Captain Jack turned with a slightly bored look on his thin dark face.
“Too lazy, Frances?” drawled he. “I believe you. But think of the temperature.”
“You have humiliated me dreadfully,” she said severely.
“Humiliated you? You shock me. But how, pray?” Captain Jack's eyes opened wide.
“You, a Canadian, and our best player—at least, you used to be—to allow yourself to be beaten by a—a—” she glanced at his opponent with a defiant smile—“a foreigner.”
“Oh! I say, Miss Frances,” exclaimed that young man.
“A foreigner?” exclaimed Captain Jack. “Better not let Adrien hear you.” He turned toward a tall fair girl standing near.
“What's that?” said the girl. “Did I hear aright?”
“Well, he's not a Canadian, I mean,” said Frances, sticking to her guns. “Besides, I can't stand Adrien crowing over me. She is already far too English, don-che-know. You have given her one more occasion for triumph over us Colonials.”
“Ah, this is serious,” said Captain Jack. “But really it is too hot you know for—what shall I say?—International complications.”