new's daughter; Hester Grimes and Lily Pendleton,
all sophomores and in the classes at Central High with the Lockwood
twins. Hester Grimes, who was the daughter of a wealthy wholesale
butcher, was not so well liked by the twins as some of the other
sophomores. Hester could be a very unpleasant person if she wished to
be--and on occasions in the past (as related in the previous volume of
this series) Hester had lived up to her unhappy reputation. Lily
Pendleton, however, usually backed Miss Grimes up in everything the
latter said or did.

Although Laura Belding was only finishing her sophomore year at Central
High, she had become so popular that she was chairman of this important
committee, in which, in fact, the policy of the Girls' Branch Athletics
was decided. The moment the old business had been disposed of and the
way was open for new matters, Laura burst out with:

"Oh, girls! I've got the most exciting thing to tell you!"

"Don't tell us of any other big robbery," sighed Nellie Agnew. "We've
heard nothing but robbery at our house ever since Stresch & Potter were
broken into. And poor Billy Long!"

"Humph!" muttered Hester Grimes. "I hope they catch him and that he gets
all that is coming to him. He always was a mean little brat!"

"Not at all!" cried one of the seniors. "Billy Long never did a mean
thing in his life. But he is full of mischief."

"He'll get it, I fancy if the police catch him," laughed Lily Pendleton,
unpleasantly.

"Order!" said Laura, gravely. "I did not introduce my subject in a very
proper way, I know; but the trouble of Billy Long is far from our
business to-night. As chairman of your committee I have received a
communication which originally came from the Luna Boat Club. That is the
wealthiest boat club on the lake, you know. They really have more to do
with our Big Day than any other organization. And what do you think?"

"Why don't you get to it?" demanded Hester. "You're as slow as cold
molasses running up a hill in January."

"Oh, give her a chance," admonished Jess, taking any criticism of her
chum--but her own--in ill part.

"Well," said Laura, unruffled, "the secretary of the Luna Boat Club
writes that the club as a whole is much interested in the trial of speed
between the eight-oared shells of the several Girls' Highs and as a
trophy for that particular race will present to the winner a silver
cup--and you can just bet, girls, if it is anything the Luna Club
presents, it