Whether Miss Crossleigh, the instructor, noticed it or not, she said nothing. Teachers cannot always take note of girlish feuds and rivalries.
A match game between the teams of rival schools brought to the Rivercliff athletic field many friends of the girls. Miss Hammersly had had a grand stand erected to overlook both the basket-ball and tennis courts, which were inside the cinder path. The weather was fine, the sport was popular, and the field made a brilliant picture on this crisp October afternoon.
Beth’s mates on the basket-ball team showed her frank good fellowship—that was one good thing. Otherwise, she could not have played as brilliantly as she did that day. The opposition to her that developed among her own fellow-students as the game went on only served to spur her to greater efforts.
In the first half the Rivercliff team was outmatched. There was a weak spot in the home team, but not in Beth Baldwin’s corner. Yet almost the whole school was unfriendly toward her.
“All ready?” demanded the referee, and at the signal the ball was thrown into play.
Although the play was fast and furious from the very start, at first neither side scored. Then the umpire halted the play with:
“Foul on Rivercliff for over guarding!”
It was really a shock to the school five. “Do get together, girls!” begged Maxine Laval, the captain.
But their opponents got the ball and shot it basketward. Right from the field the Jackson City Academy five made a basket. And following it—within a half minute—they made a second.
“Break it up, guards! Do!” groaned Maxine.