Marjorie felt so by the party that she to tell Lily all about it, including Gertie’s visit two weeks previous. It was probably true, as John had , that Sam MacDonald had never seen the inside of a college, that he was only a cheap sort of sport who had acquired a smooth manner with girls; but these facts were in no way alarming since Queenie herself showed no signs of being in love with him. It was too much to ask, Marjorie supposed, that the kind of man she admired would be interesting to Queenie. She must expect to be disappointed in her friends; but there was time enough to worry about them when the girl actually became engaged.  
Lily listened to the incident in much the same mood as John had displayed, regarding it all as rather a joke.
 
“I think it’s a good thing it happened,” she remarked. “Because it was a harmless way for Gertie Reed to take out her spite. And she was mad that night, you know.”
 
“Yes, she was—and I’m thankful that she’s out144 of the troop. I saw from the beginning that I could never have any influence over her, or Mame either, for that matter.”
 
“Well, you’re certainly doing wonders with the others,” observed her chum admiringly. “It seems almost like a miracle—in such a short time!”
 
“If it only lasts!” sighed Marjorie.
 
“Why shouldn’t it?” demanded Lily. “Look at the enthusiasm over that practice game on Saturday night! Every single out, all in uniform, and proud as Punch. I think was to death with them, even though we did get beaten.”
 
“Oh, he expected us to get beaten,” returned her roommate. “But what pleases me more than the interest in basketball is the actual scout progress we’re making. Four second-class out of eight is pretty , and if I’m not mistaken, Sophia Ernsberg is going to pass the test before the first League game, so that we’ll have at least one substitute.”
 
“I wish that game didn’t come before Christmas,” said Lily. “So many things going on here at college—and I’m actually tired.”
 
“Yes, but I consider it a good thing for the troop. Remember you and I will be away for ten days, and the girls might lose interest if they didn’t have something like that to think about.”
 
“You have the schedule, haven’t you, Marj? What team do we play?”
 
Marjorie frowned, as if the were not quite to her .
 
“That’s the worst of it,” she answered, “we play that out-of-town troop—Number Ninety-seven. I understand that they’ve been playing a good while but by boys’ rules. They just organized into a scout troop this fall, and adopted girls’ rules. We are both new troops, you see, but they are experienced players.”
 
“And you think it would go very hard with our girls if they were defeated in their first game?”
 
“Yes, especially if their opponents played rough. But I understand that Miss Ainsworth is very strict.”
 
“Miss Ainsworth?”
 
“The official of the League.”
 
“Well, then don’t worry about it, Marj. We have one more practice, anyway, before the game.”
 
The night of the game arrived—the last scout meeting before the Christmas holidays. The troop had arranged to gather at the settlement at half past seven and go in a body to the appointed place, one of the Y. W. C. A. gymnasiums in the upper part of the city. Jack, using his privilege as official coach, decided to go with the girls; but Marjorie instructed all other outsiders to go straight to the hall. She did not want to risk any unnecessary confusion or excitement.
 
“I never saw a better looking troop!” she cried146 proudly, when they were all assembled. “Honestly you girls look wonderful!”
 
“We have to live up to our officers and coach,” returned Queenie, with more than her tone betrayed.
 
“Six players, one sub, three rooters,” counted Jack, with satisfaction. “Of course the last are the most important. Don’t forget to make lots of noise!”
 
“We’ll make it sound like thirty instead of three!” boasted Clara.
 
When they entered the building they met uniformed scouts on every side. Boys and girls alike were rushing about excitedly, as if the management of the whole match were upon their shoulders.
 
“Here comes the other team!” cried a husky girl in middy and bloomers, who in spite of her sneakers, looked at least six feet tall. “Welcome, opponents!”
 
Marjorie’s entire troop stood still, rooted to the spot.
 
“Are you all that size?” Queenie in .
 
The other girl laughed uproariously.
 
“We’ve got some height—and muscle, too!” she replied with assurance. “We’re going to give you a fight, even if we are from the country!”
 
“That’s what we like,” nodded Marjorie, with true sportsmanship.
 
“Anyway,” whispered Stella to her captain, “their uniforms can’t touch ours!”
 
“And we have two college ’Varsity players on our team,” Queenie reminded her.
 
“And a whale of a coach!” added Dot enthusiastically.
 
The girls found the gymnasium as crowded and as confused as the halls. Evidently, they surmised, this was the usual custom at important games, but Marjorie sensed that something was amiss. Leaving her girls in the room, she went in search of Miss Ainsworth.
 
“She hasn’t come yet,” one of the secretaries in the office informed her.
 
“Hasn’t come!” repeated Marjorie in alarm. “Well, what could have happened?”
 
“There has been a train on her branch,” replied the other, “and we suppose that is the reason for the delay.”
 
“Then what shall we do? Have you someone else who can referee?”
 
At that moment the city director of the Girl Scouts entered the room. she was disturbed over the situation as Marjorie.
 
“I don’t know what to do, Miss Wilkinson,” she said, “unless we let your coach referee one-half of the game and Troop Ninety-seven’s the other half.”
 
“But our coach is a man,” objected Marjorie. “And I never consider men strict enough.”
 
“So is Troop Ninety-seven’s coach a man—but as far as I can see there is nothing else to do. I don’t148 know enough about the game myself, or I’d be glad to do it. If you can suggest anything else——”
 
“Only the game,” offered Marjorie.
 
“No, that wouldn’t do—it would mix up the schedule. So I suppose we shall have to leave it at that—Mr. Bridges is willing to serve the first half. Will you ask your brother to serve the second?”
 
“He hasn’t gym shoes,” replied Marjorie doubtfully. “Besides, I don’t think he would want to——”
 
“Well, find out and let me know; if he isn’t willing, the other man can go through with the entire game.”
 
Marjorie hurried out in search of her brother for the clock informed her that the game was about to begin. As she had thought, he absolutely refused to act, on the plea of lack of knowledge.
 
“I don’t know the fine points of girls’ rules,” he said. “I wou............