At her books Rhoda was neither brilliant nor dull. She was just a
good, ordinary student who stood well enough in her classes to
satisfy Dr. Prescott. In athletics, however, Rhoda did not reach a
high mark.

In the first place she could not see the value of all the gymnasium
exercises; and the indoor games did not interest her much. She was
an outdoors girl herself, and had stored up such immense vitality
and was so muscular and wiry that she possibly did not need the
exercises that Mrs. Gleason insisted upon.

They tried Rhoda at basketball, and she proved to be a regular
"butterfingers." Laura, who captained one of the scrub teams, tried
to make something of her, but gave it up in exasperation.

Nan, Bess, and Amelia took Rhoda to the basement tennis court and
did their best to teach her tennis. She learned the game quickly
enough; but to her it was only "play."

"She hasn't a drop of sporting blood in her," groaned Bess. "It
seems just silly to her. It is something to pass away the time.
Batting a little ball about with a snowshoe, she calls it! And if
she misses a stroke, why, she lumbers after the ball like that bear
we saw in the Chicago Zoo, Nan, that chased snowballs. 'Member?"

"Well, I never!" laughed Nan. "Rhoda's no bear."

"But she surely is a 'butterfingers,'" Amelia said. "No fun in her
at all."