Polly tore off her sweater and waited. The game, after the minute’s time was up, began again. Alice Wentworth played too hard in her attempt to support Grace and fouled for roughness. As the Fenwick forward prepared to throw for her basket, Louise asked to put in a substitute. Grace left the floor in tears and Polly took her place.
She played like a little fury for the rest of the
first half, but to no purpose, for Alice Wentworth was now thoroughly wild and could give her no support.
“What is the matter with that girl?” groaned Betty, stamping with rage. “Can’t she understand a straight signal! Oh, if they’d only let me in!”
“I can’t do it all,” Polly cried desperately as she dived for the ball near the line where Lois and Betty sat.
“You’ve got to,” Lois answered. “How much longer will this half last?” she asked, turning to Betty.
“Long enough to leave no chance for us. Oh, Lo, they’ve made another basket!” And Betty wrung her hands in despair.
After a few minutes more of desperate struggling to keep the ball away from the other team, Miss Stuart blew the whistle, and the first half was over. The score was 5—0 in the Fenwick team’s favor.
The school cheered half-heartedly, and under Connie’s vigorous leadership, they sang to each member of the team in the vain hope of encouraging them. Polly was completely out of breath and Lois made her lie flat on her back and Betty forbid her talking.
After a doleful fifteen minutes the whistle blew again and the second half started. Up went the ball, and despite Polly’s frantic efforts to stop it, it flew straight in the direction of the wrong goal.