Play had begun again before he reached the fringe of the crowd, but by the time he had wormed his way through to the substitute bench the whistle had sounded and the referee7 was in the center of a group of protesting players.[280] Everyone was intent on the scene before him and Gerald’s appearance went unnoticed. The referee, shaking his head, backed away, motioning, and Durfee of Yardley, and Took of Broadwood, walked disconsolately8 and protestingly from the rink.
“Slugging,” answered Sanderson in reply to Gerald’s question. “Durfee’s been mixing it up all the half and Took got mad and came back at him. I don’t blame him. They had a lovely little squabble down there in the corner. Didn’t you see it?”
“I just got here,” answered Gerald.
“Just got—” exclaimed Sanderson, looking around at him where he was leaning over the bench. “Where have you been? What’s that you’ve got, Pennimore?”
But Gerald was trying to get Alf’s attention and made no answer. Alf, finding that protests were useless, was turning to skate back to his position when he heard Gerald hail him. He looked across and then skated up to the boards.
“Did you find it?” he asked. “Thought you’d got lost. Let’s have it.” He began to peel the tape from his wrist.
“Yes, and I found this, too, Alf,” said Gerald, bringing the cup into sight.
[281]
Alf’s face lighted up when he saw it.
“Great! Where did you get it, kid?”
“Found it on the table in your room.”
“All ready, Yardley?” called the referee.
“Just a minute, please,” answered Alf, strapping9 the wristlet on. “You say you found it on the table in—” He stopped and viewed Gerald suspiciously. “How did it get there?”
“That’s something I can’t tell you,” answered Gerald with a smile.
“Can’t or won’t?” asked Alf frowningly. “Well, never mind now. I’ve got to get back. Take the bag off it, Gerald, and don’t let it out of your hands until the game’s over. By Jove, I’m glad you got it, wherever it came from! You’re a trump10, Gerald!”
He tossed the rejected tape onto the ground and turned to skate away. But the next instant he was circling back.
“Where are your togs, kid?” he asked abruptly11.
“In the gym,” answered Gerald.
“Go up and get them on and hurry back!”
Then he was speeding off to his position.
Gerald stared after him. Get his togs on! Why, that meant—meant that Alf was going to let him into the game! Meant that he was to play[282] in the big contest! Meant that he was to get his Y! For a moment he stood there motionless.
“Gee, you’re in luck,” said Sanderson enviously12. “Why don’t you get a move on, you idiot?”
Then Gerald thrust the silver cup and the ebony pedestal and the flannel13 bag into Andy Ryan’s hands and fought his way out of the throng14 and went tearing up the hill.
The half was ten minutes old and a like number of minutes were left to play. Broadwood was in the lead with three goals to Yardley’s two. The playing in the second period had been fairly even and the puck had been flying back and forth15 from one end of the rink to the other. Dan had spoiled two nice tries and the Broadwood goal had three brilliant stops to his credit. Broadwood’s score had come from a scrimmage in front of the cage during which a Green forward had found a moment’s opening and taken advantage of it by whizzing the puck past Dan’s feet. Now Yardley braced16, however, and forced the fighting. With but six men on a side the playing was more open and it was harder to penetrate17 the defense18. Three times the Blue charged down to within scoring distance only to lose the puck. Then the penalized19 forwards came back into the game and[283] Durfee, as though to make up for the lost time, sprang into the line, took the disk at a nice pass from Roeder, evaded20 the Green’s point and slammed the puck viciously past the goal tend, tying the score again.
How Yardley shouted and cheered and pounded the boards with her feet! “Four minutes to play!” cried Ridge21 excitedly. “I’ll bet it goes to an extra period!”
“Play together, fellows!” called Alf. “One more like that!”
Again the puck was centered and again the two teams sprang desperately22 into the fray23. Skates rang on the hard ice, sticks clashed and broke, players stumbled and sprawled24 to the delight of the cheering audience, the referee whistled and interfered25 time and again and the precious moments flew by. Warner, the Green’s right center, getting the puck near his goal took it almost alone the length of the rink amid the wild, expectant acclaim26 of Broadwood, sent Felder flying on his back and shot at goal. But the puck went squarely against Dan’s padded leg, dropped to the ice and was whisked aside before it could be reached by the nearest green stick. Half a dozen players met in the corner of the ice and fought like maniacs27 for the disk. Finally it slipped out[284] and was slashed28 toward the center in front of goal. But before a Broadwood player could reach it the referee’s whistle sounded.
“Time’s up!” was the cry along the boards. But play had been stopped only for off side and the referee motioned for the puck.
“A minute and a half, cap!” called Andy Ryan. Alf heard and waved his hand, skating across to the bench.
“Sanderson, you go in for Felder,” he called. “Ridge at right center, Eisner at right end, Pennimore at left center. Hurry up now!”
The changes were made, the deposed29 players trailing regretfully from the ice to the tune30 of Yardley cheers.
“That’s a risk, isn’t it, Alf?” asked Dan anxiously, as Alf came back to position. “Putting Gerald in, I mean.”
“He deserves it,” answered Alf. “Keep your eyes open, Dan. There’s only a minute and a half. If we can stave them off we’ll have a rest and come back at them hard next period.”
The puck dropped to the ice and play went on again. There was evident now a disposition31 on each side to abandon team work and Dan cautioned and implored32 almost unceasingly. Both teams were anxious to score and the result was[285] that for the next minute neither came near doing it. Then, with less than half a minute to play, Hanley started off with the puck, pursued by the Broadwood forwards, his own mates trying desperately to get into position to help him. Down near the Green’s goal the cover point challenged him and Hanley passed to the left in the hope that some one of his side would be there to take the puck. As it happened some one was there. It was Gerald, out of position and intent only on getting the disk. Two Broadwood fellows reached for it, but Gerald, skating fast, slashed their sticks aside, got the puck, lost it, recovered it again with a half turn, charged toward the cage and shot blindly. As he did so the point drove into his shoulder first. Gerald’s stick flew into air and Gerald himself left his feet with a bound and went crashing to the ice ten feet away. But blue-tipped sticks were waving wildly in air and Yardley cheers were ringing triumphantly33, for the puck lay snugly34 against the net at the back of Broadwood’s goal.
Alf was the first to reach Gerald’s side and his first glimpse of the pale face frightened him badly. Andy Ryan hurried on and between them Gerald was lifted up and carried off the ice and laid on the substitute’s bench with a pile of sweaters[286] under his head and a gayly hued35 dressing36 gown over his body.
“Is he hurt badly?” whispered Alf.
Andy’s hands went down under the dressing gown. Then he shook his head cheerfully.
“Stunned a bit,” he answered. “That’s all. He hit on his head, likely. I’ll look after him. You go back.”
“But I’ve nobody to put in,” said Alf.
“Play them with six,” replied Andy. “There’s only a matter of four seconds left.”
Andy was right. The puck had no more than been put in play when the timer shouted his warning and the whistle blew. About the rink Yardley triumphed and cavorted37. On the ice two weary, panting groups of players cheered each other feebly. On the substitutes’ bench Gerald stirred, sighed and opened his eyes.
“Hello, Andy,” he said weakly and puzzledly. “What’s up?”
“I don’t know what’s up,” answered the trainer dryly, “but you went down.”
“I remember.” Gerald felt of his head gingerly. “Did I——?”
He looked the rest of his question anxiously.
“You did,” answered Andy. “If you don’t believe me just listen to that!”
[287]
“That” was a wild tumult38 of Yardley joy. Gerald smiled, and when he opened his eyes again a moment later Dan and Alf were bending over him solicitously39.
“How do you feel, chum?” asked Dan.
“All right,” answered Gerald cheerfully. “We won, didn’t we?”
“You bet! Your goal saved the day, Gerald!” answered Alf.
“And the cup,” added Gerald.
“And the cup,” Alf agreed smilingly.
“And—and—” Gerald’s voice sank—“do I get my Y, Alf?”
“You bet you do!” answered Alf heartily40.
“Then,” murmured Gerald, closing his eyes again with a sigh and a smile, “I don’t mind about my head, though it does hurt awfully41!”
THE END
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收听单词发音
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1
clatter
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| v./n.(使)发出连续而清脆的撞击声 | |
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2
intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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3
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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4
triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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5
onlookers
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| n.旁观者，观看者( onlooker的名词复数 ) | |
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6
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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7
referee
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| n.裁判员．仲裁人，代表人，鉴定人 | |
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8
disconsolately
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| adv.悲伤地，愁闷地；哭丧着脸 | |
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9
strapping
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| adj. 魁伟的, 身材高大健壮的 n. 皮绳或皮带的材料, 裹伤胶带, 皮鞭 动词strap的现在分词形式 | |
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10
trump
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| n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭 | |
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11
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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12
enviously
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| adv.满怀嫉妒地 | |
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13
flannel
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| n.法兰绒；法兰绒衣服 | |
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14
throng
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| n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集 | |
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15
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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16
braced
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| adj.拉牢的v.支住( brace的过去式和过去分词 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来 | |
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17
penetrate
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| v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解 | |
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18
defense
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| n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩 | |
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19
penalized
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| 对…予以惩罚( penalize的过去式和过去分词 )； 使处于不利地位 | |
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20
evaded
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| 逃避( evade的过去式和过去分词 )； 避开； 回避； 想不出 | |
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21
ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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22
desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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23
fray
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| v.争吵；打斗；磨损，磨破；n.吵架；打斗 | |
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24
sprawled
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| v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的过去式和过去分词)；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着） | |
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25
interfered
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| v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 )；调停；妨碍；干涉 | |
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26
acclaim
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| v.向…欢呼，公认；n.欢呼，喝彩，称赞 | |
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27
maniacs
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| n.疯子（maniac的复数形式） | |
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28
slashed
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| v.挥砍( slash的过去式和过去分词 )；鞭打；割破；削减 | |
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29
deposed
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| v.罢免( depose的过去式和过去分词 )；（在法庭上）宣誓作证 | |
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30
tune
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| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
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31
disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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32
implored
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| 恳求或乞求（某人）( implore的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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33
triumphantly
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| ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地 | |
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34
snugly
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| adv.紧贴地；贴身地；暖和舒适地；安适地 | |
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35
hued
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| 有某种色调的 | |
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36
dressing
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| n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料 | |
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37
cavorted
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| v.跳跃( cavort的过去式 ) | |
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38
tumult
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| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
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39
solicitously
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| adv.热心地，热切地 | |
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40
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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41
awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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