urday there was to
be a match played in a suburb of Grovebury between two first-class
ladies' hockey clubs. She suggested that it might be of advantage to
some of the girls to go and watch it, and proposed that each of the
upper forms should elect one of their number as special reporter to
write an account of the match which could be read aloud afterwards in
school. The idea rather struck them.

"It's Finbury Wanderers _versus_ Hilton," said Linda Slater, "and
they're both jolly good, I know. Wish I could have gone myself, but I'm
booked already for Saturday."

"Heaps of us are," said Cicely Denham.

"We'd like to hear about it, though," added Kitty Saunders. "I call it
rather a brain wave to choose a reporter."

"Hands up any girls who are free on Saturday!" called Beatrice Jackson.

The announcement had been made rather late, so most of the form already
had engagements for the holiday. Only six hands were raised, belonging
respectively to Ingred Saxon, Avie Irving, Avis Marlowe, Francie Hall,
Bess Haselford, and Beatrice Jackson herself.

"A poor muster for Va!" remarked Kitty. "As Ingred's our
warden, I should think she'd better write the report."

"The Finbury ground is a horribly awkward place to get to," put in
Beatrice. "I suppose you'll motor there, Ingred."

"We have no car now," confessed Ingred, turning very red, for she was
sure that Beatrice knew that fact only too well, and had brought it into
prominence on purpose to humiliate her.

"Oh! I suppose you'll be motoring, Bess? Couldn't you give some of us a
lift?"

"I believe I could take you all," replied Bess pleasantly. "Of course I
shall have to ask Dad first if I may have the car out on Saturday, but I
don't expect he'll say no."

"Oh, what sport! We'll come, you bet. Look here, I beg to propose that
Bess Haselford writes the report of the match."

"And I second it," declared Francie. "Hands up, girls! Bess shall be
'boss' for this show."

Half the girls in the room had not heard Kitty's proposal that Ingred
should be chosen, and some of the others, listening imperfectly, had
gathered that she was not able to go to the match, so without giving her
a further thought they raised hands in favor of Bess, and the matter was
carried.

"But indeed I'm no good at writing or describing things!" protested
Bess.

"Yes, you are! You've got to try, so there!" cried her friends
triumphantly. "You'll do it just as well as anybody else would."

Ing