yet there
had been much talk of forming a team to defeat Lincoln's arch-enemy--the
South High. While the young people ate their lunch their conversation
turned to this.

"We haven't anyone that can touch Eric Hansen, though--he learned how to
ski, I guess, in the cradle," declared Dana King, frowning thoughtfully
at the long hill that stretched upward from where they were grouped.

During the morning Ginny Cox had borrowed Graham Westley's skis and had,
after many tumbles, succeeded in one thrilling descent. She declared now
to the others, between huge mouthfuls of sandwich, that it was the most
exciting thing she'd ever done--and Ginny, they all knew, had done many!
Jerry, next to her, had agreed, quietly, that skiing _was_--very
exciting. Ginny's head was a bit turned by that one moment of victory
when she had stood flushed--and upright--at the foot of the hill, trying
to appear indifferent as the boys showered laughing congratulations upon
her for her feat, so, now, she turned amused eyes upon Jerry.

"Can _you_ ski?" There was a ring of derision in her voice. Jerry
nodded. "Then I _dare_ you to try it from the _very top_!"

The face of Haskin's Hill was divided by a road that wound across it.
Because of the steep descent of the upper part and because the level
stretch of the road made a jump too high for anyone's liking, only one
or two of the boys had attempted to ski from the very top, and they had
met with humiliating disaster.

Jerry looked up to the top of the hill. Ginny's tone fired her. She was
conscious, too, that Ginny's dare had been followed by a hush--the
others were waiting for her answer.

"If someone will lend me their skis----" She tried to make her tone
careless.

"Jerry Travis, you never would!"

"Take Dana King's skis. They're the best."

"The _very_ top----" commanded Ginny.

"May I use your skis, Dana?"

"Let her use your skis, King."

"Jerry, _don't_----" implored Gyp.

Jerry put down her plate and cup. Miss Lee was in the little cabin, so
she did not know what was happening. The girls and boys pressed about
Jerry, watching her with laughing eyes. Not one of them believed that
she had the nerve to accept Ginny Cox's "dare."

But when, very calmly, she shouldered Dana King's skis and started off
up the hill alone, their amusement changed to wonder and again to alarm.
Jerry looked very small as she climbed on past the level made by the
road.

"Oh, she'll fall before she even