skill. Eve Dawkins and Myra Johnson were both as old and nearly
as tall as Gwen, and they played up with grim determination. At first
the score went against the Fifth, and the spectators watched with
keenest interest, but in the end Gwen's swift serving told, and Eve
and Myra retired vanquished. The Middle Fourth had already been beaten
by the Sixth, so it was now the Final between Sixth and Fifth.

"When Greek meets Greek, then comes the tug-of-war!" said Hilda.

"I found a four-leaved clover this morning on the wold, and I've
pinned it on to my dress as a mascot," returned Gwen.

"May it bring us luck! though I believe in play more than in mascots.
Keep as cool as you can, Gwen, and remember Olga's nasty balls."

"I'll do my best, though I'm afraid you'll all rue choosing me for a
champion," said Gwen, as she took her place.

Geraldine French and Olga Hunter, their two opponents, were renowned
players in the school, and very few of the lookers-on expected the
Fifth to have any chance at all.

"I'm afraid we'll lose!" sighed Edith Arnold.

"Oh, we won't give up too soon!" declared Elspeth Frazer. "Geraldine
is in form to-day, certainly, and Olga is serving swifter than I've
ever known her before, but we haven't proved yet what Hilda and Gwen
are capable of."

It was Olga's serve. She sent one of her famous invincible balls,
which hardly rose from the ground, and Gwen missed it. A suppressed
cheer rose from the adherents of the Sixth. Gwen clenched her teeth
hard, and watched for the next ball with the expression of a Red
Indian. It skimmed over the net as swiftly as its predecessor, but
Gwen was prepared this time, and returned it.

"Well played!" cried the Fifth ecstatically.

All four champions were on their mettle, and the fight that ensued was
of the keenest. Gwen was not a graceful player, but, as her friends
observed, she seemed capable of being everywhere at once, she was so
extremely lithe and quick.

"Very good! Excellent!" were the remarks that passed round at certain
of the strokes.

"I'd no idea Gwen had it in her!" commented Miss Trent.

In spite of Gwen's exertions the first game fell to the Sixth. They
were heartily clapped, and the Fifth began to look rather blue. Each
side now played with extreme caution. They had taken one another's
measure, and knew what they had to expect. Hilda Browne kept her nerve
well, and her serves were acknowledged to be what the girls called
"clinchers". As