Grace paused obediently while Miriam and Anne walked on ahead.

“Will you and your friends, Miss Nesbit, Miss Briggs and Miss Pierson, come over to Morton Hall to-night at half-past seven o’clock.  I have invited a number of my freshmen friends, and I’d love to have you come, too.  It’s Saturday night you know, so you won’t have to worry about recitations to-morrow.”

“Thank you,” replied Grace.  “I will come with pleasure.  Girls,” she called to the three ahead, “come back here.”

Gertrude repeated her invitation, which was instantly accepted.  “Be sure to come early,” was her parting admonition.

“This is our first freshman invitation,” remarked Grace after Gertrude had left them.  “I’m so glad.  I had begun to think we would never get acquainted with the rest of our class.”

“I understand that 19——­ is the largest class Overton has ever had,” said Anne.

“All the more reason why we should be proud of it,” declared Miriam quickly.

“I wonder what they’ll have to eat,” said Elfreda reflectively.

A derisive giggle greeted this remark.

“Well, you needn’t laugh,” retorted Elfreda good-naturedly.  “I didn’t say that because I’m so fond of eating.  I was just wondering whether it would be worth while to eat supper or not.”

“Take my advice and eat your supper, Elfreda,” laughed Anne.  “I have an idea that we shall be fed on plowed field, fudge or something equally nourishing.”

“Humph!” commented Elfreda.  “That’s just about what I thought.  I hope we have something sour for supper to-night.  I’m getting tired of sweet stuff.  It’s frightfully fattening, too.”

“What on earth has come over you, Elfreda,” laughed Grace.  “I thought you were devoted to chocolate and bonbons.”

“I was,” confessed Elfreda, “until I saw you and Miriam play basketball this afternoon.  I was crazy to play, too.  But imagine how I’d look on the field.  I couldn’t run six yards without puffing.  I’m going to try to get thinner, and perhaps some day I can make the team, too.”

CHAPTER XI

ANNE WINS A VICTORY

The pleasurable excitement of making the team and receiving the invitation to the spread had driven all thought of the conversation overheard by Anne from Grace’s mind.  Above all things Grace wished if possible to establish friendly relations with every member of her class.  Now that she and her friends were invited to Morton House they would meet a number of new girls.  The Morton House girls had the reputation of being both jolly and hospitable.  Grace had the feeling that so far they had made little or no social headway among their classmates.  Aside from Ruth Denton and the students at Wayne Hall they knew practically no other freshmen.

“This spread will help us to get in touch with some of the girls we don’t know,” she confided to Anne while dressing that night for the party.