"Just--because."

"You could tell at home, if you'd been asked and were going to join."

"If I were going to join," repeated Betty, soberly.

"What is this?" asked their father. "The high school students are not allowed to have sororities, Doris."

"They have 'em just the same, Papa. I'm going to join one, that is if I get asked."

"Indeed?" and Mr. Lee lifted his brows.

"You're not likely to be asked," said Betty, "if you're that frank about wanting to get in."

Doris paid no attention to Betty's remark, but addressed her father.

"Oh, now, Papa, they get around it all right! I've heard all about it."

"How you know more than I did is a wonder, Doris," said Betty. "There must be some one of your friends that knows the ins and outs."

"There is. She has a sister who is a senior."

"How about it, Betty?" asked Mr. Lee, interested. "Have you been approached on the subject?"

"Yes, sir. I was asked to join a good one, nice girls anyhow, but I decided not to go into any. I'll wait till I get into college, if I go, and if anybody wants me."

Mr. Lee gave a nod of satisfaction and turned back to his book. "There is a reason for there being no sororities in high schools," said he. "In the smaller schools particularly it makes trouble."

But Doris was at once alive with interest. "_Tell_ me, Betty! Which one?"

"Really, Dorry, I'd like to tell you; but it wouldn't be nice to do it now. You might forget and say something about it. Will you be satisfied if I say that I will tell you some time?"

"I suppose I'll have to be."

"Aw, she'd be saying, 'My sister was asked to join one of the sororities!'" d.i.c.k's tone was as much like a girl's as a boy whose voice was beginning to change could manage.

"I _will not_!" vehemently Doris a.s.serted.

"That will do, children," said Mrs. Lee. "This is Betty's affair. She probably feels uncomfortable enough to refuse an attractive invitation."

Mother knew, bless her! Perhaps she had been through the same thing.

Then there came a ring at the telephone and Betty flew. "Somebody's calling up Betty!" said Doris, rather pettishly, though she did not close her ears to Betty's side of the conversation.

"Oh, Carolyn!" said Betty, and then there was a silence on her part for a little.

"You 'almost did?' Maybe you should have done it, Carolyn. Sure you'll be happy over it?"

Another long silence on Betty's part.

"It is good of you to tell me all about it. Yes, Marcella is the greatest attraction. I hope--what is that? Yes."

"Marcella Waite, d.i.c.k," said Doris in a low tone. "It's the Kappa Upsilons! I knew it!"

"Doris," said Mrs. Lee, pleasantly but firmly, "whatever you may know or guess, I trust your sense of what is fitting to keep your ideas to yourself."

"All right, Mamma--but I can't help hearing what the other kids talk about."

"The other children, you mean."

"Yes'm."

Mrs. Lee sighed, laying aside some mending for a magazine. This school-grounds language! But perhaps, if they heard correct and cultured speech at home it would do some good.

CHAPTER XV: CLa.s.s CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES

School went on the next day much as usual. Betty met Marcella in the hall and received a friendly smile, though Marcella was preoccupied. As the next few weeks went by, Betty almost forgot how important the sorority matter had seemed. They did not see as much of Peggy, that was all. And it was probable that Carolyn and Betty did not confide such intimate affairs to Peggy as before. It made a difference to feel things might be pa.s.sed on to others with whom Peggy was now intimate. The girls wondered how she "stood" Mathilde, but Peggy never mentioned Mathilde.

The weeks sped on with the customary tests and the welcome Holiday season. Betty did not see anything of her old friends, Janet and Sue, who could not visit her at any time suggested. But they all went to the farm on Christmas, for Grandma was well and longing for them to come once more. There was plenty of snow there and hills for sledding. d.i.c.k tried to make some skis, without remarkable success, but Doris and Betty enjoyed trying them.

The spread of white, snow-covered fields, the freedom from the city's noise and traffic and the great open fires of the old farmhouse were a joy to everybody. But Mr. Lee made plans about how a furnace could be put in for Grandmother, since she refused to leave the home place. That should be done before another winter. The children had brought their various reports to show Grandmother, who asked Betty, "Still on the honor roll in spite of athletics?"

"Yes'm," said Betty, with an engaging smile. "You see, hikes and swimming and practice games are in the nature of recreation. I go home and rest and eat good meals and then I can get my lessons all right."

"Aw, Betty is just smart, Grandma," said d.i.c.k. "Couldn't all of them do it." And Betty, surprised at this brotherly tribute, made d.i.c.k a sweeping bow.

Betty was on the regular cla.s.s basketball team now. There were about two hundred girls who had "gone out" for basketball on the call for the inter-cla.s.s contest teams, though the contest would not start until February. But the teams were organized before Christmas and Betty was chosen captain. How that had happened she claimed not to know and was really surprised, for she thought that one of the athletic teachers had been influenced by Mathilde and did not like her.

But Betty had played good hockey and in basketball practice games she was light, active, showed powers of leadership, and best of all, could make baskets, an important ability in basketball, it would seem! In consequence she found herself in command of the Soph.o.m.ore Jumping-Jacks, a name for which Betty was not responsible. But some one had watched them and declared that several of the girls were "regular jumping-jacks"

when it came to lifting the ball to and through a basket. Some one who overheard called them the Jumping-Jacks and the name stuck till the girls considered it "cute" enough to be adopted. The "squad" was a large one, with a number of girls who played nearly as well as those on what was considered the "team." There were a few jealousies to be handled, as Betty well knew. How she had made the position of captain she scarcely knew yet. Carolyn told her that she was the "dark horse," as she said her father called it in politics. "Sort of a compromise?" queried Betty, who had not even sought to be captain and dreaded it.

"Yes. Everybody knew you weren't after it, and there was such a mess this time, sorting out for the first and second team. So you're it. Now see that we beat everybody. I'm only playing basketball on your account, Betty."

"Don't you really like it?"

"Yes, but I don't enjoy a big contest. I'll do my best, though, to make my part of the second team so good that I'll get called in to help out the first squad."

"Good for you. If I have anything to say, you'll get a chance to play with me!"

Kathryn was on the first team and a good player. She was as quick as Betty and with her practiced on the floor to make long shots from different angles. "It sometimes saves the day Betty," said Kathryn. "Do you remember last year how Freddy Fisher had a chance to put the ball through that basket from 'way across the floor! We certainly have missed Freddy this year, haven't we? But Ted Dorrance is playing basketball and he's good."

"Is that so? He wasn't on the football squad."

"No. His mother draws a line on football and said she'd take him out of school, or send him away somewhere to school if he played. But he's grand in basketball. Didn't you see that write-up of him in the _Roar_ last week?"

"I missed getting that number, Kathryn. Have you a copy?"