“Oh, they’ve started! I knew they would have! How unlucky I always am! What’s the score? Any goals? Oh, I am glad I’m in time to see the first,” she announced in a single breath, as she reached the side of her three friends. “Jim wouldn’t hurry, and I knew we’d be late!”
“Hallo, Stella!” cried the three in unison, but with only a very small fragment of attention to spare for the new-comer and her remarks, as their eyes followed jealously the journeyings up and down the field of the hockey ball. “Good! Helen!—Play UP!”
The shouting died down a little, and Stella, always conversational, began again.
“Oh, I’ve something to tell you. You, Gretta, especially. I saw——”
“Shut up, Stella, till half-time, can’t you?” This from Josy, who could find interest in nothing but the progress of the game.
“But I must tell Gretta! Gretta, I saw——!”
The whistle sounded, and there was a thunder of clapping and stamping, while voices shrill and clear applauded the Cliff School for the first goal of the game.
“I wonder how Sybil’s enjoying it,” said Gretta, pink with excitement, and glancing round the assembled crowd of onlookers in search of her little sister.
“But that’s what I mean!” began Stella again. “Gretta, I saw Sybil. I was driving up, about a mile away, and she was walking——”
“What!” Margot and Gretta turned simultaneously. “Sybil—a mile away! But how could she be?”