"Yes, but would she play herself?" asked Glenda. "Everyone knows Allison is far and away the best player we've got, and her presence in the eleven would make all the difference."
"Yes, she said she would love to play, and also promised to turn out to the practices beforehand and help in pulling the team together."
"Let us see what sort of a team we could put in the field," suggested Irene sensibly, for as the school had not yet played any hockey matches with outside teams this term, the membership of the new first eleven had not been finally decided.
Madge, aided by various suggestions from the rest of the assembly, drew up a probable team, and after a good deal of argument it was universally agreed that the team really consisted of first-rate material, every position being filled satisfactorily with one exception, that of goalkeeper.
"That's the weak spot," said Madge ruefully. "Two reliable backs and the best centre-half in the county, but not a single candidate for goalkeeper."
"Who was goalkeeper last season?" asked Pam Preston.
"Ethel Denham, till she left. Then, as no one else would volunteer to fill the vacancy we played three backs. That wouldn't do here."
"Who's the second eleven goalkeeper?"
"A Fourth-former, but she isn't any good except for junior games. She hasn't much idea of clearing quickly or of stopping anything really fast."
The girls looked at one another in perplexity till Deirdre Samways said slowly: "I suppose Pam wouldn't consider playing in goal for the hockey eleven? Don't you remember last year, when the netball pitch was under water, Pam joined us in hockey practices and kicked the ball out for us as if she'd done it all her life? She's our best wicket-keeper too."