The instant the last bell sounded on lessons, ten girls made for their lockers, and fifteen minutes later the first team and the subs. were moving toward the gymnasium deep in the discussion of the coming game and their chances for success over their opponents.

A brief meeting was held, and the girls were assigned to their positions.  Grace had fully intended that Miriam should play center, but when she proposed it, Miriam flatly refused to do so, and asked for her old position of right forward.

“You are our captain,” she declared to Grace, “and the best center I ever saw on a girls’ team.  It would be folly to change now.  Don’t you agree with me, girls?”

Nora was detailed as left forward, while Marian Barber and Eva Allen played right and left guards.  The substitutes were also assigned their positions and practice began.

Before they had been on the floor twenty minutes the girls were thoroughly alive to the joy of the game and worked with the old-time dash and spirit that had won them the championship the previous year.  Now that they were in harmony with each other, they played with remarkable unity, and after an hour’s practice Grace decided that they were in a fair way to “whip the seniors off the face of the earth.”

“I never saw you girls work better!” she exclaimed.  “It will be a sorry day for the seniors when we line up on the twelfth.”

“There’ll be a great gnashing of senior teeth after the game,” remarked Nora confidently.

“Do you know, girls,” said Grace, as they left the gymnasium that afternoon, “I am sorry that Eleanor won’t be peaceable.  I wanted her to like every bit of our school life and thought she’d surely be interested in basketball.  I suppose she will stay away from the game merely because we are on the team.  It is really a shame for her to be so unreasonable.”

“Grace Harlowe, are you ever going to stop mourning over Eleanor?” cried Miriam impatiently.  “She doesn’t deserve your regret and is too selfish to appreciate it.  I know what I am talking about because I used to be just as ridiculous as she is, and knowing what you suffered through me, I can’t bear to see you unhappy again over some one who is too trivial to be taken seriously.”

“You’re a dear, Miriam!” exclaimed Nora impulsively.

It was the first time that the once haughty Miriam had ever referred publicly to past shortcomings, although from the time she and Grace had settled their difficulties at the close of the sophomore year, she had been a changed girl.

“Where are Anne and Jessica to-day?” asked Eva Allen.

“Anne and Jessica have refused point blank to honor us with their presence during practice,” announced Nora.  “I asked Jessica to-day, and she said that they didn’t want to know how we intended to play, for then they could wax enthusiastic and make a great deal more noise.  It is their ambition to become loud and loyal fans.”