by Roy J. Snell
CHAPTER XXI A DISASTER IN CAMP
The morning following the conversation between the Meadow-Brook Girls andEarlington Disbrow dawned clear and cool, though the weather gave promiseof being much hotter--in fact, the Weather Bureau had promised thehottest wave of the summer thus far, which the management of thetournament advanced as an added reason why every one should come to theseashore for the Coast Tennis Tournament.
The girls, in no way cast down by the doubts expressed by theirinstructor, were still full of determination to win or go down withcolors flying to the breeze. That was the Meadow-Brook spirit. Now thateach girl had been assigned her partner, the two teams got together andplanned out the methods to be used by each of the two teams--in fact,planned everything that could be planned. It was the first publicappearance of any of the girls of the Meadow-Brook camp, hence theirbehavior when they found themselves on the courts was still an unknownquantity. However, instead of worrying over their ordeal the girls had alively round at their own net early in the morning before breakfast, thena cold bath, after which they were ready for breakfast.
They were alone, that morning, for breakfast, and enjoyed themselves verymuch. Only Tommy appeared to be nervous, but she soon forgot this intalking about the cup that she confidently believed would be in theirpossession on the following day.
They were not to play any more until after they had returned from thesingles that were to be run off on this, the first day of the tournament.Mr. Disbrow they would not see again until they had reached thetournament grounds, but George and at least one of his companions werecoming over to accompany Miss Elting and the girls to the tournament. Thegirls were looking forward to the arrival of their own parents, allexcept Harriet Burrell, who thought her father and mother would not bepresent. In a way she was glad of it, though she knew she should missthem, that she would give almost anything were they able to see her playand enjoy the proud distinction which she hoped and believed would cometo her and her companions. But she was wise enough to keep nothing on hermind from that time until the end of the games, save the gamesthemselves.
They repaired to the tennis grounds about an hour before the calling ofthe games. None of the girls shared the comforts of the grand stand. Theypreferred to be on the ground, where they could stroll about, where theycould be close enough to watch and learn. That they did learn a greatdeal that day they admitted later on, for there were some excellent setsplayed in the singles. During the morning Mr. Disbrow came to them with acopy of the "draw" which had been made that morning, showing theassignments of the teams for the preliminary games in the doubles. TheMeadow-Brook Girls perused the list eagerly.
"Oh, listen to this! Jane and Hazel play the Riversides first," criedHarriet excitedly; "and, Tommy, you and I are listed to play our firstmatch against the Fifth Avenues. That is what will happen if both theseteams win in their preliminary matches, which, of course, they are boundto do. I don't like to have to sit and wait until those preliminaries areover, but some one must do it, I suppose. Some one always has to sufferfor another person's gain."
"I am well pleased that both of you do not have to meet the top-notchersthe first thing," said Mr. Disbrow. "The meeting with a team nearer yourown class will give you a chance to get a notch or two higher than youmight otherwise attain. Miss Burrell and Miss Thompson will have an addeddisadvantage. They must try to profit by your experience."
"Mr. Dithbrow, may I thay thomething perthonal?" asked Tommy sweetly.
"Yes, certainly."
"Then I will thay it. You are a regular calamity howler. I thaid you wereone of thothe perthonth who had to be thhown. Wait until to-morrow andwe'll thhow you."
The Englishman doffed his hat politely.
"I think you are right, but perhaps I have had a motive in saying thosethings that you call 'calamity howling.' However, I shall explain what Imean after the games to-morrow. Watch this set; it is going to be a goodone."
"Are either of the top-notchers whom we are to meet playing in thesingles?" whispered Harriet.
"No. Like yourselves, they are lying low and conserving their energies.The Scott Sisters I have not seen, nor the other two teams we have spokenof. I don't know that any of them are on the grounds, though I presumethey are."
During the next hour there was little opportunity for conversation. Theplay held the attention of the Meadow-Brook Girls, Mr. Disbrow remainingnear them, now and then calling their attention to improper plays or someparticularly fine bit of playing that he wished them to impress upontheir minds.
A very large crowd of people was in attendance; a greater attendance,even, was looked for on the morrow. Every player had hosts of friends tocheer for her and to shout encouraging words between the sets. The gameswere run off quickly, only two sets being long-drawn out when skilfulplayers found themselves opposed to each other. Even these were limitedto half an hour's playing. The playing day ended about three o'clock inthe afternoon, some contestants having made a miserable showing, othershaving shown such form as gave promise of future successes.
Mr. Disbrow went to camp to take dinner with the Meadow-Brook Girls aswell as to watch their practice, which was to take place immediately upontheir return to camp. He did not compliment them on their work thatafternoon, but before leaving them that night he said:
"Remember, no work to-morrow morning. Sleep as late as you cancomfortably and do not lie awake thinking of to-morrow. Time enough tothink when you are before the net. Just try to imagine that it is apractice game with your humble instructor on the side lines ready tocriticise you sharply for any shortcomings he may observe. Try to think,too, that there is nothing worth while at stake, even if you do not winout."
"Yeth, there ith," objected Tommy. "There ith a cup at thtake. I callthat thomething."
"I may look in on you after breakfast to see that you are all in workingorder," continued Disbrow. "George, as the manager of the team, I wouldsuggest that you see Herrington at nine o'clock in the morning to seethat there are no changes in the arrangements. Miss Elting, it will befor you and Miss Brown to look after the physical comfort of the youngladies when they come in from the sets. You understand what to do, beingan athlete yourself."
The guardian nodded understandingly.
"Then, good-bye until to-morrow. Remember!" He shook a warning finger atthe girls.
"We shall not forget," answered Harriet simply.
"I feel," said Tommy, after he had gone, "jutht ath though I were goingto jail to-morrow. Thuppothe--thuppothe a girl thhould defeat me and Ithhould throw my racquet at her and hit her on the nothe--would theythend me to jail for that?"
"Tommy!" exclaimed Harriet, "how can you say such a thing?"
"I can thay it all right. What I want to know ith may I do it, if I wantto?"
"You most certainly may not," answered Miss Elting sternly.
"Then I won't," decided the little girl.
"I should say you won't," returned Harriet, breaking out into a merrypeal of laughter.
The boys remained in the camp for an hour after the departure of Mr.Disbrow, when they, too, prepared to go to their own camp. Georgepromised that the boys would be over early. In the meantime the dressingtent would be pitched and made ready for them, so that the girls might godirectly to their dressing tent from their camp. There they could restuntil they were called for their turn, all of which George would attendto personally, removing any necessity for worry about arrangements.
The boys bade their friends good night, shaking hands with each girl andthe guardian before leaving, then strode away in the darkness. The girlsretired very shortly after the departure of the boys. All were weary, nordid they feel much like talking that evening. Miss Elting kissed each ofthem good night, and within fifteen minutes every Meadow-Brook girl wassound asleep. Healthy minds and healthy bodies had much to do with this.
Late that night, well past midnight, Harriet was awakened by the sound ofthunder. As she opened her eyes a vi
vid flash of lightning caused her toclose them again sharply. She got up quietly and secured the tent flap,then crawled back under her blanket. The rain was not long in coming. Aheavy shower fell. She wondered if this would prevent the game on themorrow, but she was too sleepy to dwell long on the thought, and droppedinto a doze a moment later.
The awakening from that doze was a sudden one. The wind was blowing andthe rain causing a great commotion in the foliage of the trees, when allat once one side of the tent tilted up. The whole stretch of canvas wassuddenly lifted from them and hurled against a tree trunk, about whichthe wet canvas wrapped itself.
In almost an instant the Meadow-Brook Girls were soaked to the skin. Theysprang up with cries of alarm. The night was very dark, except when aflash of lightning lighted up the deserted field that only a few hoursbefore had been peopled with pleasure-lovers.
"Thave me!" cried little Tommy shrilly.
"What's the matter? Oh, I'm getting wet," groaned Margery.
"Nothing is the matter--not with us. It's the tent that is in trouble.The wind has blown it over, that's all," answered Harriet calmly.
"Keep your blankets around you. You simply must not get wet," commandedthe guardian. "Oh, this is too bad--and on the night before thetournament," she added under her breath with a little groan, unheard byher charges. For an hour they sat shivering, wet to the skin, unable todo a thing to help themselves until the wind and rain had ceased.