“Oh, yes. That is a fashionable summer resort,” said Harriet.
“Just so. Ever hear of the Atlantic Coast Tennis Tournaments?”
The girls shook their heads.
“I have,” said Miss Elting. “I have understood that they were a feature of the summer at Newtown.”
“They are,” agreed George. “They are the biggest and most important affairs ever pulled off along the coast, and don’t you lose sight of that for a minute.”
“We won’t. What next?” demanded Grace.
“In this tournament,” continued Captain Baker, “there are many classes and many valuable prizes. No money prizes, of course, for this is purely an amateur tournament, but it brings out some crack players, you may depend upon that. The best players there are in New England come down to Newtown to match their skill against their fellows. People journey many miles to attend this tournament, which usually lasts several days, sometimes a week. Most of the contests are bitterly fought. More national tennis players have graduated from that tournament than from any other in the United States. I know, because Jack Herrington, the manager of the tournament, told me so.
“It is a great honor even to be entered at Newtown,” declared George. “Believe me, not every one can get an entry there. Oh, it’s very select and one has to be well up in the lists to get an entry, but once having entered there is no backing out. The entries are closed now.”
“When is this tournament to take place?” questioned Miss Elting, interested, though she could not satisfactorily explain to herself why.
“Five weeks from now.”