The Girls of Central High on Track and Field Part 30

"I guess it _is_ what," admitted Chet, to himself.

Then he saw an officer and beckoned to the man. A few words explained their need.

"Ha! I was told to keep an eye on those folk. I know 'em," said the policeman. "And this is the girl who was with them before?" and he stared curiously at Margit Salgo.

They went quickly into the house and up to the floor that the girl remembered very well indeed. She pointed out the door of the flat and Chet rapped upon it. The officer kept in the shadow.

The door opened a trifle, after the second knock, and a voice whispered some word which Chet could not understand. Instantly Margit hissed a reply--it was in Romany.

The door opened a bit wider. Somebody inside saw the girl; but Chet was seen, too.

"What did Ah tell 'ee?" demanded Jim Varey's gruff voice. "This is a business tae bring trouble tae us, says I--and I was right."

Before he had ceased speaking the policeman sprang forward and with knee and shoulder forced the door wide open. He had drawn his club.

"Keep still--all you here! If you give me trouble I'll arrest all of you instead of this man and his wife," and he seized Jim by the shoulder.

"Where's the girl?" cried Chet. "Eve! Eve Sitz! Are you here?"

There was an answering cry from back in some other room. Margit darted past the struggling people in the kitchen and opened a door beyond.

"Here I am!" cried Eve Sitz.

The country girl was tied to a chair, but not tightly enough to cramp her limbs. Nor had she been really ill-treated.

"Run down," said the officer to Chet, "and blow this whistle. Tell my partner, when he comes, to send for the wagon. We'll give these folks a ride."

"Oh, but I must get to the field, Chetwood!" cried Eve, in despair.

"They told me Margit was here and needed me, and I came right from the train. I don't know what it means----"

Chet had darted down the stairs and he soon came back with the other policeman. The officers agreed that the boy and two girls need not accompany them to the station; the Gypsy Queen and her husband, with the other Romany folk at home in the flat, could be held until later in the day for somebody to appear against them.

And that somebody was Miss Carrington's lawyer, Aaron MacCullough. Eve had no more trouble with the Gypsies--nor did Margit. Mr. MacCullough took the opportunity of showing the roaming folk that they could make little out of Margit or her friends, and then the Centerport police warned them out of town.

Meanwhile Chet, with the two girls, got into the automobile, and started back toward the Central High athletic field. It was already two o'clock, and on the program of the day the event of the broad jump would be called in less than half an hour!

CHAPTER XXV--THE WINNING POINTS

That first relay race, in which the Junior Four of Central High took part, pa.s.sed like a night-mare for Laura Belding and her companions.

Every one of them was worried about Eve's disappearance--so worried that they came perilously near not doing their very best.

But the rooters for their school got off with a splendid chorus when the girls came on the field, and with all that enthusiasm Laura and her comrades could not fail "to pull off some brilliant running," as Bobby slangily expressed it.

And they did so. The four won the point for Central High, and next in line was the one hundred-yard dash. Bobby, as fresh as a lark, came to the scratch and prepared to do her very best against the representatives from the four other high schools. There was a girl from Lumberport whom she had been told to look out for. But Bobby proposed to "look out" for n.o.body on this short dash. The girl who got off in the best form was almost sure to win.

And that girl was Bobby. At the word she shot away like an arrow, and a roar of approval burst from the seats occupied by the boys of Central High.

"C--e--n, Central High!

C--e--n--t--r--a--l, Central High!

C--e--n--t--r--a--l--h--i--g--h, Central High!

Ziz--z--z--z---- Boom!"

Bobby seemed to be fairly borne along on that yell. She started ahead and she kept ahead. Like a flash she went down the track and breasted the tape quicker than it takes to tell it.

"Bobby Hargrew! She's all right!" sang the girls of Central High on the benches.

Then girls and boys joined in, and finally the other schools added their cheers to the paean of praise that sent Bobby back to the gym. building with a delightful glow at her heart.

"Good for you, Bobs!" cried Jess, who stood in the sun in her blanket coat. "That's another of the points we need. Why, we're going to wipe up the field with them."

"But where's Eve?" panted Bobby. "Has anybody seen her?"

"No. She didn't come. She's left us in the lurch----"

"Not intentionally, I am sure," declared Bobby, quickly.

"Well, Mrs. Case is going to put Lou in for the broad jump if Eve doesn't show up. And that miserable senior is as perky about it as she can be. There she is yonder, all ready for the event, although it's not due for an hour yet," added Jess.

The field was next cleared for folk dancing, taking part in which were most of the freshman and soph.o.m.ore cla.s.ses of all five schools. This attracted the adult spectators more than it did the girls themselves; the latter's keenest interest was centered in the all-absorbing athletic events.

One of the juniors kept watch at the entrance to the field, and sent in word now and then that nothing had been heard or seen of Eve Sitz. Laura and her other friends did not know that Margit had gone away with Chet fielding to hunt for the missing girl.

"If she doesn't come pretty soon all will be lost!" groaned Nellie Agnew as the field cleared after the folk dancing.

"Maybe Lou can carry the points for us," suggested Dora Lockwood, doubtfully.

"Never in this world!" cried Bobby.

"Nor does Mrs. Case believe it. But it's the best she can do," said Jess. "There! after this event comes the broad jump."

"See that nasty Lou Potter!" complained Bobby. "She's standing there, grinning just like a Chessy-cat----"

"Hold on, Bobby, hold on!" exclaimed Nellie Agnew, admonis.h.i.+ngly.

"Remember!"

"Remember what?" snapped Bobby.

"'Loyalty to Central High!' That's the battle cry."

"And right Nell is, Bobs," interposed Jess. "We've got to give that girl the finest kind of a send-off when she goes into the field. Hearten her up! Never mind how mean we think her, remember she represents Central High, and the old school needs the points."

"Quite true, girls," said Laura. "When Lou goes out to jump, pa.s.s the word to the boys to give her an ovation."

And just then there was some shouting at the gate, the crowd opened, and a figure dashed through wildly and made for the gym.