“Not much can happen in basketball, can there?”
“No, but I am always afraid of the bruises and strains and sometimes they fall so hard and strike their heads. Perhaps the athletic craze is more wholesome than some others, but we endure and are thankful when every tournament is past. And, indeed it seems to me, if school or college life is to foster any refinement of speech or manner in our girls, something will have to be done about these performances.”
As it happened, fate was kind to Miss Randolph and her old-school ideas. To the great disappointment of both schools, the Highlanders had an epidemic of measles, “measly things”, as Isabel said, and arrangements for the competitive games were completely broken off. But to relieve the general feeling of disappointment they were promised some kind of an affair together, when all danger of infection was past. It might be a picnic, a masquerade, nobody knew just what. “And next year, girls,” said Eloise, impressively, “we can go with the Collegiates over to see the athletic carnival at the military school?”
“How do you know, Elo’?” asked Cathalina.
“The Academy Seniors are supposed to have enough sense to accompany the distinguished Collegiates! They have a wonderful time, they say,—met by the boys in their uniforms, of course, escorted around to all the doings and if you know anybody there you can even see him! There are plenty of teachers along, of course.”
“My, I wish Phil were that near!” exclaimed Cathalina, with a homesick pang. “It it a real grown-up school? He isn’t going back to the same school, perhaps, next year, is just trying a new school this year, but he will be in college work, I guess.”
“Don’t you know?” asked Hilary is some surprise.
“Poor Hilary. Haven’t you learned yet, Hilary, that I’m just beginning to pay attention to school things?”
“Sure enough. But they’re interesting, aren’t they?”
“Fairly so,” replied Cathalina with a twinkle.