CHAPTER XVI
THE CROQUET PARTY
The next afternoon the two girls started in the pony cart for the Merediths.
Patty loved to play croquet, and though it greatly amused her to hear the English people pronounce the word as if it were spelled croky, yet not to appear peculiar, she spoke it that way too.
The party was a large one, and the games were arranged somewhat after the fashion of a tournament.
Patty’s partner was Tom Meredith, and as he played a fairly good game they easily beat their first opponents.
But later on they found themselves matched against Mabel Hartley and a young man named Jack Stanton. Mr. Stanton was an expert, and Mabel played the best game Patty had ever seen a girl play.
“It’s no use,” said Patty, good-naturedly, as they began the game, “Tom and I never can win against you two.”