Here and there some of the fellows were conversing9 jerkily in tired voices, but there was no joking to-day, no bantering10, no laughing, no singing as the team went home. It seemed to them all that the tie had been a defeat. For the moment they had lost sight of the fact that Broadwood had outweighed11 them and that in playing their rival to a tied score they had perhaps gained some glory after all. Yardley had grown accustomed to victory on the gridiron, and anything less than a victory spelled disgrace to them. They were thankful, each and every one of them, that until the barge reached Yardley they would not have to face their fellows. Now and then a lighter12 vehicle passed, and the occupants leaned out and shouted and waved their flags as they went by. But the players made no response. Perhaps one or two grinned stoically; perhaps here and there a fellow’s face worked and his throat choked up. To-morrow—even later this same evening—they would begin to see things less pessimistically, but now, thoroughly13 tired, aching[301] and sore, it seemed to them that they were little better than pariahs14. The bottom had just dropped out of everything and they were left dangling15 in space!
When the barge rolled up the drive to the front of Oxford16 a crowd had already gathered about the steps, a throng17 of nearly a hundred, and the returning warriors18 were met with cheers that were hearty19 and loyal. A look of dull surprise overspread some of the faces in the barge; some of the fellows smiled a little; others grew frankly20 tearful. All shouldered their way through the crowd and sought their rooms, avoiding the hands that would have detained them and the questions that met them. Afterward21, as other vehicles returned and emptied their loads, the gathering22 grew and the cheers became louder and louder, and when, finally, some two hundred voices took up the strains of the school song and sang it through proudly and lovingly and even exultantly23, you’d never have guessed that Yardley held herself defeated!
Number 28 was dark when Kendall reached it. Gerald was not there, and he was very glad. He didn’t light the lights, but crossed to the window-seat, after he had taken off his coat and cap, and threw himself down among the cushions to think it all over again. Thinking, however, made[302] it no better. It seemed to him that he was disgraced; that even his usefulness to the school was over. He hated to think of the morrow when he would have to face the fellows and read the verdict in their faces. He could imagine the whispers as he went by. “That’s the failure that lost the Broadwood game for us!” Of course, there would be some who wouldn’t let it make any difference. They’d be disappointed in him, but they’d try not to let him see, and they’d be loyal still—Gerald, for instance, and Harry24 and, yes, probably The Duke. And perhaps one or two others. And maybe after a while he would get over it. Perhaps by the time the Winter term began it would be half forgotten and he could hold up his head again.
Once it occurred to him that had Fales kicked the goal after the touchdown they would still have won a victory. But he was charitable toward Fales. Fales had been worn out, almost ready to collapse25, and it was no wonder he had missed. Besides, Fales was not supposed to excel at goal-kicking. With Kendall it was different. He was first of all a kicker, he had been given his place on the team because they believed he could be depended on to score from the field. And he had failed at the one most important moment of the season! Kendall groaned26 and[303] turned his head as though to get away from his thoughts.
The world outside the windows got blacker and blacker. He knew that in the next building they were gathering for the banquet and the election. But he had no intention of going. He didn’t want to face them yet, while as for eating, he didn’t care if he never saw food again! Now and then a voice or a strain of whistling or a bar of song came up to him as fellows passed under the window. Once there was a long burst of cheering from commons. One of the Old Boys, perhaps a former football hero, had entered the dining-hall probably. Well, they’d never cheer him that way; never, unless—yes, there was another year coming, after all. Perhaps they’d give him a chance to retrieve27, to make up then! For a moment he felt better. But then the thought that if he failed to win his scholarship this year he wouldn’t be likely to get back again sent his spirits down once more. And so for another hour he lay there in self-abasement and self-accusation and got a little tearful at times and felt pretty miserable28. And finally, tired out physically29 and mentally, he fell asleep and only awoke when someone thumped30 on the door and called his name loudly. He sat up, with a wince31 as his injured arm was jolted32, and rubbed his eyes.
[304]
“Burtis! You in there?” demanded the caller imperatively33. The knob rattled, but Kendall had turned the key and the door denied admittance. For a brief instant Kendall clung to his desire for seclusion34. But then, as there came a kick which threatened to drive a panel in, he answered:
“Hello! Who is it, please?”
“Simms! Open the door, you silly chump! What time do you think it is?”
Kendall crossed the room in the darkness and turned back the key. The door was pushed open, admitting a flood of light from the corridor. Simms stared in at him.
“What the dickens are you doing?” he demanded. “Been asleep?”
“Yes, a little while,” answered Kendall.
“Well, find your cap and come on. We’re half through dinner! We’ve been looking for you for an hour.”
“I—I don’t think I want to go over there, thanks,” murmured the other. “I—my arm’s pretty sore, and I’m tired——”
“What of it? Don’t you think the rest of us are tired, too? And sore? Gosh, I haven’t a bone in my body that isn’t yelping35! Besides, we’ve got to elect a new captain pretty soon.”
“You won’t need my vote,” Kendall demurred36.[305] “I’d vote for Crandall if I was there. You could tell them that, couldn’t you?”
“Crandall! Well, say——” Simms paused and chuckled37. “Just the same you’d better come, Burtis. They sent me for you, and I can’t go back without you. Get your cap, like a good fellow.”
“They sent for me? Who, Simms?”
“Why, the lot of them, the whole push, of course,” replied the quarter impatiently.
“Really want you? Say, what’s the matter with you, old man?” Simms looked curiously39 into the other boy’s face. Then he whistled softly. “So that’s it, eh?” he asked, as though of himself. He put one hand on Kendall’s shoulder. “Look here, Burtis,” he said affectionately, “you’ve got some fool notion in your head, haven’t you? Feeling sore, I guess, about that goal you didn’t make. Is that it?”
“Why—why, of course, I feel pretty rotten about it,” answered the younger boy. “And I thought—perhaps the other fellows——” His voice dwindled40 away into silence.
Simms laughed cheerfully. Then his fingers closed reassuringly41 on Kendall’s shoulder. “Poppycock, Burtis! Poppycock, my son! No[306] one’s holding that against you! How could they? Great Scott! haven’t we all made mistakes to-day? You don’t think you lost the game, do you? Well, you didn’t! No more than I did, or Merriwell or Fales or any of the rest of us—alone! We all had a hand in it, Burtis. Besides, Payson’s been giving us a whole earful of guff about what a little band of heroes we are! Why Payson says we never had any show for that game, by rights! Says we only tied ’em because we didn’t know we were licked!” Simms’s voice dropped. “Burtis, don’t be a silly chump. Get your cap and come along. There’s a seat by me you can have. Come and see for yourself whether we want you there!”
It seemed too good to be true, and as he turned away to dash a sponge across his face his eyes got leaky again, and it took him a long time to get through with the towel and find his cap. Then he was following Simms down the stairs and along the walk and through the entrance to Whitson, alive with students awaiting the result of the election. As the two pushed their way through, the fellows fell back for them, cheering and shouting, laughing and joking. Kendall followed the quarter as in a daze42. The big door opened, and he saw the long table spread in the middle of the hall and lined on each side with the fellows. There[307] was Merriwell at the head and John Payson at the foot, turning at the sound of the opening door, and Perky Davis, and, yes, Andy Ryan, too, and all the other fellows between, talking and laughing as though Yardley had really won!
Kendall faltered at the door, but Simms dragged him on. “Got him, fellows!” he announced, pushing Kendall forward into the flood of light about the table. “Found him sound asleep, and almost had to kick the door in!”
“Hello, Burtis, you old top!” shouted Girard.
“Everything’s eaten up, Burtis!” cried Marion.
Kendall found himself pushed into a chair between Simms and Adler. Everyone was talking at him, laughing at him, it seemed, and, wonder of wonders, every face was kindly43! If an expression of doubt crept now and then into Merriwell’s countenance44 as he glanced at the newcomer, Kendall didn’t see it. Nor did he discern that Coach Payson was viewing him in a half-puzzled way. For a space, in fact, he saw very little. Eager hands passed him things and piled his plate high and Kendall pecked at the viands45, too happy to really eat.
But after a while he began to hear what was going on about him. They were still talking over the game, but the former despondency was all[308] gone. Rather, they were slightly boastful now! Plant, in high spirits, was explaining loudly what would have happened if one tiny, infinitesimal thing—Kendall couldn’t make out just what it was—had been different. “Why, in that case, we’d have knocked the green sawdust out of ’em!” declared Plant. And he appealed to Mr. Payson for confirmation46. The coach smiled and nodded. Holmes was already predicting the horrible fate that awaited Broadwood next year. “Next year” seemed the keynote now. Simms and Adler talked in front of Kendall, and had a hot discussion over some unimportant happening of the day, and threatened each other with fruit knives. There was much noise and confusion, all very jolly and happy. Kendall drank a cup of coffee and nibbled47 a banana that someone thrust at him, settled contentedly48 back in his chair, stretched his tired legs under the table and began to see the world through a wonderful mellow49, golden haze50.
Then, it must have been a half-hour later, when the last spoon had been laid reluctantly aside, although many diners were still sipping51 their second or third cups of black coffee, Captain Merriwell arose and hammered the table for attention. One by one the voices died away and the captain made his speech. He thanked them all for the[309] bully52 way in which they had stood by him and the school, for the great game they had put up to-day; and he thanked Coach Payson for his patience and hard work and——
But the rest was lost in the sound of cheers and the tinkling53 of silver against goblets54 and the thumping55 of feet.
And now it remained to choose a captain for next year, Merriwell went on. It was customary for the retiring captain to make the first nomination56, but he wasn’t going to do that to-night. He was going to let them make their selection without any suggestion from him, knowing that whoever they chose would be the right man! And nominations57 were in order!
More cheering then, and some laughter, and finally a quieter mood, while the fellows glanced curiously around the table and waited. Cousins pushed back his chair and stood up, smiling as the fellows began to clap.
“I can’t make a speech, fellows, and I don’t need to. We’ve got plenty of fellows on this team who would make good captains, and for my part I say it’s hard to choose (Applause and cries of “That’s right!”). But in my opinion I think there’s one in especial that deserves the position. He’s played three full years on the team, he’s a fellow we all like—I might say love—and—well, I[310] think he’s the captain we want. Fellows, I place in nomination Howard Crandall.”
Lots of cheering then, and lots of kindly looks toward the blushing Crandall. Simms and Fales, who sat on his other side, had their heads together. Then Simms started up, but Stark58 was ahead of him. Stark was saying nice things about Pete Girard, and Pete was struggling to throw a napkin at him and repeating, “Sit down, you big chump! I don’t want to be captain!” much to the amusement of the table. But Pete got his meed of applause when Stark finished, and then Simms sprang up.
“Fellows, we’ve had good names put before us. Crandall, bless his old hide, would make a good captain! So would Girard, if he could keep awake! (Sit down, Pete!) Either one of them would do to lead us—I mean the rest of you fellows, because some of us will be out of it next year—to lead you to victory. But, fellows, there’s one here who hasn’t been named yet, and I know you’re waiting for it. We’ve got a fellow here who would make the sort of captain we want, the sort we love to follow, the sort that Chase was in the old days before we came here, and that Vinton was, and that Merriwell has been. He hasn’t served his three years, fellows, but that can’t be helped. It isn’t his fault, it’s our[311] misfortune. He’s only been two seasons on the team, but in that time he’s yanked one game out of the fire for us and saved us from defeat in the other! And, fellows——” Simms paused and seemed debating with himself. Then: “Fellows, when the rest of us were feeding our faces here to-night and jollying up, this chap was staying away because he thought he’d failed us to-day and that we didn’t want him here! Fellows, I nominate for the captaincy of the Yardley Hall Football Team for the Season of 1911, Mr. Kendall Burtis!”
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1
barge
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| n.平底载货船，驳船 | |
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rattled
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| 慌乱的，恼火的 | |
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sling
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| vt.扔；悬挂；n.挂带；吊索，吊兜；弹弓 | |
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throb
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| v.震颤，颤动；(急速强烈地)跳动，搏动 | |
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miserably
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| adv.痛苦地；悲惨地；糟糕地；极度地 | |
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underneath
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| adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面 | |
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7
loathe
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| v.厌恶，嫌恶 | |
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loathing
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| n.厌恶，憎恨v.憎恨，厌恶( loathe的现在分词)；极不喜欢 | |
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conversing
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| v.交谈，谈话( converse的现在分词 ) | |
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10
bantering
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| adj.嘲弄的v.开玩笑，说笑，逗乐( banter的现在分词 )；（善意地）取笑，逗弄 | |
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11
outweighed
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| v.在重量上超过( outweigh的过去式和过去分词 )；在重要性或价值方面超过 | |
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12
lighter
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| n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级 | |
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13
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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pariahs
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| n.被社会遗弃者( pariah的名词复数 )；贱民 | |
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15
dangling
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| 悬吊着( dangle的现在分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口 | |
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Oxford
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| n.牛津（英国城市） | |
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throng
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| n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集 | |
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warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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exultantly
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| adv.狂欢地，欢欣鼓舞地 | |
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harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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collapse
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| vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷 | |
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groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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retrieve
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| vt.重新得到，收回；挽回，补救；检索 | |
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miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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physically
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| adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律 | |
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thumped
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| v.重击， （指心脏）急速跳动( thump的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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31
wince
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| n.畏缩，退避，（因痛苦，苦恼等)面部肌肉抽动；v.畏缩，退缩，退避 | |
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32
jolted
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| （使）摇动， （使）震惊( jolt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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imperatively
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| adv.命令式地 | |
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seclusion
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| n.隐遁，隔离 | |
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35
yelping
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| v.发出短而尖的叫声( yelp的现在分词 ) | |
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demurred
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| v.表示异议，反对( demur的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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38
faltered
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| （嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃 | |
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39
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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40
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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reassuringly
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| ad.安心，可靠 | |
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42
daze
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| v.(使)茫然，(使)发昏 | |
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43
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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44
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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45
viands
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| n.食品，食物 | |
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46
confirmation
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| n.证实，确认，批准 | |
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47
nibbled
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| v.啃，一点一点地咬（吃）( nibble的过去式和过去分词 )；啃出（洞），一点一点咬出（洞）；慢慢减少；小口咬 | |
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contentedly
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| adv.心满意足地 | |
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49
mellow
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| adj.柔和的；熟透的；v.变柔和；(使)成熟 | |
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50
haze
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| n.霾，烟雾；懵懂，迷糊；vi.(over)变模糊 | |
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51
sipping
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| v.小口喝，呷，抿( sip的现在分词 ) | |
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52
bully
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| n.恃强欺弱者，小流氓；vt.威胁，欺侮 | |
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53
tinkling
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| n.丁当作响声 | |
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54
goblets
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| n.高脚酒杯( goblet的名词复数 ) | |
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55
thumping
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| adj.重大的，巨大的；重击的；尺码大的；极好的adv.极端地；非常地v.重击(thump的现在分词)；狠打；怦怦地跳；全力支持 | |
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56
nomination
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| n.提名，任命，提名权 | |
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nominations
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| n.提名，任命( nomination的名词复数 ) | |
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stark
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| adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地 | |
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