These girls, although of strongly marked and contrasting characters, were intimate friends. They had been enthusiastic members of the girls’ athletic association from its establishment; and they had, individually and together, taken an important part in the athletic activities of Central High.
For instance, in the first volume of this series, entitled, “The Girls of Central High; Or, Rivals for All Honors,” Laura Belding was able to interest one of the wealthiest men of Centerport, Colonel Richard Swayne, in the girls’ athletic association, then newly formed, so that he gave a large sum of money toward a proper athletic field and gymnasium building for their sole use.
In “The Girls of Central High on Lake Luna; Or, the Crew That Won,” the second story of the series, the girls were mainly centering their attention upon aquatic sports; and the Lockwood twins—Dora and Dorothy—were particularly active in this branch of athletics. They won honorable mention if not the prize in the canoe event, and were likewise members of the Central High girls’ crew that won the cup in the contest of eight-oared shells.
The third volume of the series, named “The Girls of Central High at Basketball; Or, The Great Gymnasium Mystery,” particularly related the fortunes of the representative basketball team of Central High, and of which each girl now gathered here on the ridge was a member.
Not long previous to this day in the Spring vacation when the seven were tramping toward Fielding, Jess Morse had made a great hit with her school friends and instructors, as well. She had written a play, which was performed by members of the girls’ secret society of the school and some of their boy friends, and so good was it that it not only won a prize of two hundred dollars for which many of the girls of Central High had competed, but it attracted the attention of a professional theatrical producer, who had made a contract with Mrs. Morse, Jess’s mother, for the use of the play in a revised form upon the professional stage. The details of all this are to be found in the fourth volume of the series, entitled, “The Girls of Central High on the Stage; Or, The Play That Took the Prize.”
“There! the fellow’s going back,” said Jess Morse, suddenly calling attention to the dark man on the road below.
“If he was after the girl he has given up the chase. I am glad of that,” added her chum.
“But where did the girl go?” demanded Bobby Hargrew, craning her neck to peer toward the bushes on the easterly side of the rock.
“There she is!” ejaculated Dora Lockwood, grabbing Bobby by the arm.
She pointed down the side of the ridge, where the rough pasture land dropped to the verge of the brook. The other girls came running and gazed in the direction she pointed out.