Page:The purple pennant (IA purplepennant00barb).pdf/334

Rh dejected. Springdale had won, 8 to 2. That and the dismal outlook here at the field had caused the purple banners to droop on their staffs. But there was one purple flag that still flaunted itself bravely in the lengthening rays of sunlight. It hung from the railing of the stand on the third base side of the field, a handsome pennant of royal purple with a wreath of green laurel leaves on it enclosing the letters "C. H. S." Behind it sat Louise Brent and a bevy of her companions. The girls were in a quandary. Already several Track Team heroes were tied in the number of points gained by them and the task of awarding the pennant promised to be an extremely difficult one. If Guy Felker won the pole-vault, which was possible at the present stage, the matter would be simplified, for he would then have ten points to his credit, two more than anyone else. The girls discussed the difficulty and referred again and again to the score that Louise was keeping, but without finding a way out of the quandary.

"There's just one thing to do," said Dick Lovering's sister, Grace, finally. "It was understood that the pennant was to go to the boy doing the most for the school, wasn't it?"

The others assented doubtfully. "I suppose that was what was meant," said Louise, "but I thought-