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'Oh yes, J do,' said Amanda, unexpectedly. '1 some¬times go and watch those babies. You can always pick out the ones with promise.'

'Well, you're cleverer than we are, then,' said Moira. It's possible to pick out someone brilliant - and then find it's just a flash in the pan - they're no good at all.'

'1 could always pick out the promising ones,' said Amanda, with conviction. T could tell you now who to put into the first team - that's easy, of course - and the second, third and fourth teams. But I wouldn't boose either Jeanie or Tessie for the third team. They'll go to pieces.'

The others lelt annoyed. Why all this interference? How could Amanda, who had only been a few weeks at Malory Towers, possibly know anything about the sports vapahilities of all the girls?

'Well, perhaps you'd like to tell us who will be ihe

captain of school games three years hence,' said Moira, sarcastically. 'We're listening hard!'

'Yes, 1 can tell yon,' said Amanda, without the least hesitation. 'If she had some coaching - proper coaching - and stuck to practising every minute she had. there's a kid in the second form who could be games captain ol every form she's in, and far and away best at tennis, whatever form she's in.'

The other three turned and stared at Amanda. She sounded so very very certain.

'Who's the kid?' asked Moira, at last, after all three of them had searched their minds in vain for this elusive second-former. Who could it be?

'There you are - you can't even spot her when I've told you she's outstanding, and told you what form she's in,' said Amanda, walking away. 'Why, at Trenigan lowers she would have been spotted the second day she was at school! But you could have a world champion here and never know it!'

'Amanda! Don't go!' ordered Moira. 'Now you've aired your opinions so freely, let's hear a few more. Who's this wonderful second-former?'

'You go and watch them playing, and find out,' said Amanda, in a bored voice. But Moira flew to the door and shut it just as Amanda had opened it to go out. 'No, Amanda,' she said. 'You tell us before you go - or we'll think you're just talking through your hat, and that there isn't any wonderful kid!'

'I don't waste my breath like that,' said Amanda, scornfully. 'And don't glare at me in that way, Moira - you can order the others about as much as you like, and talk to them as if they were bits of dirt - they're used to it! I'm not., and I won't have it. If there's any talk ol that sort to be done, I'll do it!'

Sally came to Moira's defence, though secretly she was pleased to find someone who could stand up to the

opinionated Moira, and light her on her own level.

'You're a new girl, Amanda,' she said. 'But you seem lo forget it. Yon can't talk to us like that, and you must realize that Moira knows more than you do about our girls, even if I don't!'

'She doesn't,' said Amanda, contemptuously. 'All right. I'll tell you the kid, and you'll see I'm right. It's June.'

'June!' said the other three, amazed. June, the defiant, aggressive, daredevil cousin of Alicia's! Well, who would have thought of June?

'She never bothers even to listen when she's being coached,' said Sally.

'She only plays when she wants to,' said Darrell, 'and more often than not she plays the fool! She's no good.'

'June's always been like that,' said Moira. 'Ever since she's been here - she could run faster at lacrosse and ■ ackle better than anyone if she tried - but we have never been able to put her into a team. She could swim like a fish if she didn't always fool about - she's fast when she wants to be. But you can never depend on June.'

'Look,' said Amanda, with conviction in her voice, 'I tell you, if June was coached properly and soundly, at lennis and swimming - I don't know if she's any good at lacrosse, of course - I tell you that kid would he the finest player and swimmer you've ever had. Oh, f know she lools about, I know she's a dare-devil and doesn't care a rap for anyone - but my word, once she finds out she can be superlative at something, well - watch her! She'll go lo the top like lightning!'

This was all very surprising - and somehow, spoken in Amanda's loud, very sure voice, it was remarkably convincing. Darrell looked at Sally. Could Amanda be nght? Had their dislike and disapproval ol the cheeky, don't-care June prevented them from seeing that she had the promise of a first-class games-player?

'Well.' said Sallv, doubtfully, thinking of June's tennis, and remembering the way she had watched her playing the lool on the court the week before, 'well, I don't know. She's wonderfully quick and supple, and she's very strong - but her character is against her. She won't bother.'

'She just wants someone to take an interest in her and encourage her,' said Amanda. 'I bet it's a case of "give a dog a bad name and hang him", with June. If I had the handling of her, I'd soon make something of her!'

'Well, why don't you?' said Moira, rather dis¬agreeably. She had suddenly seen that Amanda was right. June was a natural games-player - she had a wonderful eye, and a beautiful style. She's cheeked me so often that I just couldn't see her good points, thought Moira, grimly. She put her question to Amanda, and stood waiting lor the answei. 'Well, why don't you?'

'Oh, Amanda can't be bothered to coach anyone, can you, Amanda?' said Sally, slyly. She felt sure that by appearing doubtful about Amanda's wish to help she would make the big, aggressive girl volunteer to do so. Clever Sally!

Amanda fell into the trap at once. 'I can be bothered to coach if the person is worth it,' she said, shortly. 'Well, I'm glad you seem to agree with me, anyway. I'll take on June and, what's more, I'll have her in the second tennis team and second swimming team before the term's finished!'

She walked out, shutting the door loudly, in her usual way. The three left in the room looked at one another. Darrell rubbed her nose as she always did when surprised and taken aback.

'Well! She's right, of course. June could be and would be a wonder at games if she wanted to. She's like Alicia - brilliant, but unstable. A wonder so long as she's doing something she wants to do. and something she's

determined to do well - but no good otherwise.'

'/ shouldn't care to take that little wretch of a June on,' said Moira. 'She's rude and ungrateful, and she fools about all the time. I wish Amanda joy of her!'

'She's certainly taken on a handful.' said Sally, picking up her games lists. 'But if she does help June's game, it'll be something! Anyway, thank goodness we've got Felicity to depend on, Darrell. She's going to follow iii your footsteps all right!'

Darrell glowed with pleasure. Yes, Felicity was all light. Felicity would make good - and yet, June would be twice as good as even Felicity, if she only took the · rouble!

'Well - it will be interesting to see what happens,' said Moira. 'Very, very interesting. The confident cocksure Amanda - and the confident cocksure June. My word, how ! do dislike them both!'

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When Amanda had made up her mind to do something, she did it immediately. As soon as she had got outside the door she looked out for a second-former, and she saw Susan.

'Hey, you - what's your name - Susan!' she called. 'Go and find June, tell her f want her, and send her up to my study/

Susan sped off, wondering what June had done. As a lule the second-former^ were only sent for when they needed lecturing about something. She found June and delivered the message.

June was surprised. Amanda, as far as she knew, hadn't even bothered to know her name, though she had seen the big sixth-former watching the lower-form tennis practice and swimming several times. She looked at Susan.

'I'm sure it's not me she wants,' she said. 'It's someone else. Anyway, I haven't done anything wrong - and if somebody was going to tick me off, it wouldn't be Amanda. It would be Sally or Darrell. I'm not going. I don't like Amanda.'

'But you must go/ said Susan, shocked at the idea of June disobeying a sixth-form order. 'Even if it's a mistake, you ought to go and find out.'

'I'm busy/ said June. 'Leave me alone. I'm the one that will get into trouble for not going, not you. But I shan't, don't worry! Amanda meant someone else, not me.'

Susan went oil All riizht - let lime disobey Amanda

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il she wanted to. Susan had delivered the message. It was just like June's silly obstinacy. She hated being ordered about by the bigger girls.

Amanda went to her study and waited. She had no real interest in June beyond the tact that she had certainly noted June's decided gift for games. She just wanted to coach her to prove her point. She sat and waited lor the second-former to come.

She waited five minutes, patiently, knowing that it might take Susan a little time to find her. Then, most impatiently, she waited another five minutes. She got up, annoyed,, and went to the door to see if by any chance June was there and had knocked, and she hadn't heard her.

The passage outside was empty. Amanda went to the window and looked. Down in the garden she saw June, walking with two or three others, talking animatedly, she yelled out of the window.

'June! Come here! Didn't Susan give you my message?'

June pretended not to hear. Amanda yelled again. The others nudged June and pointed to the shouting Amanda. June reluctantly detached herself and went under the window.

'Come up to my study at once/ ordered Amanda. I've already been wailing ten minutes and more!

The other second-formers laughed at June's annoyed lace. 'Now you're for it!' called Katherine. 'What have \on been up to, June? You're in for a good old wigging!'

June couldn't think of anyxhmg she had done. She had hated being hauled indoors in front of all the others. >he went in sulkily and stood outside Amanda's door, she knocked sharply. Amanda had expected a soft, rpologetic knock and she jumped.

'Come in,' she said. June went in and shut the door ioo loudly. She would show Amanda she didn't stand in ■uc of sixth-formers, however high and mighty they

thought themselves!

It was not a good beginning lor any co-operation between them. Amanda was annoyed, June was cross

'I suppose Susan didn't give you my message?' said Amanda.

'Yes, she did,' said June.

'Then why on earth didn't you come?' demanded Amanda.

I thought you'd made a mistake,' said June. 'I didn't know you even knew my name.'

'What a feeble excuse!' said Amanda and, indeed, it did sound rather feeble, even to June, as she said it.

June scowled. She waited to hear what she had done wrong. She half expected to see a Punishment Book ready on the table, but there was none. All the sixth- formers had Punishment Books, in which they wrote down anv punishment they meted out to lower-formers who had offended in some way. Usually the punishment was lines to learn and repeat.

I wish she'd tell me what I've done, thought June, eyeing Amanda aggressively. Actually Amanda, finding June so exasperating, was debating whether or not to change her mind about offering to coach her. She decided to go on with it. She couldn't bear the idea of Moira sneering at her if she didn't.

'Look here. June,' she began, abruptly. 'I've been watching you.'

June was startled. 'Watching me!' she said, on the defensive at once. 'What for? I'm no! aware thai I've been worth watching - I've been fairly harmless lately.'

'Don't talk in that silly way/ said Amanda. 'I've been watching you at tennis and swimming. You could be good. In fact you could be better than anyone in the second form c?r the third form. And if you worked at your games, instead of playing the fool, you'd soon beat anyone in the fourth form too/

June gaped. This was so very extraordinary and unexpected that she couldn't think of a word to say.

Amanda went on.

'So I propose to coach you myself, June. I've told sally and Darrell and Moira my views about you, and ! ve said I could make you good enough to put you in the second tennis team and second swimming team before the end of the term. 1 want to prove that I'm right.'

Still June stared at Amanda, overcome with astonish¬ment. She couldn't understand Amanda picking her out like this. June had no illusions about herself - she knew she could be outstanding if she tried - but it was too much trouble to try! Still, it was very very flattering to be told all this!

'Well?' said Amanda, impatiently. 'Why don't you say something? I propose to begin coaching you right away ■his afternoon, if possible.'

June hesitated. She was torn between two alternatives. She disliked Amanda, and wanted to throw her offer back in her face, because it had something hard and condescending about it. On the other hand - what lun to lord it over the other second-formers, and tell litem that Amanda, from the great sports school, Trenigan Towers, had actually picked her out from all the vu her lower-formers - and considered it worth while to spend a great deal ol time on her!

All right,' said June, at last. 'Did Sally say I could have special coaching from you?'

Amanda gave a snort. 'Don't be silly. And I think you might at least show a spark of gratitude. I'm going to give :;p a lot of my time to you/

'Well - you're really only doing it to prove yourself : ight, aren't you ?' said June, with her devastating l^)arpness. 'Not because you're reaily interested in me? : don't mind. It suits me, if it suits von!'

\manda restrained her tongue with an effort, ft

wouldn't do to put this cheeky youngster in a hostile mood at the beginning, or there would he no co¬operation between them, and no good results. But how- she did dislike her!

'Very well,' said Amanda, crisply. 'We'll have the whole thing on a business basis. / want to prove I'm right, atid you want to he in the second school teams. At least, I imagine you do. It would be a tremendous thing tor a second-former.'

'All right,' said June, in her maddeningly casual way.

'But there's just one thing you must understand,' said Amanda, 'or the whole thing's off. You have jolly well got to tome at the times f set for coaching in swimming and tennis. Got that?'