Chapter 1: Easter Term at St. Clares
“Mother! Did you know that Cousin Alison, Alison, who was at edroos S"hool with us, is #oin# to St. Clare$s ne%t term&' said (at )$Sulli*an, )$Sulli*an, lookin# up rom a letter she was readin#. +er twin, sa-el, was readin# it too, the two dark heads side -y side at the -reakast ta-le.
“es, knew,' said their mother, smilin#. “our Aunt Sarah wrote and told me. /hen she heard how mu"h you liked St. Clare$s, she de"ided to send Alison Alison there too 0 and you "an look ater her a little, the irst term.'
“Alison is a -it stu"kup,' said (at. “/e saw her these hols., Mummy 0 ull o airs and #ra"es. And she has had her hair permed 0 think o that!'
“Sho"kin#! At her a#e!' said Mrs. )$Sulli*an. “2uite time she went to St. Clare$s!'
“ remem-er two #irls who were terri-ly stu"kup last summer holidays,' said Mr. )$Sulli*an, )$Sulli*an, lookin# up rom his newspaper. +is +is eyes twinkled as he looked at the twins. “My #oodness 0 they didn$t want to #o to St. Clare$s! They thou#ht it would -e dreadul s"hool 0 really horrid.'
(at and sa-el went *ery red. “Don$t remind us o that, Daddy,' Daddy,' said (at. “/e were idiots. /e -eha*ed awully -adly at St. Clare$s Clare$s at irst 0 e*ery e*ery one "alled us the Stu"k3p twins.'
“)r the +i#handMi#hties!' said sa-el, with a #i##le. “4ra"ious 0 "an$t think how any one put up with us.'
“/ell, we had a pretty -ad time to start with,' said (at, “ and ser*e us ri#ht too. hope Alison won$t -e as stu"kup as we were.'
“She$ll -e worse,' said sa-el. “She$s so *ain! Mummy, "ouldn$t you #et Alison to "ome and stay here or two or three days -eore we ha*e to #o -a"k to St. Clare$s& then we "ould tell her a ew thin#s.'
“/ell, that would -e *ery kind o you,' said Mrs. )$Sulli*an.
“t$s not alto#ether kindness,' said sa-el, with a smile. “5either (at nor want to -e saddled with a "ousin who$s #oin# to -e silly and *ain 0 and we may -e a-le to prepare her a - it i we ha*e her a ew days.'
“6i"k her into shape, you mean&' said Mr. )$Sulli*an, o*er the top o his paper. “/ell, “/ell, i you "an make that "on"eited little monkey into some-ody ni"e, shall -e surprised. ne*er saw anyone so spoilt in all my lie.'
“t$s a #ood thin# she$s #oin# to St Clare$s,' said (at, spreadin# marmalade on her toast. “Don$t you think sa-el and are ni"er sin"e we went there, Daddy&'
“$ll ha*e to think a little a-out that,' said their ather, teasin#ly. teasin#ly. “/ell 0 yes 0 on the whole $m pleased with you. /hat do you say, Mother&'
“)h, think they settled down *ery well indeed at St. Clare$s,' said Mrs. )$Sulli*an. )$Sulli*an. “They did so hate #oin# 0 and they *owed and d e"lared they wouldn$t try a -it 0 -ut Mrs. Theo-ald, the +ead Mistress, said some *ery ni"e thin#s on their report. They will -e *ery happy there this term.'
“ don$t want the hols. to end, -ut "an$t help eelin# 7uite e%"ited when think o seein# old Mam$8elle A-omina-le A-omina-le a#ain,' said (at, “ and Miss o-erts, and9'
“Mam$8elle A-omina-le!' A-omina-le!' said Mr. )$Sulli*an, in astonishment. “s that really her name&'
“)h, no, Daddy 0 we only "all her that -e"ause she says C$est a-omina-le!$ to so many thin#s!' said (at. “sa-el and were awully -ad at ;ren"h #rammar at irst and Mam$8elle use to write A-omina-le$ a"ross our -ooks.
“t will -e un to see all the #irls a#ain too,' said sa-el. “Mummy, write write and tell Aunt Sarah to let Cousin Alison "ome ne%t week -eore we #o -a"k.'
So Mrs. )$Sulli*an wrote to her sisterinlaw and Cousin Alison arri*ed two days -eore the #irls were due -a"k at s"hool.
She was a *ery pretty #irl, with "urled red-rown hair, a rose-ud mouth, and -i# -lue eyes.
“t$s not alto#ether kindness,' said sa-el, with a smile. “5either (at nor want to -e saddled with a "ousin who$s #oin# to -e silly and *ain 0 and we may -e a-le to prepare her a - it i we ha*e her a ew days.'
“6i"k her into shape, you mean&' said Mr. )$Sulli*an, o*er the top o his paper. “/ell, “/ell, i you "an make that "on"eited little monkey into some-ody ni"e, shall -e surprised. ne*er saw anyone so spoilt in all my lie.'
“t$s a #ood thin# she$s #oin# to St Clare$s,' said (at, spreadin# marmalade on her toast. “Don$t you think sa-el and are ni"er sin"e we went there, Daddy&'
“$ll ha*e to think a little a-out that,' said their ather, teasin#ly. teasin#ly. “/ell 0 yes 0 on the whole $m pleased with you. /hat do you say, Mother&'
“)h, think they settled down *ery well indeed at St. Clare$s,' said Mrs. )$Sulli*an. )$Sulli*an. “They did so hate #oin# 0 and they *owed and d e"lared they wouldn$t try a -it 0 -ut Mrs. Theo-ald, the +ead Mistress, said some *ery ni"e thin#s on their report. They will -e *ery happy there this term.'
“ don$t want the hols. to end, -ut "an$t help eelin# 7uite e%"ited when think o seein# old Mam$8elle A-omina-le A-omina-le a#ain,' said (at, “ and Miss o-erts, and9'
“Mam$8elle A-omina-le!' A-omina-le!' said Mr. )$Sulli*an, in astonishment. “s that really her name&'
“)h, no, Daddy 0 we only "all her that -e"ause she says C$est a-omina-le!$ to so many thin#s!' said (at. “sa-el and were awully -ad at ;ren"h #rammar at irst and Mam$8elle use to write A-omina-le$ a"ross our -ooks.
“t will -e un to see all the #irls a#ain too,' said sa-el. “Mummy, write write and tell Aunt Sarah to let Cousin Alison "ome ne%t week -eore we #o -a"k.'
So Mrs. )$Sulli*an wrote to her sisterinlaw and Cousin Alison arri*ed two days -eore the #irls were due -a"k at s"hool.
She was a *ery pretty #irl, with "urled red-rown hair, a rose-ud mouth, and -i# -lue eyes.
“A -it like that doll we used to ha*e, really,' really,' said (at to sa-el. “/e "alled her An#ela, do you remem-er& wish Alison wouldn$t smile that silly smile so mu"h.'
“)h, e%pe"t some one has told her what a s weet smile she has, or somethin#,' said sa-el. “eally, “eally, she seems to think she$s a ilmstar, the way she -eha*es!'
Alison was pleased pleased to -e with her "ousins so that she mi#ht mi#ht #o to St. St. Clare$s with with them, or, or, like most #irls, she elt ner*ous at #oin# or the irst time to a new s"hool. t didn$t take lon# to settle down 0 -ut it elt rather stran#e and new at irst.
“Tell “Tell me a -it a-out the s"hool,' she said, as she sat down in the old s"hoolroom that e*enin#. “ hope it isn$t one o those terri-ly sensi-le s"hools that make you play #ames i you don$t want to, and all that.'
(at winked at sa-el. “Alison, ST. Clare$s is =ust a-out the most sensi-le s"hool in the kin#dom!' she said, in a most solemn *oi"e. “ou “ou ha*e to know how to "lean shoes9'
“And make tea9' said sa-el.
“And toast,' went on (at. “And you ha*e to know how to make your own -eds9'
“And i you tear your "lothes you ha*e to mend them yoursel,' said sa-el, en=oyin# Alison$s look o horror.
“/ait a minute,' said Alison, Alison, sittin# up. “/hat do you mean 0 "lean shoes, make tea 0 and toast& Surely you don$t do that!'
The twins lau#hed. “t$s all ri#ht,' said (at. “ou see, Alison, Alison, the irst orm and se"ond orm ha*e to wait on the topormers in turn. /hen they shout or us we ha*e to #o and see what they want, and =olly well do it.'
Alison went pink. pink. “t sounds pretty pretty awul to me,' me,' she said. “/hat “/hat are the #irls like& like& Are Are they awul too&'
“)h, dreadul,' said (at, solemnly. “>ery like sa-el and me, in a"t. ou$ll pro-a-ly hate them!'
“t doesn$t sound a -it like edroos, the s"hool you went with me only a term a#o,' said Alison, sadly. “/hat$s our ormmistress like& Shall -e in the same orm as you&'
“es, should think so,' said (at. “/e are in the irst orm we "ertainly shan$t -e mo*ed up into the se"ond yet. )ur ormmistress is Miss o-erts. She$s a #ood sort 0 -ut my word, she$s sar"asti"! you #et the wron# side o her you$ll -e sorry.'
“And Mam$8elle is hot stu too,' said sa-el. “She$s -i#, with enormous eet 0 and she$s #ot a earul temper and she shouts.'
“sa-el, she sounds dreadul,' said Alison, in alarm, thinkin# o the mouselike ;ren"h mistress aat edroos.
“)h, she$s not a -ad sort really,' said (at, smilin#. “She$s #ot a kind heart. Anyway, you needn$t worry, Alison 0 you$ll ha*e sa-el and me to look ater you a -it and show you e*erythin#.'
“Thanks,' said Alison #rateully. “ hope $m in the same dormitory as you are. /hat$s Matron like&'
“)h, Matron has -een there or years and years and years,' said (at. “She dosed our mothers and aunts, and our #randmothers too, or all know& She knows when we$*e had Midni#ht ;easts 0 she doesn$t stand any nonsense at all.
“They seem so sensi-le,' she thou#ht. “They were always rather up in the air and proud, at edroos. )h well 0 they were head#irls there, and had somethin# to -e proud o 0 now suppose they$re amon# the youn#est in the s"hool 0 and shall -e too.'
The day "ame or the three to lea*e or their -oardin#s"hool. E*erythin# had -een pa"ked. Mrs. )$Sulli*an had #ot the same "akes and sweets or Alison$s tu"k-o% as she had -ou#ht or the twins. E*erythin# was neatly marked and wellpa"ked, and now the three -i# trunks and the three tu"k-o%es stood ready in the hall, marked in white paint with the names o the three #irls.
Mrs. )$Sulli*an was to see them o in 6ondon. (at and sa-el were e%"ited at the thou#ht o seein# all their riends a#ain. Alison was rather 7uiet. She was *ery #lad that she had the twins to #o with.
They arri*ed on the platorm rom whi"h their train was to #o 0 and then what an e%"itement there was! “There$s dear old ?anet! +ie, ?anet, ?anet! Did you ha*e #ood hols.& )h, there$s +ilary. +allo, +ilary 0 look, this is our Cousin Alison, who$s "omin# to St. Clare$s this term. )h, there$s Doris 0 and Sheila!'
E*ery one "rowded round the twins, talkin# and lau#hin#. Alison was made known to them all, and she elt *ery #rateul to the twins or helpin# her in this dii"ult irst meetin# with unknown #irls.
A pleasanta"ed mistress -ustled up with a note-ook in hand. “4ood mornin#, (at, #ood mornin#, sa-el! Still as like as two peas, see! s this your "ousin, Alison )$Sulli*an& 4ood 0 $ll ti"k her o in my list. +ow do you do, Alison& $m Miss o-erts, your ormmistress. 5o dou-t the twins ha*e told you e%a"tly how ier"e and sa*a#e am!'
She smiled and passed on to the ne%t #roup. t was he r =o- to see that all the irstand se"ond ormers were there, and to #et them into the train in time.
:Any new #irls this term&' wondered (at, lookin# round. “ "an$t see any 0 e%"ept Alison, o "ourse.'
“es 0 there$s one o*er there 0 look!' said sa-el, nud#in# (at. (at looked, and saw a tall, rather #oodlookin# #irl standin# -y hersel. She had a -adtempered a"e, and was not tryin# to make riends with anyone at all. 5o one had "ome to see her o.
“She$s new,' said (at. “ wonder i she$ll -e in our orm. My words, should think she$s #ot a temper 0 wonder what would happen i she and ?anet had a row!'
?anet was *ery 7ui"ktempered, and lared up easily.
“There$s another new #irls, too 0 look, =ust walkin# on to the platorm!' said sa-el. “She looks =olly
ni"e! She$ll -e in our orm, should think.'
The se"ond new #irl was 7uite dierent rom the one they had =ust seen. She was small, with dan"in# -la"k "urls, and she had deep -lue e yes that sparkled and shone. +er ather and mother were -oth with her.
“+er ather must -e an artist or a musi"ian o somethin#, his hair$s so lon#!' said (at.
“ know who he is,' said +ilary /entworth, who was standin# =ust near-y. “+e$s Ma% )riell 0 the amous painter. My aunt has =ust had her portrait painted -y him 0 it$s simply mar*ellous. was him on"e or twi"e when went with her to a sittin#, That must -e his dau#hter. They$re awully alike.'
“She looks "le*er,' said (at. “ hope she$s in our orm.'
“4et into your "arria#es, please!' "alled Miss o-erts, in her "lear *oi"e. “The train #oes in three minutes. Say your #ood-yes now.'
So #ood-yes were said and the #irls s"ram-led into their "arria#es, tryin# to sit with their own spe"ial riends. Alison thou#ht that the topormers, walkin# sedately alon# the platorm, were *ery #rownup and di#niied. She elt small when she saw them.
“There$s /inired ?ames, our head#irl,' whispered (at, as a tall, seriouslookin# #irl went -y. “She$s ri#htully "le*er, and most awully ni"e.'
“ should -e araid to say a word to her!' said Alison.
“/e elt like that at irst too,' said sa-el. “6ook 0 that$s
The whistle -lew. +andker"hies wa*ed rom windows. The train pued out slowly, ull to -urstin# point with all the #irls o St. Clare$s. They were o to s"hool a#ain!
Chapter . Settlin# n
The irst day or two o a new term is always an e%"itin# time. There are no proper timeta-les, rules are not kept stri"tly, there is a lot o unpa"kin# to -e done 0 and -est o all there are tu"k -o%es to empty!
The #irls missed their home and their mother at irst, as did most #irls 0 -ut there was so mu"h to do that there was no time to ret or worry. n any "ase e*ery one soon settled down into the s"hool routine. t was un to #reet all the tea"hers a#ain, un to sit in the same old "lassroom, and un to see i the inkspot that looked like a "at with two tails was still on ?anet$s desk.
There were new -ooks to -e #i*en out, and new pen"ils, ru--ers, rulers and pens.
“Ah, the ni"e new -ooks!' said Mam$8elle, her lar#e eyes #leamin# with pleasure as she looked round the "lass. “These ni"e new -ooks 0 to -e illed with -eautiul ;ren"h "ompositions. Did you #rown, Doris& Surely you are not #oin# to make my hair #rey this term as you d id last term& Ahh h! See this #rey lo"k, ma "hBre Doris 0 it was you who "aused that last term!'
Mam$8elle pulled out a -it o #rey hair rom her thi"k that"h, and looked "omi"ally at Doris.
“$ll do my -est, Mam$8elle,' promised Doris. “
“rrr!' said Mam$8elle, rollin# the r in her throat in a most mar*ellous manner. The "lass #i##led. Mam$8elle sounded so remarka-ly like a do# #rowlin#, -ut no one dared to say so.
The other tea"hers wel"omed the #irls in their own manner. Miss o-erts had already seen most o her #irls in the train. Alison "ouldn$t help likin# her *ery mu"h, thou#h she was a little araid o Miss o-erts$s sharp ton#ue. Miss o-erts had a way o makin# an oender eel *ery small indeed.
The ormmistress had a spe"ial word or the twins. “/ell, (at and sa-e, "an see -y your a"es that you$*e made up your minds to do well this term. ou$*e #ot determination written all o*er you, (at 0 and know that sa-el always ollows your e%ample! /hat a-out -ein# to pin a ew thin#s this term&'
“$d like to -e,' said (at, ea#erly. “/e always were at edroo 0 the s"hool we went to -eore, you know. 5ow that we$*e #ot used to St. Clare$s we$ll -e a-le to work more 7ui"kly.'
Matron was in her room, #i*in# out towels, sheets and p illow"ases, and warnin# e*eryone that any -uttons would ha*e to -e sewn on -y the #irls themsel*es, and any tears would ha*e to -e neatly mended in sewin#"lass.
“
“May-e that$s one o the thin#s your mother sent you here to learn&' su##ested Matron with her wide smile. “ ou hope to -e happily married one day, don$t you 0 and run your own home& /ell, you must learn to take "are o your own linen and mend it, then.
All the #irls had to #o and see Miss Theo-ald in turn. Alison went with (at and sa-el. She elt *ery ner*ous as she stood outside the drawin#room with them, waitin# to #o in.
“/hat do say&' she whispered. “s she *ery solemn&'
The door opened and ?anet and +ilary "ame out. “ou ne%t,' said +ilary, and the waitin# three went in. Alison liked Miss Theo-ald, the +ead Mistress, at on"e. She had a *ery serious a"e that "ould -reak into a really lo*ely smile. She smiled now as she saw the three "ousins.
“/ell, (at and sa-el, am #lad to see you -a"k a#ain, lookin# so happy,' she said. “ remem-er last term, when irst saw you, you s"owled and said hardly a word!
“es, o "ourse, Miss Theo-ald,' said the twins, -eamin#.
Miss Theo-ald turned to Alison. “And this is another )$Sulli*an, a "ousin!' she said. “/ell, with three )$Sulli*ans all workin# hard in the same orm, Miss o-erts ou#ht to -e pleased! ou are lu"ky to ha*e two sensi-le "ousins to help you alon# in this irst term, Alison.'
“es, Miss Theo-ald,' #asped Alison, still *ery ner*ous.
“ou may #o now,' said Miss Theo-ald. “And remem-er, (at and sa-el, that am here to help you in any dii"ulty, so don$t -e araid to "ome, will you&'
The three went out, all a little awed, -ut all likin# the +ead Mistress immensely. They rushed to the "ommon room, whi"h Alison had not yet seen.
“Don$t we ha*e studies to oursel*es here&' said Alison, in disappointment, lookin# round the -i# room that was shared -y the irst and se"ondormers to#ether. “/hat an awul row!'
Certainly there was a noise. 4irls were talkin# and lau#hin#. Some one had put the #ramophone on, and some one else, at the other end o the -i# room, was tinkerin# with the wireless, whi"h kept makin# most e%traordinary noises.
“ou$ll soon #et used to the noise,' said (at happily. “t$s ni"e and riendly, really. 6ook 0 you "an ha*e this part o the shel here or your -elon#in#s, Alison 0 your "aketins and -is"uittins 0 and your sewin# or knittin# and the li-rary -ook you$re readin#.The ne%t part -elon#s to me and sa-el. eep your part tidy or you$ll take up too mu"h room.'
The twins showed their "ousin o*er the s"hool 0 the -i# "lassrooms with the lo*ely *iew rom the windows 0 the enormous #ym 0 the ine art room, hi#h up under the room, with a #ood north li#ht 0 the la-oratory 0 e*en the "loakrooms, where ea"h #irl had a lo"ker or her shoes, and a pe# or her outdoor thin#s and her o*erall.
“Am in the same dormitory as you, (at&' asked Alison, timidly, as she peeped in at the -i# -edrooms, where ei#ht #irls slept in ei#ht little "u-i"les ea"h ni#ht.
“$ll ask +ilary,' said (at. “She$s head#irl o our orm, you know, and she$ll know. +ie, +ilary 0 do you know i our Cousin Alison is in with us, or not&'
+ilary took out a list o names. “ Dormitory ,' she read out. “+ilary /entworth, (at and sa-el )$Sulli*an, Doris Elward, athleen 4re#ory, Shelia 5aylor, ?anet o-ins and Alison )$Sulli*an. There you are 0 that$s our dormitory list 0 same as last term, e%"ept that >era ?ohns has #one into num-er 0 to make room or Alison, suppose.'
“)h, #ood,' said (at. “ou$re with us, Alison. That$s a -it o lu"k or you.'
The three new #irls were in the irst orm with Miss o-erts. The tall, -adtemperedlookin# #irl was "alled Mar#ery ;enworthy. She looked old enou#h to -e in the se"ond orm, -ut the #irls soon saw that her work was poor 0 not e*en up to the standard o the irst orm, really.
“sn$t she a unny "reature&' said (at to sa-el, ater a mornin# in "lass with Mar#ery. “She simply doesn$t seem to "are a -it what she does o r says. $*e an idea she "an -e awully rude. 4oodness 0 there$ll -e a row i she #ets a"ross Mam$8elle!'
Mar#ery ;enworthy kept hersel to hersel. She was always readin#, and i anyone spoke to her she answered so shortly that no-ody said any more. She would ha*e -een *ery #ood lookin# i she had smiled 0 -ut as (at said, she a lways looked as i she wanted to -ite some-ody$s head o!
6u"y )riell, the other new #irl, was the "omplete opposite o Mar#ery. She was -rilliantly "le*er, -ut as she was only ourteen and a hal, she was put into the irst orm or that term at any rate. 5othin# was dii"ult to her. She had a wonderul memory, and was always merry and #ay.
“The way she #a--les ;ren"h with Mam$8elle!' #roaned Doris. “The way she draws in the art "lass! The way she re"ites yard and yards o Shakespeare and it takes me all my time to learn two lines properly.'
E*ery one lau#hed. Doris was a duer 0 with one #reat talent. She "ould make people lau#h! She "ould dan"e well and "omi"ally, and she "ould mimi" others pere"tly, whi"h made it all the more stran#e that she "ould not imitate Mam$8elle$s ;ren"h a""ent. E*ery one liked Doris.
“An a-solute idiot 0 -ut su"h a ni"e one!' as ?anet said.
“/hat do you think o the three new #irls, ?anet&' asked +ilary, -itin# the end o her pen"il as she tried to think out a pro-lem in arithmeti" set -y Miss o-erts.
(at an dsa-el were near-y, listenin#. ?anet shook -a"k her dark hair, and #a*e her =ud#ment.
:6u"y )riell 0 tophole! Cle*er, responsi-le, kind and #ay. Mar#ery ;enworthy 0 a -adtempered,
don$t"are "reature with some sort o (AST.'
“/hate*er do you mean&' said (at, astonished.
“/ell, mark my words, there$s somethin# -ehind that unny way Mar#ery has o keepin# hersel to hersel, and o not "arin# tuppen"e or anythin# or an y-ody,' said ?anet, who "ould -e *ery ar seein# when she wanted to. “And what does a #irl o iteen want to -e so -adtempered or& $d =ust like to know how she #ot on at her last s"hool. -et she didn$t make any riends!'
The twins stared a"ross at Mar#ery, who, as usual, had her nose -uried in a -ook. ?anet went to the third new #irl, Alison.
“ suppose mustn$t say mu"h a-out Alison, as she$s your "ousin 0 -ut i you want my real opinion it$s this 0 she$s a "on"eited, stu"kup little monkey without a sin#le idea in her pretty little head!'
“Thanks or your opinions, ?anet,' said +ilary, with a lau#h. “ou ha*e a wonderul way o puttin# into words =ust e%a"tly what e*ery one is thinkin# 0 and doesn$t say!'
Chapter F: Alison 6earns A 6esson
The Easter term opened *ery "old and dreary. The #irls shi*ered when they #ot up in the mornin#. Alison simply hated #ettin# up. Time ater time +ilary stripped the "lothes rom her, and Alison almost wept with an#er. 5othin# like that had e*er happened at her old s"hool.
“Don$t do that!' she "ried, ea"h time. “ was =ust #oin# to #et up!'
E*ery one #rinned. They thu#ht Alison was *ery silly sometimes. She spent a#es doin# her hair and lookin# at hersel in the #lass 0 and i she had a spot on her a"e she moaned a-out it or days till it went.
“As i any-ody would noti"e i she had twenty spots!' said ?anet, in dis#ust. “She$s not worth
lookin# at, the *ain little thin#!'
n a week or two it seemed to the twins as i they had -een -a"k at s"hool or months! Ea"h orm was now workin# steadily to its own timeta-le. 6a"rosse #ames were played three times a week, and any one "ould #o to the ield and pra"tise in their spare time. 4ym was held twi"e a week, and the twins lo*ed that. The new #irl, Mar#ery, was was e%"ellent at all the thin#s they did in #ym.
“She$s stron#, isn$t she&' said (at, admirin#ly, as they wat"hed her "lim-in# up the thi"k rope that hun# down rom the "eilin#.
“She plays #ames and does #ym as i she was i#htin# some-ody ier"ely all the time!' said ?anet, hittin# the nail on the head, as usual. “6ook at her #rittin# her teeth as she "lim-s that rope. My word, don$t like markin# her at la"rosse "an tell you. She$s #i*en me some -ruises a"ross my knu"kles e*en thou#h wear padded #lo*es!'
?anet showed the -ruises. “She$s a sa*a#e "reature!' said Doris. “
6u"y was a ine la"rosse player too. She had -een "aptain o the la"rosse team at her old s"hool, and she was as swit as the wind.
“She$s #ood at e*erythin#, the lu"ky "reature!' said +ilary. +ilary. “+a*e you seen some o her pi"tures& They are really lo*ely. She showed me some water"olours she$d done in the hols. with her ather. "ouldn$t -elie*e they were hers. ) "ourse, she #ets that rom him. +e must make a lot o money rom his portraits 0 no wonder all her dresses are so #ood.'
“t$s a pity that silly "ousin o yours doesn$t try a -it harder at #ames,' said ?anet, wat"hin# Alison Alison tryin# to "at"h a la"rosse -all in her net. t was a *ery easy throw sent -y athleen.
“Alison, ha*en$t you e*er played #ames -eore&' "ried ?anet.
“es,' “es,' said Alison, lushin#. “
(at did not remem-er Alison Alison e*er -ein# any #ood at any #ame, so she said nothin#.
“ say, "an$t you do somethin# a-out that silly little "ousin o yours& She =ust stands and -leats at me when order her to pra"tise "at"hin# and throwin#! She wants a -it o pep in her.' her.'
(at lau#hed. Alison did -leat 0 that was =ust the ri#ht word or it.
“$ll try to take her in hand,' she said. “Ater all, was pretty awul mysel at irst, last term 0 and $ll try and kno"k some sense into Alison, in the same way that it was kno"ked into me and sa-el.'
“She thinks too mu"h a-out hersel,' said
So (at and sa-el made Alison skip around a -it! She was *ery indi#nant indeed.
“/hy do you always make me #o and pra"tise this silly "at"hin# =ust when want to inish my -ook!' she #rum-led. “ /hy do you hustle me out or a walk walk when it$s so "old and windy& you "all this lookin# ater me $d rather you stopped!'
Soon it was Alison$s turn to wait on the two topormers, ita 4eor#e and atie /hite! They sent a runner or her at teatime one day. Alison Alison had =ust inished her own tea when the messa#e "ame.
“Alison! ita wants you.
“/hat =o-s&' said Alison, "rossly, swallowin# swallowin# her last mouthul o "ake.
“+ow do know& Makin# her tea, e%pe"t. And And think the ire$s #one out in her room. ou$ll ou$ll ha*e to rake it out and lay it a#ain or her.'
Alison nearly -urst with indi#nation. indi#nation. “/hat, me li#ht li#ht a ire! $*e $*e ne*er li#hted one in my lie! don$t
e*en know how to lay one.'
“ you don$t #o, Alison, you$ll #et into a row,' row,' said sa-el. “atie /hite isn$t a patient as ita. 4o on. Don$t -e a ninny.'
Alison, #rum-lin# #rum-lin# under her -reath all all the while, went slowly o o to ita$s ita$s study. study. ita ita looked up impatiently as she "ame in.
“4ood hea*ens, are you always as slow as this! /hat -ad lu"k to ha*e you waitin# on us this week. /e won$t #et a thin# done!'
“ake out the ire and lay it a#ain 7ui"kly,' 7ui"kly,' said atie /hite, in her deep *oi"e. “There$s some paper and sti"ks in that "up-oard. 4o on, now 0 we$*e #ot some other #irls "omin# in or tea.'
(oor Alison! Alison! She raked out the ire as -est as she "ould, #ot the paper and sti"ks rom the "up-oard and put them hi##ledypi##ledy into the #rate. The #rate was hot and she -urnt her hand when she tou"hed it. She let out a loud s 7ueal.
“/hat$s the matter&' said ita, startled.
“$*e -urnt my hand on the hot #rate,' said Alison, Alison, nursin# her hand a#ainst her "hest, thou#h really it hardly hurt at all.
“/ell, really 0 did you ima#ine the #rate would -e stone"old ater ha*in# had a ire in it all day&' asked ita, impatiently. “;or #oodness$ sake hurry up and li#ht the ire. There$s a -o% o mat"hes on the mantelpie"e.'
Alison took down the mat"hes. She stru"k one and held itit t the paper@ itit lared up at on"e. At At the same moment three more -i# #irls "ame in, "hatterin#. )ne was
The paper -urnt all away. The sti"ks o wood did not "at"h ali#ht at all.
“(lease, where is there some more paper&'
“)n the desk o*er there,' said ita, shortly, s"owlin# at Alison. The topormers went on talkin# and Alison went to a near-y desk. She looked at the papers there. They were sheets "o*ered with ita$s small neat handwritin#.
“ suppose it$s old work she doesn$t want,' thou#ht Alison, and pi"ked it up. She arran#ed the sheets in the irepla"e, and then set a mat"h to them. At the same moment she heard a loud e%"lamation rom ita.
“ say! say! ou surely ha*en$t taken my prep. to -urn& She has! )h, the silly donkey, she$s taken my ;ren"h prep.!'
There was a rush or the ire. Alison was pushed out o the way. ita tried to pull some o the -la8in# sheets out 0 -ut the lames had #ot a #ood hold o them and she "ould not sa*e any o her pre"ious prep. t was -urnt to -la"k ashes.
“Alison! +ow dare you do a thin# like that,' "ried ita, in a ra#e. “ou deser*e to ha*e your ears -o%ed.'
“ didn$t mean to,' said poor Alison, -e#innin# to "ry all o*er the irepla"e, near whi"h she was still kneelin#. “ou said 0 take the paper on the desk o*er there 0 and9'
“/ell, "an$t you tell the dieren"e -etween yesterday$s newspaper and today$s ;ren"h prep.&' stormed the an#ry ithormer. “5ow shall ha*e to do an hour$s e%tra work and rewrite all that ;ren"h!'
“And she hasn$t e*en li#hted the ire yet!' said
“(lease let me #o,' wept Alison, eelin# haldead with shame -eore the a""usin# a"es o the -i# #irls. “ "an$t li#ht a ire. really "an$t.'
“Then it$s =ust a-out time you learnt,' said ita, #rimly. “5o, where$s that paper& (ut it like this 0 and like this. 5ow #et the sti"ks. Arran#e them so that the lames "an li"k up them a nd set the "oal ali#ht. 5ow put some "oal on the top. 4ood hea*ens, idiot, what$s the #ood o puttin# an
enormous lump like that on top& ou$*e s7uashed down all the sti"ks! Take little lumps to start a ire with 0 like this.'
Alison wept all the time, eelin# terri-ly sorry or hersel. She held a mat"h to the paper with a shakin# hand. t lared up 0 the sti"ks "au#ht 0 the "oal -urnt 0 and there was the ire, -urnin# merrily.
“5ow put the kettle on the ho- =ust there, and you "an #o, -a-y,' said atie. “/here do you #et all those tears rom& ;or #oodness$ sake, "ome a way rom the ire or you$ll put it out a#ain!:
Alison "rept out o the room, tears runnin# down her "heeks. She stopped at a mirror and looked at hersel. She thou#ht that she looked a most sad patheti" si#ht 0 rather like a ilmstar she had seen "ryin# in a pi"ture. She went -a"k to the "ommon room, sniin#, hopin# that e*ery one would sympathi8e with her.
Alison told her tale. /hen she related how she had -urnt ita$s ;ren"h prep. papers the irst ormers looked horriied.
“;athead!' said =anet, in dis#ust. “6ettin# down our orm like that! 4olly, the -i# #irls must think we are muttonheads!'
“t was awul -ein# rowed at -y so many o the -i# #irls,' wept Alison, thinkin# that she must look a *ery patheti" si#ht.
“Stop it, Alison. ou$re not in a kinder#arten,' said +ilary. “ you want to -eha*e like an idiot, you must e%pe"t the topormers to treat you like one. ;or #oodness$ sake stop sniin#. ou look simply awul, "an tell you. our eyes are red, your nose is swollen, your mouth has #one unny 0 you look =ust as u#ly as "an - e!'
That made Alison weep really -itterly. ?anet lost her temper. “Either stop, or #o out,' she said rou#hly to Alison. “ you don$t stop $ll put you out o the room mysel. ou$*e no ri#ht to distur- us all like this.'
Alison looked up. She saw that sharpton#ue ?anet meant what she said. So she stopped "ryin# at on"e, and the twins #rinned at ea"h other.
“6esson num-er one!' whispered (at.
Chapter G: Tessie has a Se"ret
The irst real e%"itement o the term was Tessie$s -irthday. Tessie was a li*ely #irl in the se"ond orm, ond o tri"ks and =okes. She and ?anet were a pair! The #irls oten lau#hed when they remem-ered how the term -eore ?anet had thrown ireworks on the s"hoolroom ire, and #i*en poor Miss ennedy su"h a ri#ht.
“And do you remem-er how Tessie hid the -i# -la"k "at in the handwork "up-oard, and it =umped out at Miss ennedy and made her rush out o the room&' #i##led Doris. “)h, #olly 0 $*e ne*er lau#hed so mu"h in all my lie.'
Miss ennedy had #one, and in her pla"e was Miss 6ewis, a irst"lass historytea"her. The #irls liked her *ery mu"h, e%"ept or one thin# 0 she would not allow the sli#htest inattention or "heekiness in her "lasses. E*en reeton#ued ?anet was a model o #ood -eha*iour in Miss 6ewis$s "lasses. )nly surly Mar#ery seemed to "are nothin# or anythin# the history tea"her said.
Tessie had #reat ideas or her -irthday. She knew she would ha*e plenty o money sent to her, and plenty o #ood thin#s to eat. She was a #enerous #irl, and wanted e*ery one to share.
Tessie thou#ht a-out it. She talked to her #reat riend, /innie Thomas.
“/innie, don$t you think it would -e -etter to share my thin#s amon#st a ew o my -est riends 0 and not #i*e e*ery one only a taste&' said Tessie.
“es, do think that,' said /innie. “
“/ell, we$ll ha*e to ha*e the party when there$s no one there e%"ept the ones we ask,' said Tessie. “And that means 0 at ni#ht! )n my -irthday ni#ht!'
“
“/e won$t ha*e it in the dormitory,' said Tessie. “
“t$ll -e all the more un i we mustn$t make mu"h noise,' #i##le Tessie. “+ow "an we warm that room& t$s awully "old in there, kno w, -e"ause had to pra"tise there last week.'
“6et$s -orrow an oilsto*e out o the "up-oard downstairs!' said /innie. “Some o them ha*e oil in, know, -e"ause they$re not emptied when they are put away in that "up-oard.'
“4ood idea!' said Tessie, who liked e*erythin# to -e as pere"t as possi-le when she planned anythin#. Then a thou#ht stru"k her 0 “)ooh, /innie 0 do you think we "ould ry sausa#es on top o the oilsto*e i "ould -uy some& "ould #et some o those tiny little sausa#es 0 or#et what they$re "alled 0 the kind people oten ha*e to put round "hi"kens&'
/innie stared at Tessie in deli#ht. “ don$t -elie*e A5 )5E has e*er ried sausa#es at a -irthday party in the middle o the ni#ht -eore!' she said. “5ot any one. t would -e a most mar*ellous thin# to do. Can we #et a ryin#pan&'
“ou -et!' said Tessie. “$ll ask youn# 4ladys, the s"ullerymaid, to lend me one or the ni#ht. She$s a #ood sport and won$t tell. And i "an$t -orrow one, $ll =olly well -uy one!'
“Tessie, this is #oin# to -e awul un,' said /innie, dan"in# a-out. “/hat do you suppose you$ll ha*e or your party 0 -esides your -irthday "ake and the sausa#es&'
“/ell, Mother always sends me a -i# ruit "ake, a #in#er "ake, sweets, -is"uits and homemade toee,' said Tessie. “And $ll ha*e plenty o money to -uy anythin# else we want. $ll #et some tins o pea"hes. /e all like those.'
The two #irls went into "orners a nd whispered e%"itedly e*ery day. Mam$8elle noti"ed their inattention in "lass and s"olded them or it.
“Tessie! /innie! Do you wish me to send you down into the irstorm& ou sit there starin# out o the window and you do not pay one small pie"e o attention to all am sayin#! /hat mis"hie are you plannin#&'
This was so near the mark that -oth #irls went red. “t$s my -irthday soon, Mam$8elle,' said Tessie, meekly, knowin# that Mam$8elle usually understood an e%"use like that.
“Ah, see 0 and suppose it is dear /innie$s -irthday also&' said Mam$8elle. “/ell, unless you -oth wish to write me out a *errrry ni"e "omposition in your -est ;ren"h all a-out -irthdays you will please pay attention to me.'
The two #irls de"ided to ask only si% more #irls to the party. Tessie didn$t see why they should all -e rom the se"ondorm. “ou know, like those )$Sulli*an twins awully,' she said. “$d like to ask them. They$re #ood sports.'
“es 0 -ut or #oodness$ sake don$t ask that awul "ousin o theirs, always struttin# a-out like a pea"o"k,' said /innie.
“) "ourse not,' said Tessie. “ simply "ouldn$t -ear her. 5o 0 we$ll ask (at and sa-el 0 and ?anet. And out o our own orm we$ll ask +etty, Susan and 5ora. /hat do you think o that&'
“es 0 ine,' a#reed /innie.
“/e$ll ha*e to -e "areul not to let that sneaky Eri"a #uess a-out our party,' said Tessie, thou#htully. “She$s su"h a (aul(ry 0 always sti"kin# her nose into thin#s that don$t "on"ern her. She$s an awul telltale too. $m sure she sneaked a-out me to Miss ?enks, when lost that la"rosse -all.'
“/e$ll tell e*ery one to keep it a "lose se"ret,' said /innie. “ say 0 won$t it -e un&'
Tessie #ot hold o the twins that day and took them to a "orner. “6isten,' she said, “$m ha*in# a small -irthday party on Thursday 0 =ust you and i*e others. /ill you "ome&'
“)h, yes, thanks,' said (at, pleased at -ein# asked -y a se"ondormer.
“/hat time&' asked sa-el.
“Twel*e o$"lo"k at ni#ht,' #i##led Tessie. The twins stared in surprise.
“)h 0 is it a midni#ht east, like we had last term&' asked (at, ea#erly.
“5o 0 not 7uite,' said Tessie. “t$s not #oin# to -e held in the dormitory, like a midni#ht east 0 we are #oin# to ha*e it in that little musi"room not ar rom my dormitory. ou know the one mean&'
“es,' said (at. “ say 0 what un! t will -e a proper midni#ht party, all -y oursel*es. /ho else are you askin#&'
“;our rom my orm, not "ountin# mysel,' said Tessie, “and you two and ?anet rom your orm. That$s all. 5ow mind you "ome at twel*e o$"lo"k. And oh 0 say!'
“/hat&' asked the twins.
“Don$t say a word to any one, will you,' -e##ed Tessie. “ou see, "an$t ask e*ery one, and some o the #irls mi#ht -e a -it annoyed they ha*en$t -een asked.'
“) "ourse we won$t say a word,' said (at. The twins went o to#ether, and waited until Tessie had told ?anet. Then the three o them whispered to#ether e%"itedly a-out the twel*e o$"lo"k party! t was un to ha*e a se"ret. t was un to -e asked -y a se"ondormer 0 "hosen out o all the #irls in their orm!
Alison was *ery "urious, or she knew 7uite well that her "ousins had a se"ret. She kept -ad#erin# them to tell her.
“)h, shut up, Alison,' said (at. “Can$t we ha*e a se"ret without tellin# the whole orm&'
“t wouldn$t -e tellin# the whole orm, i you only told me,' said Alison, openin# her -lue eyes *ery wide and lookin# as -esee"hin# as she "ould.
“My dear Alison, tellin# you would -e 7uite the 7ui"kest way o tellin# the whole s"hool!' said (at. “ou "an$t keep your mouth shut a-out an ythin#. ou =ust #o round and -leat out e*ery sin#le thin#.'
This wasn$t *ery kind -ut it was pere"tly true. Alison "ouldn$t keep anythin# to hersel at all, and had so oten #i*en away little thin#s that the twins had told her that now they let her out o all their se"rets.
Alison went away, poutin#. Eri"a, rom the se"ond orm, saw her and went up to her. She was =ust as "urious as Alison a-out other people$s plans and se"rets.
“t$s a mean tri"k, to ha*e plans and keep e*ery one in the dark,' said Eri"a. “ know Tessie and /innie ha*e #ot some sort o plan too 0 it$s a-out Tessie$s -irthday, think. wish we "ould ind out a-out it. That would =ust ser*e them ri#ht.'
Alison didn$t like Eri"a. ;ew people did, or she really was a sneak. 5ot e*en the mistresses liked her, or they mu"h preerred not to know what was #oin# on rather than ha*e Eri"a "ome tellin# tales.
So Alison would not take Eri"a$s hint and try to ind out what was up, thou#h she really lon#ed to do so. Eri"a asked her a#ain and a#ain i she had dis"o*ered anythin#, -ut Alison stu--ornly shook her head. Silly little *ain thin# as she was, she was not #oin# to ind out thin#s to tell Eri"a.
+etty, Susan and 5ora kept their mouths shut too, a-out the party. /innie, o "ourse, did not say a word to any one e%"ept the our in her orm who knew. So it was *ery dii"ult or Eri"a really to ind out anythin# mu"h. She #uessed that it was to do with Tessie$s -irthday 0 and she #uessed it was a party 0 -ut how, where and when she had no idea.
The plans went steadily orward. 4ladys, the little s"ullery maid, #i##led when Tessie asked her or the loan o a ryin#pan, She put one under her apron and went to ind Tessie. )n the way she met Eri"a.
“/hate*er are you hidin# under your apron, 4ladys&' said Eri"a, with the hi#h and mi#hty air that the ser*ants so mu"h disliked. 4ladys tossed her neat little head.
“5othin# to do with you, miss,' she answered pertly. Eri"a was an#ry. She pulled 4ladys$s apron aside and saw the pan.
“)ho! ;or Miss Tessie$s party!' she said. t was only a #uess 0 -ut 4ladys at on"e thou#ht Eri"a knew.
“/ell, miss, i you knew, why did you ask me&' she said. “$m to take it to the little musi"room near Miss Tessie$s dormitory.'
Eri"a wat"hed 4ladys slip inside the musi"room and put the pan into a "up-oard, under a pile o musi". t was Tessie$s -irthday today. So the party was near 0 pro-a-ly at ni#ht. The in7uisiti*e #irl -urned with "uriosity and =ealousy.
Tessie was ha*in# a mar*ellous -irthday, She was a popular #irl, or she was amusin# and li*ely. The #irls #a*e her small presents and wished her many happy returns o the day. Tessie handed round a -i# -o% o "ho"olates to e*ery one in her orm. +er #randmother had sent it or her 0 and Tessie meant to share somethin# with all her riends, e*en thou#h she "ould not share her party with e*ery one.
Eri"a kept as "lose as she "ould to Tessie and /innie that day, hopin# to ind out somethin# more a-out the party. She saw Tessie #o to the "up-oard where the oilsto*es were kept 0 and et"h out a -i# sto*e.
She did not dare to ask Tessie what she was doin# with it, or Tessie had a sharp ton#ue or Eri"a.
nto the musi"room went Tessie, "arryin# the hea*y sto*e. Eri"a$s eyes shone with deli#ht. She elt sure that the party was to -e held there. “t will ha*e to -e ater ele*en,' thou#ht the #irl. “ know pretty well e*erythin# now 0 ser*es Tessie ri#ht or lea*in# me out! 5asty, sharpton#ued "reature! $*e #ot a #ood mind to spoil the party!'
t is 7uite likely that Eri"a would ha*e done nothin# more, now that she was satisied she knew the se"ret, i /innie and Tessie had not "au#ht her takin# a "ho"olate rom the -i# -o% that Tessie had handed round. Tessie had let it in her "lassroom, meanin# to ask Miss 6ewis, the history tea"her, to ha*e one. Eri"a had seen in there, and had not -een a-le to stop hersel rom litin# the lid to look at the layers.
She "ould not resist takin# on o the "ho"olates and poppin# it into he r mouth. Ater all, there were plenty!
They stopped in ama8ement when they saw Eri"a hurriedly shuttin# the lid o the -o%. t was 7uite plain that she had a "ho"olate in her mouth.
“ou are simply dis#ustin#, Eri"a,' said Tessie, "oldly. “ you$d wanted another and had asked me, $d ha*e willin#ly #i*en you as many as you wanted.
The two #irls went out. Eri"a had not -een a-le to say a word.A "ho"olate was only a "ho"olate 0 how dared Tessie speak to her like that& Eri"a$s "heeks -urned and she lon#ed to throw the whole -o% o sweets out o the window.
Chapter H: /hat +appened at the (arty
E*erythin# was ready or the party. Tessie had e*en -een into the little musi"room and li#hted to oilsto*e to #et the room warm or her #uests!
“5o one e*er #oes in there at ni#ht,' she said to /innie, who was araid that some-ody mi#ht see the sto*e, i they went in. “The room will -e lo*ely and watm -y the time we are ready!'
The two #irls were in a #reat state o e%"itement. Tessie had had two -irthday "akes sent to her, whi"h pleased her *ery mu"h. She had -een a-le to put the -i##er one o the two on the teata-le or all her orm to share 0 and had kept the other or the midni#ht party.
There were -is"uits, sweets, "ho"olates, a -i# ruit "ake, and our tins o pea"hes, with a tin o 5estle$s milk or "ream! There were also the strin#s o little sausa#es to ry. t was #oin# to -e #reat un!
“/e ha*en$t anythin# to drink!' whispered /innie to Tessie, in arithmeti" at the end o that mornin#. “es, we ha*e. $*e #ot some #in#er-eer,' whispered -a"k Tessie. Miss ?enks "au#ht the word “#in#er-eer'.
“Tessie, how does #in#er-eer "ome into ou r arithmeti" lesson&' she en7uired, "oldly.
“/ell, it doesn$t,' said Tessie, a a loss o what to say. “Sorry, Miss ?enks'.
Susan, +etty and 5ora winked at one another. They knew 7uite well where the #in#er-eer "ame in! Eri"a saw the winks a nd smiled to hersel. She was #oin# to spoil that party, #in#er-eer and all!
E*erythin# was hidden in the musi"room, ready or that ni#ht. The ei#ht #irls were in a #reat state o e%"itement. They had all -een in to peep at the thin#s in the "up-oard. The musi" mistress would ha*e -een most surprised i she had taken a peep too 0 or instead o the usual piles o old musi", a metronome o two, old hymn-ooks and so on, she would ha*e seen a -i# -irthday "ake with “+appy returns to Tessie!' on it, and a -i# tin ull o other #oodies 0 to say nothin# o ei#ht at -rown #in#er-eer -ottles!
“+ow are we #oin# to keep awake till twel*e o$"lo"k&' said (at to sa-el and ?anet.
“)h, $ll -e awake at twel*e,' said ?anet, who had lately #ot the idea that she "ould wake at any time she liked, merely -y repeatin# the hour to hersel hal a do8en times -eore she went to sleep. “ shall simply say twel*e o$"lo"k$ irmly to mysel -eore #o to sleep. And then shall wake on the irst stroke o midni#ht! ou =ust see!:
“/ell, ?anet, hope you$re ri#ht,' said (at, dou-tully. “$*e tried that heaps o times -ut it ne*er works with me. =ust #o on sleepin#.'
“t$s willpower,' said ?anet. “ou needn$t worry. shall wake you all ri#ht!'
So the twins went pea"eully to sleep as usual at halpast nine, trustin# ?anet to wake them. ?anet went to sleep too, sayin# twel*e o$"lo"k, twel*e o$"lo"k$ steadily to hersel, as she dropped o.
(at was awakened -y someone tu##in# at her arm, and a tor"h -ein# lashed into her a"e. She woke with a =ump and was =ust a-out to #i*e a s7ueal o ri#ht when she saw that it was /innie who held the tor"h. n a lash she remem-ered the party.
“(at! ;or #oodness$ sake! Aren$t you three "omin#&' whispered /innie.
“) "ourse,' said (at. “$ll wake the others.' She threw o the -ed"lothes, slipped her eet into her slippers and put on her warm dressin##own. She went to wake sa-el and ?anet. Soon the three o them were "reepin# out o the room, down a ew stairs, round a "orner past the se"ond orm dormitory, and into the musi"room.
The door opened and shut 7uietly and the three #irls -linked at the -ri#ht ele"tri" li#ht. The -linds had -een drawn and the oilsto*e had made the little room as warm as toast. The other i*e #irls were -usy openin# tins and settin# out "ake and -is"uits.
“/hate*er happened to you&' said Tessie, in surprise. “t$s a 7uarterpast twele. /e waited and waited. Then we sent /innie.'
“t was my ault,' said ?anet, lookin# ashamed o hersel, a most unusual thin# or ?anet.' promised $d wake them 0 and didn$t. say 0 what a mar*ellous "ake!'
The #irls set to work to eat all the #ood thin#s, #i##lin# at nothin#. t was so e%"itin# to -e "ooped up in the little musi"room, #o--lin# all sorts o #oodies when e*ery one else was ast asleep.
“)h, Susan 0 you$*e spilt pea"h=ui"e all o*er my toes,' #i##le ?anet.
“6i"k it o then,' said Susan. “ -et you "an$t!'
?anet was *ery supple. She at on"e tried to rea"h her oot up to her mouth to li"k o the =ui"e rom her -are pink toes. She o*er-alan"ed and ell o her musi"stool.
“?anet! ou$*e sat on the sausa#es!' hissed Tessie, in dismay. “4et up, you idiot. )h, the poor sausa#es 0 all s7uashed as #lat as pan"akes!'
The #irls -e#an to #i##le helplessly. Tessie tried to press the little sausa#es -a"k into their ordinary shape a#ain.
“/hen are we #oin# to ry them&' asked sa-el, who lo*ed sausa#es.
“6ast thin#,' said Tessie. “That is, i there is anythin# let o them when ?anet has inished with them!'
The #in#er-eer was opened. Ea"h -ottle had a top that had to -e taken o with an opener, and ea"h -ottle #a*e a pop as it was opened.
“ any one hears these pops they$ll wonder whate*er$s happenin# in this musi"room,' said Susan.
“/ell, no-ody will hear,' said Tessie. “E*ery one is ast asleep. 5ot a soul in our own dormitory knows that we slipped out. 5ot a sin#le person knows our se"ret!'
t was Tessie who was speakin#. She was handin# round the "ho"olates. “/e "au#ht that nasty
little sneak Eri"a helpin# hersel to the "ho"olates this aternoon,' she said, in her "lear *oi"e. “sn$t she the limit&'
“)h, she$s always doin# thin#s like that,' said (at. “ou "an$t trust her and in"h.'
Eri"a elt the tears "omin# into her eyes. The #irls had oten told her unpleasant o her a"e 0 -ut somehow it was horri-le hearin# them spoken -ehind her -a"k.
“$ll #i*e them a ew ri#hts!' thou#ht Eri"a, uriously. “And then $ll #o and et"h Miss ?enks. t will ser*e the wret"hes ri#ht.'
Eri"a kno"ked sotly on the door, and then, 7ui"k as li#htnin#, darted into a near-y "up-oard. She hoped that her kno"kin# would #i*e the #irls a sho"k.
t #a*e them a most terri-le sho"k! They all stopped talkin# at o n"e, and Tessie put down the -o% o "ho"olates with a shakin# hand. They stared at one another, roundeyed.
“/hat was that&' whispered Tessie.
“A kno"k at the ddddoor,' stuttered /innie.
There was dead silen"e. E*ery one waited to see i the door would open.
Eri"a was still hidden in the "up-oard. As nothin# happened, she "rept out a#ain and kno"ked on"e more on the door, this time 7uite smartly. Then -a"k she hopped to the "up-oard a#ain, -e#innin# to en=oy hersel.
The ei#ht #irls in the musi"room =umped almost out o their skins when the se"ond kno"kin# "ame. “There must -e some-ody there,' said Tessie, 7uite pale with ri#ht. “$ll #o and see.'
She went -ra*ely to the door and opened it. There was no one there! Tessie shone her tor"h into the passa#e. t was pere"tly empty. The #irl shut the door and went -a"k to her seat, lookin# ri#htened.
“t wasn$t any one,' she said.
“Stu and nonsense,' said ?anet, -e#innin# to re"o*er rom her ri#ht. “Doors don$t kno"k -y themsel*es! t must -e some one ha*in# a =oke.'
“
“Shall we #et -a"k to -ed 0 and not ry the sausa#es&' asked Tessie.
That was too mu"h or sa-el. “/hat, not ry the sausa#es when $*e -een lookin# orward to them all e*enin#!' she said, indi#nantly.
“Shut up, idiot! Do you want to wake the whole s"hool&' said (at, #i*in# her a nud#e that nearly sent her o her "hair. “;ry the sausa#es, Tessie, old #irl. think that kno"kin# must ha*e -een the wind!'
So the sausa#es were ried, and si88led deli"iously in the pan on the top o the oilsto*e. Tessie turned them o*er and o*er with a ork, tryin# not to s7ueal when the hot at =umped out and -urnt her.
Eri"a had "rept out o the "up-oard a#ain. She heard the si88lin# o the sausa#es, and the lo*ely smell made her eel hun#ry. She wondered what to do ne%t. A noise made her s"urry -a"k to the "up-oard. /hat "ould it -e&
Then Eri"a knew. t was Mam$8elle in her study, ha*in# one o her late ni#hts! The ;ren"h mistress sometimes stayed up *ery late, readin# and studyin# 0 and toni#ht she was still in her study! Eri"a smiled to hersel. She knew what she was #oin# to do now. She wouldn$t tell Miss ?enks! She would let some hottempered Mam$8elle ind out 0 and she hersel wouldn$t "ome out into the open at all!
“$ll #o and kno"k at Mam$8elle$s door,' said Eri"a to hersel. “Then $ll skip -a"k to the dormitory. Mam$8elle will open her door in surprise 0 and when she inds no one there she$ll #o and prowl around, i know anythin# a-out her! And it won$t -e lon# -eore she smells those sausa#es!'
So Eri"a slipped up the passa#e to the door o the little room that Mam$8elle used as a study. She kno"ked smartly on it three times 0 rapraprap!
“Tiens!' "ame Mam$8elle$s *oi"e, in the #reatest surprise. “/ho is there&'
There was no answer, o "ourse, or Eri"a had slipped away as 7uietly as a mouse away rom the door 0 not into the "up-oard this time, -ut -a"k into her dormitory. She #uessed there would soon -e trou-le a-out, and she wasn$t #oin# to share in it!
Mam$8elle slid -a"k her "hair and went to the door, pu88led. She threw it open, -ut there was no one there. She stood there or a moment, wonderin# i she "ould possi-ly ha*e -een mistaken 0 and then she heard, rom somewhere not *ery ar o, a su-dued #i##le. And down the passa#e "rept the unmistaka-le smell o 0 ryin# sausa#es!
Chapter I: Mam$8elle Makes a Dis"o*ery Mam$8elle "ould not -elie*e her senses. /hat 0 ryin# sausa#es at a 7uarter to one at ni#ht! t was not possi-le. She must -e dreamin#. Mam$8elle #a*e hersel a hard pin"h to see i she was dreamin# or not. 5o 0 she was not. She was wide awake! There would -e a -ruise tomorrow where she had pin"hed hersel.
“
She went to see, shulin# alon# in her old "omorta-le slippers. She looked into the dormitory where Tessie and the others slept. She swit"hed on the li#ht. ;i*e o the -eds were empty!
Mam$8elle had not -een at all #oodtempered lately. She had not -een sleepin# well, and she had -een dii"ult in "lass. She was tired now, with her hours o studyin# and "orre"tin#, and she elt really an#ry with the i*e truants.
“t is too mu"h!' she said to hersel, as she swit"hed out the li#ht. “The -ad #irls! +ow "an they do their lessons well i they are awake to su"h hours o the ni#ht& And they are workin# or the s"holarship e%am. too 0 ah, shall report them to Miss Theo-ald!'
Mam$8elle stood in the passa#e, sniin#. She simply "ould not ima#ine where the smell o sausa#es "ame rom. Then she heard a s"ule and a #i##le. t "ame rom the musi"room near-y!
Mam$8elle went to the door. She lun# it open and #lared into the warm little room.
There was a deep silen"e. E*ery #irl stared in dismay at the lar#e orm o the an#ry ;ren"h mistress.
“)h 0 Mam$8elle 0 Mam$8elle,' stammered Tessie, at last.
“es, it is , Mam$8elle!' said the mistress, her eyes lashin#. “And what ha*e you to say or yoursel*es, a"tin# in this manner at this time o the ni#ht!'
Tessie "ouldn$t think o a word to say and at last in despair she held out a ried sausa#e on a ork to Mam$8elle.
“/ouldn$t you 0 wouldn$t you ha*e a sausa#e&' she asked, desperately.
That was too mu"h or Mam$8elle. She didn$t see that Tessie was *ery ri#htened, she only thou#ht that the #irl was -ein# "heeky. And the En#lish “"heek' was somethin# that always made Mam$8elle see red!
She swept the sausa#e o the ork, and or hal a moment Tessie thou#ht that Mam$8elle was #oin# to -o% her ears. She du"ked 0 and heard Mam$8elle$s -oomin# *oi"e a-o*e her head.
“So that is the way you would treat your ;ren"h mistress& /hy did e*er "ome to En#land to tea"h su"h un#rateul #irls& ou will "ome strai#ht to Miss Theo-ald now, all o you!'
There was a moment$s intense astonishment and ri#ht. 4o to Miss Theo-ald now 0 in the middle o the ni#ht 0 when she was asleep in -ed! t "ouldn$t -e true!
“(lease, Mam$8elle,' said ?anet, who was re"o*erin# hersel more 7ui"kly than the others, “please don$t make us do that. Tomorrow mornin# would do, wouldn$t it& /e don$t$ want to disturMiss Theo-ald now. /e$re sorry we distur-ed you 0 we thou#ht e*ery one was asleep.'
“
“5one o us did that,' said ?anet, more and more astonished. “Some-ody "ame and kno"ked on our door too. /hoe*er "ould it ha*e -een&'
“/e will not ater all distur- Miss Theo-ald toni#ht,' she said. “ou will all #o -a"k to -ed 0 and in the mornin# you will e%pe"t to -e "alled in ront o the +ead Mistress to e%plain this dreadul -eha*iour.'
“Could 0 "ould we =ust inish the sausa#es&' asked sa-el, lon#in#ly.
The #irls were hal araid that Mam$8elle mi#ht -e as #ood as her word. They slipped down the passa#e and into their dormitories, "lim-in# into -ed, shi*erin# with ri#ht. /hat a dreadul endin# to a midni#ht party!
Mam$8elle turned out the li#ht. Then she saw the #low o the oilsto*e and turned that out too. “These #irls!' she said, pursin# up her -i# lips, “these En#lish #irls! +ow they -eha*e!'
Mam$8elle would ne*er ha*e dared to -eha*e in su"h a ree and easy way at her s"hool in ;ran"e when she had -een a #irl. She had worked mu"h harder than any o the #irls at St. Clare$s. She had played no #ames, had -een or hardly any walks, and had ne*er e*en seen the inside o a #ym until she had "ome to En#land. She did not really understand the #irls at St. Clare$s althou#h she had -een there or years, and had tau#ht them well. She was 7uite determined to ha*e e*ery one o the truants well punished.
She reported them to Miss Theo-ald -eore -reakast the ne%t mornin#. She e*en took the
surprised +ead Mistress to the little musi"room to show her the remains o the east. Miss Theo-ald looked at the #in#er-eer -ottles, the ryin#pan with its "on#ealed at and ew sausa#es let in it, and the "rum-s on the loor.
“ will see the #irls a t -reak,' said the +ead. “This kind o thin# "annot -e allowed, Mam$8elle 0 -ut some time or other most s"hool#irls attend a midni#ht east! Do not take too serious a *iew o it!'
“n my s"hooldays su"h a thin# was not e*en thou#ht o!' said Mam$8elle. “Ah, we knew how to work, we ;ren"h #irls!'
“
Mam$8elle snorted when Miss Theo-ald let her. She thou#ht that the +ead was ar too lenient with the #irls. She went into the -i# dinin#hall to ha*e -reakast. She #lan"ed round the ta-le where the irst and se"ond orm sat.
t was easy to pi"k out the ei#ht #irls who had -een "au#ht the ni#ht -eore. They were pale and looked tired. sa-el and Susan "ould not eat any -reakast, partly -e"ause they had eaten too mu"h the ni#ht -eore, and partly -e"ause they were s"ared at what mi#ht -e #oin# to happen to them.
Mam$8elle stopped the ei#ht #irls when they iled out o the dinin#hall. “ou, ?anet 0 and you, /innie 0 and you, Susan, and you9 you will all ei#ht #o to Miss Theo-ald at -reak.'
“es, Mam$8elle,' said the #irls, and went to the assem-ly room or mornin# prayers and roll"all, eelin# rather shaky a-out the le#s!
“(ity we were "au#ht,' said (at to sa-el, in the middle o the hymn. “5ow Miss Theo-ald will think we didn$t mean to try to do our -est this term. )h -low, Mam$8elle! Mean old thin#! won$t try a -it in ;ren"h this term now.'
The ei#ht #irls were -ad at their lessons that mornin#. Eri"a wat"hed the i*e in her orm, all tryin# not to yawn, as they did their arithmeti" under Miss ?enk$s ea#le eye.
t was ;ren"h ne%t, and Tessie put on a sulky a"e when Mam$8elle entered the room. She elt that she really hated the ;ren"h mistress that mornin#. She wasn$t #oin# to try a -it!
t wouldn$t ha*e mattered i she had tried 0 or poor Tessie was really woollyheaded that day! She had not -een a-le to #o to sleep until a-out i*e o$"lo"k the ni#ht -eore, and was now so sleepy that her thou#hts kept runnin# into one another in a most annoyin# manner. She was really hal asleep.
Mam$8elle "hose to think that Tessie was deyin# her. She s"olded the #irl roundly, and #a*e her su"h a lot o e%tra prep. to do that poor Tessie was almost in tears.
“
“/e shall see!' said Mam$8elle #rimly. And Tessie knew that she would ha*e to do it somehow.
At -reak the ei#ht #irls met to#ether outside the +ead Mistress$s door. They were all ner*ous, e*en (at who was usually -old. Tessie kno"ked.
“Come in!' said Miss Theo-ald$s "lear *oi"e. They trooped in and shut the door.
Miss Theo-ald a"ed them, and looked at ea"h #irl seriously. They all elt upset, and Susan -e#an to "ry. Then the +ead talked to them, and pointed out that it was impossi-le or #ood work to -e done on hal a ni#ht$s sleep, and that the rules must -e kept. She said many other thin#s in her low, "alm *oi"e, and the listenin# #irls took it all in.
“5ow please understand,' said Miss Theo-ald, “that althou#h you ha*e -roken the rule or-iddin# any #irl to lea*e her dormitory at ni#ht, your es"apade is not in the same rank as, or instan"e, meanness, lyin# or disloyalty. Those are serious thin#s 0 what you ha*e done mi#ht -e serious i you were allowed to do it oten 0 -ut re#ard it more as silly mis"hie.
There was a silen"e. This was a horrid punishment. The #irls really lo*ed their pri*ile#e o #oin# down to the town in twos, spendin# their po"ketmoney, and #oin# to the teashop or tea. Two weeks seemed a *ery, *ery lon# time.
“es, Miss Theo-ald,' said Tessie, meekly, and all ei#ht #irls iled out o the room.
“/ell, $m #lad that$s o*er,' said (at, when they were out o earshot o the drawin#room. “And there$s another thin# $m #lad a-out too 0 that Miss Theo-ald made that distin"tion -etween mis"hie and mean thin#s. wouldn$t like her to think we$d do anythin# mean or rotten. A =oke$s a =oke 0 ours went too ar, that$s all.'
“es,' said sa-el, thou#htully. “
Chapter J: A
Eri"a was pleased when she heard o the punishment meted out to the ei#ht #irls. She did not dare to say mu"h -e"ause she was so araid that she mi#ht -e ound out. She knew 7uite well that the #irls must wonder who had made the kno"kin# on the doors.
The #irls meant to ind out who the taleteller was. They met that e *enin#, and dis"ussed the matter.
“She shan$t #et away with it,' de"lared Tessie, ier"ely. “4olly, wasn$t astonished when Mam$8elle let out that she had -een distur-ed -y some one kno"kin# at her door! t must ha*e -een the same horri-le person who "ame kno"kin# at ours to #i*e us a ri#ht and spoil the party. $m sorry asked you all now. t was my ault.'
“t was =olly de"ent o you to think o #i*in# us a treat,' said (at. “Don$t apolo#i8e or that! 5o-ody would ha*e known a thin# a-out it i it hadn$t -een or that wret"hed spoilsport.'
“(at,' said Tessie, suddenly, “you don$t think it would ha*e -een that silly "ou sin o yours, do you& ou know how she -leats e*erythin# all o*er the pla"e. ou didn$t tell her anythin#, did you&'
(at lushed. “5ot a word,' she said, “and look here, Tessie, thou#h you$*e #ot a pretty poor opinion o Alison 0 and so ha*e 0 she$s not the sort to sneak. +onestly she isn$t. She "an$t keep her ton#ue still 0 -ut she wouldn$t do a thin# like #i*in# us a way to Mam$8elle.'
“All ri#ht,' said Tessie. “/ell 0 simply don$t know who it was 0 and don$t see how we$re to ind out! E*ery one in our dormitory seemed to -e asleep when we #ot -a"k.'
“And so did e*ery one in ours,' said (at. “t$s a pu88le.
They all elt like that, -ut it was impossi-le to ind out 0 or so in seemed! E*ery one denied e*en ha*in# known that they party was to take pla"e 0 thou#h most o the #irls said that they #uessed somethin# was up.
Alison denied a-solutely that she knew anythin#. “And i had, wouldn$t ha*e split or worlds,' she said, an an#ry lush on her "heek. “ou mi#ht know that. ou don$t seem to ha*e mu"h opinion o me lately, you two 0 -ut you mi#ht at least know that.'
“/e do know that,' (at hastened to say. “
t was 7uite -y a""ident that the truth "ame out. 4ladys, the little s"ullerymaid, "ame upstairs to ind the ryin#pan she had lent to Tessie. t had not -een -rou#ht -a"k to her, and she was araid that the "ook mi#ht miss it.
She "ouldn$t ind Tessie, -ut she met (at on the stairs. “)h, Miss (atri"ia,' she said, “"ould you #et me -a"k the ryin#pan lent Miss Tessie or the party& "an$t ind her. "ould ha*e asked Miss Eri"a, -ut she disappeared -eore "ould speak to her.'
“Miss Eri"a wouldn$t ha*e known anythin# a-out it,' said (at. “She didn$t #o to the party.'
“)h, -ut Miss (atri"ia, she did know a-out it,' said the small s"ullerymaid. “ met her when was -rin#in# it upstairs 0 and she pulled aside my apron and saw the ryin#pan, and she said, in that hau#hty way o hers 0 “)ho, or Miss Tessie$s party!'
(at was astonished. r mi#ht ha*e -een a #uess on Eri"a$s part, o "ourse 0 -ut anyway, she had seen the ryin#pan 0 and i she knew anythin# a-out sneaky Eri"a, she would "ertainly ha*e kept wat"h, and ha*e put two and two to#ether 0 and ound out e*erythin# without dii"ulty!
“ said to Miss Eri"a, said /ell, miss, i you knew what the ryin#pan was or, why did you a sk me&$ ' said 4ladys, 7uite en=oyin# this talk with (at. “)h dear, miss 0 heard you$d #ot into trou-le o*er the party, and $m so sorry.'
“$ll #et you the ryin#pan,' said (at, and she went to the musi"room, where the pan sat solemnly on top o the piano, "leaned -y one o the se"ondormers, -ut otherwise or#otten.
4ladys took it and s"uttled downstairs thankully. She was =ust as mu"h in awe o the "ook as the #irls were in awe o Miss Theo-ald!
(at went to ind sa-el. She told her what 4ladys had said. “t was Eri"a all ri#ht,' said (at, ier"ely. “$m not a -it surprised either, are you& E*ery one says she$s a sneak. That$s almost one o the worst thin#s you "an -e. /hate*er will Tessie say&'
Tessie said a lot. She was an#ry and indi#nant. To think that a #irl who had shared her "ho"olates and her -irthday "ake "ould ha*e played su"h a mean tri"k!
“/e$ll =olly well ta"kle her a-out it,' said Tessie. “Ater tea today. ou "ome into the "ommon room, (at 0 and we$ll ha*e it out with her. $ll tell the others.'
“es, -ut e*ery one else will -e there,' said (at, uneasily. “s it 7uite air to let e*ery one hear&'
“/hy not&' said Tessie, an#rily. “A sneak deser*es to -e denoun"ed in pu-li". Anyway, we "an$t #o anywhere else.'
So ater tea that da y Eri"a was "alled -y (at. She was sittin# in a "orner, writin# a letter home.
“Eri"a, "ome o*er here. /e want to speak to you,' said (at, in a "old *oi"e. Eri"a looked up. She went pale. Could the #irls ha*e dis"o*ered her mean tri"k&
“$m -usy,' she said, sulkily. “$*e #ot to inish this letter.'
She went on writin#. (at lost her temper and snat"hed away the letter. “ou =olly well "ome!' she said, ier"ely. “Do you want me and sa-el to lu# you o*er&'
Eri"a saw that there was nothin# or it -ut to #o to the "orner o the "ommon room where the si% other #irls were waitin# or her.
She went, lookin# pale and sulky. She was determined to deny e*erythin#.
“Eri"a, we know that it was you who kno"ked on the musi"room door the other ni#ht,' said (at. “And it was you too who #a*e the #ame away to Mam$8elle and #ot us punished. ou$re a mean pi#, a horrid sneak, and you$re =olly well #oin# to -e punished!'
“ don$t know what you are talkin# a-out,' said Eri"a, in a trem-lin# *oi"e, not darin# to meet ei#ht pairs o a""usin# eyes.
“es, you do. t$s no #ood pretendin#,' said Tessie. “(at has ound out e*erythin#. E*ery sin#le thin#. /e know that you met 4ladys on the stairs when she was -rin#in# up somethin# or us.'
“ don$t know anythin# a-out the ryin#pan,' said Eri"a.
(at poun"ed at on"e. “+ow did you know that it was ryin#pan that 4ladys was -rin#in# us& There you are, you see 0 you do know. ou$*e "on*i"ted yoursel out o your own mouth!'
The other #irls in the "ommon room, "urious to hear what was #oin# on, "ame round, peepin#. Alison "ame too, her -i# -lue eyes almost poppin# out o her head.
“)h, was it Eri"a who #a*e you away&' she said. “/ell, mi#ht ha*e #uessed! She was always -otherin# me to ind out rom you and sa-el, (at, what the se"ret was.'
“/ell, it$s a #ood thin# or you, Alison, that or on"e you had the "ommon sense not to #i*e anythin# away,' said (at, #rimly. “5ow, Eri"a 0 you$re a horri-le sneak 0 -ut at least you mi#ht ha*e the de"en"y to own up!'
“ don$t know anythin# a-out it,' said Eri"a, stu--ornly. “t$s no #ood your #oin# on at me like this 0 =ust simply don$t know anythin# a-out it.'
“4o on, Eri"a, own up!' "ried hal a do8en *oi"es rom mem-ers o the se"ond orm, who were now all "rowdin# round in the #reatest "uriosity.
As it was, she made them all intensely an#ry. “>ery well,' said (at. “Don$t own up.
“es,' said Tessie. “And the punishment or sneakin# is that you =olly well won$t #o down into the town or two weeks, like us. See&'
“ shall,' said Eri"a.
“/ell, you won$t,' said Tessie. “$m head o the se"ond orm, and or-id any one to #o with you 0 and you know you are not allowed to #o alone. So there!'
Eri"a was -eaten and she knew it. 5o #irl dared to #o to the town alone, or that was stri"tly or-idden. She lushed and said nothin#.
“And the punishment or not ownin# up de"ently we lea*e to the irst and se"ond orms,' said (at, her eyes lashin# round. “ am sure that not one o us, Eri"a, wants to speak to you, or ha*e anythin# more to do with you than we "an help! That$s always the punishment or your sort o -eha*iour!'
“ shan$t speak to her,' muttered se*eral #irls around. E*ery one elt dis#usted with the misera-le Eri"a. She would ha*e a -ad time! t is hard to see #lan"es o "ontempt and dislike where*er you look, and to ha*e no-ody sayin# a =olly word.
Eri"a went o to her "orner, -ut her hand trem-led as she tried to inish her letter. She was ashamed 0 -ut she was an#ry too 0 and with (at most o all!
“So she ound out, did she, and told all the others!' thou#ht Eri"a. “All ri#ht, (at 0 $ll pay you out or that 0 and your silly twin too!'
Chapter : Mar#ery 4ets a Chan"e
The irst orm did not really see *ery mu"h o Eri"a, -e"ause she did not ha*e lessons with them.
6oud remarks a-out sneaks and "owards were made in her hearin#. The only person who e*er threw her a word at all was the -adtempered Mar#ery ;enworthy. Eri"a did not like Mar#ery, any more than the other #irls did, -ut she was so #rateul to -e spoken to, e*en -y the surly irst ormer, that she almost -e#an to like the #irl.
“$m surprised you speak to Eri"a, Mar#ery,' said (at when she had heard Mar#ery ask to -orrow Eri"a$s paints.
“Mind your own -usiness,' said Mar#ery, in her usual rude way. “ou$re none o you riendly to me, and know what it is to ha*e people -ein# so -eastly to you.'
“
“/ell, people ne*er smile and =oke with me,' said Mar#ery. “ou don$t #i*e me a "han"e.'
:)h, Mar#ery, what a i-!' "ried (at. “t$s you who ne*er #i*e us a "han"e to -e de"ent to you. ou s"owl and #lower and rown all the time.'
“ you$re #oin# to pi"k me to pie"es you "an sa*e yoursel the trou-le,' said Mar#ery, ier"ely. “ don$t "are tuppen"e or any o you. And i want to speak to that wret"hed Eri"a, shall. /ho
"ares or a pa"k o silly #irls, and a "rowd o stu"kup tea"hers& don$t!'
(at was astonished. /hat a stran#e #irl Mar#ery was! Did she really want a "han"e o -ein# riends with the others& /as she terri-ly shy 0 what was -ehind that unny manner o hers&
(at talked a-out it with her twin. “Mar#ery is always makin# enemies,' she said, “ spoke to her today a-out it 0 and she a""used us o ne*er #i*in# her a "han"e. Do you think we ou#ht to do somethin# a-out it&'
“Ask 6u"y,' said sa-el, seein# 6 u"y "omin# up to show them a pi"ture she had =ust inished. “)h, 6u"y 0 what a mar*ellous drawin#! t$s Mam$8elle to the lie!'
6u"y had a "le*er pen"il with portraits. She "ould, with a ew strokes o her pen"il, draw any #irl or tea"her so that e*ery one knew at on"e who it was. The drawin# she held out was e%"ellent.
“t$s e%a"tly how Mam$8elle looks when she says, Ah, Dorrrrris, you are insupporta-le!$ ' said (at. “6u"y, listen, we$*e -een talkin# a-out Mar#ery.'
“$ll draw her,' said 6u"y. She sat down and sket"hed Mar#ery$s sullen #oodlookin# a"e 0 and then, in a ew strokes she sket"hed another Mar#ery 0 a smilin# one, most deli#htul to see.
“
“4olly, that$s "le*er,' said sa-el. “t$s a pity Mar#ery "an$t always look like that se"ond drawin#. 6isten now, 6u"y. She told (at this mornin# that we$*e ne*er #i*en her a "han"e to -e riendly.'
“All wron#,' said 6u"y, -e#innin# to draw a#ain. “She has ne*er # i*en us a "han"e!'
“E%a"tly what said,' said (at, ea#erly. “)h, 6u"y, is that Eri"a& 4oodness, what a poor "reature she looks!'
“And is,' said 6u"y. “$ll -e #lad when we "an speak to her a#ain, in a way. hate to -e -eastly to anyone e*en i they deser*e it. t makes me eel horri-le mysel.'
“6u"y, do you think we$d -etter #i*e Mar#ery a "han"e, e*en thou#h she$s so =olly dii"ult&' asked (at. “ou know 0 sa-el and were simply awul last term 0 and e*ery one was de"ent to us, t seems only air or us to -e de"ent to some-ody e lse who$s new, and who seems awul too.'
“$m all or it,' said 6u"y, shakin# -a"k her dark "urls rom her riendly, pretty a"e. “My ather says Always #i*e the underdo# a "han"e$ 0 and or some reason o other poor Mar#ery seems to think she$s an underdo# 0 e*ery one$s hand a#ainst her 0 that sort o thin#. 4oodness knows why she$s #ot that idea, -ut she has. All ri#ht 0 $ll #o out o my way to -e riendly, i you will.'
“/e$ll tell the others, as well,' said (at. So the irstormers were told a-out the idea, and althou#h most o them thou#ht it was stupid, -e"ause they really did dislike Mar#ery, they all a#reed to -a"k up 6u"y and the twins. E*en Alison said she would 0 and she had suered *ery mu"h rom Mar#ery$s rudeness. Mar#ery thou#ht Alison a silly little eatherhead, and had said so, many times.
So what with a*oidin# Eri"a, and tryin# to -e ni"e to Mar#ery, thin#s were 7uite e%"itin#. The irst time Mar#ery showed any si#ns o -ein# pleased was when the irst orm were in the #ym. Mar#ery was e%"ellent at "lim-in#, =umpin#, and any kind o e%er"ise. /hen she did an e%tra #ood =ump in the #ym, the #irls "lapped.
Mar#ery #lan"ed round, surprised. She #a*e a halsmile, and stepped to her pla"e. The mistress spoke a ew words o praise too. Mar#ery tried not to look too pleased, -ut she "ouldn$t help #oin# red with pleasure.
Aterwards (at spoke to her. “Mar#ery, you$re =olly #ood at #ym,' she said. “ wish "ould "limand =ump like you.'
“ like anythin# like that,' said Mar#ery, in a "i*il tone. “As or #ames, simply adore them. only wish we "ould play three times as mu"h as we do! wish we went ridin# more here too. used to lo*e that at my old s"hool.'
“/hat s"hool did you #o to -eore you "ame here&' asked sa-el, pleased to see that Mar#ery "ould really talk 7uite normally!
All the same, Mar#ery elt that e*eryone was #i*in# her a "han"e, and she did respond in many ways. She didn$t #i*e so many rude answers, and she did o""asionally oer to help anyone in dii"ulties. She e*en oered to #i*e silly little Alison some pra"ti"e at "at"hin# the -all in la"rosse, -e"ause she saw that the twins were really ashamed o their "ousin$s stupidity at #ames.
“Alison! s there e*er a time when you don$t think a-out how you look&' "ried ?anet. “ou$re as *ain as a pea"o"k. hope you #et a whole lot o spots tomorrow!'
“Don$t -e mean!' said Alison, the easy tears "omin# into her eyes.
“/ell, or #oodness$ sake a"t more like a senior #irl and not like a -a-y,' #rum-led ?anet. “our "ousins were -ad enou#h when they "ame last term 0 -ut at least they didn$t turn on the water tap like you do, at any minute o the d ay!'
“ should think not!' said (at, hotly, ready to atta"k ?anet, who was in one o her sharpton#ue moods.
Althou#h Mar#ery seemed to -e mu"h more riendly with the #irls, she was no -etter with the mistresses, to whom she was really rude. She did not try at all with her lessons 0 and the "urious thin# was that all the mistresses seemed to ha*e endless patien"e with the sulky #irl.
“4olly! any o us were hal as rude to Miss o-erts as Mar#ery is, we$d soon hear a-out it,' said (at, hal a do8en times a week. “ "an$t understand it. Did you see the work that Mar#ery handed in to Miss 6ewis too& She only did hal a pa#e, and her writin# was awul.'
“/ell, what a-out her arithmeti"!' said +ilary. “+onestly, don$t think she #ot a sin#le sum ri#ht this mornin# 0 and Miss o-erts ne*er said a word.'
“She won$t way how old she is,' said (at. “ -e lie*e Mar#ery$s si%teen! And most o us in the irst orm are ourteen or =ust iteen.'
“)h well 0 ne*er mind. She "an$t help -ein# stupid, suppose,' said 6u"y. “Anyway, she$s =olly #ood at #ames 0 and when we play that mat"h a#ainst the )akdene #irls ne%t week, -et we$ll -e #lad o Mar#ery. She$s -een put into the mat"hteam, you know.'
“+as she&' said (at. “4olly! wish $d -een put in it too, ha*en$t seen the list.'
“/ell, you$re not in it,' said ?anet. “$*e looked. 5o irstormer e%"ept Mar#ery is in it 0 and only two se"ondormers! The rest are all thirdormers. t$s an honour or Mar#ery to -e "hosen 0 -ut honestly, she$s ri#htully #ood at #ames, and most awully 7ui"k and stron#.'
“/ell, i she$s si%teen, as you say, she ou#ht to -e 7ui"k and stron#,' said Alison, "attily.
“Shut up, Alison,' said (at. “/e don$t know that she$s si%teen. 5ow don$t you #o round -leatin# a-out that!'
“ don$t -leat,' -e#an Alison, in her patheti" *oi"e, makin# her -lue eyes *ery wide and hurt.
/hen the two weeks were nearly up, and the ei#ht #irls were lookin# orward to -ein# allowed to #o down into the town a#ain, the
t happened in history "lass, and -lew up all in a minute. The #irls were horriied 0 and e*er aterwards it was spoken o a s the
Chapter : The
Miss 6ewis was takin# the history lesson, and the "lass was learnin# a-out the dis"o*ery o Ameri"a, and its "on7uest. As usual, the "lass was #i*in# the history tea"her "lose attention, or i there was one thin# that Miss 6ewis would not put up with, it was inattention.
E*en Mar#ery usually attended to Miss 6ewis more than to other tea"hers 0 partly -e"ause she was interested in history, and partly -e"ause she was a little araid o Miss 6ewis and her sharp eyes.
She had -een "areless and inattenti*e in Miss o-erts$s arithmeti" "lass, and Miss o-erts had -een, as usually, patient with her. n the ;ren"h "lass, ater a sharp look at her, Mam$8elle had taken no noti"e o Mar#ery, -ut had let her sit and sulk to hersel.
She had "heered up a little in history "lass, -ut had not taken any party in the dis"ussion that Miss 6ewis sometimes allowed at the -e#innin# o the lesson.
Then +ilary had "ome out with a #ood idea. “Miss 6ewis! There$s a play on in the ne%t town, at the oyal Theatre 0 and it$s "alled Drake$. /ould it -e a-out the same period o history that we$re doin#&'
“)h, yes,' said Miss 6ewis. “t$s a ine play. ?ust the ri#ht period.'
“)h, Miss 6ewis 0 do you think you "ould possi-ly take us to see it!' "ried +ilary, who adored plays o any kind.
“)h, yes, Miss 6ewis!' "ried the rest o the orm, ea#erly. “An outin# to the ne%t town would -e mar*ellous.'
“+ush,' said Miss 6ewis, rappin# on her desk. “Do remem-er there are other "lasses #oin# on. /hen is the play -ein# perormed, +ilary&'
+ilary had a noti"e o it in her desk. She rumma#ed a-out and ound it. “There$s a spe"ial perorman"e on Saturday aternoon, this week,' she said, “)h Miss 6ewis 0 do, do take us! $d lo*e to see it.'
“That$s my weekend o,' said Miss 6ewis, re#retully. “$d arran#ed to #o or a walkin#tour with Miss /alker. /e$*e #ot it all planned.'
Ea"h mistress had a weekend o durin# the term, and they looked orward to this *ery mu"h. The "lass knew how pre"ious the weekends were to the sta, and they stared in disappointment at Miss 6ewis. /hat a pity! ?ust the Saturday the play was on. t would ha*e -een su"h un to #o and see it.
“)h, -low!' said (at. “/ouldn$t that =ust -e the way! 5e*er mind, Miss 6ewis 0 it "an$t -e helped.'
“/ell 0 don$t know,' said Miss 6ewis, slowly. “(erhaps it "an -e helped! ou$*e -een #ood workers this term, and may-e "ould #i*e up the Saturday to take you 0 and #o home on the Sunday mornin#, or one day instead o two. Miss /alker "an ind some one else to #o walkin# with, daresay.'
“)h, say 0 we wouldn$t let you do that,' said ?anet, at on"e. “/e$re not 7uite su"h selish pi#s, Miss 6ewis.'
Miss 6ewis lau#hed. She liked the outspoken irstormers. “$ll arran#e it,' she said. “$ll speak to Miss Theo-ald 0 and the whole "lass "an #o with me in the s"hool -us. /e$ll -ook seats at the oyal Theatre, and #o and ha*e a lo*ely time seein# the play 0 and we$ll ha*e a mar*ellous tea aterwards.'
There were si#ns and s7ueals o deli#ht. Shinin# eyes looked at Miss 6ewis, and e*ery one -eamed with =oy. /hat an une%pe"ted treat! E*en Mar#ery ;enworthy looked pleased.
“Miss 6ewis, you$re a sport!' said ?anet. “ou really are! Thanks most awully. Are you sure you don$t mind takin# us on your pre"ious weekend&'
“)h, mind awully,' said Miss 6ewis, with a twinkle in her eye. “Do you suppose it$s any pleasure to me to take "har#e o twenty noisy irstormers with no manners at all&'
E*ery one lau#hed. Miss 6ewis mi#ht -e sharp at times, -ut she really was a #ood sort!
“5ow mind 0 ' said Miss 6ewis, warnin#ly. “ou will all work well to show me that you really do appre"iate the treat! 5o sla"kin# this term!'
“) "ourse not!' said the #irls, 7uite determined to work -etter or Miss 6ewis than they had e*er done -eore.
Ten minutes later "ame the
Miss 6ewis spoke to Mar#ery and #ot no answer. The #irl didn$t hear the 7uestion at all. She was so en#rossed in her own thou#hts. Miss 6ewis spoke a#ain, sharply.
“Mar#ery! ou are not payin# the least attention! /hat is it that you ha*e in your -ook&'
“5othin#,' said Mar#ery, with a =ump. She tried to slip the letter out o the pa#es. Miss 6ewis looked an#ry.
“
“t$s mine,' said Mar#ery, with her sullenest look.
“ know that,' said Miss 6e wis, irrita-ly. “ou "an #i*e it to me until the end o the mornin#. Then there will not -e any temptation or you to read it in another lesson. ou "ertainly will not do a thin# like that in my lesson a#ain.
“/hat! ;or you to read!' lared up Mar#ery in a ra#e. “ 5o-ody$s #oin# to read my pri*ate letters!'
“Mar#ery! ou or#et yoursel,' said Miss 6ewis, "oldly. “Do you suppose should read the letter& ou know -etter than that.
“ shan$t do anythin# o the sort,' said Mar#ery, rudely. All the #irls stared in horror.
“Shut up, Mar#ery,' said (at, who was sittin# ne%t to her. “Don$t you dare to speak like that!'
“ou shut up!' said Mar#ery, turnin# a look o ra#e on (at. “ won$t -e interered with -y any-ody 0 no, not e*en -y Miss Theo-ald hersel! As or Miss 6ewis, with her sharp eyes and her sharp nose sti"kin# into my pri*ate -usiness, she won$t #et anythin# out o me!'
“Mar#ery!' "ried hal a do8en *oi"es in the utmost horror. 5o-ody "ould -elie*e their ears. Mar#ery was lushed a -ri#ht red, and her eyes lashed an#rily. She was in her worst temper, and she didn$t "are in the least what she said.
Miss 6ewis was *ery an#ry. She was white, and her nose looked suddenly rather thin, as it always did when she was "ross.
“6ea*e the room, Mar#ery,' she said, in a "old 7uiet *oi"e. “ shall ha*e to "onsider whether or not "an ha*e you in my history "lasses a#ain'.
“$ll lea*e the room all ri#ht,' said Mar#ery. “$d rather lea*e the whole s"hool, i "ould! didn$t want to "ome. knew what would happen! hate the lot o you!'
The an#ry #irl walked out, her head held hi#h.
Miss Theo-ald happened to "ome alon# =ust as Mar#ery was wipin# her eyes, and was wonderin# where to #o. She looked at Mar#ery in silen"e.
“Come with me, my dear,' she said. “Somethin# has happened, hasn$t it& ou must tell me a-out it.'
“t$s no #ood,' said Mar#ery. “$ll -e sent away rom here. And don$t "are. don$t "are a -it.'
“es, you do "are,' said Miss Theo-ald. “ou "are a lot. Mar#ery, "ome with me. Come alon#, please. /e "an$t stand out here like this. The #irls will -e pourin# out o the "lassrooms in a little while.'
Mar#ery took a look at Miss Theo-ald$s "alm serious a"e. The +ead looked at Mar#ery with a wise and "ompassionate #lan"e in her deep eyes. The an#ry #irl #a*e a so-, and then went with
the +ead Mistress. nside the "lassroom there was a -a--le o urious *oi"es. “The -east! +ow "ould she -eha*e like that&' “?ust ater Miss 6ewis had said she$d #i*e up her Saturday too!' “t$s a waste o time to -e ni"e to a "reature like that! $ll ne*er speak to her a #ain!' “She deser*es to -e e%pelled! shouldn$t -e surprised i she is!' “Miss 6ewis! /e all apolo#i8e to you or Mar#ery! /e do really.' “4irls, #irls, -e 7uiet, please,' said Miss 6ewis, puttin# on her #lasses and lookin# round the room. “There is no need to make a noise like this. /e ha*e only i*e minutes o this lesson let. Turn to pa#e itysi%, please. don$t want to hear another word a-out Mar#ery.' So no more was said in "lass 0 -ut plenty was said outside! +ow they ra#ed a#ainst her! The se"ond orm heard a-out it too, and they were ama8ed and a#hast that an y one should dare to -eha*e like that to Miss 6ewis. “ wish $d -een there,' said Tessie, who always en=oyed a row, so lon# as she wasn$t the "entre o it. “4olly! Miss 6ewis must ha*e -een urious!' “/here$s Mar#ery now&' asked (at. 5o-ody knew. She didn$t appear a#ain at all that mornin# or aternoon 0 -ut ater tea she "ame into the "ommon room, rather white, and lookin# deiant, or she #uessed how the #irls elt a-out her.
“+ere "omes the meanie!' said ?anet. “ hope you$re ashamed o yoursel, Mar#ery!'
“ wonder i Mar#ery will -e allowed to "ome to the history lesson tomorrow,' said ?anet. “ -et Miss 6ewis won$t let her!'
“4ood mornin#, #irls,' said Miss 6ewis, as she "ame into the room. “Mar#ery, will you #o and speak to Mam$8elle or a minute& She is in her study and wants a word with you. Come -a"k
when she has inished.'
Mar#ery went out, lookin# surprised. Miss 6ewis turned to the #irls. “ =ust wanted to say that Mar#ery has apolo#i8ed or her -ad -eha*iour,' said Miss 6ewis. “She had a talk with Miss Theo-ald who ound her, outside the "lassroom, and she "ame to me yesterday e*enin# to apolo#i8e. ha*e a""epted her apolo#y and am takin# her -a"k into my "lass. hardly think su"h a thin# will happen a#ain, and would like you all to or#et it as soon as possi-le, please.' “
So on"e more Mar#ery was sent -a"k to her lonely, riendless state. 5o one spo ke to her i they "ould help it, and no-ody e*en looked at her.
“t$s a pity she$s playin# in the mat"h,' said (at.
“/ell 0 shan$t "lap i she shoots a #oal!'
Chapter 1K: An E%"itin# Mat"h
The days went 7ui"kly -y. The irst orm were taken to the play, and en=oyed e*ery minute o it. They had a wonderul tea aterwards, or Miss 6ewis really did do thin#s well!
“
“Did Mar#ery #o too&' asked Tessie, "uriously. E*ery one, o "ourse, had heard o the
“es 0 she went,' said (at. “Thou#h i it had -een me wouldn$t ha*e had the "heek to ha*e #one. She didn$t say a word the whole time 0 -ut she thanked Miss 6ewis or takin# her. (ersonally think it was =olly sportin# o Miss 6ewis e*en to think o ha*in# her!'
“So do ,' said Tessie. “ heard
“/ell, it$s a-out the only #ood thin# you "an say o Mar#ery 0 that she$s #ood at #ames,' said Tessie. “
“Mar#ery, don$t -e hauled up on a oul, please,' said
Mar#ery s"owled and said nothin#. She -ent o*er to put on her shoes. (at and ?anet "ame into the "han#in# room to look or sa-el and Alison.
“)h, there you are!' said (at, seein# the other two. t was dark in the "han#in# room and she d id not see Mar#ery, -endin# down o*er her shoes. “5ow don$t or#et, e*ery-ody, i that Mar#ery shoots a #oal, we don$t "lap and we don$t "heer. See&'
“i#ht, (at,' said the others. “She doesn$t deser*e e*en a whisper 0 and she won$t #et it!'
“ou horrid -east, (at!' said Mar#ery, suddenly, standin# up in an#er. “So that$s what you$*e planned to do, ha*e you! ?ust like you!'
The our #irls stared in dismay. 5one o them had known that Mar#ery was there.
“ don$t want your "laps or your "heers,' said Mar#ery, stalkin# out. “)ne day, (at, $ll #et e*en with you! ou see i don$t!'
The -ell ran# or the players to take their pla"es. Mar#ery went on to the ield, a tall and s"owlin# i#ure.
“$m sorry or the #irls she$s #ot to play a#ainst!' said
The whistle went or the #ame to -e#in. t was a ine aternoon, rather "old, -ut with no wind. The wat"hin# #irls had on their warm "oats and elt hats. They put their hands in their po"kets as they sat on the orms, and prepared to shout and "heer and "lap when the ri#ht times "ame.
t was always un to wat"h a mat"h. t was lo*ely to -e a-le to yell as loudly as they liked, and to dan"e a-out and "heer i anythin# really e%"itin# happened. The s"hool was always #lad when the mat"h was an athome one, then they "ould see e*ery #oal, and wat"h all that happened, instead o ha*in# to wait until the team "ame -a"k rom an away mat"h.
The #ame was a -it slow at irst. The players hadn$t warmed up to it, and e*ery one was playin# rather "autiously. 5o one a-o*e the third orm was playin# in either s"hool. The )akdene #irls did not look a *ery -i# lot, -ut they were wiry and ran ast. They soon #ot into the #ame, and the runnin#, ta"klin# and "at"hin# -e#an to #et *ery swit and e%"itin#.
“4o it, Susan! 4o it, Tessie!' yelled the se"ondormers, an%ious to "heer o n their mem-ers. E%"ept or the irstormer, Mar#ery, all the rest -ut Tessie and Susan were thirdorm #irls. Mar#ery was the tallest, stron#est #irl o the home team, e*en -i##er than the thirdormers.
“/ell run, Mary! Shoot, shoot!' yelled the s"hool, seein# a swit thirdormer "at"h the -all rom Tessie and tear down the ield to the #oal.
#irl tried to outrun her -ut "ouldn$t. She yelled to another #irl.
“Ta"kle her, ta"kle her!'
6ike a hare another )akdene #irl shot out rom her pla"e and ran strai#ht at Mary. The two met with a "lash. Mary went spinnin#, and the -all rolled rom her net. The )akdene #irl pi"ked it up neatly and tore -a"k in the opposite dire"tion.
“)n her, Mar#ery!' yelled
Mar#ery ;enworthy shot up like a -ullet rom a #un! She "ould run aster than anyone on the ield. She ra"ed a"ross to the runnin# #irl and did a neat turn round her to #et to her la"rosse net. She slashed upward *i"iously with her own net 0 the -all =erked out and Mar#ery "au#ht it detly. The )akdene #irl slashed -a"k at Mar#ery$s net to #et the -all, -ut Mar#ery had already thrown it hard a"ross the ield to where Tessie was waitin# or it. Down to the #oal sped Tessie, She shot 0 -ut alas, the -all rolled wide, and the whistle -lew.
“My word, that #irl Mar#ery plays well,' said ita. 5o-ody, howe*er, had "heered Mar#ery on as she had ta"kled the #irl and #ot the -all.
The mat"h went on its e%"itin# way. The s"hool yelled itsel hoarse as the -attle went irst this way and then that way. The teams were -eautiully mat"hed, there was no dou-t a-out that.
Mar#ery stood out amon# all the players. She always played well 0 -ut today she seemed inspired. (at knew why, and elt a little un"omorta-le.
“She always plays e%tra well when she$s an#ry,' said (at to her twin. “+a*e you noti"ed that& She seems to make the #ame into a i#ht and #oes all out or it. (erhaps it helps her to work o her -ad temper.'
Mar#ery soon #ot the -all a#ain -y a s wit pie"e o runnin#. She dod#ed a #irl runnin# at her, and looked or some one to pass to. Susan was ready. Mar#ery threw the -all to her. Susan "au#ht it, was ta"kled and threw the -all -a"k to Mar#ery. There was a "lear spa"e to #oal. Should she run nearer and shoot, riskin# -ein# ta"kled 0 or should she try one o her lon# hard shots&
A #irl shot out to ta"kle her. Mar#ery raised her net, and shot the -all hard and stron# down the ield. t went like a - ullet! The ta"klin# #irl tried to stop it -ut ailed. The #oalkeeper saw it "omin# and put out her net 0 -ut the shot was so hard that she "ouldn$t stop it! The -all was in the #oal!
“4oal!' yelled the s"hool. And then there was a silen"e. There was no "lappin#. 5o "heerin#. 5o shouts o “/ell done, Mar#ery!' t was stran#e, -e"ause ater a #oal e*ery one usually yelled their loudest. The wat"hin# mistresses looked at one another with pursed lips and raised eye-rows. 5o #irl had e*er -een so unpopular -eore as not to -e "heered in a mat"h!
+altime "ame. (at ran out with a plate o lemon 7uarters or the thirsty players. +ow #ood they tasted! So sour and "lean.
“ou$*e #ot a #ood player in your team this term,' said the "aptain o the other side, to (at, a s she took her pie"e o lemon. “
“/ell, she$s not,' said (at. “She$s in the irst orm!'
“4ra"ious!' said the #irl, starin# at Mar#ery in surprise. Mar#ery was not speakin# to any o her team, and no one was speakin# to her. “She doesn$t seem *ery popular,' said the )akdene #irl. “/hat$s up&'
“)h, nothin#,' said (at, who was not #oin# to talk a-out Mar#ery$s aairs to anyone else. “+a*e another pie"e o lemon&'
“Thanks,' said the #irl. “My word, this is a #ood mat"h. Any-ody$s #ame, really. ou$re one #oal up 0 -ut -et we #et e*en this hal!'
The whistle -lew. (at s"urried o the ield. The players took their pla"es, at opposite ends to the ones they had had -eore. The #ame -e#an a#ain.
t was ast and urious. E*eryone was now wellwarmed up and en=oyin# the #ame. The )akdene "aptain s"ored an une%pe"ted #oal, whi"h
“)ne all! (lay up, St. Clare$s!' yelled e*ery one.
Mar#ery had played well the irst hal, she played e*en -etter in the se"ond hal. She ran like the wind, she ta"kled earlessly, she "au#ht a""urately and threw well.
“4osh! s she #oin# to send her o the ield or a oul&' #roaned
She #ot the -all a#ain within the ne%t ew minutes, and ran or the #oal. She passed to Mary, who passed -a"k. Mar#ery shot 0 and the -all rolled strai#ht into the "orner o the #oal, thou#h the #oalkeeper ranti"ally tried to stop it.
“4oal!' yelled the whole s"hool
The #irl elt a ury o an#er risin# up in her. Somehow it #a*e her an e*en more switness and stren#th than -eore. She was a mira"le o switness as she darted a-out the ield, ta"klin# and dod#in#, #ettin# the -all when it seemed almost impossi-le.
“ only )akdene don$t shoot a#ain!' "ried (at, in the #reatest e %"itement. “)h #olly 0 they$re #oin# to. Sa*e it,
And in that i*e minutes Mar#ery mana#ed to shoot two o the inest #oals that any o the s"hool had e*er seen. The irst one was one o her lon# shots, strai#ht and true, rom halway down the ield. The se"ond was e%traordinary. She "ould not shoot -e"ause two #irls ta"kled her =ust near the #oal, and Mar#ery rolled o*er and o*er on the #round. The )akdene #irls tried to #et the -all
rom her net -ut somehow or other Mar#ery mana#ed to hold it saely there 0 and suddenly, rom her position lat on the #round, her nose almost in the mud. Mar#ery =erked her la"rosse net! The -all lew out 0 and landed in the #oal ri#ht throu#h the surprised #oalkeeper$s le#s!
At irst no-ody knew it was a #oal 0 and then the umpire shouted “4oal!' ;our #oals to St. Clare$s, two #oals to )akdene. )ne more minute to play!'
Chapter 11: Eri"a 4ets +er )wn
3sually, ater a mat"h, the #irls who had shot the winnin# #oals were surrounded, patted an "heered. any one deser*ed to -e "heered that aternoon it was "ertainly Mar#ery, or she had done the hardest work, and had stood out as the inest player in the team.
The )akdene #irls "ouldn$t help noti"in# this "urious -eha*iour, and were surprised. They stared hard at Mar#ery, who stared -a"k, her head held hi#h.
“$m #lad we won the mat"h 0 -ut wish it hadn$t -een Mar#ery who did it a ll,' said (at. “ eel a -it un"omorta-le now a-out not "heerin# or her a -it. So you think we ou#ht to #o and say a word to her, ?anet&'
“) "ourse we ou#ht,' said ?anet, “-ut you know =olly well what would happen i we did! She$d -ite our heads o 0 and don$t wonder! 5o 0 we$*e started this un"omorta-le #ame o sendin# some one to Co*entry 0 and we$*e #ot to sti"k to it.'
in the same dinin#hall, o "ourse. At the lon# teamta-le they "hattered and lau#hed and dis"ussed the mat"h with one another. The home team a"ted as hostesses to the *isitin# team, and it was all #reat un.
“t$s so lo*ely when you$re tired and happy to sit down to -uns and -utter and ruit "ake and "ho"olate -is"uits and -i# "ups o tea!' si#hed Tessie. “And to talk as mu"h as you like a-out the mat"h. Come on, Susan. $m ready.'
E*ery one noti"ed that Mar#ery was not at the ta-le. 5o one liked to say anythin# a-out it. The *isitin# team was 7uite aware that there was somethin# 7ueer in the air and did not like to dis"uss it. The St. Clare team wondered where Mar#ery was, and looked to see i she was at the ta-le where the irstormers were sittin# eatin# their own tea.
Miss o-erts noti"ed that Mar#ery was missin#. She #uessed what had happened. She had heard all a-out the
Eri"a$s meanness had -een almost or#otten in the e%"itement o the
There was a s"hool meetin# that e*enin#. “ #o in late or it, "an sit at the -a"k,' thou#ht Eri"a. “Then "an slip out halway throu#h or a ew minutes, and "ome -a"k without any one noti"in#. That will =ust #i*e me time to #et to the "ommon room and -a"k.'
So that e*enin#, at halpast se*en, when the meetin# had =ust -e#un, Eri"a slipped in at the -a"k. 5o one noti"ed her, or Miss /alker was speakin#, and e*ery one was listenin#. Mar#ery ;enworthy was at the -a"k too. That was usually her pla"e now 0 at the -a"k or it was horrid to
-e anywhere where people had the "han"e o lookin# so disdainully at you! 5o one saw you i you sat at the -a"k!
Eri"a sat or a while, listenin#. /hen Miss /alker sat down, and Miss 6ewis #ot up to speak, Eri"a slipped out. 5o one saw her at all. She ran at top speed to the empty "ommon room. She went to (at$s "orner o the shel and took down her knittin# -a#.
n it was the halinished =umper, knitted most -eautiully, or (at was *ery proud o it. Eri"a took out the knittin# and pulled the needles rom the wool. She wren"hed at the =umper, and hal the e*en knittin# "ame undone. Eri"a, with a eelin# o real spite, tore at the wool a#ain 0 and it -roke in hal a do8en pla"es! The #irl hurriedly pushed the knittin# into the -a#, and then ran -a"k to the meetin#. Miss 6ewis was still speakin#, in her "lear, sharp tones.
5o one saw Eri"a slip in 0 no one e%"ept Mar#ery, who paid no attention, or she was lost in her own thou#hts. Eri"a hu##ed hersel se"retly, pleased with what she had done. n her mean little soul she re=oi"ed that she had harmed someone who had -rou#ht her to =usti"e.
The meetin# inished. The #irls yawned and stret"hed. (at looked at her wat"h.
“Ei#ht o$"lo"k,' she said. “Time or a #ame o somethin# in the "ommon room. Come on.'
“There$s dan"e musi" on the wireless,' said Doris. “6et$s put that on. want to dan"e!'
“$*e #ot some ;ren"h to inish,' #roaned Sheila. “
“es, doesn$t she,' said sa-el, who had noti"ed the same thin#. “$m #ettin# 7uite s"ared o her!'
They all went -a"k to the "ommon room. The thirdormers went to the -i# room they shared with the ourth orm, and the topormers went to their studies. The time -eore -ed was always "osy and riendly and =olly.
“/hat are you #oin# to do, sa-el&' asked (et. “Shall we inish that =i#saw pu88le Tessie lent us&'
“5o,' said sa-el. “ want to mend a sto"kin#. shall ha*e Matron ater me i don$t. She told me to do it three days a#o and or#ot.'
“All ri#ht. $ll talk to you and knit,' said (at, rea"hin# up to the shel or her -a#. “$m #ettin# on so well with my red =umper. "an$t ima#ine what Mother will say when she sees it! $*e ne*er stu"k at knittin# so lon# -eore.'
“6et$s see what it looks like,' said ?anet, "omin# up. (at took out her knittin# and undid it. The needles dropped to the loor. The wool hun# torn and unra*elled.
“(at!' #asped sa-el, in horror. “(at! t$s all undone! t$s spoilt!'
“4ra"ious #oodness!' said ?anet, takin# a #lan"e at (at$s horriied a"e as she saw her riends ruined work. “/ho$s done that&'
“)h, (at 0 $m so sorry a-out it,' said sa-el, who knew what hard and "areul work (at had put into the =umper. “)h, (at 0 whate*er has happened to it&'
(at stared at her spoilt work. t was a sho"k to her, and she was near tears. She -linked hard and swallowed the lump that suddenly "ame into her throat.
“Some-ody$s done this to me,' she said, in a low *oi"e. “Some-ody$s done it to pay me out.'
“Mar#ery!' said sa-el, at on"e. “She o*erheard what you said a-out not "lappin# or "heerin# her in the mat"h 0 and this is her way o payin# you out. )h, the mean, mean thin#!'
?anet was lushed with an#er. She hated meanness o any kind. “/ell, i she$s done that, she$ll =olly well ha*e to -e hauled up a-out it!' she said. “6ook here, #irls 0 "ome and look at (at$s knittin#.'
The irst and se"ondormers "rowded round. Eri"a "ame too, pretendin# -y -e surprised and sho"ked. She was en=oyin# hersel *ery mu"h. only no-ody #uessed it was she who had done it!
“t is rotten lu"k,' said Tessie. “ know what it eels like e*en to drop a stit"h when you$re tryin# to make somethin# really ni"e.
“ shall =ust ha*e to undo it all and -e#in a #ain, that$s all,' said (at. t had #i*en the #irl a #reat sho"k to think that any one "ould play su"h a mean tri"k on her. eal spite is always horri-le 0 and (at had ne*er "ome a"ross it dire"ted at hersel -eore.
“/ell, what are we #oin# to do a-out Mar#ery&' said ?anet, ier"ely. “She$s #ot to -e dealt with, hasn$t she&'
“/here is she&' said +ilary. ?ust as she spoke Mar#ery "ame into the room with a -ook. She had -een to the s"hool li-rary to #et it. ?anet rounded on her at on"e.
“Mar#ery! Come here! /e$*e all seen your latest display o -ad temper!'
Mar#ery looked surprised. “/hat do you mean, ?anet&' she asked, "oldly.
“)h, don$t pretend like that!' said ?anet. “6ook here 0 do you dare to say you didn$t do that to (at$s knittin#&'
She held up the ruined =umper. Mar#ery stared at it in ama8ement. “) "ourse didn$t,' she said, with 7ueer di#nity. “$m -adtempered and sulky, and there$s not mu"h that$s #ood a-out me, a""ordin# to all o you 0 -ut don$t do mean tri"ks like that. dislike (at, and $d like to #et e*en with her or some o the unkind thin#s she$s done to me 0 -ut not in that way.'
The #irls stared at her. 5o-ody -elie*ed her. (at went red, and put the knittin# -a"k into he r -a#.
“ou did do it, Mar#ery, you know you did!' "ried sa-el, 7uite -eside hersel -e"ause her twin had -een hurt. “ou must ha*e slipped out whilst we were at the meetin# and done it then!'
“5o, didn$t,' said Mar#ert. “t$s true was at the -a"k 0 -ut what$s the #ood o -ein# anywhere else when you all send me to Co*entry, as you do&
“ou$d do anythin#!' said ?anet, s"ornully. “ -et you wouldn$t sti"k at anythin# on"e you #ot your knie into some-ody!'
“ou$re =ust pro*in# the truth o the old sayin# 4i*e a do# a -ad name and han# him,$ ' said Mar#ery. “
+er eyes suddenly illed with tears and she turned away to hide them. Tears were weak. She "ould not -ear any one to see them. She walked out o the room and let a surprised and urious "rowd -ehind her.
“/ell, would you think anyone would ha*e the ner*e to deny it like that&'demanded athleen.
“She$s a-solutely -ra8en!' de"lared Tessie.
“)h, shut up a-out it,' said (at. “6et$s not say any more. /e "an$t pro*e it 0 and thou#h we$re all =olly sure she did it, it$s no #ood #oin# on and on a-out it. t$s hateul, -ut it$s -est or#otten.'
“/ell, it$s de"ent o you to eel like that,' said Doris, #oin# to the wireless. “ wish knew e%a"tly how and when she did it. /ho$d like a little dan"e musi" to "heer us up&'
Soon the wireless was -larin# out dan"e tunes and Doris and ?anet were o%trottin# round the room, doin# all sorts o ridi"ulous steps to make the others lau#h. And the one who lau#hed the loudest was Eri"a.
“/hat lu"k!' she thou#ht. “5o one e*en thou#ht o me 0 and they$*e pinned the -lame on to Mar#ery! 5ow "an think o somethin# else to do to (at, and no-ody will ima#ine it$s any one -ut that -adtempered Mar#ery!'
Chapter 1: The Twins hear a Se"ret
That weekend was halterm. Most o the parents who "ould do so "ame -y train to see their #irls, or motored down to them. Those #irls whose parents were not a-le to *isit them either went out with their riends, or were taken into the ne%t town to see a "inema or play.
Mrs. )$Sulli*an "ame -y "ar, and took (at and sa-el, and also Alison, whose mother "ould not "ome. ?anet went =oyully with her parents on a lon# pi"ni" ride, and took +ilary with her. Mar#ery$s parent did not "ome at all 0 and no one asked her to #o out with them, so she went with Miss o-erts and our other #irls to see the "inema show in the ne%t town.
sa-el was still ull o how (at$s =umper had -een ruined. She poured it all out to Mrs. )$Sulli*an, and Alison "hattered a-out it too. (at said *ery little. She had -een sho"ked and hurt - y it, or she was a riendly #irl and had had ew enemies in her lie.
Mrs. )$Sulli*an listened. “ou are 7uite sure that Mar#ery d id it&' she asked. “Don$t you think you ou#ht to withhold your =ud#ment until you are 7uite "ertain! There is nothin# so dreadul as to a""use a person wron#ly, you know. t makes them *ery -itter 0 and rom what you tell me poor Mar#ery must ha*e already had some unhappiness o some sort in her lie.'
Mrs. )$Sulli*an$s remark made the three #irls eel a little un"omorta-le. They did eel sure that Mar#ery had spoilt the =umper 0 -ut it was 7uite true that they hadn$t any real proo.
5o one said anythin# more 0 -ut pri*ately (at and sa-el de"ided to do as their mother said 0 and not =ud#e Mar#ery until they a"tually had some real proo. Ater all, althou#h she was -ad tempered and rude, she had ne*er shown -eore that she "ould -e either mean or de"eitul. Alison looked at the twins and thou#ht she would do as they did 0 i they told her what that would -e! Alison was #ettin# a little -etter now and hadn$t 7uita su"h a #ood opinion o hersel.
“+allo, (am!' "ried sa-el, seein# her irst. “Are you h a*in# halterm holiday too&'
“+allo, (at, hallo, sa-el 0 and is that Alison!' "ried (am. “es $m at s"hool at St. +ilda$s, and Mother is takin# me to the play here this aternoon or my halterm treat. Don$t say you$re #oin#
too!'
“/ell, we are!' said (at, pleased. “6et$s all #o to#ether, and ha*e tea with one another aterwards.'
The two mothers knew and liked ea"h other, so they appro*ed o this idea. The our #irls and the two #rownups set o to the theatre at halpast two, "hatterin# and lau#hin#, e%"han#in# all their news.
3nortunately their seats were not side -y side in the theatre, so they had to part there 0 -ut arran#ed to meet or tea. And it was at tea that the twins heard some 7ueer ne ws a-out Mar#ery ;enworthy.
(amela was tellin# the twins and Alison a-out some one in her s"hool who had =ust won the re"ord or lon# distan"e runnin#.
“/ell, we$*e a #irl at our s"hool who "ould win any re"ords she liked, should think,' said Alison. “She$s =ust a mira"le at #ames and #ym. +er name$s Mar#ery ;enworthy.'
“Mar#ery ;enworthy!' said (amela, her eyes openin# wide. “ou don$t mean to tell me she$s at St. Clare$s! 4olly! /e all wondered where she$d #one.'
“/hy 0 was she at St. +ilda$s with you last term then&' asked (at, in surprise. “She ne*er will say anythin# a-out the s"hools she has -een to.'
“5o wonder,' said (amela, s"ornully. “She$s -een to a-out si% already!'
“/hy so many&' asked sa-el in ama8ement.
“Can$t you #uess&' said (am. “She$s -een e%pelled rom the whole lot, as ar as "an make out. know that St. +ilda$s stu"k her or two terms 0 and then out she went! She was =ust too un-eara-le or words. So rude in "lass that no mistress would ha*e her!'
The twins stared ar (amela. es 0 that was Mar#ery all ri#ht! So she had -een sent away rom
one s"hool ater another. /hat a dis#ra"e!
“4ood #ra"ious!' said Alison, indin# her ton#ue irst. “/ell, should think she$ll -e sent away rom St. Clare$s soon too. Do you know what she did to (at&'
And out "ame the whole history o the spoilt =umper 0 and then the story o the
“/ell, must say the
“/hat was she e%pelled rom other s"hools or&' asked Alison, ea#erly.
“)h, -ad temper 0 rudeness 0 insu-ordination they "alled it,' said (amela. “She wouldn$t work at all at St. +ilda$s. She$s si%teen, you know. -et she$s only in your orm, (at and sa-el.'
“es, she is,' said (at. “/e thou#ht she must -e si%teen. +er work isn$t e*en up to our orm$s, thou#h. She is always -ottom 0 when Alison isn$t!'
Alison lushed. “Don$t -e mean!' she said. “ ha*en$t -een -ottom or three weeks! $*e -een tryin# hard lately.'
“All ri#ht, eatherhead,' said (at, #ood humouredly. “ think you ha*e -een tryin#. /ell 0 it$s a ra"e -etween you and Doris and Mar#ery who$ll -e -ottom the otenest this term 0 so you$d -etter -u"k up and try a -it harder!'
The three "ousins had plenty to talk a-out as they went -a"k to s"hool in the "ar. They sat at the -a"k whilst Mrs. )$Sulli*an dro*e.
“So Mar#ery is si%teen!' said sa-el. “4olly, isn$t she a dun"e& And an"y -ein# e%pelled so many times! wonder that St. Clare$s took her.'
Mrs. )$Sulli*an "himed in e%pe"tedly. “ any s"hool "an help that misera-le #irl you keep talkin# a-out it should -e St. Clare$s. Miss Theo-ald prides hersel on #ettin# the -est out o the worst 0 and $m 7uite sure she knows all a-out Mar#ery ;enworthy, and is hopin# that St. Clare$s will -e the one s"hool that willl keep her.'
The three #irls were silent. Se"retly they had all -een hopin# that there mi#ht -e the e%"itement o Mar#ery -ein# e%pelled rom St. Clare$s too.
“Mother 0 do you think we$d -etter not tell the other #irls a-out Mar#ery&' asked (at, at last, *oi"in# what the others had -een thinkin# too.
“ "ertainly think there$s no dou-t a-out it,' said Mrs. )$Sulli*an. “/hy should you spread tales a-out the #irl, when, or all you know, she is simply dreadin# any one knowin# her se"ret& ou say she will not tell you what s"hools she has -een to. She doesn$t -oast a-out -ein# e%pelled 0 so she is e*idently ashamed o it. She hasn$t -eha*ed well, -ut think you shouldn$t #i*e her away.'
The twins elt the same. Mu"h as they disliked Mar#ery they didn$t want to spread round the news they had heard.
“t would ha*e -een su"h a -it o news!' she "ouldn$t help sayin#.
“5ow, Alison, i you start to -leat this all o*er the pla"e 0' -e#an (at, "rossly, -ut Alison #a*e her a push.
“
Alison$s eyes were ull o the tears she "ould "all up at a moment$s noti"e.
“Shut up, silly! know you won$t say a word. /e "an trust you all ri#ht, know.'
-ad re"ord was terri-le 0 and they elt Mar#ery mi#ht -e anythin# -ad 0 she mi#ht -e "apa-le o doin# the meanest, horridest thin#s. Ea"h o the #irls -elie*ed she had ruined the =umper, and when any one said so in their hearin#, they all a#reed.
Mar#ery took no noti"e o any one. She was always readin#, and she d id not seem to hear the remarks made -y the #irls in ront o her. +er #oodlookin# a"e was e*en more sullen than usual, and she was the despair o all the mistresses!
Chapter 1F: Eri"a A#ain
Eri"a was ea#erly on the lookout or another tri"k to play on (at or sa-el. she "ould make it appear that it was done -y Mar#ery, so mu"h the -etter!
There was a naturewalk one aternoon. All the irst and se"ondormers had to #o. They were to take their sat"hels with them, with their nature note-ooks, and their tins or "olle"tin# spe"imens.
Miss o-erts and Miss ?enks were #oin# too. The woods were to -e *isited, and the ponds. There should -e 7uite a lot o thin#s to o-ser*e, draw and "olle"t.
The twins were e%"ited a-out the outin#, whi"h was to take up the whole o one aternoon. t was a -rilliantly ine day and the sun was 7uite warm.
“There mi#ht -e early tadpoles or ro#spawn in the ponds,' said (at. “ think $ll take a little =ar in "ase.'
All the #irls prepared their sat"hels and put into them their nature -ooks, their tins and =ars. (at was proud o her nature note-ooks. She had done some -eautiul drawin#s in them, and Miss o-erts had said they were #ood enou#h to -e e%hi-ited at the end o the term.
“$*e =ust #ot one more pa#e to ill,' she said to sa-el. “$ll do it this aternoon. Are you ready& ou$re walkin# with me, aren$t you&'
“) "ourse!' said sa-el. t was no #ood anyone else askin# to walk with either o the twins -e"ause they always went with ea"h other. They preerred ea"h other to any o the other #irls, mu"h as they liked ?anet and +ilary and 6u"y.
All the #irls paired o. 5o one wanted to #o with Eri"a and Mar#ery, and so it "ame a-out that those two ound themsel*es to#ether. They did not like one another and walked in silen"e. Some o the #irls nud#ed ea"h other and #i##led when they saw the silent pair.
“Two -ad e##s to#ether!' #i##led /innie. “ hope they$re en =oyin# ea"h other$s "on*ersation! Doesn$t Mar#ery$s a"e look -la"k 0 she$s in one o her tempers, e%pe"t.'
Mar#ery was eelin# rather illtempered, or she had hoped to walk -y hersel. She did not like -ein# paired o with the mean little Eri"a. So she said nothin#, hopin# that Eri"a would take the hint and lea*e her to hersel as mu"h as possi-le.
The aternoon went on happily in the yellow sunshine. The #irls wandered o*er the woods, and made notes and sket"hes, and "olle"ted twi#s and moss. Some o them ound early primroses and stu"k them into their -uttonholes.
Then they went down to the ponds, and e%"laimed in surprise to see ro#spawn already loatin# at the top o the water.
“ must #et some!' said (at, at on"e.
“ou "an$t,' said sa-el. “t$s too ar in. ou$ll #et your shoes wet.'
(at took a 7ui"k #lan"e round. “/here are Miss o-erts and Miss ?enks& 6ook 0 they$re still at the top o the hill. $*e time to take o my shoes and sto"kin#s and wade in!'
The #irls #i##led. “(at, you do do some awul thin#s!' said ?anet. “Miss o-erts will not -e pleased with you 0 and your eet will -e as muddy as anythin#.'
“;eet "an -e "leaned,' said (at. She took o her sat"hel and hun# it on a post not ar o. She
took out her little =ar and put it down on the -ank. Then she stripped o her shoes and sto"kin#s and waded into the pond.
“)oooo! The water$s =olly "old!' she said. “And it$s mud at the -ottom 0 horrid! )h 0 $*e trodded on a snail or somethin#!'
(at made e*ery one lau#h. All the #irls "rowded round, lau#hin#, wat"hin# her as she waded here and there.
She rea"hed the ro#spawn and -ent down to #et it. t slipped throu#h her in#ers -a"k into the pond. sa-el lau#hed.
“Try a#ain, old #irl!' she "ried. (at did her -est to "at"h the slippery spawn, -ut time ater time it slipped down into the water. Soon all the wat"hin# #irls were in a state o #i##le, and did not see Miss o-erts or Miss ?enks "omin# to the pond!
“(at!' suddenly "ried Miss o-erts$s *oi"e, in horror. “/hat in the world are you doin#& )h, you nau#hty #irl 0 you$ll #et your death o "old, wadin# into the i"y water like that! Come out at on"e!'
“)h, Miss o-erts 0 please, Miss o-erts, let me #et some ro#spawn irst,' -e##ed (at, snat"hin# another handul, that promptly slithered -etween her in#ers -a"k into the pond a#ain.
“(at! /ill you "ome out!' "ried Miss o-erts. “eally, "an$t lea*e you irstormers or a sin#le minute!'
All the #irls -ut two were wat"hin# the s"ene with the #reatest interest and amusement. Those two were Eri"a and Mar#ery. Mar#ery had stayed -ehind in a ield to wat"h some horses plou#hin# 0 and Eri"a had dawdled too.
Eri"a heard the lau#hter #oin# on and hastened to see what the e%"itement was.
Eri"a took a 7ui"k look at the pond. 5ot a sin#le #irl was soloin# her way. Anyway, she was out o si#ht, -ehind the hed#e. She looked up to see where Mar#ery was.
2ui"k as li#htnin# Eri"a took the sat"hel o the post and opened it. Down into the mud she lun# all (at$s pre"ious nature -ooks, and her tins o nature inds. She #round the -ooks into the mud with her heel and stamped on the tins.
She lun# the sat"hel into the hed#e. Then, as silently as she "ould, she ran -ehind the hed#e and "ame up to the pond rom the opposite dire"tion. 5o one noti"ed her. /hen Tessie saw her there she ima#ined that Eri"a had -een there all the time.
(at was wadin# out o the water. +er eet was terri-ly "old. She took out her handker"hie and dried them, and Miss o-erts slapped them well to #et the "ir"ulation -a"k. Then she made (at put on her shoes and sto"kin#s and run up the hill and -a"k to warm hersel.
“And ater all that didn$t #et any ro#spawn!' said (at, sorrowully, as she re=oined the others, her eet tin#lin#. “/here$s my sat"hel& /here did put it&'
“)*er there on the post,' said sa-el, turnin# to point.
“/ell, that$s unny,' said sa-el. “ saw you put it there. 6ook 0 there$s Mar#ery near-y. Mar#ery!
“/hat$s that in the hed#e&' suddenly said Sheila, pointin#. +er sharp eyes had seen the -i# -rown sat"hel there.
“4olly! t$s my sat"hel!' said (at, in astonishment. “+ow did it #et there&'
She ran to #et it 0 and then saw the note-ooks stamped down into the mud 0 and the dented tins with their little "olle"tions spilt on the #round. She said nothin#, -ut there was somethin# in her a"e that made all the #irls run towards her.
“/hat$s up, (at&' asked sa-el 0 and then she too saw what had happened. There was a-solutely no dou-t at all -ut that some spiteul hand had done the mis"hie. There was the hal imprint o a muddy oot on the e%er"ise -ook 0 and some one had stamped on the tins!
“t 0 it "ouldn$t ha*e -een a "ow or somethin#, "ould it&' said sa-el, hatin# to think that some one
had done this to her twin.
?anet shook her head. “5o, o "ourse not. think we all know who did it 0 thou#h we didn$t see.'
All the #irls looked at Mar#ery, who was standin# near-y, lookin# as surprised as the others. “/ho was the only one not at the pool&' said ?anet. “Mar#ery! /hy did she stay -ehind& To play this -eastly tri"k, suppose!'
“4irls! /hat is the matter&' asked Miss o-erts, "omin# up. “)h, (at 0 are those your -ooks in the mud& +ow "areless! And all your -eautiul drawin#s spoilt too. +ow did that happen&'
“ don$t know, Miss o-erts,' said poor (at, red with dismay. She "ould not -rin# hersel to sneak on Mar#ery, e*en at that moment. Miss o-erts saw that somethin# serious was the matter, and "ould hear Mar#ery$s name -ein# whispered around her.
“/ell, pi"k up your thin#s 7ui"kly,' said Miss o-erts, lookin# at her wat"h. “ou ha*e made us late with your paddlin#. +urry now. This matter "an -e settled later on.'
The #irls walked 7ui"kly home. Eri"a had to walk with Mar#ery. She was pleased that her mean tri"k had "ome o so well, and that Mar#ery had on"e a#ain -een -lamed or what was not her ault. Mar#ery walked as i she was in a dream. She simply "ould not understand who had done these thin#s, or she knew 7uite well that she had not! /ho "ould -e so ama8in#ly mean as to do them 0 and then let some one else take the -lame& 5ot e*en Eri"a, surely!
She took a #lan"e at Eri"a, walkin# -y her side. There was somethin# in the smu# look on the #irl$s a"e that made Mar#ery -e#in to suspe"t her. She remem-ered suddenly how she had noti"ed Eri"a slippin# -a"k into the meetin# the ni#ht the =umper was spoilt. Could it -e Eri"a! She was a mean little sneak 0 e*ery one knew it 0 -ut "ould she -e so hateul as that&
“/ell, it$s some one,' thou#ht Mar#ery, -itterly, “and as usual #et all the -lame. /hat an unlu"ky "reature am!'
That e*enin# ater tea the #irls talked a-out the latest tri"k on poor (at. Mar#ery "ould not -ear their s"ornul #lan"es and went to the s"hool li-rary to pretend to "hoose a -ook.
And whilst she was there Alison let the "at out o the -a#!
“/e didn$t mean to tell this,' she -e#an, lookin# all round, “-ut now that we$*e seen this resh -it o spite rom Mar#ery, $m #oin# to tell you all a -it o interestin# news.'
“Shut up, Alison,' said (at.
“$m not #oin# to shut up,' said Alison, with spirit. “Do you think $m #oin# to stand -y and see these thin#s happen without #ettin# -a"k on Mar#ery i "an& 5ow =ust you listen e*ery-ody!'
All the #irls were silent, listenin# ea#erly. ea#erly. /hat "ould Alison Alison -e #oin# to tell them&
“/e met an old riend o ours at halterm,' said Alison. “She #oes to St. +ilda$s 0 and Mar#ery went there 0 and she was e%pelled rom there!'
There was a -u88 o horror. E%pelled! E%pelled! /hat a dreadul dis#ra"e! And to think she was at St. Clare$s! 5o wonder she would ne*er say what s"hool she had -een to!
“5ot only that,' went on Alison, her eyes lashin# round, “-ut she has -een to i*e or si% s"hools alto#ether 0 and has -een sent away rom ea"h one! Do you wonder she$s -a"kward& Do you wonder she$s still in the irst orm when she$s si%teen!'
A loud loud "hatter -roke out. The #irls were were ama8ed. They "ouldn$t -elie*e itit 0 and yet it was so easy to -elie*e, knowin# Mar#ery!
“/ell, why should St. Clare$s ha*e to ha*e her!' "ried Tessie, Tessie, in indi#nation. “/hy ha*e we #ot to put up with her, $d like to know'
“Turn her out!' "ried +ilary.
“6et$s #o to Miss Theo-ald and say we don$t want to ha*e a #irl like that here!' "ried /innie.
“My mother wouldn$t let me stay here i she knew there was a #irl like Mar#ery here!' said Eri"a.
“ou -e 7uiet,' said Tessie, #i*in# Eri"a a push. She wasn$t #oin# to let mean little Eri"a #i*e hersel airs.
“/ell, now we know all a-out dear Mar#ery!' said Doris. “The #irl who has -een e%pelled rom si% s"hools 0 and will soon -e e%pelled rom the se*enth! And a =olly #ood thin# too. She won$t -e a-le to wreak her spite on (at any more.
There was a sound at the door. The #irls turned. Mar#ery was there, as white as "halk. She had heard what Doris had said, and was i%ed to the spot with horror. So her poor se"ret was out. She didn$t know how the #irls had learnt it 0 - ut e*idently some one had ound out a-out her. And now she would ha*e to lea*e St. Clare$s.
Mar#ery stared at the #irls out o her deep -rown eyes. She opened her mouth to say somethin# -ut no words "ame. She turned round and let the silent #irls there@ they heard her ootsteps tip tappin# un"ertainly alon# the passa#e.
“/ell, we$*e done it now!' said sa-el, eelin# rather s"ared. “The se"ret$s out 0 and the whole s"hool will know tomorrow!'
Chapter 1G: Mar#ery makes a Dis"o*ery
The twins elt most un"omorta-le a-out Mar#ery. et et they "ould not -lame their "ousin or tellin# the #irl$s se"ret. Alison Alison had -een *ery indi#nant a-out the tri"k that had -een played on (at, and it was her way o -a"kin# up her "ousin, to talk a#ainst Mar#ery.
“ say 0 you don$t think Mar#ery will run away or anythin# like that, do you&' said (at, to sa-el. “ou “ou know, sa-el 0 i that sort o thin# happened to me, "ouldn$t stay one moment more at St. Clare$s. simply "ouldn$t. $d ha*e to #o home.'
“May-e Mar#ery hasn$t mu"h o a home to #o to,' said sa-el. “ou know, she she ne*er talks a-out her home as we all do 0 she ne*er says anythin# a-out her mother and ather, or i she has any -rothers or sisters. Does she& t seems rather 7ueer to me.'
“ don$t think we "an lea*e thin#s like this,' said 6u"y )riell, lookin# #ra*e. “ think Miss Theo-ald must ha*e known all a-out Mar#ery 0 and her -ad reputation 0 and think she must ha*e said she would let her try here, at St. Clare$s. And think somethin# else too 0 think that all the mistresses were in the se"ret, and knew a-out Mar#ery 0 and that they ha*e -een asked to -e lenient with her to #i*e her a "han"e.'
The #irls stared at 6u"y$s serious little a"e. She was su"h a sweetnatured #irl that e*ery one listened to her willin#ly. 5o one had e*er known 6u"y say anythin# horrid a-out any one.
“ think you$re ri#ht, 6u"y,' said (at. “$*e oten wondered why Mar#ery seemed to #et away with rudeness and "arelessness 0 whilst we #ot into hot water i we did the same thin#s. knew o "ourse it wasn$t a*ouritism, or no mistress "ould possi-ly like Mar#ery. 5ow 5ow understand.'
“es “es 0 6u"y$s ri#ht,' said +ilary. +ilary. “All the mistresses were in the se"ret, and were tryin# to help Mar#ery, hopin# hopin# she$d turn o*er a new lea, and -e all ri#ht at St. Clare$s. /hat a hope!'
“t$s this meanness "an$t stand,' said (at. “ "an put up with -ad manners and rudeness and e*en sulkiness, -ut =ust hate meanness.'
“es, “es, a#ree with you there,' said ?anet. “ou "an$t do mu"h with a mean nature. /ell 0 what are we #oin# to do a-out Mar#ery& 6u"y, you said we "ouldn$t lea*e thin#s as they are now. /hat do you su##est doin#&'
“ su##est we all sleep on it, and then one or more o us should #o to Miss Theo-ald tomorrow and tell all we know,' know,' said 6u"y. “ Mar#ery "an$t a"e us ater what has happened, then she ou#ht to -e #i*en the "han"e to #o.
“All ri#ht. 6et$s sleep on it,' said ?anet. “My mother always says that$s a #ood thin# to do. Thin#s oten seem dierent ater a #ood ni#ht$s sleep. /ell 0 we$ll do that 0 and tomorrow we$ll #o to Miss Theo-ald and tell her all we know.'
“6u"y must #o,' said +ilary. “She$s #ood at that sort o thin#. She$s #ot no spite in her and "an tell a story airly. (at and sa-el had -etter #o too 0 -e"ause ater all, it$s a#ainst (at that these hateul tri"ks ha*e -een d ire"ted.'
“All ri#ht,' said 6u"y. “$d rather not #o really, -e"ause hate -ein# mi%ed up in this sort o thin#.
The #irls all went to -ed as usual. Eri"a had "omplained o a sore throat and had -een sent to Matron. Matron had taken her temperature, and ound that it was a hundred. So into the sanatorium went Eri"a, where two other #irls were, with -ad "hills.
“ou$*e =ust #ot a "hill too,' said Matron. “5ow drink this, and settle down 7ui"kly into -ed. $ll pop in and see you later. ou$ll pro-a-ly -e normal tomorrow, and "an #o -a"k to s"hool the ne%t day i you$re sensi-le.'
Eri"a didn$t mind at all. She rather liked missin# lessons or a day or two 0 and she elt that it was lu"ky to -e away when all the uss was -ein# made a-out Mar#ery. Eri"a was a mean soul 0 -ut e*en she had -een horriied at the look on Mar#ery$s a"e when she o*erheard what the #irls were sayin# a-out her.
“ wouldn$t ha*e played those tri"ks and made it seem as i they$d -een done -y Mar#ery i $d known the #irls were #oin# to ind out a-out her -ein# e%pelled 0 and -lame the tri"ks on to her as well as despise her or her dis#ra"e,' thou#ht Eri"a, her "ons"ien"e -e#innin# to pri"k her or the irst time. “ wish hadn$t done them now.
Eri"a #ot undressed and into -ed. She was alone in a little room at the top o the sanatorium, whi"h was a separate -uildin# on the west side o the s"hool. n the san. were put any ine"tious "ases, any #irls with measles and so on, or who had pe rhaps sprained an ankle. +ere Matron looked ater them and kept them under her eye until they were well enou#h to #o -a"k to their orms.
Eri"a was put into a room alone -e"ause Matron was not 7uite sure i her "old was #oin# to turn to somethin# ine"tious. There had -een a "ase o measles amon# the )akdene #irls who had played the mat"h a#ainst St. Clare$s, and the mistresses had -een on the wat"h in "ase any o their own #irls should ha*e "au#ht it rom the )akdene #irl.
So Eri"a was not put with the two #irls who had "hills, in "ase -y any "han"e she was -e#innin# to #et measles, whi"h she hadn$t had.
t was a ni"e little room, welltu"ked away at the top o the san. Eri"a looked out o the window -eore she #ot into -ed and saw a sky ull o stars. She drew -a"k the "urtains so that the sun "ould "ome in the ne%t mornin# and then #ot into -ed.
Matron "ame alon# with a hotwater -ottle and some hot lemon and honey. Eri"a en=oyed it. Then Matron tu"ked her up, swit"hed o the li#ht, and let her to #o to sleep.
Eri"a was soon asleep. +er "ons"ien"e did not keep her awake, or it was not a *ery li*ely one. (at or sa-el had done the thin#s that Eri"a had done lately, neither o them would ha*e -een a-le to sleep at ni#ht -e"ause o eelin# mean and wret"hed.
The other #irls slept soundly. Someone snored a little. Mar#ery turned o*er to her let side and shut her eyes. only she "ould #o to sleep! only she "ould stop thinkin# and thinkin#! /hat was #oin# to happen tomorrow& 5ow that all the #irls knew a-out her, thin#s would -e terri-le.
She "ouldn$t #o home. She "ouldn$t run away -e"ause she only had a ew shillin#s. There was simply nothin# she "ould do -ut stay and -e misera-le 0 and when she was misera-le she didn$t "are a-out anythin# in the world, and that made her rude and "areless and sulky.
“There isn$t any way out or me,' thou#ht the #irl. “There$s simply nothin# "an do. only there was somethin# 0 some way o es"ape rom all this.
She turned o*er on to her ri#ht side, and shut her eyes a#ain.
“$ll #et mysel a drink o water,' said Mar#ery, sittin# up. “May-e that will help me to #o to sleep.'
She put on her dressin# #own and slippers and ound he r tor"h. She swit"hed it on. ts li#ht showed her the sleepin# orms o the other #irls. 5o one stirred as she went down -etween the "u-i"les to the door.
She opened the door and went out into the passa#e. There was a -athroom not ar o, with #lasses. She went there and illed a #lass with water. She took it to the window to drink it.
And it was whilst she was standin# there, drinkin# the i"y"old water that she saw somethin# that pu88led her. She or#ot to inish the water, and set the #lass down to peer out o the window.
The -athroom window a"ed the sanatorium, whi"h was a ourstorey -uildin#, tall and rather narrow. t was in "omplete darkness e%"ept at one pla"e.
A li"kerin# li#ht showed now and a#ain rom hi#h up on the third storey. t "ame rom a window there. Mar#ery pu88led o*er it. She tried to think what it "ould -e.
“t looks like li"kerin# ireli#ht,' she thou#ht. “
She wat"hed or a little while, tryin# to make "ertain.
“$d -etter #o -a"k to -ed,' said Mar#ery to hersel, shi*erin#. “t$s pro-a-ly the room where Eri"a is 0 and Matron has #i*en her a ire in the -edroom or a treat. t$s the li"kerin# #low "an see.'
So -a"k to -ed she went 0 -ut she kept worryin# a little a-out that "urious li#ht 0 and in the end she #ot out o -ed on"e more to see i it was still there.
And this time, lookin# out o the -athroom window, she knew without any dou-t what it was. t was ;ire, ;ire, ;ire!
Chapter 1H: A /onderul es"ue
As soon as Mar#ery saw the li#ht or the se"ond time, she #a*e a shout. The whole o the stair"ase window was li#hted up, and lames were shootin# out o it!
“;ire!' yelled Mar#ery, and darted o to Miss o-erts$s room. She hammered on her door.
“Miss o-erts! Miss o-erts! 2ui"k, "ome and look! The san. is on ire! )h, 7ui"k!'
Miss o-erts woke with a =ump. +er room a"ed on to the san. and she saw at on"e what Mar#ery had =ust seen. Dra##in# on a dressin##own she ran to the door. Mar#ery "lut"hed hold o her.
“Miss o-erts! Shall #o and see i Matron knows! $m sure she doesn$t!'
“es, run 7ui"kly!' said Miss o-erts. “Don$t wake any o the #irls in this -uildin#, Mar#ery 0 there$s no need or them to know. +urry now. $ll #et Miss Theo-ald and we$ll =oin you.'
Mar#ery tore down the stairs and undid the side door. She ra"ed a"ross the pie"e o #rass that separated the san. rom the s"hool. She hammered on the door there and shouted.
“Matron! Matron! Are you there!'
Matron was ast asleep on the se"ond loor. She didn$t wake. t was 2ueenie, one o the #irls in -ed with a "hill who heard Mar#ery shoutin#. She ran to the window and looked out.
“/hat is it, what is it&' she "ried.
“The san. is on ire!' shouted Mar#ery. “;lames are "omin# out on the storey a-o*e you. /ake Matron!'
The #irl darted into the Matron$s room. She shook her hard, "allin# to her in ri#ht. Matron woke
up in a hurry and pulled on a "oat.
Miss Theo-ald appeared with some o the other mistresses. Some one had telephoned or the ireen#ine. 4irls appeared rom e*erywhere, in spite o mistresses$ orders to #o -a"k to -ed.
“4ood #ra"ious! 4o -a"k to -ed when there$s a pere"tly #ood ire on!' said ?anet, who, as usual, was ea#er to en=oy any e%perien"e that "ame her way.
“4olly, $*e ne*er seen a ire -eore! $m #oin# to en=oy this one. 5o-ody$s in any dan#er!'
4irls swarmed all o*er the pla"e. Matron tried to ind the three who had had "hills 0 2ueenie, ita and Eri"a. “They mustn$t stand a-out in this "old ni#ht air,' she said, *ery worried. “)h, there you are, 2ueenie. ou are to #o at on"e to the se"ondorm dormitory and #et into the irst -ed you see there. s ita with you 0 and where is Eri"a&'
“ita$s here,' said 2ueenie, “and think saw Eri"a somewhere.'
“/ell, ind her and take he r to -ed at on"e,' ordered Matron. “/here are the two maids' Are the sae&'
es, they were sae. They were shi*erin# in their "oats near-y, wat"hin# the lames #ettin# -i##er and -i##er.
“Matron, is e*ery one out o the sanatorium&' asked Miss Theo-ald. “Are you sure& All the #irls& The maids& Any one else&'
“$*e seen 2ueenie,' said Matron, “and ita 0 and 2ueenie said she saw Eri"a. Those are the only #irls had in. And the two maids are out. They are o*er there.'
“/ell, that$s all ri#ht then,' said Miss Theo-ald, in relie. “)h, wish that ireen#ine would hurry up. $m araid the ourth storey will -e "ompletely -urnt out.'
2ueenie had not seen the ri#ht Eri"a. She had seen a #irl "alled Eri"a, who was in the ourth orm, and she had not known that Matron meant Eri"a o the se"ondorm. Eri"a was still in the
san.
5o one knew this at all until suddenly Mam$8elle #a*e a s"ream and pointed with a trem-lin# hand to the window o the top storey.
“)h, 7ue "$est terri-le!' she "ried. “There is some one there!'
(oor Eri"a was at the window. She had -een awakened -y the smell o smoke, and had ound her -edroom dark with e *ilsmellin# smoke that "rept in under and around her door. Then she heard the "ra"klin# o lames.
n a terri-le ri#ht she had =umped up and tried to swit"h on her li#ht.
She ran to the oor 0 -ut when she opened it a #reat roll o smoke unolded itsel and almost "hoked her. There was no way out down the stair"ase. t was in lames.
The ire had -een started -y an ele"tri" wire whi"h had smouldered on the stair"ase, and had kindled the dry wood near-y. The stair"ase was old and soon -urnt ier"ely. There was no way out or Eri"a. She tried to run into the ne%t room, rom whose window there was a irees"ape 0 -ut the smoke was so thi"k that it "hoked her and she had to run -a"k into her own room. She shut the door and rushed to the window.
She threw it open, and thankully -reathed in the pure ni#ht air. “+elp!: she shouted, in a weak *oi"e. “+elp!'
5o one heard her 0 -ut Mam$8elle saw her. E*ery one looked up at Mam$8elle$s shout, and a deep #roan went up as they saw Eri"a at the window.
Miss Theo-ald went pale, and her heard -eat ast. A #irl up there! And the stair"ase -urnin#!
“The ireen#ine isn$t here,' she #roaned. “ only we had the irees"ape to run up its ladder to that hi#h window! )h, when will it "ome&'
Some one had ound the #arden hose and was playin# water on the lames.
“+elp! Sa*e me! )h, sa*e me!' She "ould see all the "rowd o people -elow and she "ould not think why some one did not sa*e her. She did not reali8e that the ireen#ine had not yet "ome, and that there was no ladder lon# enou#h to rea"h her.
“/here is the lon# #arden ladder&' "ried Mar#ery, suddenly, seein# a #ardener near-y. “6et$s #et it. May-e we "an send a rope up or somethin#, e*en i the ladder isn$t lon# enou#h!'
The men ran to #et the lon#est ladder. They set it up a#ainst the wall and one o them ran up to the top.
“t$s no #ood,' he said, when he "ame down. “t$s impossi-le to rea"h, / here$s that ireen#ine& t$s a lon# time "omin#.'
“t$s -een "alled out to another ire,' said on"e o the mistresses, who had =ust heard the news. “t$s "omin# immediately,'
“mmediately!' "ried Mar#ery. “/ell, that$s not soon enou#h. Eri"a will soon -e trapped -y the lames.'
“ou "an$t do anythin#, you silly #irl!' "ried the +ead Mistress. “Come down!'
E*ery one wat"hed Mar#ery as she "lim-ed to the *ery top o the ladder. The lames li#hted up the whole s"ene now, and the dark i#ure o the "lim-in# #irl "ould "learly -e seen.
“/hat does she think she "an do&' said Miss o-erts, in despair. “She$ll all!'
iron pipe. May-e she "ould swarm up that and #et to Eri"a$s window. /hat was she #oin# to do when she didn$t know 0 -ut she meant to do somethin#!
She rea"hed the top o the ladder. She put out a hand and "au#ht hold o the stron# iron pipe hopin# that it was well nailed to the wall. ;ortunately it was. Mar#ery swun# hersel rom the ladder to the pipe, "lut"hin# hold o it with her knees, and holdin# or dear lie with her hands.
And now all her trainin# in the #ym stood her in #ood stead. All the s"ores o times she had "lim-ed the ropes there had stren#thened her arms and le#s, and made them *ery steady and stron#. t was ar more dii"ult to "lim- an unyieldin# pipe than to swarm up a pliant rope, -ut Mar#ery "ould do it. 3p the pipe she went, pullin# hersel -y her arms, and "lin#in# with her knees and eet. Eri"a saw her "omin#.
“)h, sa*e me!' "ried the #irl, almost mad with ri#ht. Mar#ery "ame up to the window. 5ow was the most dii"ult part. She had to #et saely rom the pipe to the windowsill.
“Eri"a! +old on to somethin# and #i*e me a hand!' yelled Mar#ery, holdin# out her hand a-o*e the windowsill. “ you "an #i*e me a pull "an #et there.'
Eri"a #a*e her hand to Mar#ery. She held on to a hea*y -ook"ase =ust inside the room, and Mar#ery swun# hersel stron#ly a"ross to the sill rom the pipe. She put up a knee, #ra8in# it -adly on the sill, -ut she did not e*en eel the pain. n hal a moment she was inside the room. Eri"a "lun# to her, weepin#.
“5ow don$t -e silly,' said Mar#ery, shakin# hersel ree and lookin# round the room, illed with dense -la"k smoke. The lames were already =ust outside the door and the loor elt hot to her eet. “There$s no time to lose. /here$s your -ed&'
Eri"a pointed throu#h the smoke to where her -ed was. Mar#ery ran to it, "hokin#, and dra##ed the sheets and -lankets o it. She ran -a"k to the window and leaned her head outside to #et some resh air. Then she 7ui"kly tore the sheets in hal.
“)h, what are you doin#&' "ried Eri"a, thinkin# that Mar#ery was 7uite mad. “Take me out o the window with you!'
“ will in a moment,' said Mar#ery, as she knotted the sheetstrips irmly to#ether. There were our lon# strips. Mar#ery looked or somethin# to tie one end to. As she looked, the door ell in with a "rash, and lames "ame into the room.
“)h, 7ui"k, 7ui"k!' "ried Eri"a. “ shall =ump!'
“5o, you won$t,' said Mar#ery. “ou$re #oin# to -e sa*ed 0 and *ery 7ui"kly too. 6ook here 0 see how $*e knotted this sheet 0 and tied it to the end o your -ed. +elp me dra# the -ed to the window. That$s ri#ht.'
Mar#ery threw the other end o the sheetstrips out o the window. The end almost rea"hed the top o the ladder! There was no need to "lim- down the pipe this time!
Mar#ery sat hersel on the windowsill and made Eri"a "ome -eside her.
“5ow, do you think you "an "lim- down this sheetrope $*e made&' said Mar#ery to the trem-lin# Eri"a. “6ook 0 it should -e 7uite easy.'
“)h, no, "an$t, "an$t,' so--ed Eri"a, terriied. So Mar#ery did a *ery -ra*e thin#. She took Eri"a on her -a"k, and with the ri#htened #irl "lin#in# ti#htly to h er, her arms holdin# ast, she -e#an to "lim- down the sheetrope hersel. 6u"kily the sheets were new and stron#, and they held well.
Down went Mar#ery and down, her arms almost pulled out o their so"kets with Eri"a$s wei#ht. She elt with her eet or the ladder, and oh, how thankul she was when at last she elt the top run#, and a loud *oi"e "ried, “/ell done, miss! $*e #ot you!:
The #ardener at the top o the ladder rea"hed or Eri"a, and took hold o her. +e helped the weepin# #irl down, and Mar#ery slid down the ew remainin# eet o the sheet rope.
/hat happened ne%t no-ody e*er knew. t was likely that Mar#ery was tired out with her ama8in# "lim- and e7ually ama8in# res"ue, and that her eet slipped on the ladder 0 or somehow or o ther she lost her -alan"e, and hal slid, hal ell down the ladder. She ell on the #ardener, who helped to -reak her all a little 0 -ut then she slid ri#ht o the ladder to the # round se*en or ei#ht eet -elow.
(eople rushed to her 0 -ut Mar#ery lay still. She had stru"k her head a#ainst somethin# and was 7uite un"ons"ious. Careul hands "arried her into the -i# s"hool =ust as the ireen#ine rum-led
up with a #reat "lan#our o its -i# -ell. n one minute, stron# =ets o water was pourin# on to the lames, and in i*e minutes the ire was under "ontrol.
The #irls were ordered -a"k to -ed, and this time they went.
“Mar#ery! /asn$t she wonderul& She sa*ed Eri"a$s lie. ;an"y her "lim-in# that pipe like that. 6et$s pray she isn$t mu"h hu rt. Mar#ery! /ell, wasn$t she wonderul!'
Chapter 1I: A Conession
The ne%t mornin# e*ery one wanted to know how Mar#ery was. A ew remem-ered to ask a-out poor Eri"a, -ut it was Mar#ery that people worried a-out.
“She$s -roken her le#! (oor old Mar#ery! And she$s hurt her head too, -ut not *ery -adly. She$s in the dressin#room o Miss Theo-ald$s own -edroom. Miss Theo-ald is terri-ly proud o her!'
“ don$t wonder!' said ?anet, who always intensely admired -ra*ery o any sort. “ don$t "are now what Mar#ery has -een like or the past ew weeks. $*e or#otten it all! A #irl who "an do a -i# thin# like that "an -e as rude and sulky as she likes, or all "are!'
“And now ind it more dii"ult than e*er to think that Mar#ery "an ha*e played any mean tri"ks,' said 6u"y. “ simply "an$t help thinkin# we made a mistake o*er that. t must ha*e -een some one else! Coura#e o the sort that Mar#ery showed last ni#ht ne*er #oes with a mean nature 0 ne*er, ne*er, ne*er! t$s impossi-le.'
“ wish we knew or "ertain,' said Alison, who was now eelin# *ery #uilty -e"ause she had told Mar#ery$s se"ret, and had let the #irls know that she had -een e%pelled rom so many s"hools.
They did know, *ery soon, who was the #uilty one. t was 6u"y who ound out. She went to see Eri"a who was in a little room o one o the dormitories, not mu"h the worse or her ad*enture e%"ept that she was *ery sorry or hersel.
Somethin# had happened to Eri"a -esides the ire. She had lain awake all that ni#ht, thinkin# o it 0 and thinkin# o Mar#ery, who had res"ued her.
And her "ons"ien"e had "ome *ery mu"h ali*e! To think that the #irl who had so -ra*ely sa*ed her lie was the #irl who had -een takin# the -lame or Eri"a$s own meanness! Eri"a$s "heeks -urned when she thou#ht o it. She wished it had -een any o ther #irl -ut Mar#ery who had res"ued her.
6u"y "ame to see her at the end o mornin# s"hool. 5o-ody had -een allowed to see Mar#ery, who was to -e kept 7uite 7uiet or a ew days. 5o one had wanted *ery mu"h to see Eri"a 0 -ut kindhearted 6u"y, as usual, thou#ht o the #irl lyin# alone in the little room, and asked Matron i she "ould see her.
“es, o "ourse,' said Matron. “She$s normal this mornin# and there$s nothin# wron# with her e%"ept a -it o "old and sho"k. t will do her #ood to see you.'
So 6u"y went into the little room and sat down -eside Eri"a. They talked or a while, and then Eri"a asked -out Mar#ery. She did not look at 6u"y as she asked, or she elt *ery #uilty.
“+a*en$t they told you a-out Mar#ery&' said 6u"y, in surprise. “)h, poor thin#, she$s -roken her ri#ht le#. That means no more #ym or #ames or her or some time 0 and as they are the only thin#s she "ares a-out, she$s #oin# to ha*e a pretty thin time. She hit her head on somethin# too, -ut not *ery -adly. She was a heroine, Eri"a!'
Eri"a was terri-ly upset. She had thou#ht that Mar#ery was 7uite all ri#ht, and had pi"tured her re"ei*in# the praise o the whole s"hool. And now ater all she was in -ed with a -roken le# and a -ad head!
Eri"a turned her a"e to the wall, tryin# to think the matter our. She looked so misera-le that 6u"y was tou"hed. She didn$t like Eri"a, -ut misery o any kind must -e "omorted.
She took Eri"a$s hand. “Don$t worry a-out it,' she said. “+er le# will mend 0 and she will -e 7uite all ri#ht a#ain. /e are all *ery proud o her.'
“Do you 0 do you still think she did those mean thin#s&' asked Eri"a, not lookin# at 6u"y.
“5o, don$t,' said 6u"y at on"e. “Those kind o tri"ks don$t #o with a stron# and earless nature like Mar#ery$s. She$s #ot plenty o aults 0 and -ad ones too 0 -ut she has no petty, mean aults, as ar as "an see.'
Matron popped her head round the door. “Come alon# now, 6u"y,' she said. “our ten minutes is up.'
“)h, don$t #o yet, don$t #o yet!' said Eri"a, "lut"hin# 6u"y$s hand, and eelin# that she did not want to -e let alone with her own thou#hts.
And then Eri"a had a *ery -ad time indeed. t is hard enou#h when any one thinks "ontemptuously o us 0 -ut ar worse i we ha*e to despise oursel*es. And that is what poor Eri"a ound hersel doin#. She saw hersel "learly 0 a mean, small, spiteul little "reature, insin"ere and dishonest, and she didn$t like hersel at all.
She turned her a"e to the wall. She would not et any dinner at all, and Matron took her temperature, eelin# worried.
“Are you worryin# a-out somethin#&' she asked. Eri"a$s eyes illed with tears at the kind *oi"e.
“es,' she said desperately. “$m worryin# terri-ly. "an$t stop.'
“Tell me all a-out it,' said Matron, #ently.
“5o,' said Eri"a, and turned her a"e to the wall a#ain.
“Matron! want 6u"y!'
“My dear "hild, she$s in "lass!' said Matron. “She "an "ome and see you at teatime, i you like.'
Eri"a -urst into loods o tears, and so--ed so heartrendin#ly that Matron hurried o*er to her.
“/hate*er is the matter&' she said.
“Matron, et"h 6u"y,' so--ed Eri"a. “)h, do et"h 6u"y.'
Matron went out o the room and sent some one or 6u"y. There was somethin# 7ueer a-out Eri"a$s a"e, and the sooner she told some-ody what was worryin# her, the -etter! 6u"y "ame alon# in surprise.
“Eri"a has somethin# on her mind, 6u"y,' said Matron. “Try to #et her to tell you, will you& +er temperature will shoot up and she$ll -e really ill i she #oes on like this.'
6u"y went into the little room and sat down on Eri"a$s -ed. Eri"a had stopped "ryin#, and her a"e was white and pin"hed. She stared dryeyed at 6u"y.
“/hat$s up, old #irl&' asked 6u"y, her kind little a"e #lowin# with riendliness.
“6u"y! $*e #ot to tell some-ody or $ll #o 7uite mad!' said Eri"a, desperately. “ did all those awul thin#s to (at. t wasn$t Mar#ery. t was me.'
“)h, Eri"a!' said 6u"y, deeply sho"ked. “(oor, poor Mar#ery!'
Eri"a said nothin#. She turned her a"e to the wall a#ain and lay still. She elt ill.
6u"y sat or a moment, takin# in what Eri"a had said. Then with an eort, she took Eri"a$s "old hand. She knew that she must try to -e kind to the #irl, thou#h she "ould hardly -rin# hersel to -e, -e"ause o her pity or what Mar#ery must ha*e #one throu#h.
“Eri"a! $m #lad you told me. ou know that must tell the others, don$t you& /e mustn$t or one more moment think that Mar#ery did those thin#s. /e ha*e a""used her most un=ustly, and treated her *ery unairly. ou see that must tell the others, don$t you&'
“Must you&' said Eri"a, her eyes illin# with tears a#ain. “
“ don$t know, Eri"a,' said 6u"y. “That$s or you to de"ide. ou ha*e -een awully mean and spiteul, /hy don$t you tell Miss Theo-ald, now that you$*e told me, and see what she says&'
“5o, daren$t tell her,' said Eri"a, trem-lin# as she thou#ht o Miss Theo-ald$s stern a"e. “ou tell her, 6u"y. )h, 6u"y 0 want to lea*e here. $*e done so -adly. 5o-ody has e*er liked me mu"h 0 and no-ody will e*er, e*er like me no w. And there won$t -e a "han"e or me to try properly i no-ody eels riendly towards me. $m a "oward, you know. "an$t stand up to thin#s.'
“ know,' said 6u"y, #ra*ely. “
6u"y let Eri"a to her thou#hts. She went to Matron. “Matron,' she said. “Eri"a has told me what$s worryin# her 0 -ut it$s somethin# that ou#ht to tell Miss Theo-ald. Can #o now&'
“) "ourse,' said Matron, thinkin# that 6u"y )riell was one o the ni"est #irls who had e*er "ome to St. Clare$s. “+urry alon# now. $ll send a messa#e to Miss o-erts or you.'
And so it "ame a-out that 6u"y went to Miss Theo-ald with Eri"a$s #uilty se"ret, and related it all to the +ead Mistress in her "lear, riendly little *oi"e. Miss Theo-ald listened #ra*ely, not interruptin# her at all.
“So Mar#ery was a""used wron#ly,' she said. “(oor Mar#ery! She is a most unlu"ky "hild!
“Miss Theo-ald, we know that Mar#ery has -een e%pelled rom many s"hools,' said 6u"y, lookin# the +ead strai#ht in the eyes. “And we ha*e #uessed that the mistresses ha*e -een asked to -e lenient with her to #i*e her a "han"e at St. Clare$s. And althou#h $m a new #irl too do see that any #irl with a -ad re"ord would ha*e a ine "han"e he re to do -etter, -e"ause there$s a wonderul spirit in this s"hool. $*e elt it and lo*ed it. $m so *ery #lad my parents "hose this s"hool to send me to.'
Miss Theo-ald looked at 6u"y$s honest and sin"ere a"e. She smiled one o her rare sweet
smiles.
“And too am #lad that your parents sent you here,' she said. “ou are the type o #irl that helps to make the spirit o the s"hool a li*in# powerul thin#, 6u"y.'
6u"y lushed with pleasure, and elt *ery happy. Miss Theo-ald went -a"k to the matter they had -een dis"ussin#.
“5ow we ha*e to de"ide one or two thin#s,' she said, and at that word “we', 6u"y elt proud and deli#hted. To think that she and Miss Theo-ald to#ether were #oin# to de"ide thin#s!
“A-out Mar#ery. ou shall #o and see her and tell her what you ha*e told me. She must know as soon as possi-le that you ha*e all -een wron# a-out her, and that you know it and are sorry. She must know it was Eri"a too. +ow stran#e that #irl she res"ued should -e the #irl who did her so mu"h wron#! Eri"a must ha*e elt *ery upset a-out it.'
“This will make a #reat dieren"e to Mar#ery,' said 6u"y, her eyes shinin#. “E*ery one will think o her as a heroine now, instead o as a sulky, rude #irl. /hat a "han"e or Mar#ery!'
“es 0 think thin#s may -e easier or her now,' said Miss Theo-ald. “ou may ha*e #uessed that Mar#ery$s home is not 7uite a normal one, 6u"y, and that has made thin#s hard or her. "an$t tell you any more. ou must =ust -e "ontent with that! And now 0 what a -out Eri"a&'
They looked at one another #ra*ely, and 6u"y elt pride swell up in her as she saw Miss Theo-ald trusted her opinion.
“Miss Theo-ald 0 thin#s won$t -e easier or Eri"a,' said 6u"y. “She$s awully weak, you know. She won$t -e a-le to stand up to the #irls$ unriendliness ater this. only she "ould, it would -e the makin# o her.
“es, o "ourse,' said the +ead Mistress. “ "an e%plain thin#s to her mother 0 she has no ather, you know 0 and su##est to Eri"a #oes home or the rest o the term, and then is sent to a resh new s"hool in the summer 0 perhaps with the determination to do a #reat deal -etter! (oor Eri"a! /hat a #ood thin# she at least had the "oura#e to tell you.'
6u"y let the +ead Mistress eelin# "ontented. t was #ood to know that some one wise and kindly had the handlin# o matters su"h as these.
“/here ha*e you -een&' "ried a do8en *oi"es, as she "ame in. “ou missed paintin# 0 and you lo*e that!'
“)h, dear 0 so did,' said 6u"y, sadly. “ or#ot a-out that. /ell 0 "ouldn$t help it.'
“
“$*e heard some interestin# thin#s,' said 6u"y, helpin# hersel to -read and -utter and =am. “$ll tell you in the "ommon room ater tea. $m =ust too hun#ry to talk now. ou must =ust wait!'
Chapter 1J: +elp or Mar#ery
The irst and se"ondormers "rowded into their "ommon room ater tea, ea#er to hear what 6u"y had to say. They knew 7uite well it was somethin# e%"itin#.
6u"t sat on a ta-le and told them e*erythin# in her "lear, "alm *oi"e. There were many interruptions, or the #irls were intensely an#ry when they heard that it was Eri"a who had spoilt (at$s =umper and -ooks 0 and had allowed the -lame to rest on Mar#ery.
“The -east! The hateul -east!:
“$d like to pull all her hair out! do eel a mean pi# to think -lamed poor old Mar#ery!'
“)h, the spiteul "reature! $ll ne*er speak to her a#ain as lon# as li*e!'
“?ust wait till she "omes -a"k to "lass! $ll #i*e her an awul time. And to think that Mar#ery -roke
her le# res"uin# that mean "reature!'
“5ow listen,' said 6u"y, tryin# to stop the yells and shouts. “Do 6STE5! $*e #ot somethin# else to say.'
E*ery one was 7uiet. 6u"y then told them that Eri"a was to #o home 0 not to -e e%pelled in dis#ra"e, -ut simply to #o home and start a#ain somewhere else. “And let$s hope she$s learnt her lesson and won$t -e 7uite so mean in uture,' said 6u"y,
“She$d learn her lesson all ri#ht i only Miss Theo-ald made her "ome -a"k into "lass,' said ?anet, #rimly.
“es, -ut she$d learn it in the wron# way,' ar#ued 6u"y. “She$d =ust -e s"ared and ri#htened out o her lie, and terri-ly misera-le. And And honestly no-ody "an e*er do mu"h #ood i they are s"ared and unhappy.'
“6u"y is always or #i*in# the underdo# a "han"e!' said (at, #i*in# 6u"y a warm hu#. “ou$re “ou$re a #ood sort, 6u"y, old thin#. ou$re 7uite ri#ht, o "ourse.'
And so it "ame a-out a-out that Eri"a Eri"a was not seen a#ain at St. Clare$s, Clare$s, e%"ept on"e -y 6u"y who went to say #ood-ye to her. That was two days later when Eri"a was up a#ain, lookin# pale and unhappy. She was #lad to -e #oin# away 0 -ut dreaded all that her mother would say.
“5ow you =ust tell your mother honestly that you$*e -een a mean and spiteul #irl,' said 6u"y. “And tell her you know it and you$re #oin# to start all o*er a#ain and -e =ust the opposite. ou ou "an, you know! /rite to me ne%t term and tell me how you$re #ettin# on.'
So poor, mean little Eri"a disappeared rom St. Clare$s to start a#ain somewhere else. 5o-ody missed her, and no-ody wa*ed to her as she went down the s"hool dri*e in a ta%i with her trunks. She had made her own punishment, whi"h is always mu"h harder to -ear than any other.
“+ow$s Mar#ery #ettin# on&' Matron was asked a do8en times a day, and at last in despair she put up a -ulletin on her door, whi"h read: 0 “Mar#ery is #ettin# on ni"ely.' ni"ely.'
“4olly! ?ust like royalty!' said ?anet, when she saw the -ulletin. “ou “ou know 0 when the kin# is ill they put a noti"e outside the #ate a-out him.'
6u"y and (at were the irst two allowed to see Mar#ery. They -rou#ht lowers and #rapes and went into the "osy little dressin#room, whi"h was li#hted -y a dan"in# ire.
“+allo, old #irl!' said (at, presentin# the lowers. “+ow$s the heroine&'
“Don$t -e an idiot!' said Mar#ery. “)h, what #lorious daodils! And And oh, how did you know that my a*ourite #rapes were those -i# purple ones!'
“+ere$s somethin# rom sa-el,' said (at, -rin#in# out a =i#saw pu88le. “And ?anet sent you this. E*ery-ody$s #ot somethin# or you, -ut Matron won$t allow too mu"h at on"e.'
Mar#ery lushed with pleasure. She looked at the =i#saw rom sa-el and the -ook rom ?anet. She or#ot the pain in her le# in her deli#ht at -ein# spoilt like this.
“+ow$s Eri"a&' she asked.
“She$s #one,' said 6u"y. “She$s not "omin# -a"k a#ain.'
“4one!' said Mar#ery, startled. “/hy& s she ill&'
“5o,' said 6u"y. “She$s #one -e"ause she "ouldn$t a"e the s"hool now that they know it was she who ruined (at$s =umper and spoilt her -ooks.'
Mar#ery stared in the utmost ama8ement. “
6u"y told her. “And we all owe you a hum-le apolo#y or -ein# so un=ust,' she said. “(lease a""ept it, Mar#ery. /e will make it up to you when you are out and a-out a#ain.'
Mar#ery seldom "ried, -ut the tears tears "ame shinin# into her eyes now. She -linked them away in shame. She did not know what to say or a minute.
“/ell, don$t wonder you thou#ht was the one who did those spiteul thin#s,' she said at last. “$*e -een so awul. And it$s pere"tly true $*e -een e%pelled rom a-out si% s"hools or rudeness and sulkiness.
“Don$t tell us i you don$t want to,' said 6u"y. “
“/ell 0 there$s nothin# mu"h to tell, really, really, suppose,' said Mar#ery, lookin# lookin# into 6u"y$s riendly eyes. “t$s pro-a-ly my own silly ault. ou see 0 my mother died when was little. She was su"h a darlin#. And my ather married a#ain and my stepmother didn$t like me. She said awul thin#s a-out me to my ather and he ti"ked me o like anythin#. 0 lo*ed him awully 0 still do, o "ourse. $d #i*e anythin# in the world to make him ha*e a #ood o pinion o me. +e$s so mar*ellous.'
Mar#ery stopped and -it h er lip. The others said nothin#.
“My stepmother had three -oys, and my ather was terri-ly pleased. +e always wanted -oys. So was pushed into the -a"k#round and made to eel wasn$t wanted. And And o "ourse #ot worse and worse and more and more un-eara-le, suppose. #a*e me stepmother a -ad time, was so rude and hateul. And that made my ather an#ry. So $m the -la"k sheep o the amily, amily, and =ust #ot to eel didn$t "are a-out anythin# at all.'
“And so you were sent to -oardin#s"hool and went on -ein# unpleasant there,' said 6u"y, takin# Mar#ery$s -i# stron# hand in her little one. “)h, Mar#ery 0 $m terri-ly sorry. ou ha*en$t had a "han"e.'
“
“ shan$t tell him,' said Mar#ery. “+e won$t know. +e wouldn$t -elie*e it i anyone did tell him! +e thinks $m no use at all. ou ou know, he$s wonderul 0 so -ra*e and "oura#eous. +e "lim-ed Mount E*erest.'
“4olly!' "ried (at, in astonishment. “ say, he must -e mar*ellous 0 and you take ater him, don$t you& ou ou are so stron#, and so #ood at #ames and #ym 0 and so ri#htully -ra*e too.'
Mar#ery$s eyes suddenly li#hted up. She lay lookin# up at (at as i (at had said somethin# simply mira"ulous.
“ ne*er, ne*er thou#ht o that -eore,' she said. “
Matron "ame in as the "on*ersation rea"hed this interestin# point. She was pleased to see Mar#ery$s happy a"e. “ou$*e done her #ood,' she said. “
The two o them said #ood-ye and went out. (at "au#ht hold o 6u"y$s arm as soon as they were outside the door. +er eyes were -ri#ht.
“6u"y! )h, 6u"y! $*e #ot a most mar*ellous idea.'
“/hat&' asked 6u"y.
“6isten!' said (at. “ou know that there$s a pi"ture o Mar#ery in the lo"al paper, don$t you 0 and a lon# -it tellin# all a-out how she sa*ed Eri"a& /ell 0 $m #oin# to "ut that out and send it to Mar#ery$s ather 0 with a letter tellin# all a-out her and how *ery proud we are o her at St. Clare$s!'
“ say 0 that really is a #ood idea!' said 6 u"y. “ wish $d thou#ht o it. /e "an #et the address rom Miss Theo-ald. My word 0 that will make Mar#ery$s ather sit up a -it 0 to think that St. Clare$s is so proud o her! That will -e a -it dierent rom the opinion o the other s"hools she$s -een to. /ell 0 it$s time Mar#ery had a -it o lu"k. e%pe"t it was partly her own ault she didn$t #et on with her stepmother, -e"ause she is dii"ult 0 -ut the treatment she had at home only turned her rom -ad to worse. +ow silly some parents are! /hen think o my own 0 so kind and understandin# 0 eel =olly sorry or Mar#ery.'
Ater this lon# spee"h the two #irls said nothin# till they rea"hed the "ommon room. Then (at took the lo"al paper and snipped out the para#raph a-out “
“/hat are you doin#&' asked sa-el, "uriously.
“$ll tell you -ut no one else,' said (at. So she told sa-el, and she and h er twin and 6u"y set to work to "ompose the letter to Mar#ery$s ather.
DEA M. ;E5/)T+,
/e know that you are a *ery -ra*e man, -e"ause Mar#ery has told us a-out you. (erhaps you ha*e heard how -ra*e Mar#ery is too, thou#h you may not ha*e -een told all the details. /ell, here they are. Mar#ery "lim-ed up an iron pipe to the windowsill o a -urnin# room, and res"ued a #irl "alled Eri"a. She tore sheets into strips and tied them to the -ed. She "lim-ed down them with Eri"a o*er her shoulder. She ell rom the ladder and -roke her le# and hurt her head. She sa*ed Eri"a$s lie, and is a real heroine. Mar#ery is awully stron#. ou should see her at #ym, and she is almost the -est in the s"hool already at #ames. She won the last mat"h or St. Clare$s. /e think that she must take ater you, -e"ause we are 7uite sure she is already stron# and "oura#eous enou#h to "lim- mountains or anythin# like that. She is #ettin# a -it -etter now, -ut we think she is rather lonely, so it would -e lo*ely i you had enou#h time to spare to "ome a nd see her. /e are all as proud o her as we "an -e, and we hope she will stay at St. Clare$s till she lea*es s"hool alto#ether. /e thou#ht you ou#ht to know all this so that you "ould -e proud o her too.
/ith kind re#ards rom three o Mar#ery$s riends.
(AT A5D SAA5, and 6 3C )E66.
The #irls were 7uite pleased with this letter, and they posted it o the same day. t had an immediate ee"t 0 or the ne%t day Mar#ery had a tele#ram that e%"ited her *ery mu"h. t was rom her ather.
“>ery, *ery proud o you. Comin# to see you today. 6o*e rom Daddy.'
Mar#ery showed the tele#ram to sa-el and told her to tell (at and 6u"y. “$m so happy,' she kept sayin#. “$m so awully happy. ;an"y my ather soarin# the time to "ome and see me. +e$s proud o me too! t$s simply mar*ellous!'
The #irls wat"hed ea#erly or Mar#ery$s ather to arri*e. +e was a inelookin# man, tall, -road shouldered and #oodlookin#. +e was *ery like Mar#ery. +e was shown into Miss Theo-ald$s room, and then taken to Mar#ery.
/hat happened -etween Mar#ery and her ather no-ody e*er knew or "ertain, or Mar#ery #uarded her pre"ious se"ret =ealously. She "ould not e*en tell 6u"y o those wonderul minutes when her ather had taken her into his arms and praised her a nd lo*ed her. E*erythin# had "ome ri#ht. She had at last what she wanted and had missed so mu"h, and in a ew short minutes all that was -est in Mar#ery$s "hara"ter "ame up to the sura"e 0 and stayed there.
“(at 0 sa-el 0 6u"y 0 you wrote to my ather!' said Mar#ery, ne%t day, her eyes shinin# -ri#htly. “+e showed me your letter. ou$re dears, all o you. t$s made all the dieren"e in the world! +e didn$t know a -it what was like 0 and now he does 0 and he$s terri-ly pleased to know am so e%a"tly like him! $m #oin# mountaineerin# with him ne%t hols.! Think o that! And he$s #oin# to let me stay on at St. Clare$s, and then, when $m ei#hteen, $m to #o to a trainin# "olle#e to train to -e a #amesmistress. $*e always wanted to do that.'
“Mar#ery 0 you do look dierent!' said (at, mar*ellin# at the #low in Mar#ery$s #ood lookin# a"e. All the sullenness was #one.
“$ll -e a-le to work well and happily now,' said Mar#ery. “ shan$t -e at the -ottom o the orm any more!'
“5o, you$ll -e shot up into the top orm, e%pe"t, and send or us poor irstormers to make your tea and "lean your -oots!' lau#hed 6u"y. “Don$t you #et too swollenheaded, my #irl! ou$ll hear a-out it rom ?anet, i you do!'
Chapter 1:
Mar#ery was allowed to hop a-out on one le# airly soon, with "rut"hes. Althou#h she had to miss #ames and #ym she didn$t ret at all. 5othin# seemed to matter to her now, she was so "ontented and happy. She worked well, and the mistresses -e#an to like this new, "heerul Mar#ery.
6u"y and she made irm riends. Mar#ery "ould not do enou#h or the merry, riendly 6u"y, who only "ame up to her riend$s shoulder. They were always to#ether, and it was #ood to hear them =okin# and lau#hin#.
“6u"y ou#ht always to -e happy,' said (at, as she wat"hed her helpin# Mar#ery down the passa#e with her "rut"hes. “There$s somethin# simply lo*ely a-out her 0 she$s one o those people you =ust "an$t help likin#.'
“/ell, there$s no reason why she shouldn$t -e happy,' said sa-el. “She$s #ot a lo*ely mother 0 and a amous ather 0 and she$s *ery "le*er and pretty. She =ust lo*es St. Clare$s too. She told me yesterday that she means to -e its head#irl someday. -et she will too.'
Miss Theo-ald was lookin# #ra*e. She held out her hand to 6u"y as the #irl "ame in, and drew her to her.
“6u"y,' she said, “ ha*e some rather -ad news or you. Can you -e -ra*e&'
“es, said 6u"y, her lip trem-lin#. “Tell me 7ui"kly.'
“our ather has -een in a motor a""ident,' said Miss Theo-ald. “+e is -adly hurt. +e wants you to #o to him.'
“+e won$t 0 die 0 will he&' said 6u"y, her a"e *ery white.
“ hope not,' said Miss Theo-ald. “4o and ask one o the #irls to help you p a"k a small -a#, and then will take you to the station. $m sorry, my dear 0 -ut thin#s may not -e so -ad as they appear.
6u"y hurried o and asked Mar#ery to help her. The -i##er #irl was unhappy to see 6u"y so
upset. She put her arm round her and hu##ed her. “Cheer up,' she said. “ou may ind thin#s are all ri#ht. $ll pa"k your -a# or you. ?ust you tell me what you want to take.'
>ery soon poor whitea"ed 6u"y was dri*in# to the station with Miss Theo-ald. The irstormers were sad and su-dued, and Mar#ery missed her riend terri-ly. t seemed all wron# that anythin# like this should happen to merry, riendly 6u"y.
“$m #oin# to pray hard or 6u"y$s ather,' said ?anet. “As hard as "an.'
All the #irls did the same, and thou#ht a #reat deal o 6u"y and wondered what was happenin#. Mar#ery had a letter in our or i*e days. She told the others what it said.
“6u"y$s ather is out o d an#er,' she said. “
The #irls listened in dismay. “t$s terri-ly hard lu"k on him,' said Mar#ery, “and hard lu"k on 6u"y too 0 -e"ause i he "an$t make money - y his portraitpaintin#, there won$t -e any! So 6u"y won$t -e a-le to stay on at St. Clare$s.'
“/hat a shame!' "ried Tessie. “She$s the ni"est #irl that e*er "ame here!'
“And she had planned to -e head#irl one day,' said (at. “)h, #osh 0 what -ad lu"k! (oor old 6u"y. She must -e so terri-ly upset a-out her ather 0 and then to see all her uture "han#ed in a moment like that 0 it must -e terri-le.'
“She$ll ha*e to lea*e s"hool and take a =o-, suppose,' said +ilary. “St. Clare$s e%pensi*e. /hat a pity she "an$t win a s"holarship or somethin#.'
“She "ould i she was in the third orm,' said Tessie. “There$s a s"holarship set there, sittin# or an e%am. at the end o ne%t term 0and the winner has the ri#ht to #o to one o a do8en spe"ial s"hools, ree o ees.'
“
“es, when her ather lea*es the nursin# home in two days$ time,' said Mar#ery, lookin# at the letter. “/e mustn$t -e all o*er her when she "omes -a"k. That would only upset her. 6et$s -e 7uite ordinary and riendly. She$ll know we are eelin# or her all ri#ht.'
6u"y #ot a #reat wel"ome when she "ame -a"k. She was pale and her a"e had #one thin#, -ut she held her head up and smiled her old sweet smile. She "ould -e as -ra*e in her way, as Mar#ery!
The #irls did not say too mu"h to her, and Mar#ery took her o to show her what the "lass had done durin# the week she had -een away. 6u"y took her riend$s arm and s7uee8ed it.
“ou$re so ni"e to me, Mar#ery,' she said. “Thank you. ou sent me a lo*ely letter. t did help. (oor Daddy 0 you "an$t think how -ra*e he is. +e knows he will pro-a-ly ne*er -e a-le to paint a#ain 0 -ut he means to try with his let hand. +e$s so -ra*e. +e -lames himsel terri-ly now -e"ause he ne*er sa*ed any money 0 so Mummy and ha*e #ot hardly any. ou see, he always made as mu"h as he wanted to 0 and spent it all! /E none o us -othered a-out sa*in#, /e thou#ht Daddy "ould always #et as mu"h as he wanted.'
“/ill you really ha*e to lea*e St. Clare$s ater this term&' asked Mar#ery.
“) "ourse,' said 6u"y. “/e "ouldn$t possi-ly aord the ees. "ould only ha*e stayed on mi#ht ha*e won a s"holarship to some other s"hool. As it is $m #oin# to lea*e and Mummy is lookin# out or some sort o a =o- or me. $m 7uite 7ui"k, you know, and "ould learn to -e a se"retary, $m sure.'
“ shall miss you dreadully,' said Mar#ery. “?ust as $*e #ot a riend or the irst time in my lie! )h, wish "ould do somethin# a-out it!:
Mar#ery was not a person to sit down li#htly under misortune, and she pu88led and pu88led a-out how she mi#ht do somethin# to help 6u"y. And then she suddenly #ot an idea. only, only it would work! She told no-ody a-out it at all, not e*en 6u"y, -ut went strai#ht to Miss Theo-ald.
The +ead Mistress had some one with her. She "alled out “Come in!' when Mar#ery kno"ked, and the #irl went in. her #oodlookin# a"e was -ri#ht with her idea, and Miss Theo-ald mar*elled to see the dieren"e in her looks.
“)h, Miss Theo-ald 0 didn$t kno w you had any one with you,' said Mar#ery, in disappointment. “
did want to ask you somethin# *ery -adly.'
Miss /alker, the art mistress, was there. She h ad -een talkin# to the +ead Mistress and had not yet inished. Miss Theo-ald looked at Mar#ery and saw her ea#erness.
“/hat do you want to speak to me a-out&' she asked. “s it anythin# pri*ate&'
“/ell 0 yes, it is rather,' said Mar#ery. “t$s a-out 6u"y.'
“+ow stran#e!' said Miss Theo-ald. “Miss /alker has also -een speakin# to me a-out 6u"y. /ell 0 think you "an say what you want to with Miss /alker here. ou know that she is *ery interested in 6u"y, -e"ause she is so #ood at art.'
“Miss Theo-ald 0 you know 6u"y is #oin# to lea*e ater this term, don$t you&' said Mar#ery. “/ell, she is awully unhappy a-out it, -e"ause she does lo*e St. Clare$s 0 and she is e%a"tly the sort o #irl you want, isn$t she& /e all lo*e her. /ell, Miss Theo-ald, $*e #ot an idea.'
“And what is that&' asked the +ead, tryin# not to smile as Mar#ery almost ell o*er her words in her ea#erness to #et them out.
“Miss Theo-ald, yo do think 6u"y is awully "le*er, don$t you&' said Mar#ery. “She$s always top o our orm, and she$s #ot the most wonderul memory. /hy, she$s only =ust #ot to look at a pa#e and she knows it -y heart!'
“That$s a #it,' said Miss Theo-ald. “ know 6u"y has it. She is *ery lu"ky, /ell 0 #o on, Mar#ery.'
“Don$t you think 6u"y is "le*er enou#h sit or the s"holarship e%am. with the third orm ne%t term&' said Mar#ery, her eyes shinin#. “$m sure she$d win it, -e"ause she$d work so awully hard! Couldn$t you #i*e her a "han"e to do that, Miss Theo-ald& She$s worth it, honestly she is.'
“ou needn$t tell me that,' said Miss Theo-ald. “/e all know that 6u"y is worth helpin#. would keep her on at St. Clare$s at redu"ed ees 0 -ut her parents will not hear o that.
Mar#ery looked dismayed. She had set her heart on her idea. She had elt so "ertain that 6u"y was "le*er enou#h to win any s"holarship, i only she had a ew months to prepare or it!
Miss /alker =oined in the "on*ersation. “ don$t 7uite see how #oin# in or the s"holarship e%am. will help 6u"y to stay on at St. Clare$s!' she said.
“)h, -ut Miss /alker, it will!' "ried Mar#ery. “$*e looked at the list o s"hools that are open to s"holarship #irls ree o ees 0 and St. Clare$s is one o them this year! So o "ourse 6u"y would "hoose St. Clare$s, i she won the s"holarship.'
Miss Theo-ald -e#an to lau#h. Mar#ery was so *ery determined a-out it all. “eally, the runnin# o this s"hool is -ein# taken out o my hands!' she said. “/hat with 6u"y de"idin# what was to -e done a-out Eri"a 0 and writin# that letter to your ather, Mar#ery 0 and now you tellin# me how we "an mana#e to keep 6u"y on 0 eel a +ead Mistress is not really needed at St. Clare$s.'
“)h, Miss Theo-ald, we all know that it$s you that makes the s"hool what it is,' said Mar#ery, #oin# red. “
“/ell, Mar#ery, don$t somehow think it will work,' said Miss Theo-ald. “$m not #oin# to o*erwork a -rilliant -rain like 6u"y$s, two years -elow the s"holarship e%am. a#e unless there is a *ery #reat hope o her winnin# it. Miss /alker has also -een tome with ideas a-out 6u"y 0and we ha*e -een talkin# them o*er.'
“)h, how ni"e o you, Miss /alker!' said Mar#ery who had ne*er *ery mu"h liked the artmistress -eore 0 entirely her o wn ault, or she had ne*er tried at all in Miss /alker$s e%"ellent "lasses! 5ow she elt that she would do anythin# or Miss /alker -e"ause she had taken an interest in 6u"y.
“/ell, my idea was that we should try to keep 6u"y here or a "ouple o years somehow 0 and then let her #o in or an art s"holarship,' said Miss /alker. “+er art is so -rilliant already, that she is -ound to -e an artist o some sort. She must #o to the -est arts"hool in the "ountry 0 -ut she is too youn# yet, didn$t somehow eel wanted her to #o in or shorthand and typin# and #et a =o- as a =unior "lerk somewhere, when she "ould make su"h #ood use o her time here 0 and then win a pla"e at a 6ondon arts"hool.'
“$*e already oered to let 6u"y stay here at redu"ed ees or two years, so that she mi#ht try or an art s"holarship then,' said Miss Theo-ald, “-ut her parents will not hear o it 0 neither will 6u"y either, Mar#ery, thou#h don$t suppose she has told you that. She apparently wants to do her - it in helpin# to keep her amily now that her ather "an$t paint.'
“Miss Theo-ald 0 "ouldn$t you keep 6u"y =ust one more term and let her try or the s"holarship&' said Mar#ery, ea#erly. “Then she "ould -e here or two or three years i she won it 0 and then try or an art s"holarship. She$d #et that easily enou#h!'
“/ell, Mar#ery, we$ll see what "an -e done,' said Miss Theo-ald. “t$s "ertainly an idea hadn$t thou#ht o 0 and $m still not sure it "an possi-ly -e "arried out. shall ha*e to talk to other mistresses and ind out more a-out 6u"y$s "apa-ilities. $ll tell you as soon as we ha*e de"ided somethin#. n the meantime 0 thank you, my dear, or tryin# to -e so helpul. am more #lad than "an say that you "ame to St. Clare$s. /E ha*e helped you, know 0 and now you are #oin# to help us tremendously.'
Chapter 1: And A 6ittle 4ood 6u"k Too
Mar#ery let the drawin# room on her "rut"hes, her a"e -ri#ht with hope. Surely, surely, somethin# would -e arran#ed or 6u"y now! She did not say a word to anyone a-out what she had su##ested, least o all to 6u"y, in "ase nothin# "ame o it.
“ know Miss Theo-ald will keep her word and look into the idea thorou#hly,' thou#ht Mar#ery, as she looked a"ross the "lassroom at 6u"y$s rather sad little a"e. 6u"y was -ra*e 0 -ut she "ould not help eelin# sad now. Thin#s looked so dierent. All her -ri#ht uture was #one.
Miss Theo-ald kept her word. She "alled a meetin# o the irst, se"ond and thirdorm mistresses, and o Mam$8elle and Miss 6e wis, the history tea"her, too. She told them shortly what Mar#ery had su##ested.
They talked the matter out thorou#hly. All the tea"hers liked 6u"y )riell and admired her 7ui"k -rain and wonderul memory. Miss 6ewis said at on"e that she "ould "oa"h 6u"y or the history se"tion o the e%am., and she was "ertain that 6u"y would e%"el in that, whate*er she did in other su-=e"ts.
“And her ;ren"h is already pere"t!' said Mam$8elle. “She has spent many o her holidays in ;ran"e, and she speaks ;ren"h almost as well as do!'
Mathemati"s were 6u"y$s weak point. She did not like them and ound them dii"ult, thou#h e*en here her 7ui"k -rain helped her o*er dii"ulties.
“ "ould #i*e her spe"ial "oa"hin# there,' she said. “The "hild is worth e%tra trou-le, know do no "oa"hin# now, -e"ause the runnin# o the s"hool takes all my time 0 -ut would make an e%"eption or 6u"y )riell.'
The meetin# ended ater an hour and the mistresses went to their *arious rooms. Mar#ery, who knew that the mistresses had -een summoned to Miss Theo-ald$s room, wondered and wondered i they had -een talkin# a-out 6u"y. She soon knew, or Miss Theo-ald sent or her.
“/ell, Mar#ery,' said the +ead, "omin# to the point at on"e. “/e$*e -een dis"ussion 6u"y$s uture 0 and we think you are ri#ht 0 we think it is possi-le that she mi#ht win the s"holarship, So ha*e written to her parents and put the idea -eore them. /e must see what they say.'
The answer "ame -y telephone the ne%t day. Mrs. )riell had -een deli#hted with the +ead$s su##estion. She knew how *ery mu"h 6u"y had wanted to stay on at St. Clare$s 0 and i there really was a "han"e that the #irl "ould win a s"holarship and stay there without the payment o ees, #oin# on to an arts"hool aterwards, then she should "ertainly -e #i*en the "han"e. “$m so #lad you think that, Mrs. )riell,' said Miss Theo-ald, pleased. “Thank you or lettin# me know so soon. will tell 6u"y toni#ht.'
Miss Theo-ald sent or 6u"y and in a ew words told her what was su##ested. The #irl listened with shinin# eyes. t all seemed too #ood to -e true, ater her terri-le disappointment and sho"k.
“)h, Miss Theo-ald 0 thank you *ery *ery mu"h!' she said. “$ll do my -est, promise. $ll work terri-ly hard 0 all the holidays too. $ll win that s"holarship somehow, and stay on here. t nearly -roke my heart to think $d ha*e to lea*e =ust when was so happy!:
“/ell, that$s settled then,' said Miss Theo-ald. “ ha*e dis"ussed the whole thin# with the other mistresses, and they are #oin# to #i*e you spe"ial "oa"hin#. shall take you or maths. Mysel, and we must -e#in this *ery week, or e*ery day$s work will "ount. will draw up a spe"ial time ta-le or you, -e"ause you will -e takin# dierent "lasses now. ou must not -e oolish and work too hard, thou#h! think must tell Mar#ery ;enworthy to keep and eye on you and make you take a rest when you #et o*ertired!'
“)h 0 won$t Mar#ery -e pleased!' "ried 6u"y, thinkin# o her riend with pleasure. “ shall tell her
irst o all.'
“es 0 she will -e deli#hted,' said Miss Theo-ald. “4o and ind her now.'
6u"y rushed o and ound Mar#ery in the "ommon room with one or two others. She poun"ed on her riend and made her =ump.
“Mar#ery! 6isten! $*e #ot the most mar*ellous news!' she "ried. “ou won$ t-elie*e it! $m stayin# on at St. Clare$s!'
“)h 6u"y! Are you #oin# to -e allowed to #o in or the s"holarship e%am. then&' "ried Mar#ery, wishin# her le# was -etter, so that she mi#ht dan"e around.
“/hy, Mar#ery 0 what do you know a-out it&' said 6u"y, in astonishment.
“
“/hat a riend you are!' said 6u"y, wonderin#ly, as she looked into Mar#ery$s stron#, determined a"e. “+ow lu"ky am to ha*e you! ;an"y you #oin# to all that trou-le or me. )h, Mar#ery, $ll ne*er ne*er or#et this. $ll remem-er your kindness all my lie lon#.'
“Don$t -e silly,' said Mar#ery. “$m the lu"ky one, not you! /hy, now shall ha*e you here at St. Clare$s with me, instead o -ein# all a lone. The only thin#s is 0 you will ha*e to work so terri-ly hard. shall ha*e to keep my eye on you and see that you #et some un sometimes!:
“+ow unny 0 that$s =ust what Miss Theo-ald said!' said 6u"y, lau#hin#. “/ell, with the mistresses lookin# ater my work and you lookin# ater my play, should -e all ri#ht, shouldn$t &'
“/hat$s the matter&' "ried (at, orm her "orner o the room. “/hat are you two talkin# a-out in su"h e%"itement& +as one o you #ot a >ery 4ood$ rom Mam$8elle&'
“5ot likely, these days!' said Mar#ery. t was 7uite a =oke that Mam$8elle ne*er #a*e any one a
>ery 4ood now. “5o 0 the e%"itement is 0 that 6u"y is stayin# on here ater all 0 a nd #oin# in or the thirdorm s"holarship e%am. at the end o ne%t term. /hat a-out that&'
All the #irls "ame o*er to say how #lad they were. 6u"y was happy a#ain. t was lo*ely to -e liked so mu"h. t was lo*ely to ha*e a riend who would do so mu"h or her. only her ather$s poor hand would #et ri#ht, she would -e e*en happier than she had -een -eore the a""ident.
“6u"y,' said Mar#ery, that ni#ht, =ust -eore they went up to -ed. “$*e thou#ht o somethin#.'
“4ra"ious 0 not another idea so soon!' said 6u"y, teasin#ly.
“es 0 -ut a-out me, this time, not you,' said Mar#ery, rather so-erly. “ou know, $m si%teen, and $*e no ri#ht to -e so low down in the s"hool. t$s only -e"ause $*e ne*er -een a-le to settle or lon# in any s"hool, so my edu"ation has -een sort o hot"hpot"h, all mi%ed 0up.
“)h, Mar#ery 0 that would -e splendid!' said 6u"y at on"e. “es 0 suppose shall #o up ne%t term, and keep up in a hi#her orm, i do win that s"holarship 0 and it would -e lo*ely i you #ot put up too. Do work hard!'
And so, to e*ery mistress$s enormous astonishment, Mar#ery ;enworthy, the dun"e o the irst orm, suddenly produ"ed e%"ellent -rains, and worked so mu"h harder that one week she a"tually tied or top pla"e with 6u"y.
“Mira"les will ne*er "ease!' said Miss o-erts, when she read out the marks to the orm. “Mar#ery, you$ll -e in the se"ond orm -eore you kno w where you are! 4ood #ra"ious, what a surprise this is. Doris, perhaps you will #i*e me a ni"e surprise ne%t. ou ha*e -een -ottom or three weeks. /hat a-out tryin# or top pla"e with 6u"y and Mar#ery ne%t week&'
E*ery one lau#hed, Doris too. The irst orm was a *ery pleasant pla"e to -e in those last ew weeks o term.
Chapter K: ?anet is up to Tri"ks a#ain
t was Mam$8elle who seemed to spoil thin#s ea"h day. She had always had a *ery hot temper 0 -ut nowadays she seemed to -e unusually irrita-le, and the #irls elt the rou#h ed#e o her ton#ue in e*ery lesson.
?anet #ot tired o it. She was *ery hottempered hersel, and she ound it dii"ult to "ontrol hersel when Mam$8elle made some spe"ially -itin# remark.
“Ah, ?anet! )n"e more you ha*e made the same mistake that you ha*e made a t least one hundred times this term!' said Mam$8elle one day, s"orin# a senten"e with a -lue pen"il, and pressin# so hard that it almost tore the pa#e. “ ha*e no pleasure in tea"hin# a stupid "areless #irl like you.'
“/ell, $*e no pleasure in -ein# tau#ht!' muttered ?anet, an#rily. She said it hal under her -reath, -ut Mam$8elle "au#ht enou#h o it to look up with lashin# eyes.
“2ue dites*ous&' she "ried. “/hat is it that you said&' ou will please repeat it.'
The "lass listened -reathlessly. Mam$8elle was in one o her ra#es. That was e%"itin# 0 pro*idin# it was some one else who was #ettin# into trou-le!
?anet was -old enou#h to repeat what she had said, and she said it loudly, so that all the "lass "ould hear.
“ said $*e no pleasure in -ein# tau#ht!$ ' she repeated.
“Mer"hante ille!' "ried Mam$8elle. “/hat has happened to all you #irls this term& ou are rude and "areless and sulky.'
The "lass knew that it was really Mam$8elle$s ault, not theirs. She was so -adtempered. They looked mutinous, and said nothin#. E*en 6u"y would not look at Mam$8elle when her eyes lashed round the "lass.
“?anet, you will learn the whole ;ren"h poem in this -ook, and you will write it out or me three
times!' said Mam$8elle, her *oi"e trem-lin# with ra#e. The "lass #asped. The poem was three pa#es lon#!
“)h, Mam$8elle!' said ?anet, startled. “ou know "an$t do that. t would take me a#es and a#es.
“Then it will make you think twi"e -eore you are rude to me a#ain,' said Mam$8elle. She took up her spe"ta"le "ase and put her #lasses on her -i# nose. +er a"e was lushed an an#ry red, and her head was a"hin#. Ah, these En#lish #irls! They were terri-le! +ow was it she had liked them so mu"h -eore& She "ould not -ear them now.
Ater the "lass ?anet talked an#rily a-out her punishment. “t$s not air,' she said. “t$s all Mam$8elle$s own ault, the wret"h! Can$t she see that we won$t stand her sar"asti" remarks when we don$t deser*e them& $m sure we work =ust as hard as we did last term 0 and look at 6u"y, how #ood she is in ;ren"h, and yet Mam$8elle s"olded her like anythin# yesterday.:
“/asn$t she always as -adtempered as this then&' asked 6u"y, in wonder.
“4ra"ious, no,' said ?anet. “This is the ourth term $*e -een in the irst orm 0 and Mam$8elle has always -een 7uite a -ri"k -eore 0 well, she always did ha*e a hot temper 0 -ut she wasn$t -ad tempered, like she is now.'
“?anet, $ll "opy out that poem on"e or you,' said athleen. “My writin# is a -it like yours. Mam$8elle won$t know. ou "an$t possi-ly do it three times yoursel today.'
“)h, thanks, ath, you$re a -ri"k,' said ?anet. “That will -e a help. wouldn$t let anyone take on a part o my punishments i "ould help it.
athleen "opied out the poem on"e in ?anet$s ;ren"h -ook. Sheila did it on"e too, or her writin# was not unlike ?anet$s. ?anet s"ri--led it out the third time and, with mu"h trou-le and pains, learnt it -y heart. The whole "lass was si"k o the poem -y the time ?anet had it pere"t.
She want to Mam$8elle at se*en o$"lo"k to take the written work and to say the poem. She said it in a sulky *oi"e and would not look at the ;ren"h tea"her at all.
room.
“Ah, these impolite En#lish #irls!' said Mam$8elle, with a si#h. “They should #o to s"hool in ;ran"e 0 then they would know what #ood -eha*iour and hard work are!'
?anet did not or#i*e Mam$8elle or her hardness. She was a dreadul #irl or playin# tri"ks and pra"ti"al =okes, and had #ot into #reat trou-le the term -eore or throwin# ireworks into the "lassroom ire. She had not done anythin# *ery -ad this term 0 -ut now she was determined to make Mam$8elle “sit up', as she "alled it, the last two or three weeks o term.
She told the others. “ Mam$8elle thinks she "an treat me like that without my #ettin# a -it o my own -a"k, she$s =olly well mistaken!' said ?anet. “$m #oin# to pay her out 0 so look out or some un!:
The "lass was pleasantly e%"ited. They knew ?anet$s tri"ks and appre"iated them, or ?anet was "le*er and ori#inal with her =okes. /hat would she -e up o now&
“ou know, it was terri-ly unny last term when she threw the ireworks into the ire,' said (at to Mar#ery and 6u"y. “/e really meant to play that =oke on Miss ennedy, a timid sort o mistress who took Miss 6ewis$s pla"e or history last term. /ell, Miss o-erts "ame alon# =ust when ?anet had thrown a-out ity in 0 and #olly, we had ireworks rom Miss o-erts then too, "an tell you!'
“ wonder what ?anet will do&' said Doris, hu##in# hersel, or she adored a =oke, and was pretty #ood hersel at playin# them. “$*e #ot a unny tri"k my "ousin #a*e me at Christmas 0 it$s a unny thin# that looks e%a"tly like spilt ink!'
“)h, why ha*en$t you shown it to us&' "ried ?anet, in deli#ht. “ know the thin# you mean 0 it$s awully #ood. +a*e you #ot it&'
“/ell, -rou#ht it to s"hool meanin# to #i*e some-ody a sho"k with it,' said Doris, “-ut "ouldn$t ind it. t must -e somewhere a-out.'
“4o and lok, Doris. 4o and look now,' -e##ed (at, #i##lin#. “'6ook where you ha*en$t looked -eore. n your tu"k-o% or instan"e. ou ha*en$t opened that sin"e the - e#innin# o the term, when we ate e*erythin#.'
The =oke was in the ne#le"ted tu"k-o%! Doris poun"ed on it with #lee. t was a thin# whi"h, when put down lat on a -ook looked e%a"tly like a -i#, irre#ular, shiny ink-lot 0 almost as i the inkpot had -een spilt.
?anet took it in deli#ht. “This is ine!' she said. “6end it to me, there$s a sport!'
“ather!' said Doris. “/hat will you do with it&
“/ait and see, tomorrow,' said ?anet. So the "lass waited impatiently till ;ren"h lessons "ame, and Mam$8elle -ustled in, out o -reath as usual.
t was ;ren"h di"tation that mornin#. Mam$8elle looked round the "lass, whi"h was suspi"iously #ood and do"ile all o a sudden.
“Take down di"tLe,' she said. “4et out your e%er"ise -ooks, and -e#in.'
E*ery #irl had to take her -ook to Mam$8elle to -e "orre"ted ater di"tLe. ?anet took hers up when her turn "ame and laid it lat on the desk. Mam$8elle took up her ountain pen 0 and then, -eore her eyes, there appeared on ?anet$s pere"tly "lean -ook, a *ery lar#e and shiny ink-lot!
“)h, Mam$8elle!' "ried ?anet, in a doleul *oi"e. “6ook what you$*e done to my -ook! t must ha*e -een your ountain pen! s it leakin#& )h, and did try so hard with my di"tLe this mornin#!'
Mam$8elle stared in horror at the enormous -lot. She "ouldn$t -elie*e her eyes.
“?anet! /hat "an ha*e happened!' she "ried. She looked at her ountain pen. t seemed all ri#ht. And yet there was the tremendous -lot, ri#ht a"ross ?anet$s neat -ook.
“$ll #o and -lot it, Mam$8elle,' said ?anet, and took her -ook away "areully, as i she was tryin# not to let the -lot run a"ross the pa#e. The "lass saw it "learly and -uried their heads in their hands or under their desks to stile their #i##les.
?anet slipped the tri"k-lot into her po"ket and then pretended to -e -usy with -lottin#paper. Mam$8elle was shakin# her pen with a pu88led air. She simply "ould not ima#ine how so mu"h ink
had run out o it so suddenly.
?anet took -a"k her -ook, whi"h was now a-solutely "lean. Mam$8elle stared at it in the #reatest astonishment. “ou "annot ha*e "leaned it so well!'
“/ell, $*e #ot some spe"ial -lottin#paper, Mam$8elle,' said ?anet, in a solemn *oi"e. “t "leans ink like ma#i".'
“Ah, -ut it is indeed ma#i"!' said Mam$8elle, pleased. “ou di"tLe is now not spoilt at all. Thank you, ma "hBre ?anet! was so sorry to ha*e spoilt your work.'
)ne or two muled #i##les "ould -e heard rom Doris and athleen. Mam$8elle looked up sharply.
“There is nothin# to lau#h at,' she said. “Taise8*ous!'
“)h, Mam$8elle 0 that wret"hed pen o yours!' said Doris, in a reproa"hul *oi"e, lookin# at the -lot. “t$s messed up my desk now.'
Mam$8elle stared at it in surprise and horror.
“t is your pen! 6ook at all the -lots it has made on the loor! )h, Mam$8elle, please may -orrow ?anet$s wonderul -lottin#paper to wipe up the mess& Miss o-erts will -e so an#ry with me i she sees it there ne%t lesson.'
“ "annot understand it,' murmured poor Mam$8elle, eelin# she must -e in some sort o a dream, as she looked at the lar#e and shiny -lot on Doris$s desk. “ ha*e ne*er made su"h -lots -eore.'
The "lass went o into #i##les that spread round un"ontrolla-ly. Mam$8elle lost her temper.
“s it so unny that make -lots&' she "ried. “Silen"e! Another #i##le and will keep the whole "lass in or -reak,'
That was enou#h to keep the "lass 7uiet or a while, thou#h there were many handker"hies stued into mouths when the ur#e to lau#h -e"ame too #reat. ?anet was pleased with the su""ess o her =oke, and already she was plannin# another.
“$m #oin# to put -eetles into Mam$8elle$s spe"ta-le "ase,' she #i##le to the o thers, when they were in the "ommon room ater tea, dis"ussin# with en=oyment the su""ess o the ink-lot. The se"ondormers had en=oyed the tale immensely and had #roaned -e"ause they hadn$t -een a-le to share in the =oke.
“?anet! 5ot -eetles!' shuddered Sheila. “+ow "ould you possi-ly pi"k them up to put them in&'
“And anyway, how are you #oin# to #et them there&' said (at.
“easy enou#h,' said ?anet. “Mam$8elle is always lea*in# her spe"ta"le "ase around. The irst time she lea*es in in our "lassroom $ll #ra- it and put the -eetles into the "ase! / hat ho or a s7ueal rom Mam$8elle! That will tea"h her to make me learn her horrid ;ren"h poems!'
The *ery ne%t day Mam$8elle let her #lasses in their "ase on the irstorm desk. ?anet winked at the others. She saw them at on"e. mmediately Mam$8elle was out o the room on her way to the se"ondorm ?anet whipped out o her seat and took the "ase rom the desk. She slipped it into her po"ket and #ot -a"k to her seat =ust as Miss o-erts "ame in to take arithmeti".
The lesson had hardly -een #oin# or more than our minutes when a # irl rom the se"ond orm "ame in.
“(lease, Miss o-erts, Mam$8elle is sorry to interrupt you, -ut may she ha*e her #lasses& She let them in a "ase on your desk.'
Miss o-erts looked round the -i# desk and then opened it. 5o spe"ta"le "ase was seen, whi"h was not surprisin# "onsiderin# that it was saely in ?anet$s po"ket.
“t doesn$t seem to -e here,' said Miss o-erts. “Mam$8elle will pro-a-ly ind that they are in her po"ket.'
The "lass #i##led to itsel. They knew 7uite well that Mam$8elle would ind nothin# o the sort! ?anet looked 7uite solemn. t made the others #i##le to look at her.
“4irls! /hat is the =oke, please&' asked Miss o-erts, impatiently. She did not like #i##les. “s there anythin# unny in Mam$8elle losin# her #lasses&'
As it happened, there was 0 -ut Miss o-erts, o "ourse, didn$t know it. The "lass so-ered down.
“/ell, Miss o-erts, it$s only that Mam$8elle is always lea*in# her #lasses a-out,' said Doris.
“2uite,' said Miss o-erts, drily. “Turn to pa#e ortyse*en, please. AT+6EE5! you stare round the "lass any more $ll put you with your -a"k to it! / hat is the matter with you this mornin#&'
The "lass had to -eha*e itsel. Miss o-erts made it work so hard that most o them thou#ht no more o the ne%t tri"k ?anet was #oin# to play, until -reak "ame. Then they all "rowded round ?anet to see her put the poor surprised -eetles into the spe"ta"le "ase!
Chapter 1: Mam$8elle 4ets Another Sho"k
?anet "olle"ted *arious kinds o - eetles and #ru-s rom underneath en"es at -reak. 4i##lin# loudly the irst and se"ondormers wat"hed her take out Mam$8elle$s spe"ta"les and "areully put in the wri##lin# inse"ts. They were halda8ed with their winter sleep. ?anet shut the "ase with a snap.
“ hope the -eetles "an -reathe,' said athleen, in a trou-led *oi"e. She was passionately ond o animals, and her kindness e%tended to e*en spiders, -eetles and moths.
“) "ourse they "an -reathe,' said ?anet. “This spe"ta"le "ase is as -i# as a room to them!'
“/hat are you #oin# to do with the "ase&' asked +ilary. “Are you #oin# to put it -a"k on the desk so that Mam$8elle "an open it ne%t day&'
“) "ourse, silly,' said ?anet. “/e all want to see the un, don$t we&'
“ say, ?anet 0 won$t Mam$8elle -e a-solutely urious&' said 6u"y. “She$ll tell Miss Theo-ald, should think.
“ don$t "are,' said ?anet. “$m #oin# to #et e*en with Mam$8elle, the -adtempered thin#!'
The -eetles and #ru-s passed 7uite a pleasant time in the spe"ta"le "ase, and didn$t seem to mind at all, thou#h athleen kept worryin# a-out them and openin# the "ase to #i*e them a little air. n the mornin# ?anet pla"ed the "ase on Miss o-erts$s desk =ust -eore Mam$8elle "ame to #i*e her daily ;ren"h lesson. The whole "lass was in a state o id#et and e%"itement. They had tried to keep it under whilst Miss o-erts was tea"hin# them, or she was *ery "le*er at sensin# anythin# wron# with the "lass.
She had -een rather sharp with them, -ut had not seemed to suspe"t an ythin#. She let to #o to the se"ondorm 0 and Mam$8elle "ame in. Mam$8elle had had a -ad ni#ht. She was not sleepin# well these days, and her eyes were "ir"led with -i# -la"k rin#s.
“
Then suddenly Mam$8elle spotted her spe"ta"le "ase. She poun"ed on it with deli#ht.
“Ah! +ere are my #lasses! 5ow this is a stran#e thin#! sent to ask or them yesterday and was told they were not here! All day lon# looked or them!'
The #irls wat"hed in the most intense e%"itement. The ones at the -a"k "raned their ne"ks round the #irls in ront o them, tryin# their hardest to see. The #irls a t the ront were thrilled to ha*e su"h a #ood *iew.
Mam$8elle sat down. She did not open the "ase at on"e. She looked round the "lass. “DLpe"he8 *ous!' she "ried. “/hy are you so slow at -e#innin# your work today!'
The "lass took up their pens. Mam$8elle yawned and tapped her -i# white teeth with her pen"il. /hy, oh why didn$t she open her spe"ta"le "ase&
Ah! 5ow she was #oin# to. She stret"hed out her hand and pi"ked up the "ase. She opened it slowly 0 and out s"ram-led the 7ui"kle##ed -eetles, and out "rawled the #ru-s, wide awake now -e"ause o the warmth o the room!
Mam$8elle stared at them. She took out her handker"hie and ru--ed it a"ross her eyes. Then she looked "autiously at the spe"ta"le "ase a#ain. She simply "ould not -elie*e her eyes.
“t is impossi-le!' thou#ht poor Mam$8elle. “My eyes tell me that there are -eetles and #ru-s "rawlin# o*er my desk, -ut my sense tells me that my #lasses should -e there. And no dou-t they are there. t is -e"ause am tired that see these inse"ts "rawlin# out o my "ase!'
The #irls were tryin# to smother their #i##les. Mam$8elle$s a"e was so unny! t was 7uite plain that she was immensely astonished and "ouldn$t -elie*e her eyes.
Mam$8elle was tryin# to think "almly. She hated anythin# that "rawled, and one o her a*ourite ni#htmares was that -eetles were "rawlin# o*er her. And now here they were walkin# out o her spe"ta"le "ase. t was 7uite impossi-le.
“t "annot -e that these inse"ts are real,' Mam$8elle was thinkin# irmly to hersel. “They are in my ima#ination only! My #lasses must -e in the "ase, althou#h it appears to me that there are inse"ts there instead, must -e -ra*e and put my hand into the "ase to #et my #lasses. Then, when they are saely on my nose shall see that the -eetles are not really there!'
The #irls -e#an to #i##le, thou#h they tried their hardest to stop. Mam$8elle was so pu88led and so ama8ed. t did not seem to enter her mind or one moment that it was a tri"k. She put out her hand to eel or the #lasses she elt sure must really -e in h er "ase.
And o "ourse, all she #ot hold o were -eetles and #ru-s! /hen she elt them in her in#ers she
#a*e a loud s"ream! The #irls wat"hed in en=oyment. This was simply mar*ellous!
“/hat$s the matter, Mam$8elle&' asked Doris, demurely, winkin# round at the others.
“Ah, Doris 0 ?anet 0 "ome up here and tell me what there is on my desk,' said poor Mam$8elle, lookin# down in horror as one -eetle ran round and round the inkpot and inally ell ri#ht into it.
Doris and ?anet leapt up at on"e. ?anet stared solemnly at Mam$8elle. “our #lasses are in your "ase,' said the nau#hty #irl. “(ut them on, Mam$8elle, and may-e you will see properly.'
“My #lasses are not there!' "ried Mam$8elle. “
“/hat inse"ts&' asked Doris, inno"ently, and the whole "lass e%ploded into stiled #i##les.
“Ah, there is somethin# wron# with me!' she #roaned. “ ha*e eared it all these weeks. am not the same. My temper is so -ad. am so irrita-le. And now my eyes are wron#. see thin#s! see -eetles on this desk! only "ould ind my #lasses!'
?anet pi"ked up the empty "ase, 7ui"kly slipped Mam$8elle$s #lasses into it, rom her po"ket, and then took them out o the "ase as i they had -een there all the time. She handed them to the astonished ;ren"h mistress.
“Ah, this is worse than e*er!' "ried Mam$8elle. “So they were there all the time and "ould not e*en see them! And alas, alas 0 still the -eetles they "rawl o*er my desk! am ill! must lea*e you! ou will #o on with your ;ren"h 7uietly, please, and wait till Miss o-erts "ome -a"k. am ill 0 trBs malade, trBs malade!'
Mam$8elle let the room stoopin# like an old woman. The "lass were startled and dismayed. This was not the ri#ht endin# or a =oke at all! Mam$8elle had taken it really seriously. She had -elie*ed ?anet and Doris when they had assured her that the inse"ts were not there. The #irls stared at one another in dismay. ?anet pi"ked the inse"ts o the desk and put them "areully out o the window.
“?anet, don$t like this,' 6u"y said in her "lear *oi"e. “/e$*e #i*en Mam$8elle a real sho"k. t sounded to me as i she hadn$t -een eelin# well or a#es and thou#ht that our =oke was all part o
her illness. wish we hadn$t done it now.'
E*eryone wished the same. 5o-ody #i##led. ?anet wished that Mam$8elle had seen throu#h the =oke and had punished her. This was mu"h worse than any punishment. The #irls took up their pens and #ot on with their work, ea"h eelin# de"idedly un"omorta-le.
n a-out ten minutes Miss Theo-ald "ame in. The #irls stood up at on"e. The +ead Mistress #lan"ed at the -oard and at the #irls$ -ooks. She saw that they were workin# and she was pleased.
“4irls,' she said, in her low pleasant *oi"e. “ am sorry to tell you that Mam$8elle is sure she is ill, so she will not "ome -a"k to you this mornin#. ha*e sent or the do"tor. (lease #et on with what work you "an, and wait until Miss o-erts returns.'
She went out. The #irls sat d own. They elt more un"omorta-le than e*er. ?anet went *ery red. She ki"ked hersel or playin# su"h a tri"k now. She thou#ht a-out Mam$8elle and her -ad temper. Could it ha*e -een -e"ause she was eelin# ill&
The irst orm was so su-dued that mornin# that Miss o-erts was 7uite astonished. She kept lookin# at the -ent heads and wonderin# what was the matter.
At the end o the mornin# there was a re#ular -u88 o talk in the "ommon room. “Did you know that Mam$8elle is *ery ill& /hose orm was she in when she was taken ill& )h, yours, Mar#ery& /hat happened& Did she aint or somethin#&'
5o-ody #a*e ?anet away. They all elt that she was sorry a-out the tri"k, and they were ashamed too 0 so they said nothin# a-out the =oke at all. t had #one *ery wron# and #oodness knows how it "ould -e put ri#ht.
Mam$8elle was put to -ed, and Matron went to see to her. (oor Mam$8elle was more worried a-out her eyes than a-out anythin# else. She kept tellin# Matron a-out the inse"ts she had seen, and she de"lared she was araid to #o to sleep in "ase her ni#htmare "ame -a"k.
?anet went to ask Matron how Mam$8elle was ater tea. The do"tor had -een, so Matron was a-le to tell the #irl all the news.
“t$s o*erwork and strain,' she told ?anet. “(oor Mam$8elle$s sister was ill all the Christmas holidays and she went to nurse her. She nursed her day and ni#ht, and #ot *ery little rest or sleep hersel. So she "ame -a"k tired out, and instead o takin# thin#s easy, she worked hersel all the harder. know you #irls thou#ht her *ery -adtempered and irrita-le this term 0 -ut that$s the e%planation!'
“Did she 0 did she say anythin# a-out her spe"ta"le "ase&' asked ?anet.
Matron stared at ?anet in surprise. “/hat do you know a-out her spe"ta"le "ase&' she said. “As a matter o a"t somethin# seems to -e worryin# poor Mam$8elle terri-ly. She keeps sayin# that her eyes are #oin# wron# -e"ause she saw inse"ts "omin# out o her spe"ta"le "ase 0 and she daren$t #o to sleep and #et the rest she needs -e"ause she is so araid she will dream that inse"ts are "rawlin# o*er her. She is in a *ery o*ertired state!'
?anet went away to tell the others. So that was the e%planation o Mam$8elle$s -ad temper that term! She had -een nursin# her sister day and ni#ht 0 and knowin# Mam$8elle$s 8eal and thorou#hness, ?anet "ould well ima#ine that she had spared hersel nothin# in the holidays. Mam$8elle had the kindest heart in the world, in spite o her hot temper.
“ do eel simply awul a-out that tri"k,' said ?anet to (at. “ really do. $*e #ot a #ood mind to #o into Mam$8elle$s room and tell her a-out it to set her mind at rest. simply daren$t tell Miss o-erts or Miss Theo-ald.'
“/ell, #o and tell Mam$8elle then,' said (at.
“That$s a #ood idea. Take her some lowers rom me. And some rom sa-el too.'
E*ery one in the "lass put money towards lowers or Mam$8elle. As the ne%t day was Saturday they were a-le to #o down into the town to -uy them. They -ou#ht daodils nar"issi, anemones and primroses. They all elt so #uilty that they spent ar more money than they "ould really aord.
Miss o-erts saw the #irls "omin# -a"k with their lowers, and stared in ama8ement.
“/hat$s this 0 a lowershow&' she asked.
“They$re or Mam$8elle,' said +ilary, whi"h astonished Miss o-erts all the more, or she had
heard the -itter "omplaints o her orm a-out the amount o work set -y Mam$8elle that term, and her -ad temper when it was not done properly.
“These irstormers ha*e really kind hearts,' thou#ht Miss o-erts. She spoke aloud to them. “This is *ery ni"e o you. Mam$8elle will -e pleased. She had a *ery -ad ni#ht, so don$t e%pe"t any o you will -e allowed to see her.
Chapter : 6ast /eek o Term
(at and sa-el kept wat"h or Matron ater tea that da y. They were to tell ?anet when she was not a-out so that ?anet mi#ht slip in -y hersel. ?anet was not #oin# to take the lowers in with her. They were outside the room in a "up-oard and ?anet meant to #o and et"h them as a kind o pea"eoerin# when she had "onessed e*erythin# to Mam$8elle.
(oor ?anet was rather white. She d idn$t at all like the idea o a"in# Mam$8elle, e*en when she was ill.
“Matron, please may we ha*e a "lean towel&'
“/hat ha*e you done with yours&' asked Matron, -ustlin# alon# with the tray. “Come alon# and #et it then, ha*en$t mu"h time.'
(at looked -a"k o*er her shoulder and winked at ?anet to tell her that Matron wouldn$t -e -a"k or a ew minutes. The twins meant to keep her talkin# and #i*e ?anet a "lear ield.
?anet slipped to Mam$8elle$s door. She kno"ked and a *oi"e said, “Entre8!' ?anet went in. Mam$8elle was lyin# in -ed, lookin# up at the "eilin#. She looked *ery unhappy, -e"ause she was still worryin# a-out what was suddenly and mysteriously the matter with her eyes. She e %pe"ted to see inse"ts "rawlin# all o*er the "eilin#. (oor Mam$8elle 0 she would not ha*e thou#ht these thin#s i she had not -een so o*erworked.
She looked with surprise at ?anet. Matron had told her there were to -e no *isitors that day.
“Mam$8elle,' said ?anet, #oin# to the -ed. “Are you -etter& had to "ome and see you. wanted to tell you somethin#.'
“t is ni"e to see you, ma "hLre ?anet!' said Mam$8elle, who was always tou"hed -y any kindness. “/hat ha*e you to tell me, ma petite&'
“Mam$8elle 0 Mam$8elle 0 don$t know how to tell you,' said ?anet, “you$ll -e so an#ry.
“My dear "hild, what are you tryin# to say&' asked Mam$8elle, in the utmost astonishment. “/hat is this terri-le thin# you ha*e done&'
“Mam$8elle 0 we 0 0 put those -eetles and thin#s into your spe"ta"le "ase to pay you out or punishin# me the other day,' -lurted out ?anet, desperately. “And put a tri"k ink-lot on my -ook too. ou see9'
Mam$8elle looked at ?anet as i she "ouldn$t -elie*e her ears. “Those 0 those "rawlin# inse"ts were real, then&' she said, at last.
“es, Mam$8elle,' said ?anet. “2uite real. #ot them rom pla"es under the en"e. 0 didn$t think you$d -elie*e it was your eyes that were wron#. 5ow you$re ill we eel awul.'
Mam$8elle lay 7uite still. So her eyes and mind were 7uite all ri#ht. Those inse"ts were not in her ima#ination, they were real. t was only a =oke! she had -een well and 7uite hersel she would ha*e #uessed that!
She turned to speak to the #irl -ut ?anet was not there. She had slipped out to #et the lowers. She "ame -a"k with her arms ull o them, and Mam$8elle #asped to see them.
“Mam$8elle, these are rom all o us in the irst orm,' said ?anet. “/e are sorry you$re ill 0 and please or#i*e us, won$t you& +onestly, we$d ha*e put up with all your ra#es and e*erythin# i
we$d known you were so tired!'
“Come here,' said Mam$8elle, and rea"hed out a lar#e hand to ?anet. The #irl took it shyly. “ ha*e -een a-omina-le this term!' said Mam$8elle, a smile "omin# o*er her a"e. “nsupporta-le and a-omina-le! ou will please tell the )$Sulli*an twins that, ?anet. know the ni"kname they had or me last term 0 Mam$8elle A-omina-le, whi"h they #a*e me -e"ause said so oten that their work was a-omina-le!
“ou were awully "ross with us lots o times,' said ?anet, honestly. “
“Ah, you En#lish #irls! There is no-ody like you when you are ni"e,' said Mam$8elle, 7uite or#ettin# all the dreadul thin#s she had thou#ht and said a-out them that term. “ou will #i*e my lo*e to the others, ?anet 0 and my -est thanks or these -eautiul lowers 0 and you will tell them that i they will or#i*e me will or#i*e them also 0 and you too, o "ourse! ML"hante ille! /i"ked #irl, Ah 0 -ut how -ra*e and #ood o you to "ome and tell me!'
?anet stared at Mam$8elle and Mam$8elle looked at ?anet with her -i# dark eyes. She -e#an to lau#h, or she had a #reat sense o humour at times.
“To think you put those -eetles there 0 and did not know it was a tri"k 0 and that ink-lot! / hat -ad "hildren you are!
And Mam$8elle went o in a loud -urst o lau#hter. Matron was passin# -y the door at that moment and heard it in ama8ement. Thinkin# that Mam$8elle must ha*e #one mad or a minute, Matron 7ui"kly opened the door and went in. She looked in astonishment when she saw the masses o lowers 0 and ?anet!
“?anet! /hat are you doin# in here& ou nau#hty #irl! didn$t #i*e you permission to "ome. 4o at on"e!'
“5o, Matron, will not ha*e ?anet sent away,' said Mam$8elle, most surprisin#ly. “she stays here to put my lowers in water! She has -rou#ht me #ood news. eel -etter already. She makes me lau#h, this mL"hante ille.'
Mam$8elle "ertainly looked -etter. Matron looked at her and then nodded to ?anet that she mi#ht stay and put the lowers in water. ?anet switly arran#ed them as well as she "ould. Mam$8elle wat"hed her.
“The lo*ely lowers!' she said, "ontentedly. “Matron, do you see what -eautiul -un"hes the #irls ha*e sent their -adtempered, insupporta-le old Mam$8elle&'
“ see them,' said Matron. “5ow, ?anet, you must #o. And i you "ome here a#ain without permission shall spank you!'
?anet went, with a #rin. She ran strai#ht to the "ommon room to tell the others all that had happened. +ow #lad they were to know that Mam$8elle had -een su"h a -ri"k a-out it all 0 and had a"tually lau#hed.
“(erhaps thin#s will -e -etter this last week o term,' said Doris, who had suered *ery mu"h that term rom Mam$8elle$s rou#h ton#ue. “ Mam$8elle is well enou#h to "ome -a"k or a ew days at the end o term she$ll -e ni"er 0 and i she doesn$t shall -e =olly #lad to miss ;ren"h.'
“This term has #one 7ui"kly!' said (at. “t seems no time at all sin"e halterm 0 and here we are almost at the Easter hols. /hat a lot has happened this term 0 almost as mu"h as last term.'
“More,' said sa-el. “/e didn$t ha*e a ire last term 0 or a heroine either!'
Mar#ery -lushed. She was #ettin# *ery "le*er at usin# her "rut"hes, and her le# was mendin# mar*ellously. 6u"y twinkled at her.
“t always makes Mar#ery #o red i you say the word heroine$!' she said. “(at, Mar#ery is "omin# to stay with me or a week o the hols. /e shan$t ha*e any maids or anythin#, -e"ause we are poor now, -ut Mar#ery$s #oin# to help in the house all she "an 0 isn$t she a -ri"k& shall -e workin# hard most o the time, -ut shall take time o to -e with Mar#ery too.'
“And then $m #oin# on a holiday with my ather,' said Mar#ery. “/hat are you twins doin# or the hols.&'
+olidays were "ertainly in the air. E*ery one was makin# p lans or Easter. Some were #oin# shoppin# to #et new "lothes. Alison was ull o this, o "ourse.
“>ain little "reature!' said (at, pullin# Alison$s pretty hair teasin#ly. “/ell, you$re "omin# to stay with us part o the hols. and you "an - rin# your new pretties to show us 0 -ut we$ll only allow you to -oast on"e a-out them. Ater that 0 not a word!'
“All ri#ht, (at,' said Alison, who was really learnin# to -e mu"h more sensi-le. “$ll ha*e one #ood #lorious -oast 0 and then -e the stron# silent #irl!'
“ou "ouldn$t -e silent!' said sa-el, who now liked her silly little "ousin *ery mu"h -etter. “ your own ton#ue "ouldn$t talk, the ton#ues o your shoes would do it or you!'
The last week o term was *ery happy. Mam$8elle #ot mu"h -etter, and the #irls went into her room to see her and play a #ame with her. She was the same old =olly Mam$8elle she used to -e, now that she had had a rest, and "han#ed her ideas a-out “these En#lish #irls'. She was already makin# plans or ne%t term$s work 0 -ut the #irls reused to listen!
6u"y had -een workin# hard to prepare or the s"holarship e%am. ne%t term. She had had #ood news o her ather and this made her work with mu"h more 8est and happiness. Miss Theo-ald and the other tea"hers had worked out her holiday tasks and praised her or the pro#ress she had already made. So 6u"y looked mu"h happier, and lau#hed and =oked like her old sel.
The twins were happy too. Thin#s had #one well that term. They were top in i*e su-=e"ts. 6u"y did not #o in or the "lass e%ams. as she was doin# so mu"h e%tra work, or she would, o "ourse, ha*e -een top in e*erythin# e%"ept maths, Doris and Alison were -ottom in most thin#s, - ut they were -oth 7uite "heerul a-out it.
“Some-ody$s #ot to -e -ottom,' said Doris to Alison, “ and think it$s rather sweet o us to -e willin# to take su"h a -a"k seat in e*erythin#!'
“/illin#! ou =olly well "an$t help it, you duer!' said (at. “
The last day "ame, and the e%"itement o pa"kin# and sayin# #ood-yes. Mam$8elle was up on"e more, makin# =okes and writin# down e*eryone$s address. There was lau#hter e*erywhere, and o""asionally Miss o-erts$s *oi"e was lited in "omplaint.
“athleen! s it ne"essary to yell like that& Sheila, you don$t look at all ele#ant rollin# on the loor to do your pa"kin#. (AT! (AT! Stop pummellin# ?anet, /hat a -ear#arden! shall set you all a hundred lines to write out in the train home and send me tomorrow!'
