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The Grammar School Boys in Summer Athletics, a novel by H. Irving Hancock |
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Chapter 20. Arranging The Swimming Match |
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_ CHAPTER XX. ARRANGING THE SWIMMING MATCH "See no reason why you can't represent this school in an athletic meet a day or two after graduation," said Old Dut, when asked about it. "If the North Grammar boys believe they excel at that sport, they should be given a chance. Naturally they are disappointed over finding themselves at the bottom of the list in baseball." "Go after 'em to-day, Dick!" yelled the boys. "Perhaps we can beat them in the water, too." "Find Hi Martin this afternoon and settle it," added others. "I won't serve alone," Dick retorted, shaking his head. "If you fellows want me to serve on a committee and will give us full powers to act, I'm willing." "I think that will be the best way to go about it, boys," approved Old Dut. "There should be a committee, and then you must be prepared to stand by any arrangements that the committee may make." "What's the matter with choosing a committee of ten?" proposed Toby Ross. "Too many," smiled Old Dut wisely. "There'd be too much talking then. A committee should have but a very few members." "Are nominations in order?" queried Spoff Henderson. "Yes," nodded Old Dut. "Since I've been consulted, I'll preside at this yard meeting." "Then I nominate Dick Prescott, Dave Darrin and Greg Holmes," Spoff continued. "Second the motion," called Ross. Old Dut put the motion, which was carried. "As Master Prescott was first named," announced the principal, "he will naturally be the chairman of the committee." "I move the committee have full powers in arranging for the race," Spoff added. This was also carried. That afternoon, when school was out, the boys hurried along Main Street, keeping a sharp lookout for Hi. At last they espied him, with Bill Rodgers. "What are you going to do about the swimming race?" called Hi from across the street. "This is our committee, duly appointed by the Central Grammar boys," Dick called back. "When will your committee be ready?" "We're ready now," answered Hi. "Come over here and we'll talk about it." Hi leaned against the fence on his own side of the street, determined not to concede anything to the Central Grammar boys. "Have you two been regularly appointed as a committee?" asked Prescott. "We don't have to be," Hi answered indifferently. "We know what we're talking about." "You'll have to be regularly appointed by your school before we'll talk with you," Dick retorted. "You're afraid to meet us in a swimming match," Hi jeered. "So afraid," Prescott answered, "that we've appointed a committee regularly; but you fellows, who have been doing all the talking, aren't willing to get together and elect a regular committee to represent your school." "You're afraid, I tell you," sneered Hi, while Bill Rodgers grinned. "No; we're ready to arrange the match when your school sends a regular committee." "Come on over here and talk it over, if you're not afraid," urged Hi Martin. "We can't talk it over with you, as you've admitted that you don't represent your school." "Well, then, we do represent it," claimed Hi. "That statement comes too late. Hi, we'll meet you at this same place at half past four to-morrow afternoon. If you fail to show up it will be all off. And your committee will have to bring a note, signed by your principal, naming the members of your committee and stating that it has been regularly appointed. We'll bring the same from our principal. "I guess the swimming match between the two schools is all off, then," yawned Martin. "You fellows don't want to go into it, for you know you'd be beaten stiff. That's why you try to hedge behind a committee." "It's all off if you fellows don't go at it in a regular way," Dick contended firmly. "We're not going to enter a match and then find that you and Bill Rodgers represent no one but yourselves." "What's all the noise about?" good-naturedly asked Reporter Len Spencer, who, turning the corner, had halted behind Prescott and his friends. Dick explained the situation. "Prescott is right," decided Len. "Martin, if the boys at your school are not enough in earnest to arrange the contest through an authorized committee, then folks will understand that the North Grammar didn't really want a swimming contest." "But we do want one," blustered Martin. "Then go about it in a regular way, after consulting your principal, as the Central Grammar boys have done," urged Len. "And, instead of meeting here on a corner, you can meet at my desk at the 'Blade' office." Hi Martin was "stumped" at this point, and he knew it. If he backed out now he would make himself and his school ridiculous. "All right," agreed the North Grammar boy reluctantly. "Don't forget to bring a note from your principal to the effect that the boys named are the regular school committee," Dick called after him. "We'll do the thing in our own way," Hi retorted. "Come along, Bill." "I thought Martin might be up to some tricks," muttered Dick Prescott. "If he is, tricks won't help him or his school," laughed Len. "We'll see this thing put through in regular shape." So, on Tuesday afternoon, Dick and his fellow members of the committee were at the "Blade" office punctually. At ten minutes past the time no boy from the North Grammar had appeared. "You won't have to wait much longer," smiled Len. "It looks as though the North Grammar boys were bluffing." At ten minutes of five Dick and his chums rose to leave the "Blade" office. "Wait a minute," urged Len at the door. "I believe I see your rivals coming now." Hi Martin, Bill Rodgers and Courtney Page strolled rather indolently up to the door and entered. "You're late," said Len crisply. "If you boys go into a race, I believe you'll be just as late at the finish." "There wasn't any use in hurrying," grunted Eel. "There's lots of the day left." "Unless you regard an appointment as a gentlemen's agreement, and to be kept," marked Len Spencer, rather severely. "I have been giving up my time to this affair of yours, and my time is worth something. But take seats. Have you boys any paper to show that you represent your school?" "Yes," admitted Hi, producing an envelope. "Our principal gives us the proper authority." Len read the note, nodding. "The Central Grammar boys have also produced their authority to act, so now we can get down to the details of the contest. The North Grammar boys are the challengers, are they not?" "Yes," claimed Hi. "Then what sort of a swimming contest do you propose?" Len asked. "Each school to appoint its best swimmer, and arrange a half-mile race between the champions of the two schools," Hi answered promptly. "The school whose champion wins is to be declared the champion in swimming." "We expected that," nodded Dick, "and we won't agree to it. If this match is to be held for the school championship, then there should be several boys entered from each school----say five, six or seven from each school. Then the contest would really represent the schools." "But one boy would win, just the same, in any case," retorted Martin. "What difference would it make?" "The way that I propose," urged Dick, "no single boy could win for his school. Suppose we enter seven boys from each school. Then the school whose seven boys are in ahead of the seven boys on the other side will win the contest. In other words, of the fourteen swimmers, one is bound to come in last of all. The school to which this last-in swimmer belongs is the school that loses the match." "Huh! I don't see anything in that idea," retorted Hi. "That, perhaps, wouldn't mean anything at all for the school that happened to have the one best swimmer of all." "It would make it impossible for either school to enter one real swimmer and six dummies, and still win the match," Dick argued. "My plan will stop the contest from being a one-boy race and will give the contest to the school that has the best average swimmers." "Huh! I don't see it," said Hi doggedly. "I think Prescott has the better of the argument," broke in Len Spencer, who had sat tapping his desk with a pencil. "Then I don't care much for your idea, either, Spencer," retorted Martin. "It may be that my idea isn't any good," nodded Len indulgently. "I won't even claim that I know anything about sports. But you must surely know who the umpire is in any such dispute. It's always the editor of the local paper. So, Martin, if you won't agree with Prescott, and if you won't admit that I know anything about it either, suppose we lay the question before the editor of the 'Blade.' I think he's in just now." "As for me," spoke up Bill Rodgers, breaking his silence, "it seems to me that Prescott's idea is good and fair." "What do you say to that kind of stuff, Page?" inquired Hi quickly. "I---I---er---well, I am agreeable to anything that pleases the rest of you," stammered Courtney Page, by nature, a sail trimmer. "You're a chump, then," Hi retorted elegantly. "The whole reason why Prescott objects to one boy representing each school is that he's afraid I can out-swim any boy that Central Grammar can produce." "And I take it, Martin," Dick retorted, "that your reason for insisting on the one-boy race, is due to your belief that you can win from any one boy. Very likely you are the fastest and strongest swimmer in any Gridley school. But a race with seven boys on a side will better represent the average abilities of the two schools. In baseball we tried to find out which school had the average best players. We didn't try simply to find out which school could boast of the one star player." "That's right," nodded Len Spencer. "Prescott, you're afraid to race with me, you or any other one fellow in Central Grammar!" exclaimed Hi indignantly. "No; I'm not afraid to swim against you," Dick declared quietly. "I won't have the championship between the two schools rest on any such race, but I'll enter a separate race against you---any distance---this in addition to a seven-fellow race between the schools." "Now, I guess you haven't a leg left to stand on, Martin," smiled Spencer. "Prescott proposes a seven-fellow race between the schools, the school responsible for the last man who comes in to lose the contest. That is to be for the school championship. Then, if you think you can outswim Prescott, he agrees to enter an individual and personal race with you." "If Prescott and I swim against each other, then we won't swim in the seven-fellow race, anyway." protested Hi. "I'll agree to that," Dick nodded. After some more talking the details were arranged. Len reduced them to writing and the committees for both schools signed. "I'll publish this in the 'Blade' to-morrow morning," said Spencer. "Then the whole town will know the terms of the race." Friday, if pleasant, was the date chosen, the seven-fellow race to begin as soon as possible after two P.M., the personal race between Prescott and Martin to follow. Such details as choosing the officials of the race were to be left to the principals of the two schools. "It's all settled, then, gentlemen," said Spencer, rising and holding out his right hand. "If you don't see me before you may be sure of my being on hand to report the races themselves. I shall do all I can to encourage schoolboy sports in Gridley. I've a notion, too, that there will be on hand Friday a goodly showing of High School athletes. The young men of the High School will naturally want to look over the contestants and see who is going to make good material for the High School teams." "I'm thankful to say," retorted Hi stiffly, "that I do not expect to attend Gridley High School. My father is going to send me to one of the best prep. schools in the country. Page and Rodgers are going to good schools, too." "I hope none of your fathers will be disappointed," remarked Spencer gravely. "Personally, I consider the Gridley High School one of the best schools in the United States." "It will do, of course, for those who really can't afford to go to better and more select schools," Hi conceded. "Prescott, look out that you don't get drowned when you're practicing to beat me on Friday." "I'm not really sure that I shall practice swimming before Friday," Dick smiled in answer. "I'm going to be pretty busy until after graduation." "Dick," asked Greg seriously, when the three chums were by themselves, "have you any idea in the world that you can win out against Hi Martin?" "Oh, I may not win," Prescott replied. "Yet, if I don't I'll promise you to be the hardest pace-maker that Hi Martin ever had behind him in the water." _ |
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