ording to the weather, but it's
only on really scorching days that we are allowed to lounge. Then
there's a scramble for hammocks, and the lucky girls tie them on to the
branches of trees, and swing about, while the others sit on the grass.
Once or twice we had tea under the trees, and that was fine, but as a
rule they keep you moving. Games are nearly as hard work as lessons!"

"But you needn't play unless you like?"

"Oh, yes, you must; unless you are ill or tired. You can get off any
day if you don't feel well, but not altogether. And you would not wish
to either. It would be so horribly flat! Once you are into a team, you
are all anxiety to get into another, and I can tell you when you see
your remove posted up on the board, it is b-liss!--perfect bliss!"

The recruits laughed, and looked at their new friend with approving
glances. She was, so far, the only one of the girls who had treated
them on an equality, and gave herself no air of patronage, and they were
correspondingly appreciative. They asked eagerly in which games she had
won her remove, and Rhoda, at least, was disappointed at the answer.

"Cricket! That's the great summer game. I've three brothers at home,
and used to practise with them sometimes to make an extra one. They
snubbed me, of course: but I'm not a bad bat, though I say it myself."

"And what about tennis?"

"Um-m!" Kathleen pursed up her lips. "We have courts, of course, but
its rather--_Missy_, don't you think? The sports captains look down on
it, and so, of course, it's unpopular. The little girls play
occasionally. It keeps them happy."

This was a nice way to speak of a game which had been for years the
popular amusement of young England! Rhoda was so shocked and
disappointed that she hardly dared mention croquet, and it seemed,
indeed, as if it would have been better if she had refrained, for
Kathleen fairly shouted at the name.

"My dear, how can you! _Nobody_ plays croquet except old tab-- I mean
ladies who are too old to do anything else. Miss Bruce plays sometimes
when she has the vicar's wife to tea. We hide behind the bushes and
watch them and shake with laughter. _Croquet_, indeed! I should like
to see Tom's face if you mentioned croquet to her!"

"It's a matter of perfect indifference to me what Miss Bolderston
thinks," said Rhoda, loftily; but she veered away from the subject of
games all the same and tackled lessons instead.

"Are you working fo