However, Miss Romaine had a way of compelling obedience, even from girls like Kate.
The congratulations were performed with a poor grace, to be sure, but they were performed. The moment was one of victory for Nan and of defeat for Kate.
Yet the latter stepped back with a toss of her head that declared her far from subdued yet. She flashed a look at Nan that was full of enmity.
"I'll get even," said the look. "You just wait!"
After a few more words about the admirable quality of good sportsmanship, Miss Romaine dismissed them.
Nan and Sadie, with Jessie and Doris, made at once for their room where they poured the whole story into Jo's sympathetic and anxious ear.
"Glory be!" cried the latter, turning a hand-spring of delight and landing in some mysterious manner upon the bed. "The ship is ours again! The enemy is routed! All's well with the world!"
"Don't crow too soon," warned Sadie dubiously. "Those two can bear watching, let me tell you."
But for some time after the incident of the match it looked as though Kate and Lottie were effectually subdued.
Following the match came a quiet Sunday and then two weeks of hard work in the classrooms. The three chums were doing well, although Sadie had hard work to keep up in mathematics and Nan rather lagged in her French. Jo went along swimmingly except for a little "flop," as she expressed it, in physics.