Quarter-Back Bates

by Ralph Henry Barbour

  CHAPTER XIX

  ON THE SCREEN

  Parkinson played Chancellor on the latter's home field this year,and a good half of the school accompanied the team to Mount WansettSaturday morning. Dick, of course, went with the squad of twenty-oneplayers that left on the ten-forty-three train, and others of ouracquaintance followed after an early dinner, reaching Mount Wansettwith just time to reach the field before Babe Upton kicked off. Theline-up for the visitors at the start was, with one exception, what itwould be for the Kenwood game a week later. Gleason was at left guardin place of Cupp, the latter being out because of a bad ankle. Stonestarted at quarter-back and played a good defensive game but was, asusual, slow in getting at the attack. Toward the last of the secondperiod, when Parkinson had finally worked the ball down to Chancellor'stwenty-seven yards, Dick took his place, bearing instructions to trya forward-pass and, should that fail, to score on a field-goal. Stonehad been intent on hammering the enemy line for a touchdown, withoutapparently realising that Chancellor was getting more invulnerable withevery plunge and that time was working in her behalf. The attempt at aforward almost succeeded, but not quite, and on third down, standing onChancellor's thirty-five-yard line, Kirkendall dropped a pretty goaldirectly over the centre of the bar. That was the only score of thehalf, and it was becoming apparent to Parkinson rooters why Kenwood hadbeen able to win from Chancellor by only one score, and that a fieldgoal.

  To Dick's surprise, Cardin started the third period, and played anexcellent game. In fact it was due to Cardin that Parkinson secured asecond score soon after play was resumed. A muffed punt on Chancellor'stwenty yards had been captured by Bob Peters and two plunges hadcarried the pigskin on to the fourteen yards. There, however, a massattack on the left of the home team's right tackle had resulted in nogain and a try-at-goal seemed necessary, with the probabilities againstsuccess since the ball was at a wide angle with the goal. Cardin solvedthe difficulty by faking a kick and, after hiding the ball until theChancellor line had broken through, dodging his way around the enemy'sleft for enough ground to secure the down. From there Kirkendall andWarden had alternated and had eventually carried the ball across.

  Later, Chancellor, not for a moment acknowledging defeat, pulled offtwo long forward-passes that took her from her own thirty yards toParkinson's twenty-eight. Two line attacks netted five more and a thirdwas stopped for no gain. Then a long-legged back put a neat field-goalover for the home team's first score. Dick went back at the beginningof the final quarter and, with a line-up consisting largely of second-and third-string players, did his best to hold the enemy at bay, andsucceeded, although there were some heart-stirring moments for thevisiting audience. When the last whistle blew the score was 10-3 inParkinson's favour and she had the satisfaction of having betteredKenwood's performance against the opponent. For Chancellor had scoreda touchdown against the Blue but had failed to seriously threatenthe Parkinson goal-line. At that, however, the Brown-and-White'ssuperiority over the Blue was still questionable, and wise prophetsrefused to be unduly optimistic as to next Saturday's contest.

  When Dick arrived home long after six o'clock and made a hurried tripto Sohmer to leave his suit-case and prepare sketchily for supper,he found a letter awaiting him. It was from Sumner White, he saw,and he concluded that it could wait until after supper. But, at thelast moment, he seized on it as he hurried out of the room and torethe envelope open as he took the stairs three at a time, and skimmedthe first page on the way along the Yard to Alumni Hall. At the bottomof the page he came on something that brought him up standing. With aperplexed frown he started back and re-read the beginning.

  "I suppose you saw what we did to Norristown (Sumner wrote.) It was acorking game and Sid Nellis got his wrist broken and a lot more of usgot pretty well scrapped. The score was 14 to 6, but we sure had towork for it. Jim Cleary played most of the game at full-back and wasa wonder, better than Ed ever was. But I guess you read all this. Thebig news is that three or four of us, maybe more, will be over on thetwenty-third to see you play in the Kenwood game. Charlie Stone andWill Meens and Theo Harris and I sure, and maybe Cleary and Townsend. Iguess you saw the swell articles in the _Sentinel_ last week. I meantto send you a copy, but it got lost, and anyway I guess your fathersaw to it. I met him on High Street a couple of days ago and he askedme what I knew about that article and I said nothing and he said itwas confounded nonsense, but he acted like he thought it was prettyfine just the same, Dick. We're coming over on the midnight from Phillyand that will get us to Warne about noon Saturday. Lucky we haven'tany Saturday game, isn't it? We hold last real practice Friday andthen only do some signal drills Monday and Tuesday. So we have lots oftime. Charlie Stone's old man is sort of financing the trip, he and Mr.Harris, but we are all paying part. You mustn't put yourself out on ouraccount, for we know you'll be awfully tied down that day. But we'lldig around to your room when we get in and see you for a few minutes.Then maybe after the game we can have a good chin. Great, isn't it?Gee, I'm crazy about it. Hope you whale Kenwood good. I'll write againabout Wednesday and let you know if any other fellows are going. A lotof them want to only they haven't got the coin."

  Dick read that remarkable letter over twice and then stuffing it into apocket, took up his hurried journey again. He didn't know whether to bepleased or peeved. Of course, it was flattering that his old team-matesshould want to come all that way to see him play, and he supposed hereally appreciated it, but somehow it made him feel sort of foolishtoo. It wasn't as if he was the captain, or even the first-choicequarter. If fellows here in Parkinson heard of it they'd think himbeastly conceited and probably laugh like anything. Besides, hang itall, how did he know he would even get in on Saturday? Suppose Stoneplayed the game right through! Of course, the coach would probably lethim in for a minute or two at the end, just as he would Cardin, to gethis letter, but what a fool he would feel in that case! Folks comingall the way from Leonardville, Pennsylvania, to see him do stuntsand he sitting on the bench all the time! Gee, that would be fierce!He wished Sumner White and Charlie and all the others, especiallyincluding the editor of the _Sentinel_, would mind their own business!He was hungry enough for supper to forget the letter in his pocket saveat infrequent intervals. When he did recall it the pucker returned tohis forehead and he thrust a hand over the offending missive to be surethat it hadn't got away. It would be awful if he dropped it and someonepicked it up and read it!

  Stanley and Blash and Rusty and he had arranged for a movie party thatnight. The idea had been Blash's and Dick had at first declined to go,pleading that he would be too tired and that, besides, he had a lot ofstudying that ought to be done. But he had been persuaded to go, and sohe got through supper rather hurriedly, knowing that the others wouldbe waiting. He wanted to read that awful letter to Stanley and askadvice and sympathy, but he would have to wait until they got back fromthe movie house. On the way there he was silent, and Rusty, walkingbeside him, rallied him on his "pensivity." Dick was tempted to confidein Rusty, but he resisted, perhaps wisely, and only responded that hewas tired. As a matter of truth, he was, for even had he not played aminute, the trip was sufficient to weary one.

  "Well, the movies will rest you," answered Rusty gaily. "They do me,always, Dick. After I've studied too hard or anything I can go to amovie house and get rested wonderfully. You see, you have your mindtaken from your worries, and you sort of relax your body and thereyou are! Besides, Dick, it's a corking good picture tonight. And thenthere's the weekly review. I like that about as well as anything, Ithink. 'Bath, Maine; Largest schooner afloat is launched from yard ofthe builders with appropriate ceremonies.' 'Miss Mary Ellen Dingbottle,daughter of Senator Hiram Dingbottle, breaks a bottle of tomato catsupover the bow.' 'In her native element!' 'Los Angeles, Cal., HaroldWhosthis, America's favourite moving picture star, signs contractcalling for largest salary ever paid to an actor.' 'Tie Siding,Wyoming. Members of Boys' and Girls' Hog Club hold annual parade.''Procession passing in review before Mayor Scrugg and invited gue
sts.''Little Willie Dingfingle and his prize porker: Willie is at the leftof the picture.' 'Minneapolis, Minn. Fire destroys million-dollarbarber-shop.' 'Firemen fighting flames as hundreds of celluloid combsexplode.' 'New York City. Twelve thousand----'"

  "Shut up!" laughed Dick. "That's awfully like it, though! And thepicture of the burning barber-shop is thrown on the screen in red."

  "Always! Just as a picture of the Whirlpool Rapids taken from anairplane is always blue. There are certain laws that can't be--Well,here we are. Keep your hand out of your pocket, Dick. This is Blash'streat. When Blash shows the least sign of paying for anything, for thelove of mud don't stop him! I'm all for the encouragement of miracles!Better get 'em reserved, Blash; there'll be a crowd tonight!" And Rustywinked gravely at Dick.

  Blash, however, paid no attention to the disinterested advice, butbought the usual tickets, and the quartette made their way into thedarkened theatre and peered about for seats. Fortunately, Rusty'sprophecy proved false and there were plenty of vacancies. There didnot, though, appear to be four together, and while Dick suggestedsitting in pairs none of the others seemed to like the notion. "Oh,no," whispered Stanley, "let's keep together. It's more fun. There'llbe seats in a minute or two."

  "I see four now," said Rusty. "On the side there, pretty well front.Come on!"

  Dick thought them rather too close to the screen when he was finallyseated between Blash and Rusty, with Stanley beyond the latter, but theothers declared them to be just right. As Blash was usually a sticklerfor sitting well back, Dick was slightly puzzled. The first show wasalmost over and they witnessed the final exploits of Dick's favouritemovie hero through half a reel, pretending not to look. Then the houselighted and a brief intermission ensued.

  "I do hope they have a good weekly tonight," observed Rusty, "don'tyou, Blash?"

  "Yes," answered the other, rewarding the questioner with a scowl thatDick saw and didn't understand. Beyond Rusty, toward the aisle, Stanleywas grinning widely. Dick began to experience the uncomfortablefeeling that the others were enjoying a joke that he was not in on,and to wonder if the joke was on him! Then the lights were lowered, anornate "Welcome" flashed on the screen, the piano began its jig-timemusic and the weekly review of current events started. There were theusual scenes, so like Rusty's travesty that Dick had to smile. Therehappened to be no ship launching on this occasion, but there was aseries of views aboard a United States warship during target practice,and there was a gorgeous fire, thrown on in crimson hues, and Rusty'sparade of the Hog Club was overlooked in favour of a poultry show. Thencame the ingenious trademark at the finish and Dick settled back toenjoy the comedy. But the weekly appeared to have taken a new lease oflife, for another title flashed on the screen. Dick read idly and thenjumped forward in his seat and read again, his eyes fairly popping fromhis head, read incredulously and amazedly the legend trembling on thewhite background:

  TOWN HONOURS HER HERO

  Leonardville, Pa.--Twenty thousand citizens in monster outdoor meeting pay tribute to famous athlete, Richard Corliss Bates.