“But why mix Hester Grimes up with it?” growled Billson.
“Rufe would never have thought of the thing himself, I don’t believe. And Hester threatened to ‘fix’ all the girls, and said she hated them, and the gym., and the whole thing.”
“Guess she was mad,” said the man.
“Quite likely. She sure wasn’t glad,” returned the boy, drily.
“And I suppose you think,” said Mr. Billson, scowling, “that she is doing all this for the Doyles to pay Rufus for his monkey-shines, eh?”
“No I never said such a thing,” cried the indignant Chet.
“Then what? If folks have really got anything against Miss Hester, why don’t they come out square and say so? This hinting at things—going ‘all ’round Robin Hood’s barn’—gets my goat—it does so!”
“I guess the girls of Central High feel a whole lot differently toward Hester than they did,” admitted Chet. “At least, they talk differently.”
And it was a fact. While Chet and Billson were talking the basketball team had gathered at the Belding house and had concocted another “round robin.” But this one was couched in quite different language from the first that had been presented to their physical instructor. This time both Lily Pendleton and Roberta Fish signed the paper, which was an unequivocal request that Hester Grimes be invited to take her old position on the team.
Hester had not come back to school yet; the doctor would not allow it. But she was taking her lessons at home. Johnny Doyle was well on the way to recovery and all Hester needed was a little rest, the doctor said, to put her in as good condition as usual.