After the sixth dance the ice cream and cake and lemonade were served, and for the rest of the evening everything went beautifully. The “good-night bell” rang at ten o’clock, just in the middle of the Virginia reel, but Mrs. Baird, who was on the platform, beckoned to one of the Seniors and gave her permission for it to be finished. When the girls finally did go off to bed, they were all very sleepy and very happy.
As Polly and Lois were leaving the room, Mrs. Baird stopped them.
“Good-night, girls,” she said, “you have been a big help to the Seniors, but they have no doubt thanked you for that. I want to tell you that I saw and appreciated your kindness tonight. I am proud of it in you as an old girl,” she said to Lois, and then turning to Polly with one of her wonderful smiles that made all the girls adore her, she added:
“And I am more proud to find that same spirit in a new girl.”
When Lois and Polly said good-night a few minutes later, Polly whispered:
“Isn’t she wonderful?”
“Of course she is,” Lois answered, smiling. “I wondered how long it would be before you found it out.”
[CHAPTER IV—THE CHOOSING OF THE TEAMS]
“Polly, there’s no use talking, you must learn to play basket-ball.”
Lois had delivered this command a couple of days after the paper chase and Polly had therefore spent hours in the gym during the month which elapsed between then and the opening of this chapter.