“Just the same,” ventured Lanny eagerly, “I think he ought to be made to buy back those Tinkham’s, Ben. He promised he would!”
“Dry up, Lanny! If I hear any more out of you about your old Tinkham’s I’ll make you eat ’em. Hear?”
Lanny heard and subsided. And at that moment the supper bell sounded and House filed into the dining-room in high good humor.
The deciding hockey game took place the following afternoon, and I’d like to be able to record a brilliant triumph for House, since I am sure your sympathies are with the House Team. But I can’t. That final contest was never for a moment in doubt after Billy Spooner slapped the puck into the net for the first score scarcely a minute after the game started. Day simply ran away with the game. Five to one it was at the end of the first half, and twelve to two when the last whistle blew. All Kid’s eloquence, all the combined cheering of the House rooters failed to disturb the equanimity of the Day Team’s players. They mowed everything before them and won the grudging admiration of their opponents by the brilliancy of their work. And finally they trooped away down the hill, cheering and exulting and waving their sticks, with the Hockey Cup borne aloft in triumph.
XIX
THE TROPHY IS PRESENTED
A week later the last of the ice had disappeared, the boards about the rinks had been stored for another season and the tennis courts lay exposed where the ring of skates had sounded on the winter air. Mild weather came with a jump and almost before one knew it baseballs had made their appearance and spring was at hand.
But meanwhile the Junior Four had held meetings in the harness room—sometimes with the window wide open and the warm breath of an early spring day creeping in to them—and settled the matter of the trophy. First of all, an estimate had been received from a manufacturer in New York. The trophy was to be eight inches in height, of solid silver, to rest on a little ebony base, and to cost sixteen dollars. At first this had seemed a prohibitive price.
“We can never get that much money,” exclaimed Nan in despair. “Why, I haven’t saved anything yet! I had a quarter, but I—I bought some of Kid’s tablets with it.”
“So did I,” said Small.