"I could tell her that without any old tennis match," said Sadie loyally, and in her exuberance Nan hugged her.
"Well, but it will be a lark!" she cried. "I'll enjoy nothing better than licking Kate Speed properly in the open—with the whole school—more or less—looking on."
"Sure," said Jo. "But suppose you get walloped yourself, Nan? What then?"
Nan snapped her lingers airily.
"I refuse to consider impossibilities," she retorted haughtily, then giggled and hugged them both again. "Oh, girls, it will be fun! This is my chance to put that conceited Kate Speed out of the running for good and all!"
Although they were passionately loyal to Nan, the other girls were not so sure that their chum was a match for Kate Speed on the courts.
There was one thing Kate Speed could do exceptionally well—and that was play tennis. She was, they considered, a more brilliant player than Nan, although Nan was steadier and could keep her head much better in emergencies.
While it would be a great triumph if Nan should win—how would they feel if she lost?
"There would be no living in the same school with Kate Speed then," said Jo, as she discussed this unpleasant possibility with Sadie. "All in all, Sade, I'm not overanxious for the match day to come."
"Nor I!" agreed Sadie ruefully.