“All right,” said the older girl. “I’ll see you again, Betty, and I’m real glad to have met you.”
That was interesting, thought Betty, as she climbed the same stairs down which Ted Dorrance had been running. Louise Madison must be a wonderful girl. She seemed to be perfectly at home–perhaps she was a senior. Betty wondered what sort of a club it could be that freshmen could join. Louise had passed her a few moments before Ted had come dashing down. She must have finished whatever errand she had and started back very soon. Well, she now knew two pupils in this school, but not a freshman!
This time Betty was ready at twelve-thirty to start home with the rest. She just made the same street-car with Dick and Doris and listened to their accounts on the way home. Like Betty, Doris did not know any one in her class, though Doris said that they “smiled at each other;” but Dick knew several of the boys and had found out all sorts of facts, particularly those relating to athletics. “There was a bunch of us talking together,” said he, “and we’re going to have some great gym work and everything. The eighth grade boys said that they have great games at Lyon High School. Did you take in the size of that stadium, Betty? And a fellow they called Joe said that he helped with a stunt the junior high had at the faculty and senior basketball game last winter. That’s a sort of funny affair and the senior team usually beats, though when the athletic teachers play with the rest of the faculty it isn’t so dead easy, I guess, from what they said. But first they have a sort of athletic or gym show. I’d like to be on it.”
“Yes, and break your neck,” remarked Doris with sisterly lack of being impressed.
“Never you mind. The girls do something or other, too. Maybe you’ll have to, so far as I know.”
“Oh, if that’s the case, I’ll never do a thing! Couldn’t you get excused, Betty?”
“Don’t worry, Doris. It isn’t likely that you’d have to do anything too hard for you. And there’s always Mother, and Father, to decide what is best for us.”
“But they always stand by anything school does.”
“Of course, because there’s never anything out of the way. But they wouldn’t let anything happen to us if there were anything that wasn’t fair or right. Gracious me, if I hadn’t anything more to worry about than what may happen next winter I’d be thankful. What are your teachers like?”
That started the children on a new track and Betty had amusing and detailed descriptions of what had happened and what this teacher and another were like. Doris was in a home room for girls and Dick in one for boys. “There are a great many of us boys,” said Dick with much dignity. “I don’t know just how many but I shall find out. Then when you write to Janet, be sure to have her tell Bill.”