Only one child was neither happy nor pleased. And that child, of course, was Kathleen! Robert had lost his place in the match because of her. Every child in the school was going to help him-but Kathleen had harmed him.
She was very miserable. But whatever could she do about it?
THE DAY Of THE MATCH.
THE next day was Saturday, the day of the lacrosse match, Elizabeth woke up early, and looked eagerly at the window, Was it a fine day?
It wasn’t very fine. There were clouds across the sky. But at least it wasn’t raining. Good! What fun it would be to play in her first match! “Jenny!” whispered Elizabeth, as she heard the girl move in her bed. “Jenny! It’s the day of the match-” and I’m playing instead of Robert!” Jenny grunted. She wasn’t sure if she was very pleased that Elizabeth should crow over Robert like that, Jenny thought Robert should certainly be punished-but crowing over him was another thing altogether.
Kathleen was awake too. She heard what Elizabeth said, and she felt guilty. She had thought that it was fine for another child to take the blame and the punishment for something she herself had done-but somehow she didn’t feel like that now. Also, she was angry that Elizabeth should have the pleasure of playing in the match- for she did dislike Elizabeth so very much! What a nuisance everything was! And what about Robert? Well, Robert also awoke early, and he remembered at once all that had happened the night before. He sat up in bed, his eyes shining, as he thought of the two horses he would choose for his own special care. He felt quite different. It didn’t matter now a bit that the whole School knew he had been a bully-because they also knew it wasn’t really his fault, and in a week or two he would be able to show them what he really was. What a surprisee they would get! He remembered the lacrosse match, and a little sinking feeling came into his heart as he remembered that Elizabeth was to take his place.
“I’d like to have played in the match,” he thought to himself, “And it is jolly hard that the Meeting gave me that punishment for something I really didn’t do-but I suppose they had to believe Elizabeth this time. I must put up with it and hope that the person who’s really playing those tricks will be found out some time. Then everyone will be jolly sorry they punished me for nothing!” He sat and thought for a while, his chin on his knees, “Elizabeth is a funny girl. She’s so fierce and downright, so keen on being fair and just-and yet she’s been awfully unfair to me. She might know I wouldn’t play mean tricks like that. I don’t like her at all.” Robert half made up his mind that he wouldn’t speak to Elizabeth at all, or have anything to do with her, Then, as he thought of the lovely time he was going to have looking after the horses, his heart softened, and he couldn’t feel hard even to Elizabeth! And anyway, he was going to show everyone that he could be kind just as easily as unkind.
“I know what I’ll do!” he said to himself. “I’ll go and watch the match-and if Elizabeth shoots a goal I’ll cheer like the rest. That will be a hard thing for me to do, but I’ll do it just to show everyone I can!” Robert got up before the others in his dormitory that morning. He slipped out and went to the stables. He would talk to the two horses he was going to care for-and he would go riding over the hills on his favourite. He felt proud and important as he unlocked the stabledoor and spoke to the stable-man.
“Can 1 talk to Bessie and Captain?” he asked, “I’ve got permission to look alter them.” “Yes, I’ve been told,” said the man. “All right-but I’ll have to oversee your work with them the first week, young man. After that, if you’re all right, you can carry on.” Robert heard running footsteps and looked out into the yard. He saw Leonard and Fanny hurrying to the cow- sheds, They were going to milk the cows. They saw him and shouted: “Hallo, Robert! Have you chosen your horses yet?” “Rather!” said Robert, “Come and see the two that are going to he mine! Look-this is old Bess-she’s a darling. And this is Captain. Rub his nose.” Leonard and Fanny looked at the two horses and then they looked at Robert. They stared at him so hard that Robert was puzzled.
“What’s the matter?” he said. “Have I got a smut on my nose, or something?” “No,” said Fanny. “But you do look different, Robert.
You used to look so horrid-sort of sulky and mean- but now you’re smiling and your eyes are all shiny. We’re staring because it seems rather queer to see somebody change in a night! Come and see our cows! Would you like a glass of warm milk?” The children linked their arms in Robert’s and pulled him over to the cow-sheds, where the patient cows stood waiting to he milked. They chattered and laughed as they went, and Robert felt warmed by their friendly talk and looks. He began to chatter too, and soon he was standing drinking a glass of warm, creamy milk from the first cow.
“This is fun!” he thought. “I’ll see Leonard and Fanny each morning when I come to see my horses. I shall soon make friends!” In five minutes’ time he was galloping over the hills by himself, enjoying the wind in his hair and the bump of the horse’s back beneath him, He talked to Bess, and she pricked back her ears to listen, All horses loved Robert, He had never had a great deal to do with them before, and now it seemed to him almost too good to be true to think that he could have as much to do with them as he liked, “After tea I’ll ask young Peter if he’d like to come riding on Captain,” he planned. “I’ll soon make that kid forget all about the teasing I gave him.” Everyone who met Robert that morning had a grin for him, or a clap on the back. The whole School was keeping its word! Neither Kathleen nor Elizabeth met him, for both girls were busy. Elizabeth was digging with Joan in the garden, and Kathleen had gone with some others for a Nature ramble, Elizabeth was chattering to John about the match.
“It’s a bit of luck for me that I’m playing, isn’t it?” she said. “I was so disappointed when I saw Robert’s name up on the board, instead of mine.” “I expect Robert is feeling just as disappointed now,” said John, digging hard.
“Well, it serves him right,” said Elizabeth. “He’s been jolly mean to me and Jenny. Think how he dirtied my tools one night, John-and you blamed me for it.” “I’m sorry I blamed you wrongly,” said John. “I only hope you are right about Robert, Elizabeth, and that he is not being blamed for something he hasn’t done either.” “Well, he’s a horrid boy, anyhow,” said Elizabeth, “I’m glad he’s out of the match. 1 bet he won’t come anywhere near it, He’ll be so ashamed that he’s not playing after all! But that was just where Elizabeth was quite wrong! The children playing the match had to change into their gym clothes immediately after lunch. The matches usually began at half-past two, so they hadn’t a great deal of time. Kinellan School was arriving by bus at twenty-past two, and the Whyteleafe team had to be at the gate to meet them and welcome them.
Elizabeth could hardly eat any lunch, she was so excited. She stole a look at Robert, and saw that he was looking quite happy. Elizabeth pushed her potatoes to the side of her plate.
“Miss Ranger! I just can’t eat any more, I’m so excited!” “Well, for once you may leave what’s on your plate,” said Miss Ranger, smiling. “I know what it feels like to be playing in your very first match.” Elizabeth rushed off with the others to change. Then she went to welcome the Kinellan team, and take them to the field. They put their clothes in the pavilion there, “Look-almost the whole School has turned out to watch!” said Elizabeth to Nora, as she saw the children streaming up from the school, “And there’s Robert too!” said Nora, as she caught sight of Robert coming along with the others, “Where?” asked Elizabeth in surprise. Then she saw him. Good gracious! Robert had come to watch the match he had hoped to play in! He had come to watch somebody play instead of him! The little girl could hardly believe her eyes. She suddenly felt rather small and ashamed. She knew she wouldn’t have been able to do such a generous thing if she had been in Robert’s place.