“We do not wish any favoritism,” declared Harriet. “If we can’t win fairly and on our merits, we prefer to be beaten.”
“That is the sportsman-like spirit. That is the spirit that should prevail in all contests, as I am certain it will in this. You are going to be in hot company. I have learned something more about the playing of the Scott Sisters. They are fine players. I am not belittling your work, mind you. You play a splendid game—a marvelous game for the time you have been practising, but you must remember that one has to go through a few public matches before one learns to play well before people.”
“Yeth, we underthtand,” nodded Tommy.
“Then you think we shall not win?” questioned Harriet.
“I do not wish to discourage you, nor do I think you will so construe what I have to say. I think you will play a very fine game and that you will not win the booby prize, but as for winning the cup, for the life of me I don’t see how you are going to do it. There! It’s out now.”
“You are one of those perthonth who have to be thhown, aren’t you?” lisped Tommy Thompson after a moment of deep silence following the discouraging announcement. “I gueth that we thhall have to thhow you.”
CHAPTER XXI
A DISASTER IN CAMP
The morning following the conversation between the Meadow-Brook Girls and Earlington Disbrow dawned clear and cool, though the weather gave promise of being much hotter—in fact, the Weather Bureau had promised the hottest wave of the summer thus far, which the management of the tournament advanced as an added reason why every one should come to the seashore for the Coast Tennis Tournament.
The girls, in no way cast down by the doubts expressed by their instructor, were still full of determination to win or go down with colors flying to the breeze. That was the Meadow-Brook spirit. Now that each girl had been assigned her partner, the two teams got together and planned out the methods to be used by each of the two teams—in fact, planned everything that could be planned. It was the first public appearance of any of the girls of the Meadow-Brook camp, hence their behavior when they found themselves on the courts was still an unknown quantity. However, instead of worrying over their ordeal the girls had a lively round at their own net early in the morning before breakfast, then a cold bath, after which they were ready for breakfast.
They were alone, that morning, for breakfast, and enjoyed themselves very much. Only Tommy appeared to be nervous, but she soon forgot this in talking about the cup that she confidently believed would be in their possession on the following day.