ight be that she
herself, Hester Alden, could learn to play and be put on one of those
teams. The thought brightened her cheeks and sent the blood through her
veins with excitement.

"Who teaches you? How many teams have you, and how can you get on one?
Does it take long to learn to play?"

Sara looked at her. Sara was deliberate. Her expression now was one of
sad surprise.

"Do you often talk as fast as that?" she asked. "And do you expect your
friends to answer with the same velocity? If you do, Hester Alden, never
come to me with your questions."

Hester laughed. "I always talk fast when I get excited. The words pop
from my mouth like pop-corn over a hot fire."

"Give me time and I'll answer your questions. Our crack team is the
Invincibles. They are the only one we allow to play the tournament games
with outside teams. They play with the girls from the high school, the
Normal Training School and, with some of the seminary teams. I really do
not remember how many games were scheduled last year. They have never
allowed me to play. I'm too--. Helen Loraine is good enough to say
'_deliberate_.' The other girls call it '_slow_.'

"Then of course there must be a scrub team for the Invincibles to battle
against. You must play scrub before you can hope to become an
Invincible. Then the freshies and juniors have substitute teams. They
practice with each other and fill up on the other teams as they are
needed."

"I think I could learn to play," said Hester. "I am not--not very
deliberate."

"I should say not, if you fly at a ball in the same way you talk. You
might get on a substitute team. Miss Watson, the physical-culture
teacher, will hold a meeting soon. The first week of school is generally
so busy that the gymnasium work is not begun.

"But next week, she will meet the girls and make arrangements for the
work on the teams and in the gym. If I were you and really wished to
play, I'd speak to Helen Loraine. She'll get you on if anyone can. You
need a friend at court, for there are always more applications than
there are places or times for practice.

"We must turn back. Miss Burkham would campus us, if we were to go out
at this door." Sara turned and arm in arm, the girls moved toward the
front entrance. "Listen, do you hear that melodious bell? That is
Sykes's cow-bell. Come, and I'll treat you."

Hester followed as Sara lead the way from the front dormitory door out
on to the campus. As they passed the en