Of course. We are trying to remember your name. That’s why we didn’t invite you in. How do you do?”  
“Fine.” Then he remembered his tribulations of a few minutes ago and added, “That is, pretty fair.” He closed the gate behind him and joined the twins, who had started down the path to meet him. “You must be hard up for something to do,” he said with a superior air, “if you have to play croquet!”
 
“We’re very fond of it,” replied the blue-eyed twin. “Do you play?”
 
“I used to sometimes,” answered Rodney carelessly. “It’s a girl’s game though.”
 
The blue-eyed one—he remembered now that she was Matty—smiled. “Would you like to play a game?”
 
“I don’t mind. I’ll stand you two.”
 
[92]
 
“I think we’d better each play separately,” said Matty. “You see, May and I play pretty well. We do, don’t we, May?”
 
“We do,” replied the other gravely.
 
“All right,” Rodney laughed. “Each for himself then. Have you another mallet and ball?”
 
May supplied them from a box on the floor of the tumble down, rustic summer-house nearby. “I’ve brought you green,” she announced. “Somehow you suggest green to me, Rodney. Does he to you, Matty?”
 
“N-no, I think brown,” answered the other twin reflectively. “Perhaps a greenish-brown, though.”
 
“Oh, I’m not as green as I look. Who goes first?”
 
“May does. She plays red. Then you come next. Then I play.”
 
May took the first two wickets in one, got into position at the third wicket with the next shot, went through it with the next and then placed her ball in front of the middle arch. Rodney negotiated the first two wickets cleanly but his next shot left him badly placed for the third and[93] his attempt to go through resulted disastrously. His ball glanced off a wire and rolled into the path of the on-coming Matty. When she arrived she hit the green ball, skillfully sent it to the further side of the third wicket, went through herself, hit him again, sent it into the path and herself to the middle wicket, played off May’s ball for two wickets and finally landed within a yard of the further stake. Rodney frowned as he recovered his ball. Evidently these young ladies knew more about croquet than he had ever dreamed of.
 
May cleverly got herself into position again and Rodney rolled short. Matty hit the stake, took the next two wickets at one stroke and crossed to the further side arch. May reached the first of the double wickets on her next play. Rodney got into position for his third. He was still at the middle wicket when Matty, closely pursued by May, struck the home stake.
 
“These wickets are awfully narrow,” murmured Rodney. “Want to try again?”
 
“We’d love to if you’re not tired,” replied Matty. “I’m sorry you had such poor luck, Rodney. And then of course, you’re not used[94] to the grounds. There’s a lot in being used to the grounds, isn’t there, May?”
 
“Lots,” agreed May. “It’s your first, Rodney.”
 
The second game resulted as disastrously for Rodney as had the first, and when it was over he had the grace to acknowledge that the twins were “some players.”
 
“I thought I knew a little about the game,” he said ruefully, “but I guess I don’t. You girls play better than anyone I’ve seen play.”
 
“We play a good deal,” replied May. “Almost every day in summer. Practice makes perfect, you know.”
 
Rodney wished she hadn’t used the word practice. It reminded him unpleasantly of what awaited him on the morrow. His face clouded up and he sighed. Matty, seeing his expression, imagined him tired and suggested a rest. So they went into the summer-house, which was almost enveloped in honeysuckle vines, and sat down on the curving seat.
 
“How are you getting on at school?” asked Matty politely.
 
“All right, I guess. The studies aren’t hard.”
 
[95]
 
“Probably that’s because you are naturally smart,” responded the girl. “You impress us as being clever. Doesn’t he, May?”
 
“You do,” said May. “We both said so the other day.”
 
“And, Oh, please tell us how you like your roommate!” And Matty clasped her hands eagerly. May giggled. Rodney frowned at the levity.
 
“He’s all right,” he replied. “Sort of a peculiar fellow, but I rather like him.”
 
“And how are his lungs?” asked May very, very solicitously.
 
Rodney grinned. “All right, I guess. He wants me to take walks with him. Says it would do me a lot of good.”
 
“Perhaps it would,” said Matty, “although you don’t look very weak. You’re not, are you? May and I decided that you looked rather athletic. Do you go in for football or baseball? Anything besides croquet?”
 
Rodney caught the little mocking gleam in the girl’s blue eyes and flushed uncomfortably.
 
“That’s all right about the croquet,” he said[96] defensively. “If I played half as much as you kids——”
 
“He’s quite right, Matty,” declared May. “I think you should not have said that.”
 
“I was just in fun,” replied the other twin contritely. “I’m sure you’d play the game beautifully if you had more practice.”
 
“I guess,” said Rodney, mollified, “I’d never get good enough to beat you two. I’ve never played very much. Out home I used to play with my sisters sometimes. They like it.”
 
“Where do you live?” asked Matty. “We meant to ask you the other day.”
 
“Orleans, Nebraska. Ever been in Nebraska?”
 
Each shook her head. “We haven’t travelled much,” confessed May. “After we finish High School, though, we’re going abroad with mother. Have you ever been in Europe?”
 
“No. Don’t want to. What’s the use?&rd............