The hound of rowan by Henry H. Neff

Author:Henry H. Neff [Henry H. Neff]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Jeunesse
ISBN: 9780375838941
Published: 2007-09-25T07:00:00+00:00

The alumni game was about to begin when Max returned to the stands, wearing his school uniform and shaking the water out of his hair. He brought a thick blanket so he could be at ease around Nick’s claws while they watched the game. He settled into the second row of the bleachers with Rolf and Connor just as a persistent chant of “Coop, Coop, Coop” worked its way through the crowd. Max craned his neck and saw Cooper sitting up and over in the bleachers, bundled in his peacoat and hat. Several of the alumni players and surrounding spectators were trying to entice him out of the stands to play. Cooper gave a thin smile and shook his head.

“I heard he was an awesome player,” said Rolf, munching on a hot dog. “Made the All-Rowan Team as a Third Year. Scored two goals against the alumni.” “I said hey to him one day outside Maggie,” muttered Connor. “He just sort of looked at me like I was touched.”

“It’s not his job to be friendly,” said Rolf. “In fact, I heard he’s so tough he’s not even assigned to a particular field office. Just goes where he’s needed.”

“What’s a field office?” asked Max, feeling uninformed.

“We’ve got them all over,” explained Rolf, “in most of the major cities in the world. Keep an eye on the Enemy—”

“Here he is!” sang a loud voice to his left.

Max looked down to see Hannah at the edge of the bleachers, helping the goslings up onto Max’s row.

“Max! How are you, darling?” crowed Hannah. “Word around town is that you’re a star! A star! Well, the goslings absolutely insisted on seeing you. Do you mind if they join you? Oh, you’re such a dear.”

The goslings hopped up and down at his feet, pecking everything in sight until Max gently lifted them up. He carefully shifted Nick over and nestled the goslings in a little row along Nick’s warm back. Meanwhile, Hannah had waddled over to the fence near where M. Renard was set to begin the game.

“Hey, Renard!” the goose bellowed. “Gonna call a clean game this year? Huh? Or are you on the alumni payroll again?”

Max and the others giggled as M. Renard fixed Hannah with an acid glare and cleared his throat. Throughout his introduction, Hannah’s taunts and obscenities could be heard during his pauses. The crowd cheered her on, and M. Renard hurried through the pregame ceremonies.

The game itself was stunning. The All-Rowan Team fought valiantly, particularly Jason Barrett. The alumni team, however, was simply unstoppable: their casual speed, strength, and agility far outstripped the students’.

As the outcome was never in doubt, Max found himself hoping for spectacular plays, and he was not disappointed. Two alumni clasped hands and hurtled a sprinting teammate up and over a thirty-foot ridge that rose suddenly at midfield. Another play had the alumni scoring a goal after the ball had traveled the entire field, player to player, without ever touching the ground.

“How can they do that?” whispered Max in awe as one alumnus hurdled a forty-foot chasm without breaking stride.

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