The New Boy at Hilltop | Page 8

quick malevolent glance at Joe, turned away from the
group of grinning faces.
Chuckles and quiet snickers followed him.
There was joy in the ranks of the enemy.
Only Kenneth showed no satisfaction over the instructor's discomfiture
for he realized that the latter would hold him partly accountable for it.
Presently, the game having come to an end with the score 18 to 7 in

Upper's favor, he and Joe went back together up the hill.
"I wish," said Joe, with a frown, "you hadn't made that fuss about the
subscription. Fellows will think you're stingy, I'm afraid."
"Well, they'll have to think so then," responded Kenneth defiantly.
"Anyhow, Hyde had no business pitching into me about it like that in
public."
"No, that's so," Joe acknowledged. "He hadn't. I guess he's got it in for
you good and hard. But don't you be worried."
"I'm not," answered Kenneth. And he didn't look to be.
"I'm going to see Jim Marble before Graft gets at him with a lot of
yarns about you," Joe continued.
"Thanks," said Kenneth. "I wish you would. I don't want to lose all
show for the team."
"You bet you don't! You're getting on finely, too, aren't you? I don't see
how you work those long throws of yours. Graft says it's just your fool
luck," Joe chuckled. "I asked him why he didn't cultivate a little luck
himself! He's been playing like a baby so far; sloppy's no name for it!"
"Think Marble notices it?"
"Of course he notices it! Jim doesn't miss a thing. Why?"
"Nothing, only--well, I've made up my mind to beat Grafton out; and
I'm going to do it!"
Two days later there was deeper gloom than ever in Lower House.
Upper had won the first basket ball game! And the score, 14 to 6, didn't
offer ground for comfort. There was no good reason to suppose that the
next game, coming a week later, would result very differently.
Individually three at least of the five players had done brilliant work,
Marble at center. Joe at left forward and Collier at left guard having
won applause time and again. But Upper had far excelled in team work,

especially on offense, and Lower's much-heralded speed hadn't shown
up. On the defense, all things considered, Lower had done fairly well,
although most of the honor belonged to Collier at left guard, Grafton
Hyde having played a slow, blundering game in which he had
apparently sought to substitute roughness for science. More than half of
the fouls called on the Red had been made by Grafton. And, even
though Upper had no very certain basket thrower, still she couldn't have
helped making a fair share of those goals from fouls.
Kenneth hadn't gone on until the last minute of play, and he had not
distinguished himself. In fact his one play had been a failure. He had
taken Grafton's place at right guard. Carl Jones, Upper's big center,
stole the ball in the middle of the floor and succeeded in getting quite
away from the field. Kenneth saw the danger and gave chase, but his
lack of weight was against him. Jones brushed him aside, almost under
the basket, and, while Kenneth went rolling over out of bounds, tossed
the easiest sort of a goal.
But Kenneth's lack of success on that occasion caused him to work
harder than ever in practice, and, on the following Thursday the
long-expected happened. Grafton Hyde went to the second team and
Kenneth took his place at right guard on the first.

IV
Grafton could scarcely believe it at first. When he discovered that Jim
Marble really meant that he was to go to the second team his anger
almost got the better of him, and the glance he turned from Jim to
Kenneth held nothing of affection. But he took his place at right guard
on the second and, although with ill grace, played the position while
practice lasted. Kenneth took pains to keep away from him, since there
was no telling what tricks he might be up to. The first team put it all
over the second that day and Jim Marble was smiling when time was
called and the panting players tumbled downstairs to the showers. On
Friday practice was short. After it was over Kenneth stopped at the
library on his way back to Lower House. When he opened the door of

Number 12 he found Joe with his books spread out, studying.
"Hello, where have you been?" asked Joe. "Graft was in here a minute
ago looking for you. Said if you came in before dinner to ask you to go
up to his room a minute. Of course," said Joe, grinning, "he may intend
to throw you out of the window or give