“Hello, Jack and John!” she exclaimed. “So glad to see you—both. I think we’re about through now——” She allowed her eyes to rest for a second upon John’s, with understanding. “And everybody’s delighted. So shall we adjourn to the floor?”
“Yes, indeed!” agreed her brother. “By the way, isn’t that Sautter over there, tying up those boxes?”
“Yes, it is,” John answered for her. “Nice chap—do you know him?”
“Several years. Let’s go speak to him.”
The young men sauntered over to speak to their friend, and concluded, with Marjorie’s consent, by inviting him down to the gymnasium. The party was growing so large that John had a sudden inspiration to make it a festive occasion, and asked the young captain whether he might not go out and buy ice-cream for the crowd.
“If you want to,” answered the girl, smilingly. “I don’t see how anybody could fail to appreciate it, especially after basket-ball.”
While he was gone, Jack threw himself seriously into his task, and carefully explained to the girls the fundamentals of the game, concluding with demonstrations and practice. Annie Marshall and Stella Cox seemed to take to it as if they had been playing for weeks; they learned how to make their passes swift and straight, and in a short time, got the knack of shooting baskets.
“Let’s have a little game now,” suggested Jack, after the drilling. “Suppose I line you up: Sis, jumping-center, Miss Williams—oh, bosh! I’m going to call you by your first names, if nobody objects——”
“That’s what we like!” shouted Queenie, from the other end of the floor.
“All right, then: Dot, side-center; Stella and—and—I forget your name——?”