Football -- Juvenile fiction; Schools -- Juvenile fiction
“Vertigo,” supplied Stanley. “He’s all right now. Feel better, Dick?
Yes, he says he feels better, thanks.”
“You let go me,” growled Dick, writhing in the grasp of Blash and
Rusty. “What do I care about the usher? Let go my arms, you pups!”
“Just keep your eyes closed,” said Rusty soothingly. “You’ll be all
right in a second. I’ve got an aunt who’s just that way. Every time she
goes to the movies----”
“Hang your aunt!” exploded Dick. “I tell you to let go of me!”
The usher flashed a suspicious beam from his pocket-torch on the
convulsed features and muttered doubtfully: “Looks to me like he was
havin’ a fit!”
“Usher! Usher, there’s nothing the matter with him!” exclaimed an
indignant voice from the row behind. “Those boys have been acting up
ever since they came in, and you ought to make them behave. It’s no
pleasure for others to have to be annoyed like this and----”
“Oh, madam!” exclaimed Blash, turning an injured countenance. “How can
you say so? I assure you----”
“You tell your friend to come out of it,” said the usher doggedly.
“Either that or you all get out! That goes, see?”
“Oh, thanks so much,” said Stanley gratefully. “He’s quite all right
now. You’re all right, aren’t you, Dick? Yes, he says he’s feeling ever
so much better. Maybe----”
“O you Bates!” cried a voice from across the darkened house. “O you
famous athlete!” Laughs and chuckles followed. The usher gazed about
him bewilderedly. From the balcony came a further interruption. “What
did you pay for it, Dick?” inquired an earnest voice. Laughter
unrestrained arose from many quarters. A shrill falsetto joined in.
“Regular cheers for Bates, fellows! One, two, three!” Someone accepted
the challenge and, interspersed with laughter, a ragged Parkinson cheer
broke forth: “Rah, rah, rah! Rah, rah, rah! Rah, rah, rah! Bates!
_Bates!_ BATES!” And, “_Hero!_” added a solitary voice upstairs. Dick
slumped into his seat, all fight gone from him.
Three ushers, reinforced by a stout gentleman from the front, hurried
along the aisles and begged or commanded silence, and gradually the
laughter subsided to chuckles and the chuckles died away. Blash
whispered contritely in Dick’s ear: “Sorry if I’ve made you mad, Dick.
It was just a joke, you know. Thought you’d take it like a good sport.”
“All right,” answered Dick glumly. “Shut up, please.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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