“I’ll think about it to-night,” answered Harriet mischievously. “I was going to suggest that you boys play a game of tennis while we look on. I am sure we shall get some pointers from your playing.”
“Miss Elting, will you play a set with me?” asked George.
“With pleasure, though I am but an indifferent player.”
“I guess you can handle a racquet as well as I can.”
“Then let us get at it. We have no time to lose. Every minute is precious from now on for the coming five weeks.”
George chose a racquet. They began to play a few minutes later. It was plain that they were evenly matched, though George appeared to be a little more skilful than his opponent. The girls were enthusiastic, the boys sitting on the side lines offering suggestions to both players from time to time. Harriet Burrell never spoke a word throughout the game. Instead, she watched every play with keen eyes, gaining no little knowledge of the principles of the game from such observation.
George won the first set by a narrow margin. Miss Elting had made him work for it, fighting him every inch of the way. While her playing was good, it was not what might be called skilful. She played such a game as might be expected of a country player.
“Want to try another with me? No? Who else wishes to put himself up as an easy mark for me?”
“That’s it—easy mark,” chuckled Sam. “Any other kind would win the game before you really got started.”
“Lucky for us that George isn’t going to try to defend the Meadow-Brook title,” scoffed Dill.