By Jove! Hal Hastings is a lucky dog; but I shall hate him
forever.'
So Tom pulled himself together, and went to Grassy Spring in a frame of
mind not the most amiable; and when croquet was proposed, he sneered at
it as something quite too _passe_, citing lawn tennis as the only decent
outdoor amusement.
'Why, then, don't you set it up on your grounds, where you have plenty
of room, and ask us all over there?' Dick asked, good-humoredly, as he
began to get out the mallets and balls.
To this Tom did not reply, but said, instead:
'Count me out. I don't like the game, and there are enough without me.'
Just then Jerry appeared at the gate, and he added quickly:
'Still, I don't wish to be ungracious; and now Jerrie has come, we can
have an eight hand.'
Hastening toward her, he met her as we have recorded, and claimed her
for his partner.
'Thank you, Tom,' Jerrie said, with a bright smile on her face, which
made the young man's heart beat fast with both pleasure and pain, as he
gave her the mallet and told her she was to play first.
Tom was making himself master of ceremonies, and Dick kept quiet and let
him, and watched Jerrie admiringly as she made the two arches, and the
third, and fourth, and then sent her ball out of harm's way.
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