Much to the disgust of all the girls, four days of warm sunshine had melted the snow, spoiled the coasting and made rubbers a first consideration.

The roads were hidden under inches of slush, the gutters were miniature brooks, and the ground seemed to be completely covered by a thick coating of red, oozy mud.

Polly, an empty basket over one arm, was picking her way gingerly along the back road that led from the farm.

As she came in sight of the gym, Betty met her.

“Hello, where are you going?” she demanded.

“I’m not going, I’m coming,” Polly answered.

“Where from?”

“The cottage. I’ve just been to see McDonald; he’s back from the hospital, you know, and Mrs. Baird sent me over with some fruit for him.”

“Is he better?”

“Yes, but I don’t believe he’ll ever do any driving again; he’s pretty feeble.”

“Good old McDonald! It won’t seem right not having him around; he’s been here ever since I can remember, and that’s six long years.”

Betty gave a sigh to express great age, and resumed: “Do you remember the night you and he, between you, turned off the power for the lantern and got us out of a lecture by the Spartan’s cousin?”

Polly chuckled. “McDonald was just talking about it. He said: ‘Sure an’ Miss Polly, I couldn’t be after spoiling your evening, that I couldn’t; so when I got back to the power house, I just let well enough alone, and all the time all I needed to do was to turn on the switch again.’ I told him about Maud and the dog, and he laughed till he cried. What’s doing this afternoon?”

“Nothing, absolutely nothing,” Betty said dolefully. “The coasting’s spoiled, and the gym is packed with girls.”

“Then, that’s where I’m going,” Polly announced, “and you’ve got to come with me. Do you realize that February is not so very far away, and that our sub team is very, very weak?”

“I do,” Betty answered, solemnly. “What are you going to do about it?”

“Find out who else can play. Bet, I can’t lose either big game this year. We’ve just got to build up the team.” Polly was very serious. “I’m worried.”

“Who about?”

“Eleanor Trent; she can’t get used to girls’ rules, and she makes fouls all the time.”

“Who subs for her?”

“Katherine Welbe, and she’s no earthly good.”

“Come on, then; let’s see who’s playing now,” Betty gave in resignedly.

They went to the gym and sat down in the first row in the gallery. The game in progress was being played by Freshmen and Sophomores for the most part, and Jane and Phylis seemed to be doing most of it. They were both playing jumping centers. It was not very exciting to watch; some one fumbled or made a foul every other minute and the whistle sounded incessantly.

“I hoped Maud would be here,” Polly said, thoughtfully. “Have you seen her to-day?”

“Yes, she’s up watching Lois paint, I think. You know she draws awfully well herself. Did you see the pen and ink sketch she did of her little yellow pup, yesterday? It was great.”

The question of the dog had been solved by Polly. She had received permission from Mrs. Baird who had laughed heartily at the story for Maud to go round to the stable and see him after school hours.

“Yes, she showed it to me,” Polly answered Betty’s question. “Then Lo made her let her show it to Miss Crosby. But that’s not basket ball.” She returned to the original subject abruptly. “I’ll tell you what I’m going to do, as soon as this game is over. I’ll ask Miss Stuart if we can’t have the gym to ourselves for practice.”

“Do you mean the big team?” Betty asked. She was not very anxious to change into her gym suit for so short a time.

“No; I’m going to pick out some of these girls and find Maud and make her come. Then I’m going to change them around in different positions. I’ll bet I’ll find some one that’s good at something.”

“Well, what do you want me to do?” Betty stood up ready to act. “Go find Maud?”

“Darling Betty, if you would be so kind,” Polly teased. “I’ll be what is it Maud says? ’no end grateful’; then come back and help me.”

Miss Stuart not only granted Polly the permission she asked, but stopped the game at once. “It will give you more time,” she said, “and I’m not sorry to give up my whistle to you.”

When Betty returned with Maud they began.

“I met Fanny on my way over, and I told her you wanted her. I thought she might as well help, too,” Betty said.

“Good! she can watch the guards. You watch the centers and I’ll take the forwards. Maud, I’m going to put you on as a guard; you’re so tall.”

“Oh, all right,” Maud agreed, “what do I do?”

“You keep the ball away from the girls of the other team. Wait till we start, then I’ll show you.” Polly, a minute later, blew the whistle and placed the teams. Jane and Phylis were so excited that they nearly forgot to jump when she threw the ball up between them.

For two hours and a half they worked. Polly and Betty and Fanny explaining and showing them how, and now and again getting into the game themselves.

While they were struggling with clumsy forwards and slow guards, Lois, who really ought to have been there, was having a very important talk with Mrs. Baird and Miss Crosby.

“Do you think Polly knows anything about it?” Mrs. Baird asked. “I do hope not.”

“She hasn’t the slightest idea,” Lois assured her. “Betty just told me she would be in the gym all afternoon, so there’s no chance of her seeing any of the preparations.”

“Hadn’t you better fix the table?” Miss Crosby asked. “Here’s everything for it, I think; do the rest of the girls understand?”

“I spoke to Miss Lane about the younger children eating at the Senior table,” Mrs. Baird said. “The girls all know I’ve told each one.” Lois was gathering up yards of pale green crepe paper as she spoke. “I think it will be a lot of fun, don’t you? And Polly will be awfully surprised.”

The mystery of this conversation was not explained until dinner time that night.

Polly and Betty came in, hot and tired from playing and just in time to take a shower and dress before study hour. It is true that Polly might have noticed that some of the girls were exchanging mysterious glances behind their desks, had it not been for the fact that a letter from Bob claimed her attention. She found it on her desk.

“Dear Polly,” she read.

“Hark to the joyful news. My foot is all well, and I’ve started training. I haven’t forgotten what you said, and every time I think I’m no good I just say: Cheer up, May’s a long way off. Wish me luck.

“Bob.”

Polly was so delighted that she spent the rest of study hour trying to compose a fitting answer, and she was so anxious to tell Lois on the way to dinner that she didn’t realize she was being led into the lower school’s dining-room, until she was at the very door.

“Where are we going?” she asked, turning suddenly.

“Come and see; we’re having dinner in here this evening,” Lois answered, as she opened the door and displayed a table decorated with green paper with a centerpiece of pale pink roses.

Mrs. Baird was standing at one end, and Miss Crosby at the other. The rest of the places were filled by the girls who had been on the eventful straw-ride.

Lois led Polly, too surprised to speak, to her place at Mrs. Baird’s right, and there she found a big box tied with green ribbon with her name on it. Every one was looking at it, and Polly realized in a dreamy sort of way that she was expected to open it. All she could say was:

“Why, er, what ” she was so astonished.

She opened the box and discovered a bulky chamois bag packed in with tissue paper. She looked at it, wondering, and then gave an exclamation of joy, when she discovered that it covered a big silver loving cup. On one side was engraved the date and the words: “To Polly, in grateful recollection of her splendid courage,” and on the other, the names of all the girls, Connie’s included, who had been on the ride.

Polly looked at it for a long time, without a word. Then she turned, appealingly, to Mrs. Baird.

“What can I say?” she asked. “I can’t think of anything but ‘thank you.’ And that’s so little. Though if I could only be sure you knew how much I meant by it, it would be enough. Do say you know,” she pleaded, looking around the table, “because I’m terribly embarrassed,” she ended, laughing.

“Very good speech, Poll,” Betty teased from her seat opposite, “and quite long enough; my soup’s cold.”

“Betty!” Mrs. Baird tried to look shocked, and failed, because she simply had to smile.

Then followed the happiest meal imaginable. At the end a big cake, with Polly’s name on it, was brought in, and then everybody told her all over again how brave she’d been.

“But I wasn’t,” she insisted. “It was just a simple thing to do nothing that really took courage.”

“You may be right,” Betty told her, “but you’ll never find any one to agree with you.”

Polly smiled. “If I do,” she said, “will you promise never to mention it to me again?”

“Yes,” Betty said, promptly; “I will.”

“All right.”

After dinner she led the way, followed by all fifteen girls, straight to Maud. They found her in one of the class rooms.

“Tell her just what I did,” Polly directed.

And Betty described the ride in her most extravagant style. Finally she displayed the cup.

“Now, what do you think of it?” she ended triumphantly.

Maud’s eyes had been wide with interest throughout the recital. She looked at Polly with perfect understanding.

“By Jove!” she said earnestly, “wasn’t it lucky the hill was there. Did you remember to rub the horses down when you got back, Polly?”

There was a second’s silence.

“Yes, and I put blankets on them,” Polly answered. Then, turning to Betty: “Do I win?” she asked, laughing.