Read Online Boxcar Children 68 - Basketball Mystery by Charles Tang, Gertrude Chandler Warner - Free Book Online Page A

That’s an automatic forfeit,” Buzz said. “Do you want me to go back to the sports center to look for the bags?”
    Tipper shook her head. “It’s too late for that. I’m trying to reach Tom Hooper. He put some of the paint equipment in the closet at the sports center where I’d stored the duffel bags. I’m hoping he’s on his way here with the bags.”
    At last the person using the pay phone hung up. Tipper dropped some coins in. She quickly punched in Tom Hooper’s home number. She shifted from foot to foot.
    Tipper put down the receiver. “Tom’s not there. How can I break this to the team? They’ve practiced so hard. Hey, why are you smiling, Buzz?”
    Buzz looked over Tipper’s shoulder and kept on smiling. “Look who’s running down the hall! And check out what he’s got in his hands.”
    Tipper whirled around. Tom Hooper was stumbling down the hall as best he could with a heavy duffel bag in each hand.
    Tipper broke into a run. She grabbed the bags from Tom. “Thank goodness you’re here! We were looking all over for you. I figured you had the bags. Where were you?”
    “I went to Warwick High School,” Tom confessed, looking a little confused. “When I asked Courtney where the game was, she said, ‘The high school gym.’ So I went to my old gym at Warwick High by mistake. That’s where Courtney and I used to go to high school. Isn’t that funny?”
    No one was laughing.
    Poor Tom. It took him a while to notice everyone’s panic. “Uh-oh, does this mean you might forfeit the game?” he asked.
    “Not if I can help it,” Tipper answered. “Now you and Buzz go outside. Tell the team to hurry to the locker room and change. They’ve only got a few minutes to get out on the court.”
    The national anthem was already playing when the Fast Breakers finally appeared in the gym. Some of the girls hadn’t quite pulled up their socks. Some sneakers were untied. But each of the girls stood tall and faced the Blue Stars across the way. The big game was about to begin.
    The Fast Breakers lived up to their name. When the starting buzzer went off, Patsy tipped the ball to Jessie. A tall Blue Stars player stayed on Jessie like a shadow. Jessie remembered all her training with Tipper.
    “Look, she’s passing the ball to Violet!” Soo Lee said from the bleachers.
    “It’s Aldens all the way!” Henry shouted. He was proud that his sisters got the ball so early in the game.
    Violet was surrounded by Blue Stars players. The Aldens could see that she was nervous.
    “Good, she’s passing the ball back to Patsy,” Buzz said.
    “Do you think Patsy is going to shoot now?” Henry asked Buzz.
    “I hope not,” Buzz answered. “She’s too far away. She should pass it to Mary Kate. She’s a lot closer to the basket.”

    Though Patsy was some distance from the backboard, she seemed about to shoot. Then she caught a glimpse of Tipper on the sidelines.
    “Great! She’s passing it to Mary Kate, and . . . it’s in!” Buzz screamed. “Mary Kate scored the first two points!”
    “Go, girls!” Henry shouted out.
    “The Blue Stars are fantastic, but they’re all over the place,” Buzz pointed out at half-time. The Fast Breakers were ahead by six points. “Tipper’s girls are like a drill team. They know all their teammates’ steps plus their own. Way to go!”
    “Can we go down and see the team?” Benny asked Buzz.
    “You bet,” Buzz said. “Here, I’ll help you get through the crowds.”
    Down on the court, Buzz, Soo Lee, and Benny waited until Tipper finished her half-time pep talk. “You girls just keep playing the second half like the first. I know the Blue Stars are rough and tough, but they’re getting tired. If I know Courtney, she’ll keep playing the same few players.”
    “I’m not tired at all,” one of the Fast Breakers said.
    “Neither am I,” several of the other girls mumbled.
    “Hey, Aldens, how do you think we’re doing?” Tipper asked.
    “Incredible!” Henry