“But how have you finally settled it?”
“We have settled and unsettled matters a dozen times, but our last decision is really final; there will be running and jumping, and, last of all, a boat race.”
“And we do not stand a show?”
“Not a ghost of a show for even second place,” and Dolly sighed. Being president, she felt as if the honor or disgrace of the college rested on her.
Mary broke the silence at last. “I have not gone in for athletics since I have been here, because I don’t care for such things, but I can do considerable in the running and jumping line. I can’t row at all, and I would be no good there, but if you want me to try and help you out in the other things, I will.”
“Why, Mary Sutherland, and you never said a word before! But you must be awfully out of practice. Do you actually think that you can save us from total disgrace?”
“I don’t know what the girls at the other colleges can do, so I am hardly prepared to say how much I can aid you, dear. I am not so fearfully out of practice, either. Every summer I have been kept in trim by my brothers, and really I can beat them both at running and jumping, when I am in good condition.”
“But that was nearly a year ago, Mary.”
“I know, but I have been to the gymnasium every night after my experiments. I have done all sorts of running and jumping there just to tire myself out so that I could sleep. No one has ever seen me at that time, and I never thought of your really needing my services. I expect that I have been horribly selfish.”
“You are just angelic now, for I know that you were planning to do a lot of extra work with Professor Reimer during these last days of college, and you would rather be with him than helping us out of a hole.”