Joe brought up Marie Lanning and introduced her.  “So this is my deadly enemy,” said Sahwah pleasantly.  Marie acknowledged the introduction politely, but while her lips smiled her eyes had a steely glitter.  Sahwah was surrounded by a crowd of admiring friends at this time and there was no chance for further conversation, and she did not become aware of Marie’s animosity.  “We’ll meet again,” Sahwah said meaningly, with a pleasant laugh, as Marie and Joe turned to go.  “That is,” she added with a humorous twinkle, “if I don’t go down in my studies and get myself debarred from playing.”

“Fine chance of your going down,” said Joe.

“Oh, I don’t know,” laughed Sahwah; “it all depends on whether I get my Physics notebook in by the First.”  A shout of laughter greeted this remark.  The idea of Sahwah’s getting herself debarred on account of her studies was too funny for words.

“Well,” said Joe to Marie when they were outside the building, “that’s the girl you’re going to have to play against.  What do you think of her?” In his heart Joe thought that his cousin Marie would have no trouble holding Sahwah down.

“She’s a great deal faster than I thought,” said Marie with a thoughtful frown.

“But you can beat her, can’t you?” asked Joe anxiously.  “You’ve got to.  I’ve staked my whole winter’s allowance that you would win the championship.”

“I didn’t know that you were in the habit of betting,” said Marie a little disdainfully.

“I never did before,” said Joe, “but some of the fellows were saying that nobody could hold out against that Brewster girl and I said I bet my cousin could, and so we talked back and forth until I offered to bet real money on you.”

Marie was flattered at this, as her kind would be.  “I can beat her,” she said, but there was fear in her heart.  “Oh, if she would only be debarred from the game!” she exclaimed eagerly.

But Sahwah had no intentions of being put out on that score.  She applied herself assiduously to the making of the notebook that was required as the resume of the half year’s work.  She finished it a whole day ahead of time, and then, Sahwah-like, was so pleased with herself that she decided to celebrate the event.  “Come over to the house to-night,” she said to various of her girl and boy friends in school that day.  “I’m entertaining in honor of my Physics notebook!”

When the guests arrived the notebook was enthroned on a gilded easel on the parlor table and decorated with a wreath of flowers and a card bearing the inscription “Endlich!” The very ridiculousness of the whole affair was enough to make every one have a good time.  The Winnebagos were there, and some of their brothers and cousins, and Dick Albright and Joe Lanning and several more boys from the class.  Naturally much of the conversation turned on the coming game, and Sahwah was solemnly assured that she would forfeit their friendship forever if she did not win the championship for the school.  School spirit ran high and songs and yells were practiced until the neighbors groaned.  Joe Lanning joined in the yells with as much vigor as any.  No one knew that he was secretly on the side of the Mechanicals.