CHAPTER I

A DECLARATION OF WAR


"Anne, you will never learn to do a side vault that way. Let me show you,"
exclaimed Grace Harlowe.

The gymnasium was full of High School girls, and a very busy and
interesting picture they made, running, leaping, vaulting, passing the
medicine ball and practising on the rings.

In one corner a class was in progress, the physical culture instructor
calling out her orders like an officer on parade.

The four girl chums had grown somewhat taller than when last seen. A rich
summer-vacation tan had browned their faces and Nora O'Malley's tip-tilted
Irish nose was dotted with freckles. All four were dressed in gymnasium
suits of dark blue and across the front of each blouse in letters of
sky-blue were the initials "O.H.S.S." which stood for "Oakdale High
School Sophomore." They were rather proud of these initials, perhaps
because the lettering was still too recent to have lost its novelty.

"Never mind," replied Anne Pierson; "I don't believe I shall ever learn,
it, but, thank goodness, vaulting isn't entirely necessary to human
happiness."

"Thank goodness it isn't," observed Jessica, who never really enjoyed
gymnasium work.