Polly's First Year at Boarding School Part 23

"Yes, I hope there's nothing serious the matter with her father," Louise answered. Then with a sigh: "I suppose I'm a brute, but I can't help thinking, there goes another subst.i.tute."

"Cheer up," advised Polly, "she probably wouldn't have been needed. How are the songs getting along?"

"Wonderfully! Betty and Angela handed in two dandies today, but of course I'm looking to the Juniors for most of them."

"Well, so long."

"Don't work too hard, and don't you dare hurt yourself."

"I won't, and you cheer up."

Louise left the gym and Polly jumped into the game, calmly taking the ball out of Connie's astonished hands.

She worked furiously all afternoon and when next she had a minute to breathe she was back in her own room getting ready for her bath.

"I tell you, Polly," sang out Betty from across the hall, "you certainly played this afternoon."

"Hum!" Polly grumbled, s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g her hair up into a tight knot. "I made a nasty foul. Thank goodness Louise wasn't there."

"Aren't you two slow pokes ready for your baths yet?" demanded Lois, thumping on the door.

"Well, I can't find my slippers," Polly complained, rummaging under the bed. "Angela," she called, "darling Angela, please lend me your slippers."

"All right, here they come." And a pair of Chinese slippers flew through the transom.

"Thanks! Oh, I say, I asked for slippers, not stilts," Polly grumbled.

"How do you keep the crazy things on?"

"Ingrat.i.tude, thy name is Polly," began Angela, but Polly was half way down the hall and out of hearing, with Lois and Betty. Lois was saying:

"How did you ever manage to make that foul?" And Polly explained, just as they came to the head of the stairs.

"Why, Connie had the ball and I jumped for it. She tried to pa.s.s it to Dot and I thought I could get it by batting it back, like this-"

She leaned forward to show what she meant, completely forgetting the stairs. Angela's slippers gave a half twist and she plunged headlong down the steps.

Miss King said her ankle was badly sprained and the doctor was summoned.

She lay on the infirmary bed, biting her lips and trying to keep back the tears. The doctor had strapped her ankle and told Miss King that she was not to put her foot to the ground for two weeks.

At last Louise's voice sounded outside the door.

"All right," she was saying. "I promise to stay only a second." And in a minute she was at Polly's side. It was more than the poor child could stand. She burst into tears and hid her face in the pillows.

"Oh, Louise," she sobbed, "can you ever forgive me? And you told me to be careful!"

"Why, honey child, you couldn't help it," comforted Louise. "Here, cheer up, you'll make yourself sick. Angela's downstairs tearing her hair out and swearing vengeance on her poor slippers."

"But the game! Who'll play in my place?" wailed Polly.

"That is just what I came up to talk to you about," Louise told her.

"Can you suggest any one? We're stumped."

"Wouldn't Betty do? I know she'd be careful about fouls. Please give her a chance."

"I think perhaps you're right. I'll go and talk to her," Louise replied.

"Be good, dear, and don't worry. I know it's a terrible disappointment."

And she leaned over and kissed Polly's hot cheek.

"All right, I'll try. If you see Lois will you ask her to come up and talk to me? I'll go crazy if I have to stay here alone."

But it was not until some hours later that Lois appeared. Miss King thought solitude the best thing for Polly's feverish condition.

"You are a nice one," grumbled Polly when Lois entered the room. "I thought you were never coming near me again."

"Come near you! Why, I've been sitting outside Miss King's door all afternoon, waiting for permission to see you. Poor darling! How's the ankle? Awfully painful?" explained Lois.

"Do you mean to tell me Miss King wouldn't let you in before now?"

demanded Polly.

"Yes; she said you were very feverish and she wanted you to rest; and for goodness' sake don't excite yourself or I'll have to leave; you must be kept quiet."

"And here I've been thinking you a cold-hearted wretch all afternoon.

Just wait till I see Miss King!"

"What are you going to do to her?" asked that lady herself, poking her white-capped head around the corner of the door.

"Oh, there you are, eh?" laughed Polly. "Why wouldn't you let Lois come in before?"

"Because I'm a cross old thing," laughed Miss King. "But just to show you that I can be nice sometimes, if you have no more fever I'll let her stay and have supper with you. Now what am I?"

"You're a darling and I'll love you forever, but don't you dare find I have a fever," replied Polly.

Miss King did find her temperature a little above normal, but so little that Lois was permitted to stay, and the two of them had such a jolly time that Polly almost succeeded in forgetting the coming game and her own disappointment, and you may be sure Lois carefully kept off that dangerous subject. The time pa.s.sed so quickly that the bell for study hour rang long before they expected it, and Lois had to fly to escape being late.

"Lo, half a minute," Betty called just before the good-night bell. "I've something to tell you. I am chosen to fill Polly's place tomorrow.

Louise just told me."

"I'm awfully glad for you, Bet," answered Lois. "I know you'll make good, but-"

"Yes, it's that but that makes me so miserable," replied Betty. "How can I be excited and pleased when I know Polly's up there in the infirmary-Oh, it makes me sick to think of it!" she finished, and before Lois could reply, she had disappeared into her own room and closed the door.

"Poor Betty," sighed Lois sympathetically. "It's all a mean shame."

Just before Miss King turned out the infirmary lights, she delivered a note to Polly. It read:

"Polly Dear:

"Louise has asked me to play in your place on Sat.u.r.day. I know you suggested it to her, too. Well, my chance has come and I am miserably unhappy at the very thought. I know I'll make a million fouls and we'll lose the game. Darn every bedroom slipper that was ever invented!