“Scarcely a bit,” she whispered, “but I love to hear it. How did you know I played?”
“A little bird told me,” said Ted.
[CHAPTER XVII: “JUST LIKE A FISH”]
“Look at Betty!” cried Kathryn, who was not taking part in the swimming meet, but was a part of the audience. “Isn’t she graceful? What a dive! Betty’s a regular fish for the water!”
“She went into the water like a bird catching a fish,” replied Carolyn, who had memories of a northern lake in summer.
“Yes; but she says she likes the water and feels at home in it. She is a natural swimmer, I suppose, if there is such a thing.”
The seats around the pool were full of spectators, some mothers as well as girls from the different high schools concerned in the meet. Others leaned forward, all interest, from the balcony above, among them Mrs. Lee and Amy Lou. Betty had located her mother before the meet proper began and welcomed her with a smiling salute from a distance. To Amy Lou, who waved wildly at her older sister, she gave a separate salute, and blew her a kiss. Betty looked happy and unworried, a trim little figure in her tight, dark blue bathing suit.
A group of sophomore girls were equipped with Lyon High banners and sat together on one side of the pool, ready to root for their own school and their own class swimmers as well. When Betty came out for the diving events, they cheered for her. Amy Lou was frightened and squealed out a little when Betty made a “back” dive that was greeted with general applause. Mrs. Lee held her breath for a minute, afraid that Betty would hit the diving board and gave a sigh of relief when that did not happen.
Carolyn, who sat beside Mrs. Lee, turned to her enthusiastically to say, “Wasn’t that splendid? Betty is getting better and better!”
“I hope she won’t do that again, though,” said Betty’s mother.