Miss Rice thought she had reason for disliking Beth, too. It dated back to the time when she had so hurt and insulted the girl from Hudsonvale by refusing to trust her handkerchiefs in Beth’s possession. Of course, when one has ill-treated another, unless one acknowledges his fault, the ill-feeling remains. Miss Rice had never owned up to her wrong attitude toward Beth.
And now that she had been beaten by her in this very close race, she was thoroughly disappointed and angry.
“You can’t expect Miss Crossleigh to be fair when Miss Hammersly’s pet is involved, can you?” scoffed Miss Rice. “Twice Beth Baldwin skated right in front of me. It would have been called a foul on the part of any other contestant.”
Beth, who was within earshot, said nothing. She was thankful that Larry and the other boys had not been allowed to walk up from the ice with the Rivercliff girls.
Miss Crossleigh and the other teachers were well out of hearing, but Molly Granger was at hand.
“Cracky-me!” she blurted out. “What ever are you talking about, Rice? Don’t you know that every knock is a boost? You were beaten fairly enough, and you’ll only make yourself the laughing stock of the whole school if you say such things. Of course Beth skated in front of you. Especially at the end of the race.”
This caused some of the other girls to laugh; and, naturally, the “knockers” were not pleased.
“No matter what Beth Baldwin did, Molly Granger, you’d back her up,” said Laura Hedden, spitefully.
“You bet I would!” cried the slangy Molly. “I’m one good little backer, I am! I’d back up Nero if I heard you running him down. I’d know for sure that there had been a mistake made in history.”
“‘R-r-rebecca! don’dt fight!’” sing-songed Mamie Dunn, through her nose. “You’re as bad as the rest of them, Molly. Let it drop.”