The Cubs tried their best. Seeing the ball coming toward him on a straight pass, Dan reached for it.
At that instant, Pat darted in, striking the Cub’s arm just as his fingers would have closed upon the ball.
A howl of anger arose from the crowd. Mr. Veeley held up his hands in signal of another personal fowl on Pat.
Dan made the free throw. Pat was ordered off the floor.
“You can’t do that,” he protested. “We don’t have any regular substitute.”
His arguments were unavailing. Pat finally left the floor, muttering to himself. A lean, lanky substitute took his place.
After that, it was a losing game for the Purple Five. With Pat on the sidelines, the team collapsed.
The Cubs brought the score even, and then Dan dropped three baskets in succession to win the game by a six point margin.
“Well, we won, boy!” Brad declared as they trotted off the floor after the final whistle had blown. “You were great, Dan!”
“We didn’t have too much competition after Pat went out of the game,” Dan replied, brushing dirt from his shorts. “I wish we could have won with him opposing us.”