn’t very well after the way you’ve put it on me whenever you’ve had the chance. But I don’t think I dislike you—very[277] much. And I guess if you were decent to me I could be decent to you, Hiltz. Anyway, I’m sure I don’t want you expelled.”
“Then—what will you do?” asked Hiltz rather more humbly30.
“Take the cup down to the rink and hand it over to French or Alf and tell them I found it in this room.”
“Oh,” said Hiltz, his gaze returning to his shoes. “And not say anything about me?”
“Not a word. Do you think anyone saw you come up the hill?”
“I don’t believe so. I left the rink just before the first half was over and everyone was looking at the players.”
“Then if I were you I’d go to my room and stay there until the fellows get back. No one will know then that you didn’t stay through the game. Now I’d better take this down or the game will be over.”
Gerald got up and put the cup under his arm. Hiltz arose, too, and stood hesitating doubtfully by his chair. At last:
“Well, I guess that’s the best thing to do,” he said. “And—oh, I guess you know how I feel about it, Pennimore. It’s decent of you, I’ll say that, and I—I appreciate it. My folks would feel[278] like the dickens if Collins expelled me.” He walked to the door, opened it and faced Gerald again. “I guess you and I won’t—” he hesitated, hunting his words—“won’t have any more trouble, Pennimore.”
Then he disappeared and Gerald heard his footfalls dying away in the corridor. For a minute Gerald stood there frowning intently at the closed door. Then he smiled slightly, glanced again at his watch and left the building to hurry across the Yard and down the hill with the Pennimore cup hugged tightly under his arm.
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snipped
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| v.剪( snip的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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slashing
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| adj.尖锐的；苛刻的；鲜明的；乱砍的v.挥砍( slash的现在分词 )；鞭打；割破；削减 | |
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referee
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| n.裁判员．仲裁人，代表人，鉴定人 | |
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awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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wringing
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| 淋湿的，湿透的 | |
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scurried
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| v.急匆匆地走( scurry的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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chambers
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| n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅 | |
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feverishly
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| adv. 兴奋地 | |
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detailed
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| adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的 | |
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harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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vociferously
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| adv.喊叫地，吵闹地 | |
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crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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fumbled
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| （笨拙地）摸索或处理（某事物）( fumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 乱摸，笨拙地弄； 使落下 | |
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muffled
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| adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己） | |
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rattling
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| adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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defiance
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| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
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defiantly
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| adv.挑战地，大胆对抗地 | |
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shrug
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| v.耸肩(表示怀疑、冷漠、不知等) | |
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shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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musingly
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| adv.沉思地，冥想地 | |
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judicially
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| 依法判决地，公平地 | |
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curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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shuffled
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| v.洗（纸牌）( shuffle的过去式和过去分词 )；拖着脚步走；粗心地做；摆脱尘世的烦恼 | |
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dwindled
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| v.逐渐变少或变小( dwindle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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humbly
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| adv. 恭顺地，谦卑地 | |
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