ng foundations at present at
the Seaton High. This term especially is spade-work. I'll do all I can
to get things going, but it will be the Games Captain who comes after me
who'll reap the reward."

"Can't you stay on another year?" suggested Patricia.

"Wish I could for some things, but it's impossible. No, I'll do my bit
this term, and then hand over the job to my successor. As I said before,
what we want now is a good start."

Kirsty was a capital organizer. She soon recognized a girl's capacities,
and she had a knack of inspiring enthusiasm even in apparent slackers.
She worked thoroughly hard herself, and insisted that everybody else did
the same. Her motto for the term was the athletic education of the rank
and file. It was really very self-sacrificing of her, for she might have
gained far more credit by concentrating her energies on a few, but for
the ultimate good of the school it was undoubtedly far and away the best
policy to pursue. The training of a number of recruits may not be as
interesting as the polishing up of champions, but in time recruits
become veterans, and a school in which the standard of the ordinary play
is very high has a better general chance than one that depends on an
occasional _solitary_ star. So even the little girls were strictly
supervised in their practices, and both cricket and tennis showed
healthy development.

The Governors and the head mistress were anxious that the games
department should prosper, and gave every encouragement. There were a
larger number of tennis courts provided than fall to the share of most
schools, and each form had its allotted times for play. Athletics were
indeed compulsory, every girl being required to take her due part,
unless she were excused by a medical certificate.

Winona worked with the utmost enthusiasm. As a Fifth Form girl she had,
of course, to be rather humble towards the Sixth, but she felt that
Kirsty approved of her. It was never Kirsty's way to praise, and she
could be scathing in her remarks sometimes, but Winona did not mind
criticism from her captain, and acted so well on all the advice given
that she was making rapid strides. In pursuance of Kirsty's all-round
training policy, she was not allowed to specialize in either tennis or
cricket this summer, but to give equal energy to both. So she practiced
bowling under Hester King's careful supervision, and played exciting
sets while Clarice Nixon stood by to watch and score.

The g