Pearl had gathered up her four brothers after dinner and washed them
clean at the river, also made repairs on their drooping stockings and
twisted collars, and, holding tight to Danny, marshalled them across
the end of the field to where Arthur and Martha sat with Jim and
Camilla, and Tom Motherwell and Nellie Slater.
Dr. Clay came driving around the end of the field. When he saw Pearl
he stopped and asked her if she would come and sit in his buggy to
watch the game.
"I can't leave the boys, thank you, doctor," she said; "there's been
three of them lost since noon, and they've all got their good clothes
on."
"Well, of course, we'll have to keep track of them, in that case," he
said, smiling, "because it would be a real loss to lose them, clothes
and all. I tell you what we'll do, Pearl. I'll give you the horse and
buggy--pile them all in, and it will be the easiest way of minding
them."
The doctor drove to a clear space where the boys would have a good
view of the game, and then went away to get a bag of peanuts for
them.
In the centre of the field the referee placed the ball between Bud
Perkins's stick and McLaren's, of Hillsboro. There was a moment of
intense excitement and then away went the ball toward Hillsboro's
goal, half a dozen in pursuit. The whole field was alive with black
and orange, blue and white, legs and arms and sticks darting in and
out in a way that would make your eyes ache to follow them. Once the
ball came to the side, causing a receding wave of fluttering muslin.
Mrs. Maxwell, whose son had that shade of hair which is supposed to
indicate a hasty temper, was shouting directions to him as loudly as
she could. Mrs. Maxwell's directions were good ones, too, if Alec
could only have followed them. "Shoot, Alec!" she called. "Shoot it
in! Run, Alec! Shoot it in!"
Millford's only lawyer, the dignified and stately Mr. Hawkins, came
majestically down the line, carrying a camp stool under his arm. He
had found it necessary to change his position, incensed at the
undignified behaviour of the Hillsboro girls, who had taken up their
position on one side of the field and were taking a lively interest
in the game. He had ventured a slight rebuke, whereupon the whole
battery of their indignation had been trained on him, with the result
that he withdrew hastily. He sat down just in front of Mrs. Perkins
and Mrs. Watson, and began to take an interest in the game. The ball
was near Millford's goal and a scrimmage was taking place, a solid
knot of players that moved and writhed and twisted.
Suddenly Bud Perkins shot out from the others, carrying his stick
high above his head as he, raced up the field. "Bud! Bud! Bud!"
Millford cried in an ecstasy of hope and fear. He sprang, dodged,
whirled, the whole field in pursuit, and then, when in line with
Hillsboro's goal, he shot low and swift and sure!
A great cheer burst from the crowd, hats were thrown in the air,
little boys turned handsprings, and Millford went stark, staring mad.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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