"You see, Mrs. Gwynne," he said, "no one may handle the ball--head, feet, body, may be used, but not the hands.""But I understand they sometimes hurt each other, Mr. Farwell.""Oh, accidents will happen even on the farm, Mrs. Gwynne. For instance, Coleman this morning had a horse step on his foot, necessitating Larry's going on.""Is Lawrence going to play?" said Mrs. Gwynne. "Ah, here he is.
Lawrence, are you in good condition? You have not been playing.""I am not really very fit, Mother, not very hard, but I have been running a good deal. I don't expect I shall be much use. Sam is quite dubious about it.""He will be all right, Mrs. Gwynne," said Farwell confidently. "He is the fastest runner in the team. If he were only twenty pounds heavier and if he were a bit more keen about the game he would be a star.""Why don't they play Sykes?" inquired Kathleen. "I heard some of the boys say this morning that Sykes was going to play. He is quite wonderful, I believe.""He is," replied Larry, "quite wonderful, but unfortunately he is not eligible. But let me introduce Mr. Duckworth, Captain of our enemy."Mrs. Gwynne received the young man with a bright smile. "I am sorry I cannot wish you victory, and all the more now that my own son is to be engaged. But I don't understand, Larry," she continued, "why Mr. Sykes cannot play.""Why, because there's a League regulation, Mother, that makes a month's residence in the district necessary to a place on the team.
Unfortunately Sykes has been here only two weeks, and so we are unwilling to put one over on our gallant foe. Got to play the game, eh, Duckworth?"Duckworth's face grew fiery red. "Yes, certainly," he said.
"Rather an awkward rule but--"
"You see, Mother, we want to eliminate every sign of professionalism,"said Larry, "and emphasise the principle of local material for clubs.""Ah, I see, and a very good idea, I should say," said his mother.
"The Eagle Hill team, for instance, will be made up of Eagle Hill men only. That is really much better for the game because you get behind your team all the local pride and enthusiasm.""A foolish rule, I call it," said Switzer abruptly to Kathleen, "and you can't enforce it anyway. Who can tell the personality of a team ten, twenty or fifty miles away?""I fancy they can tell themselves," said Jack Romayne. "Their Captain can certify to his men.""Aha!" laughed Switzer. "That's good. The Captain, I suppose, is keen to win. Do you think he would keep a man off his team who is his best player, and who may bring him the game?" Switzer's face was full of scorn.
"I take it they are gentlemen," was Romayne's quiet rejoinder.
"Of course, Mr. Romayne," said Mrs. Gwynne. "That gets rid of all the difficulty. Otherwise it seems to me that all the pleasure would be gone from the contest, the essential condition of which is keeping to the rules.""Good for you, Mother. You're a real sport," said Larry.
"Besides," replied his mother, "we have Scripture for it. You remember what it says? 'If a man strive for masteries yet is he not crowned except he strive lawfully.' 'Except he strive lawfully,' you see. The crown he might otherwise win would bring neither honour nor pleasure.""Good again, Mother. You ought to have a place on the League committee. We shall have that Scripture entered on the rules. But I must run and dress. Farwell, you can take charge of Duckworth."But Duckworth was uneasy to be gone. "If you will excuse me, Mrs.
Gwynne, I must get my men together."
"Well, Mr. Duckworth," said Mrs. Gwynne, smiling on him as she gave him her hand, "I am sorry we cannot wish you a victory, but we can wish you your very best game and an honourable defeat.""Thank you," said Duckworth. "I feel you have done your best.""Come and see us afterward, Mr. Duckworth. What a splendid young man," she continued, as Duckworth left the party and set off to get his men together with the words "except he strive lawfully" ringing in his ears.
