"Come up to the gymnasium, girls, and I will get into my suit and show you what I can do. As I said, I practice almost every evening, for after the laboratory work I am so wide awake that I could never go to sleep at all. I found that out long ago. I would just lie in bed and think out different experiments. Of course, the next day my head felt like lead, and I was as stupid as an owl. So I resorted to the gymnasium. There is no trouble any more about my sleeping, for I tire myself out physically before I stop. Now, just wait a moment. I hope you will not be disappointed after all my boasting. I really do not know whether I am better than the rest of the girls you have picked out or not. I suppose I must be pretty good at running and jumping, because the boys think so, and they are usually very chary of their praise where sisters are concerned." But after the first five minutes there was no doubt in anyone's mind as to Mary's superiority over all the other girls. She was really fine. Dolly's drooping spirits rose with a bound. "I shall love you forever for saving the day for us, Mary. You are not out of practice a bit, but still you will let Mr. Thornbury have all your extra leisure until the games come off, won't you? I hate to ask it," Dolly went on hurriedly, for she knew that this would involve the giving up of all the extra laboratory work which Mary was doing. "But you will do it for the sake of the college, will you not?" "Oh, yes. If I am going to go into this thing at all, I want to do my best. I didn't see the trial competitions last year, but you and Beth did. How do I compare with the girls from the other colleges?" "You do better than they did then, but I hear that they have been practicing hard ever since." "I will do my very best, Dolly; perhaps we can win a 'second' after all. Mr. Thornbury shall give me all the drilling and training that he wishes to. My examinations are all over, and I really do not have to do a single thing more. I was doing the extra work with Professor Reimer just because it was such a wonderfully good chance." And Mary, true to her word, gave up all her time to gymnasium work. All of their friends came flocking to Westover for Commencement week. In fact, the closing ceremonies occupied nearly ten days.