porches and
in the sheltered spots in the grounds, and the various teams were hard
at basket-ball and cricket and tennis, even before breakfast.

It was not so hard now to get up at a quarter to seven, and Judith and
Florence even joined the B.B.B.'s--"Before Breakfast Brigade"--who
pledged themselves to get up in time for a dip in the swimming-pool or a
game before the breakfast-bell rang.

Judith was especially keen about tennis, and she improved her game so
much that, to her surprise and delight, even high and mighty prefects
like Patricia and Catherine were asking her for practice games in
preparation for the House and School Tournaments later on. Catherine was
a very busy person, indeed, just now; she had an important part in the
play given during prize-giving week and she was a member of the Senior
basket-ball team. Judith would never be a basket-ball enthusiast, but
she filled a very respectable position on the Junior team and she could
share in the excitement about the Senior match which was to be played
against Queen's School. Patricia was working her team hard; every spare
hour was devoted to goal practice, and team practice came every day as a
matter of course.

Nancy had much to tell Judith of last year's triumph when Eleanor's
brilliant play had won the coveted trophy for York Hill. This year
Queen's were reported to have a marvellous centre and school gossip held
that the York Hill team would have a hard battle to keep the shield.
Unfortunately, the very day before the match, Helen Burton, a prefect of
West House, slipped and wrenched her knee, so that her playing was out
of the question. She was not their most brilliant player by any means,
but she was steady and used her brains in the game better than most.
Althea Somerset was put in as a substitute, but it was disconcerting to
lose a tried warrior before the fight began.

Nancy was a timekeeper, and on the day of the match Judith took her
stand beside her with the lemons for the refreshment of the teams. The
whole School had lined the campus to watch the game; at one end were a
group of Old Girls and the staff; near by was a splash of scarlet
marking the visitors from Queen's School. Judith, watching the trim
figures of the players line up, Queen's with scarlet ties and bands,
York Hill with gold ties, felt a sudden rush of loyalty at the sight of
her own well-loved prefects.

"They must win--they must--there can't be a doubt of it," said Judith t