“There’s Mrs. Quantock, ma’am,” said he. “She comes down every afternoon and practises on the Green every morning. Walking over the Green now of a morning, is to take your life in your hand. Such keenness I never saw, and she’ll never be able to hit the ball at all.” “Oh, but you mustn’t discourage us, Mr. Stratton,” said Lucia. “I’m going to devote myself to golf this autumn.” “You’ll make a better hand at it, I’ll be bound,” said Mr. Stratton obsequiously. “They say Mrs. Quantock putts very nicely when she gets near the hole, but it takes her so many strokes to get there. She’s lost the hole, in a manner of speaking, before she has a chance of winning it.” Lucia thought hard for a minute. “I must see about joining at once,” she said. “Who--who are the Committee?” “Well, we are going to reconstitute it next October,” he said, “seeing that the ladies and gentlemen of Riseholme are joining. We should like to have one of you ladies as President, and one of the gentlemen on the Committee.” Lucia made no hesitation about this. “I should be delighted,” she said, “if the present Committee did me the honour to ask me. And how about Mr. Pillson? I would sound him if you like. But we must say nothing about it, till your Committee meets.” That was beautifully settled then; Mr. Stratton knew how gratified the Committee would be, and Lucia, long before Georgie and Daisy returned, had bought four clubs, and was having a lesson from a small wiry caddie. Every morning while Daisy was swanking away on the Green, teaching Georgie and Piggy and Goosie how to play, Lucia went surreptitiously down the hill and learned, while after tea she humbly took her place in Daisy’s class and observed Daisy doing everything all wrong. She putted away at her clock-golf, she bought a beautiful book with pictures and studied them, and all the time she said nothing whatever about it. In her heart she utterly despised golf, but golf just now was the stunt, and she had to get hold of Riseholme again.... Georgie popped in one morning after she had come back from her lesson, and found her in the act of holing out from the very longest of the stations. “My dear, what a beautiful putt!” he said. “I believe you’re getting quite keen on it.” “Indeed I am,” said she. “It’s great fun. I go down sometimes to the links and knock the ball about. Be very kind to me this afternoon and come round with me.” Georgie readily promised to do so. “Of course I will,” he said, “and I should be delighted to give you a hint or two, if I can. I won two holes from Daisy yesterday.” “How clever of you, Georgie! Any news?” Georgie said the sound that is spelt “Tut.” “I quite forgot,” he said. “I came round to tell you. Neither Mrs. Boucher nor Daisy nor I know _what_ to do.” (“That’s the Museum Committee,” thought Lucia.) “What is it, Georgie?” she said. “See if poor Lucia can help.” “Well,” said Georgie, “You know Pug?” “That mangy little thing of Lady Ambermere’s?” asked Lucia.