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+The Project Gutenberg EBook of The School by the Sea, by Angela Brazil
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: The School by the Sea
+
+Author: Angela Brazil
+
+Release Date: October 20, 2010 [EBook #33909]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SCHOOL BY THE SEA ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Suzanne Shell and the Online Distributed
+Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+The School by the Sea
+
+
+
+
+    BLACKIE & SON LIMITED
+    50 Old Bailey, LONDON
+    17 Stanhope Street, GLASGOW
+
+    BLACKIE & SON (INDIA) LIMITED
+    Warwick House, Fort Street, BOMBAY
+
+    BLACKIE & SON (CANADA) LIMITED
+    TORONTO
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: "THERE IS SOMEBODY OR SOMETHING INSIDE THE BARRED ROOM!"
+SHE GASPED _Page 149_ _Frontispiece_]
+
+
+
+
+    The School by the Sea
+
+    BY
+    ANGELA BRAZIL
+
+    Author of "Joan's Best Chum" "The School in the South"
+    "The Youngest Girl in the Fifth"
+    &c. &c.
+
+    _Illustrated_
+
+    BLACKIE & SON LIMITED
+    LONDON AND GLASGOW
+
+
+
+
+By Angela Brazil
+
+    At School with Rachel.
+    Ruth of St. Ronan's.
+    Joan's Best Chum.
+    Captain Peggie.
+    Schoolgirl Kitty.
+    The School in the South.
+    Monitress Merle.
+    Loyal to the School.
+    A Fortunate Term.
+    A Popular Schoolgirl.
+    The Princess of the School.
+    A Harum-Scarum Schoolgirl.
+    The Head Girl at the Gables.
+    A Patriotic Schoolgirl.
+    For the School Colours.
+    The Madcap of the School.
+    The Luckiest Girl in the School.
+    The Jolliest Term on Record.
+    The Girls of St. Cyprian's.
+    The Youngest Girl in the Fifth.
+    The New Girl at St. Chad's.
+    For the Sake of the School.
+    The School by the Sea.
+    The Leader of the Lower School.
+    A Pair of Schoolgirls.
+    A Fourth Form Friendship.
+    The Manor House School.
+    The Nicest Girl in the School.
+    The Third Form at Miss Kaye's.
+    The Fortunes of Philippa.
+
+
+
+
+_Printed in Great Britain by Blackie & Son Ltd. Glasgow_
+
+
+
+
+Contents
+
+
+    CHAP.                                                 Page
+
+        I. THE INTERLOPER                                    9
+
+       II. A KINGDOM BY THE SEA                             20
+
+      III. A MYSTERIOUS SCHOOLFELLOW                        30
+
+       IV. "THE KING OF THE CASTLE"                         42
+
+        V. PRACTICAL GEOGRAPHY                              51
+
+       VI. RAGTIME                                          65
+
+      VII. AN INVITATION                                    76
+
+     VIII. A MEETING ON THE SHORE                           89
+
+       IX. A MESSAGE                                        99
+
+        X. MAROONED                                        114
+
+       XI. "CORIOLANUS"                                    127
+
+      XII. IN QUARANTINE                                   140
+
+     XIII. THE LIFE-BOAT ANNIVERSARY                       153
+
+      XIV. THE BEACON FIRE                                 166
+
+       XV. THE OLD WINDLASS                                179
+
+      XVI. HARE AND HOUNDS                                 192
+
+     XVII. A DISCOVERY                                     205
+
+    XVIII. AN ALARM                                        224
+
+      XIX. A TORN LETTER                                   235
+
+
+
+
+Illustrations
+
+
+                                                        Facing
+                                                         Page
+
+    "THERE IS SOMEBODY OR SOMETHING INSIDE THE
+    BARRED ROOM!" SHE GASPED                    _Frontispiece_
+
+    A SMALL BOY WAS WAVING HIS CAP IN FRANTIC WELCOME       48
+
+    THE MAN APPEARED TO HAVE MANY DIRECTIONS TO GIVE        96
+
+    GERDA DARTED UPON THE BATHFUL OF OLD LETTERS           200
+
+
+
+
+THE SCHOOL BY THE SEA
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I
+
+The Interloper
+
+
+Girls! Girls everywhere! Girls in the passages, girls in the hall,
+racing upstairs and scurrying downstairs, diving into dormitories and
+running into classrooms, overflowing on to the landing and hustling
+along the corridor--everywhere, girls! There were tall and short, and
+fat and thin, and all degrees from pretty to plain; girls with fair hair
+and girls with dark hair, blue-eyed, brown-eyed, and grey-eyed girls;
+demure girls, romping girls, clever girls, stupid girls--but never a
+silent girl. No! Buzz-hum-buzz! The talk and chatter surged in a full,
+steady flow round the house till the noise invaded even that sanctuary
+of sanctuaries, the private study, where Miss Birks, the Principal, sat
+addressing post cards to inform respective parents of the safe arrival
+of the various individual members of the frolicsome crew which had just
+reassembled after the Christmas vacation. In ordinary circumstances
+such an indiscretion as squealing on the stairs or dancing in the
+passages would have brought Miss Birks from her den, dealing out stern
+rebukes, if not visiting dire justice on the offenders; but for this one
+brief evening--the first night of the term--the old house was Liberty
+Hall. Each damsel did what seemed good in her own eyes, and talked,
+laughed, and joked to her heart's content.
+
+"Let them fizz, poor dears!" said Miss Birks, smiling to herself as a
+special outburst of mirth was wafted up from below. "It does them good
+to work off steam when they arrive. They'll have to be quiet enough
+to-morrow. Really, the twenty make noise enough for a hundred! They're
+all on double-voice power to-night! Shades of the Franciscans, what a
+noise! It seems almost sacrilege in an old convent."
+
+If indeed the gentle, grey-robed nuns who long, long ago had stolen
+silently along those very same stairs could have come back to survey the
+scene of their former activities, I fear on this particular occasion
+they would have wrung their slim, transparent hands in horror over the
+stalwart modern maidens who had succeeded them in possession of the
+ancient, rambling house. No pale-faced novices these, with downcast eyes
+and cheeks sunken with fasting; no timid glances, no soft ethereal
+footfalls or gliding garments--the old order had changed indeed, and
+yielded place to a rosy, racy, healthy, hearty, well-grown set of
+twentieth-century schoolgirls, overflowing with vigorous young life and
+abounding spirits, mentally and physically fit, and about as different
+from their mediaeval forerunners as a hockey stick is from a spindle.
+
+Among the jolly, careless company that on this January evening held
+carnival in the vaulted passages, and woke the echoes of the
+time-hallowed walls, no two had abandoned themselves to the fun of the
+moment more thoroughly than Deirdre Sullivan and Dulcie Wilcox. They had
+attempted to dance five varieties of fancy steps on an upper landing,
+had performed a species of Highland fling down the stairs, and had
+finished with an irregular jog-trot along the lower corridor, subsiding
+finally, scarlet with their exertions, and wellnigh voiceless, on to the
+bottom step of the back staircase.
+
+"Oh!--let's--sit here--and talk," heaved Deirdre, her power of speech
+returning in jerks. "I'm--tired--of ragging round--and--I've not seen
+you--for ages!--and oh!--there's such heaps and heaps--to tell.
+Look!--she's over there!"
+
+"Who?" queried Dulcie laconically. She was stouter than Deirdre, and,
+like Hamlet, "scant of breath".
+
+"Why, she, of course!"
+
+"Don't be a lunatic! Which she? And what she? And why she of all shes?"
+gasped Dulcie, still rather convulsively and painfully.
+
+"What 'she' could I possibly mean except the new girl?"
+
+"You don't mean to tell me there's a new girl?"
+
+"You don't surely mean to tell me you've never noticed her! You blind
+bat! Why, there she is as large as life! Can't you see her, stupid? The
+atrocious part of it is, she's been stuck into our bedroom!"
+
+Dulcie sprang up, with hands outstretched in utter tragedy.
+
+"No!" she wailed, "oh, no! no! Surely Miss Birks hasn't been heartless
+enough to fill up that spare bed! Oh, I'll never forgive her, never! Our
+ducky, chummy little room to be invaded by a third--and a stranger! It's
+sheer barbarous cruelty! Oh, I thought better of her! What have we done
+to be treated like this? It's pure and simple brutality!"
+
+"Who's the lunatic now? Stop ranting, you goose! That bed was bound to
+be filled some day, though it's hard luck on us. We did pretty well to
+keep the place to ourselves the whole of last term. 'All good things
+come to an end.' I'm trying to be philosophical, and quote proverbs; all
+the same, 'Two's company and three's trumpery'. That's a proverb too!
+You haven't told me yet what you think of our number three. She's
+talking to Mademoiselle over there."
+
+"So she is! Why, if she isn't talking German, too, as pat as a native!
+What a tremendous rate their tongues are going at it! I can't catch a
+single word. Is she a foreigner? She doesn't somehow quite suggest
+English by the look of her, does she?"
+
+The new girl in question, the interloper who was to form the unwelcome
+third, and spoil the delightful _scène à deux_ hitherto so keenly
+enjoyed by the chums, certainly had a rather un-British aspect when
+viewed even by impartial eyes. Her pink-and-white colouring, blue eyes,
+and her very fair flaxen hair were distinctly Teutonic; the cut of her
+dress, the shape of her shoes, the tiny satchel slung by a strap round
+her shoulder and under one arm--so unmistakably German in type--the
+enamelled locket bearing the Prussian Eagle on a blue ground, all showed
+a slightly appreciable difference from her companions, and stamped her
+emphatically with the seal and signet of the "Vaterland". On the whole
+she might be considered a decidedly pretty girl; her features were small
+and clear cut, her complexion beyond reproach, her teeth even, her fair
+hair glossy, and she was moderately tall for her fifteen years.
+
+Dulcie took in all these points with a long, long comprehensive stare,
+then subsided on to the top of the boot rack, shaking her head gloomily.
+
+"You may call it British prejudice, but I can't stand foreigners," she
+remarked with a gusty sigh. "As for having one in one's bedroom--why,
+it's wicked! Miss Birks oughtn't to expect it!"
+
+"Foreigners? Who's talking about foreigners?" asked Marcia Richards, one
+of the Sixth Form, who happened to be passing at the moment, and
+overheard Dulcie's complaints. "If you mean Gerda Thorwaldson, she is as
+English as you or I."
+
+"English! Listen to her! Pattering German thirteen to the dozen!"
+snorted Dulcie.
+
+"You young John Bull! Don't be insular and ridiculous! Gerda has lived
+in Germany, so of course she can speak German. It will be very good
+practice for you to talk it with her in your bedroom."
+
+"If you think we're going to break our jaws with those abominable
+gutturals!"--broke out Deirdre.
+
+"Miss Germany'll have to compass English, or hold her tongue," added
+Dulcie.
+
+"Don't be nasty! You're wasting your opportunities. If I had your
+chance, I'd soon improve my German."
+
+"Why didn't Miss Birks put her with you instead?" chimed the injured
+pair in chorus. "You're welcome to our share of her."
+
+"Come along, you slackers!" interrupted Evie Bennett and Annie Pridwell,
+emerging from the dining-hall. "You're wasting time here. Betty Scott's
+playing for all she's worth, and everybody's got to come and dance. Pass
+the word on if anyone's upstairs. Are you ready? Hurry up, then!"
+
+"Oh, I say! I'm tired!" yawned Dulcie.
+
+"We've had enough of the light fantastic toe!" protested Deirdre.
+
+"Little birds that can hop and won't hop must be made to hop!" chirped
+Evie firmly.
+
+"How'll you make us?"
+
+"The 'Great Mogul' has decreed that any girl who refuses to dance shall
+be forcibly placed upon the table and obliged to sing a solo, or forfeit
+all the sweets she may have brought back with her."
+
+"'Tis Kismet!" murmured Deirdre, hauling up Dulcie from the boot rack.
+
+"No use fighting against one's fate!" sighed Dulcie, linking arms with
+her chum as she walked along the passage.
+
+After all, it was only the younger members who were assembled in the
+dining-hall--the Sixth, far too superior to join in the general romping,
+were having a select cocoa party in the head girl's bedroom, and telling
+each other that the noise below was disgraceful, and they wondered Miss
+Birks didn't put a stop to it. (At seventeen one's judgment is apt to be
+severe, especially on those only a few years younger!) Miss Birks,
+however, who was forty-five, and wise in her generation, did not
+interfere, and the fun downstairs continued to effervesce. Betty Scott,
+seated at the piano, played with skill and zeal, and the others were
+soon tripping their steps with more or less effect, according to their
+individual grace and agility--all but two. Hilda Marriott had strained
+her ankle during the holidays, and could only sit on the table and sigh
+with envy; while Gerda Thorwaldson, the new girl, stood by the door,
+watching the performance. Everybody was so taken up by the joys of the
+moment that nobody realized her presence, even when whirling skirts
+whisked against her in passing. Not a single one noticed her forlorn
+aloofness, or that the blue eyes were almost brimming over with tears.
+Mademoiselle, the only person who had so far befriended her, had beaten
+a retreat, and was finishing unpacking, while the fourteen fellow pupils
+in the room were still entire strangers to her. As nobody made the
+slightest overture towards an introduction, and she seemed rather in the
+way of the dancers, Gerda opened the door, and was about to follow
+Mademoiselle's example, and make her escape upstairs. Her action,
+however, attracted the attention that had before been denied her.
+
+"Hallo, the new girl's sneaking off!" cried Annie Pridwell, pausing so
+suddenly that she almost upset her partner.
+
+"Here! Stop!"
+
+"Where are you going?"
+
+"You've got to stay."
+
+"Come here and report yourself!"
+
+The dancing had come to a brief and sudden end. Betty Scott, concluding
+in the middle of a bar, turned round on the music stool, and holding up
+a commanding finger, beckoned the stranger forward.
+
+"Let's have a look at you," she remarked patronizingly. "I hadn't time
+to take you in before. Are you really German? Tell us about yourself."
+
+"Yes, go on! Where do you come from, and all the rest of it?" urged Evie
+Bennett.
+
+"Are you dumb?" asked Rhoda Wilkins.
+
+"Perhaps she can't speak English!" sniggered Dulcie Wilcox.
+
+Gerda Thorwaldson, now the target of every eye, had turned crimson to
+the very roots of her flaxen hair. She stood in the centre of a ring of
+new schoolfellows, so overwhelmed with shyness that she did not
+volunteer a single response to the volley of remarks suddenly fired at
+her. This did not at all content her inquisitors, who, once their
+attention was drawn to her, felt their curiosity aroused.
+
+"I say, why can't you speak?" said Barbara Marshall, nudging her elbow.
+"You needn't look so scared. We're not going to eat you!"
+
+"No cannibals here!" piped Romola Harvey.
+
+"Lost, stolen, or strayed--a tongue! The property of the new girl.
+Finder will be handsomely rewarded," remarked Mary Beckett facetiously.
+
+"You've got to answer some questions, Gerda Thorwaldson--I suppose
+that's your name?--so don't be silly!" urged Irene Jordan.
+
+"Speak up! We shan't stand any nonsense!" added Elyned Hughes.
+
+"What do you want me to say?" murmured Gerda, gulping down her
+embarrassment with something suspiciously like a sob, and blinking her
+blue eyes rapidly.
+
+"Oh, you can talk English! Well, to begin with, are you German or not?"
+
+"No."
+
+"But you come from Germany?"
+
+"Yes."
+
+"Have you ever been in Cornwall before?"
+
+"Never."
+
+"I suppose you can dance?"
+
+"No."
+
+At this last negative a united howl went up from the assembled circle.
+
+"Can't dance? Where have you lived? Make her try! She's got to learn!
+Take her arm and teach her some steps! She won't? She'll have to! No
+one's to be let off to-night!"
+
+"Gerda Thorwaldson," said Evie Bennett impressively, "we give you your
+choice. You either try to dance this very instant, or you stand on that
+table and sing a song--in English, mind, not German!"
+
+"Which will you choose?" clamoured three or four urgent voices.
+
+"Oh, I say! It's too bad to rag her so, just at first!" protested Doris
+Patterson, a shade more sympathetic than the rest.
+
+"Not a bit of it! If she's really English, she must show it--and if she
+won't, she's nothing but a foreigner!" blustered Dulcie Wilcox.
+
+"This is easy enough," volunteered Annie Pridwell, performing a few
+steps by way of encouragement. "Now, come along and do as I do."
+
+"Fly, little birdie, fly!" mocked Betty Scott.
+
+"She's too stupid!"
+
+"She's going to blub!"
+
+"Leave her alone!"
+
+"No, make her dance!"
+
+"Don't let her sneak out of it!"
+
+"I say, what's going on here?" said a fresh voice, as Marcia Richards
+entered the room, and, after pausing a moment to take in the situation,
+strode indignantly to the rescue of poor Gerda, who, still shy and
+half-bewildered with so many questions, stood almost weeping in the
+midst of the circle.
+
+"Is this the way you treat a new girl? You ought to be ashamed of
+yourselves! No, she shan't learn to dance if she doesn't want to! Not
+to-night, at any rate. Come along with me, Gerda, and have some cocoa
+upstairs. Don't trouble your head about this noisy set. If they've no
+better manners, I'm sorry for them!"
+
+With which parting shot, she seized her protégée by the arm and bore her
+out of the room.
+
+Most of the girls laughed. They did not take the affair seriously. A fit
+of bashfulness and blushing might be very agonizing to the new-comer,
+but it was distinctly diverting to outsiders. New girls must expect a
+little wholesome catechizing before they were admitted into the bosom of
+their Form. It was merely a species of initiation, nothing more. No
+doubt Gerda would find her tongue to-morrow, and give a better account
+of herself. So Betty sat down again to the piano, and the others,
+finding their partners, began once more to tread the fascinating steps
+of the latest popular dance.
+
+"We did rag her, rather," said Deirdre half-apologetically.
+
+"Serve her jolly well right for talking German!" snapped Dulcie.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II
+
+A Kingdom by the Sea
+
+
+Please do not think because Miss Birks's pupils, on the first night of a
+new term, ran helter-skelter up and down the passages, and insisted on
+compulsory dancing or solo singing, that this was their normal course of
+procedure. It was but their one evening of liberty before they settled
+down to ordinary school routine, and for the rest of the eighty-eight
+days before Easter their behaviour would be quite exemplary.
+
+They were a very happy little community at the Dower House. They admired
+and respected their headmistress, and her well-framed rules were rarely
+transgressed. Certainly the girls would have been hard to please if they
+had not been satisfied with Miss Birks, for allied to her undoubted
+brain power she had those far rarer gifts of perfect tact and absolute
+sympathy. She thoroughly understood that oft-time riddle, the mind of a
+schoolgirl, and, while still keeping her authority and maintaining the
+dignity of her position, could win her pupils' entire confidence almost
+as if she had been one of themselves.
+
+"Miss Birks never seems to have quite grown up! She enjoys things just
+the same as we do," was the general verdict of the school.
+
+Perhaps a strain of Irish in her genealogy had given the Principal the
+pleasant twinkle in her eye, the racy humour of speech, and the sunny
+optimistic view of life so dearly valued by all who knew her. Anyhow,
+whatever ancestry might claim to be the source of her cheery attributes,
+she had a very winning personality, and ruled her small kingdom with a
+hand so light that few realized its firmness. And a kingdom it was, in
+the girls' opinion--a veritable "kingdom by the sea". No place in all
+the length and breadth of the British Isles, so they considered, could
+in any way compare with it. Together with the old castle, for which it
+formed the Dower House, it stood on the neck of a long narrow peninsula
+that stretched for about two miles seaward. All the land on this little
+domain was the private property of Mrs. Trevellyan, the owner of
+Pontperran Tower, from whom Miss Birks rented the school, and who had
+granted full and entire leave for the pupils to wander where they
+wished. The result of this generous concession was to give the girls a
+much larger amount of freedom than would have been possible in any other
+situation. The isolated position of the peninsula, only accessible
+through the Castle gateway, made it as safe and secluded a spot as a
+convent garden, and afforded a range of scenery that might well be a
+source of congratulation to those who enjoyed it.
+
+There are few schools that possess a whole headland for a playground,
+and especially such a headland, that seemed so completely equipped for
+the purpose. It held the most delightful of narrow coves, with gently
+shelving, sandy beaches--ideal bathing places in summer-time--and
+mysterious caverns that might occasionally be explored with a candle,
+and interesting pools among the rocks, where at low tide could be found
+seaweeds and anemones, and crabs and limpets, or a bestranded starfish.
+On the steep cliffs that rose sheer and jagged from the green water the
+seabirds built in the spring; and at the summit, on the very verge of
+the precipice, bloomed in their season many choice and rare wild
+flowers--the lovely vernal squill, with its blossoms like deep-blue
+stars; the handsome crimson crane's-bill; the yellow masses of the
+"Lady's fingers"; the pink tufts of the rosy thrift; or the fleshy
+leaves of the curious samphire. The whole extent of the headland was
+occupied by a tract of rough, heathery ground, generally called "the
+warren". A few sheep were turned out here to crop the fine grass that
+grew between the gorse bushes, and a pair of goats were often tethered
+within easy reach of the coachman's cottage; but otherwise it was the
+reserve of the rabbits that scuttled away in every direction should a
+human footstep invade the sanctuary of their dominion.
+
+On these delightful breezy uplands, where the pleasant west wind blew
+fresh and warm from the Gulf Stream, Miss Birks's pupils might wander at
+will during play hours, only observing a few sensible restrictions.
+Dangerous climbs on the edge of the cliffs or over slippery rocks were
+forbidden, and not less than three girls must always be together. This
+last rule was a very necessary one in the circumstances, for in case of
+any accident to a member of the trio, it allowed one to stay with the
+sufferer and render any first aid possible, while the other went at
+topmost speed to lodge information at head-quarters.
+
+The old dwelling itself was a suitable and appropriate building for a
+school. Erected originally in the fourteenth century as a small nunnery,
+it had in the days of Edward VI fallen into the hands of the then lord
+of the Castle, who had turned it into a dower house. Successive
+generations of owners had in their time added to it or altered it, but
+had not spoilt its general atmosphere of mediaevalism. Little pieces of
+Perpendicular window tracery, or remains of archways were frequent in
+the old walls, and a ruined turreted gateway bore witness to the beauty
+of the ancient architecture. Nobody quite knew what vaults and cellars
+there might be under the house. Remains of blocked-up staircases had
+certainly been found, and many of the floors resounded with a
+suggestively hollow ring; but all tradition of these had been lost, and
+not even a legend lingered to gratify the curious.
+
+There was one element of mystery, however, which formed a perennial
+interest and a never-ending topic of conversation among the girls. In
+the centre of the first landing, right in the midst of the principal
+bedrooms, stood a perpetually-closed room. The heavy oak door was
+locked, and as an extra protection thick iron bars had been placed
+across and secured firmly to the jambs. Even the keyhole was stopped up,
+so that the most inquisitive eye could obtain no satisfaction. All that
+anybody knew was the fact that Mrs. Trevellyan, who had a well-deserved
+reputation for eccentricity, had caused a special clause to be made in
+the lease which she had granted to Miss Birks, stipulating for no
+interference with the barred room under pain of forfeiture of the entire
+agreement.
+
+"That means if we bored a hole through the door and peeped in the whole
+school would be turned out of the house," said Evie Bennett once when
+the subject was under discussion.
+
+"Even Miss Birks doesn't know what's inside," said Elyned Hughes with an
+awed shudder.
+
+"Mrs. Trevellyan wouldn't let the place on any other conditions. She
+said she'd rather have it empty first," added Annie Pridwell.
+
+"What can she have there?"
+
+"I'd give ten thousand pounds to find out!"
+
+But though speculation might run rife in the school and a hundred
+different theories be advanced, there was not the slightest means of
+verifying a single one of them. Ghosts, smugglers, or a family skeleton
+were among the favourite suggestions, and the girls often amused
+themselves with even wilder fancies. From the outside the secluded room
+presented as insuperable a barrier as from within; heavy shutters
+secured the window and guarded the secret closely and jealously from all
+prying and peeping. That uncanny noises should apparently issue from
+this abode of mystery goes without saying. There were mice in plenty,
+and even an occasional rat or two in the old house, and their gnawings,
+scamperings, and squeakings might easily be construed into thumps,
+bumps, and blood-curdling groans. The girls would often get up scares
+among themselves and be absolutely convinced that a tragedy, either real
+or supernatural, was being enacted behind the oak door.
+
+Miss Birks, sensible and matter-of-fact as became a headmistress,
+laughed at her pupils' notions, and declared that her chief objection to
+the peculiar clause in her lease was the waste of a good bedroom which
+would have been invaluable as an extra dormitory. She hung a thick plush
+curtain over the doorway, and utterly tabooed the subject of the
+mystery. She could not, however, prevent the girls talking about it
+among themselves, and to them the barred room became a veritable
+Bluebeard's chamber. At night they scuttled past it with averted gaze
+and fingers stuffed in their ears, having an uneasy apprehension lest a
+skeleton hand should suddenly draw aside the curtain and a face--be it
+ghost or grinning goblin--peer at them out of the darkness. They would
+dare each other to stand and listen, or to pass the door alone, and
+among the younger ones a character for heroism stood or fell on the
+capacity of venturing nearest to the so-called "bogey hole".
+
+Though Miss Birks might well regret such a disability in her lease of
+the Dower House, she was proud of the old-world aspect of the place, and
+treasured up any traditions of the past that she could gather together.
+She had carefully written down all surviving details of the Franciscan
+convent, having after endless trouble secured some account of it from
+rare books and manuscripts in the possession of some of the country
+gentry in the neighbourhood. Beyond the dates of its founding and
+dissolution, and the names of its abbesses, there was little to be
+learnt, though a few old records of business transactions gave an idea
+of its extent and importance.
+
+Dearly as she valued the fourteenth-century origin of her establishment,
+Miss Birks did not sacrifice comfort to any love of the antique. Inside
+the ancient walls everything was strictly modern and hygienic, with the
+latest patterns of desks, the most sanitary wall-papers, and each
+up-to-date appliance that educational authorities might suggest or
+devise. Could the Grey Nuns have but returned and taken a peep into the
+well-equipped little chemical laboratory, they would probably have
+fancied themselves in the chamber of a wizard in league with the fiends
+of darkness, and have crossed themselves in pious fear at the sight of
+the bottles and retorts; the nicely-fitted gymnasium would have puzzled
+them sorely; and a hockey match have aroused their sincerest horror.
+_Tempora mutantur, nos et mutamur in illis_--"the times are changed, and
+we are changed with them!" Though we have lost something of the
+picturesqueness of mediaeval life, the childlike faith of a childlike
+age, the simplicity of a nation only groping to feel its strength, we
+have surely gained in the long years of growth, in the gradual awakening
+to the thousand things undreamt of by our forefathers, and can justly
+deem that our lasses have inherited a golden harvest of thought and
+experience from those who have trod before them the thorny and difficult
+pathway that leads to knowledge.
+
+Such were the picturesque and highly-appreciated surroundings at the
+Dower House, and now a word on that much more important subject, the
+girls themselves.
+
+Miss Birks only received twenty pupils, all over fourteen years of age,
+therefore there was no division into upper and lower school. Five elder
+girls constituted the Sixth, and the rest were placed according to their
+capabilities in two sections of the Fifth Form. Of these VB was
+considerably the larger, and containing, as it did, the younger, cruder,
+and more-boisterous spirits, was, in the opinion of the mistresses, the
+portion which required the finer tact and the greater amount of careful
+management. It was not that its members gave any special trouble, but
+they were somewhat in the position of novices, not yet thoroughly versed
+in the traditions of the little community, and needing skill and
+patience during the process of their initiation. Almost insensibly the
+nine seemed to split up into separate parties. Romola Harvey, Barbara
+Marshall, and Elyned Hughes lived in the same town, and knew each other
+at home; a sufficient bond of union to knit them in a close friendship
+which they were unwilling to share with anybody else. The news from
+Springfield, their native place, formed their chief subject of interest,
+and those who could not understand or discuss it must necessarily be in
+the position of outsiders. Evie Bennett, Annie Pridwell, and Betty
+Scott were lively, high-spirited girls, so full of irrepressible fun
+that they were apt to drop the deeper element out of life altogether. It
+was difficult ever to find them in a serious mood, their jokes were
+incessant, and they certainly well earned the nickname of "the three
+gigglers" which was generally bestowed upon them.
+
+Until Christmas, Deirdre Sullivan and Dulcie Wilcox had rejoiced in the
+possession of a bedroom to themselves, a circumstance which had allowed
+them the opportunity of cultivating their friendship till they had
+become the most exclusive chums in the whole of the school. Deirdre, the
+elder by six months, was a picturesque, rather interesting-looking girl,
+with beautiful, expressive grey eyes, a delicate colour, and a neat,
+slim little figure. Dulcie, on the contrary, much to her mortification,
+was inclined to stoutness. She resembled a painting by Rubens, for her
+plump cheeks were pink as carnations, and her ruddy hair was of that
+warm shade of Venetian red so beloved by the old masters. It was a sore
+point with poor Dulcie that, however badly her head ached, or however
+limp or indisposed she might feel, her high colour never faded, and no
+pathetic hollows ever appeared in her cheeks.
+
+"I get no sympathy when I'm ill," she confided to Deirdre. "On that day
+when I turned faint in the algebra class, Miss Harding had said only an
+hour before: 'You do look well, child!' I wish I were as pale and thin
+as Elyned Hughes, then I might get petted and excused lessons. As it
+is, no one believes me when I complain."
+
+Dulcie, who possessed an intense admiration for her chum, struggled
+perpetually to mould herself on Deirdre's model, sometimes with rather
+comical results. Deirdre's romantic tendencies caused her to affect the
+particular style of the heroine of nearly every fresh book she read, and
+she changed continually from an air of reserved and stately dignity to
+one of sparkling vivacity, according to her latest favourite in fiction.
+With Deirdre it was an easy matter enough to assume a manner; but
+Dulcie, who merely copied her friend slavishly, often aroused mirth in
+the schoolroom by her extraordinary poses.
+
+"Who is it now, Dulcie?" the girls would ask. "Rebecca of York, or the
+Scarlet Pimpernel? You might drop us a hint, so that we could tell, and
+treat you accordingly."
+
+And Dulcie, being an unimaginative and really rather obtuse little
+person, though she knew she was being laughed at, could never quite
+fathom the reason why, and continued to lisp or drawl, or to attempt to
+look dignified, or to sparkle, with a praiseworthy perseverance worthy
+of a better object.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III
+
+A Mysterious Schoolfellow
+
+
+It is all very well for a girl to be shy on her first night at school. A
+certain amount of embarrassment is indeed considered almost "good form"
+in a new-comer, indicative of her realization of the privileges which
+she is about to enjoy, and the comparative unworthiness of any previous
+establishment she may have attended. But when her uncommunicative
+attitude is unduly prolonged, what was at first labelled mere becoming
+bashfulness is termed stupidity, closeness, stuck-up conceit, or
+intentional rudeness by her companions, who highly resent any repulse of
+their offers of friendship. Gerda Thorwaldson, after nearly a fortnight
+at the Dower House, seemed as much a stranger as on the evening when she
+arrived. She was neither uncivil nor disobliging, but no efforts on the
+part of her schoolmates were able to penetrate the thick barrier of her
+reserve. She appeared most unwilling to enter into any particulars of
+her former life, and beyond the fact that she had been educated chiefly
+in Germany no information could be dragged from her.
+
+"You've only to hint at her home, and she shuts up like an oyster,"
+said Annie Pridwell aggrievedly. Annie had a natural love of biography.
+She delighted in hearing her comrades' experiences, and was so well up
+in everybody's private affairs that she could have written a "Who's Who"
+of the school.
+
+"You ought to know, Deirdre," she continued. "Doesn't she tell you
+anything at all in your bedroom?"
+
+"Hardly opens her mouth," replied Deirdre. "You wouldn't believe how
+difficult it is to talk to her. She just says 'Yes' or 'No', and
+occasionally asks a question, but she certainly tells us nothing about
+herself."
+
+"Never met with anyone so mum in my life," added Dulcie.
+
+The question of Gerda's nationality still weighed upon Dulcie's spirits.
+In her opinion a girl who could speak a foreign language with such
+absolute fluency did not deserve to be called English, and she was
+further disturbed by a hint which got abroad that the new girl had been
+requisitioned to the school for the particular purpose of talking
+German.
+
+"If that's so, why has she been poked upon us?" she demanded
+indignantly. "Why wasn't she put in a dormitory with somebody who'd
+appreciate her better?--Marcia Richards, for instance, who says she
+'envies our advantages'."
+
+"Ask Miss Birks!"
+
+"Oh, I dare say! But I don't like people who listen to everything and
+say nothing. It gives one the idea they mean to sneak some day."
+
+Though Gerda's attitude regarding her own affairs was uncommunicative,
+she nevertheless appeared to take a profound interest in her present
+surroundings. As Dulcie had noticed, she listened to everything, and no
+detail, however small, seemed to escape her. She was anxious to learn
+all she could concerning the old house, the neighbourhood, and the
+families who resided near, and would ask an occasional question on the
+subject, often blushing scarlet as she put her queries.
+
+"Why, I should think you could draw a plan of the house!" said Dulcie
+one day. "What does it matter whether the larder is underneath our
+dormitory or not? You can't dive through the floor and purloin tarts!"
+
+"No, of course not. I was only wondering," replied Gerda, shrinking into
+her shell again.
+
+Nevertheless, later on in the afternoon, Dulcie suddenly came across her
+measuring the landing with a yard tape.
+
+"What in the name of all that's wonderful are you doing?" exclaimed the
+much-surprised damsel.
+
+"Oh, nothing, nothing!" said Gerda, hastily rolling up her tape measure,
+and slipping it into her pocket. "Only just an idea that came into my
+head. I wanted to know the length of the passage, that was all!"
+
+"What a most extraordinary thing to want to know! Really, Gerda, you're
+the queerest girl I ever met. Is it having lived in Germany that makes
+you so odd?"
+
+"I suppose it must be," murmured Gerda, escaping as rapidly as possible
+into the schoolroom.
+
+I have said before that owing to the unique situation of the Dower House
+the girls were allowed an amount of liberty in their play-hours which
+could not so easily have been granted to them at other schools. They
+wandered freely about the headland without a mistress, and so far had
+never abused their privileges, either by getting into danger or staying
+out beyond the specified time.
+
+Though as a rule they rambled in trios, on the first of February the
+whole of Form VB might have been seen walking together over the warren.
+They had a motive for their excursion, for it was St. Perran's Day, and
+St. Perran was the patron saint of the district. At the end of the
+promontory there was a small spring dedicated to his memory, and
+according to ancient legends, anybody who on his anniversary dropped a
+pin into this well might learn her luck for the coming year. Formerly
+all the lads and lasses from the villages of Pontperran, Porthmorvan,
+and Perranwrack used to come to deck the well and try their fortunes,
+but their annual visitation having degenerated into a rather riotous and
+undesirable ceremony, Mrs. Trevellyan had put up extra trespass notices,
+and given strict orders to her gamekeeper to exclude the public from the
+headland.
+
+Knowing of the ancient custom which had been practised from time
+immemorial, it was of course only in schoolgirl nature to want to test
+the powers of divination attributed to the old well. The Sixth Form,
+who considered themselves almost grown up, treated the affair with
+ridicule, and the members of VA, who copied their seniors slavishly,
+likewise affected a supreme contempt for so childish a proceeding; but
+VB, being still at an age when superstition holds an immense attraction,
+trotted off _en bloc_ to pay their respects to St. Perran. Each, in
+deference to the long-established tradition of the neighbourhood, bore a
+garland of ferns and other greeneries, and each came armed with the
+necessary pin that was to work the spell.
+
+"Jessie Macpherson says we're a set of sillies," volunteered Betty
+Scott. "But I don't care--I wouldn't miss St. Perran's Day for
+anything."
+
+"My wish came true last year," put in Barbara Marshall.
+
+"Oh, I do hope I shall have some luck!" shivered Elyned Hughes.
+
+The well in question lay in a slight hollow, a kind of narrow gully,
+where in wet weather a small stream ambled between the rocks and ran
+down to the sea. In the mild Cornish climate ferns were growing here
+fresh and green, ignoring the presence of winter; and dog's-mercury,
+strawberry-leaved cinquefoil, and other early plants were pushing up
+strong leaves in preparation for the springtime. The famous well was
+nothing but a shallow basin of rock, into which the little stream flowed
+leisurely, and, having partially filled it, trickled away through a gap,
+and became for a yard or two merged in a patch of swampy herbage.
+Overhung with long fronds of lady-fern and tufts of hawkweed, it had a
+picturesque aspect, and the water seemed to gurgle slowly and
+mysteriously, as if it were trying in some unknown language to reveal a
+secret.
+
+The girls clustered round, and began in orthodox fashion to hang their
+garlands on the leafless branches of a stunted tree that stretched
+itself over the spring. They were in various moods, some giggling, some
+half-awed, some silent, and some chattering.
+
+"It isn't as high as it was last year, so I don't believe it will work
+so well," said Evie Bennett. "St. Perran must be in a bad temper, and
+hasn't looked after it properly. Tiresome old man, why can't he remember
+his own day?"
+
+"He's got to do double duty, poor old chap!" laughed Betty Scott. "You
+forget he's the patron saint of the sailors as well, and is supposed to
+be out at sea attracting the fish. Perhaps he just hadn't time this
+morning, and thought the well would do."
+
+"Let well alone, in fact," giggled Evie.
+
+"Oh, shut her up for her bad pun! Dip her head in the water! Make her
+try her luck first!"
+
+"Pleased to accommodate you, I'm sure. Here's my pin," returned Evie.
+"Now, if you're ready, I'll begin and consult the oracle."
+
+St. Perran's ceremony had to be performed in due order, or it was
+supposed to be of no effect. First of all, Evie solemnly dropped her pin
+in the well, as a species of votive offering, while silently she
+murmured a wish. Then placing a small piece of stick on the surface of
+the water in the exact centre of the basin, she repeated the
+time-honoured formula:
+
+    "Perran, Perran of the well,
+     What I've wished I may not tell,
+     'Tis but known to me and you,
+     Help me then to bring it true".
+
+All eyes were fixed eagerly on the piece of stick, which was already
+commencing to circle round in the water. If it found its way
+successfully through the gap, and was washed down by the stream, it was
+a sign that St. Perran had it safely and would attend to the matter; but
+if it were stranded on the edge of the basin, the wish would remain
+unfulfilled. Round and round went the tiny twig, bobbing and dancing in
+the eddies; but, alas! the water was low this February, and instead of
+sweeping the twig triumphantly through the aperture, it only washed it
+to one side, and left it clinging to some overhanging fronds of fern
+that dipped into the spring. Evie heaved a tragic sigh of
+disappointment.
+
+"I'm done for at any rate!" she groaned. "St. Perran won't have anything
+to say to me this year. Oh, and it was such a lovely wish! I'll tell you
+what it was, now it's not going to come off. I wished some aviator would
+ask me to have a seat in his aeroplane, and take me right over to
+America in it!"
+
+The girls tittered.
+
+"What a particularly likely wish to be fulfilled! No, my hearty, you
+can't expect St. Perran to have anything to do with aeroplanes," said
+Betty Scott. "The good old saint probably abhors all modern inventions.
+I'm going to wish for something easy and probable."
+
+"What?"
+
+"Ah! wouldn't you like to know? I shan't tell you, even if I fail. Shall
+I try next?"
+
+Whatever Betty's easy and probable desire may have been, the result was
+bad, and her stick, after several thrilling gyrations, tagged itself on
+to Evie's under the cluster of fern. She bore her ill luck like a stoic.
+
+"One can't have everything in this world," she philosophized. "Perhaps
+I'll get it next year instead. Deirdre Sullivan, you deserve to lose
+your own for sniggering! This trial ought to be taken solemnly. We'll
+get St. Perran's temper up if we make fun of it."
+
+"I thought he was out at sea, attracting the fishes!" said Deirdre.
+
+"I'm not sure that Cornish saints can't be in two places at once, just
+to show their superiority over Devonshire ones. Well, go on! Laugh if
+you like! But don't expect St. Perran to take any interest in you!"
+
+It certainly seemed as though the patron of the well had for once
+forsaken his favourite haunt. Girl after girl wished her wish and
+repeated her spell, but invariably to meet with the same ill fortune,
+till a melancholy little clump of eight sticks testified to the general
+failure.
+
+"Have we all lost? No, Gerda Thorwaldson hasn't tried! Where's Gerda?
+She's got to do the same as anybody else! Gerda Thorwaldson, where are
+you?"
+
+Gerda for the moment had been missing, but at the sound of her name she
+scrambled down from the rocks above the well, looking rather red and
+conscious.
+
+"What were you doing up there?" asked Dulcie sharply. "It's your turn to
+try the omen. Go along, quick; we shall have to be jogging back in half
+a jiff."
+
+Gerda paused for a moment, and with face full towards the sea muttered
+her wish with moving lips; then turning to the tree, she carefully
+counted the third bough from the bottom, and the third twig on the
+bough. Breaking off her due portion, she twisted it round three times,
+and holding it between the third fingers of either hand, dropped it into
+the water, while she rapidly repeated the magic formula:
+
+    "Perran, Perran of the well,
+     What I've wished I may not tell,
+     'Tis but known to me and you,
+     Help me then to bring it true".
+
+The girls watched rather half-heartedly. They were growing a little
+tired of the performance. They fully expected the ninth stick to drift
+the same way as its predecessors, but to everybody's astonishment it
+made one rapid circle of the basin, and bobbed successfully through the
+gap.
+
+"It's gone! it's gone!" cried Betty Scott in wild excitement. "St.
+Perran's working after all. Oh, why didn't he do it for me?"
+
+"How funny it should be the only one!" said Elyned Hughes.
+
+"I believe the water's running faster than it did before," commented
+Romola Harvey. "Has the old saint turned on the tap?"
+
+"Shall I get my wish?" said Gerda, who stood by with shining eyes.
+
+"Of course you'll get it--certain sure. And jolly fortunate you are too.
+You've won the luck of the whole Form. Don't I wish I were you, just!"
+
+"You're evidently St. Perran's favourite!" laughed Annie Pridwell.
+
+"Come along, it's nearly time for call-over. We'll be late if we don't
+sprint," said Barbara Marshall, consulting her watch, and starting at a
+run on the path that led back to the Dower House.
+
+"It was a funny thing that our sticks should all 'stick', and Gerda's
+just sail off as easily as you like," said Deirdre that evening, as,
+with Dulcie, she gave an account of the occurrence to Phyllis Rowland, a
+member of the Sixth. As one of the elect of the school, Phyllis would
+not have condescended to consult the famous oracle, but she nevertheless
+took a sneaking interest in the annual ceremony, and was anxious to know
+how St. Perran's votaries had fared.
+
+"Did you do it really properly?" she enquired. "An old woman at
+Perranwrack once told me it wasn't any use at all if you forgot the
+least thing."
+
+"Why, we hung up our garlands and then wished, and said the rhyme, and
+threw in our sticks."
+
+"Oh, that isn't half enough. Where were you looking when you wished?
+Facing the sea? Your stick should be chosen from the third twig on the
+third branch, and it ought to be turned round three times, and held
+between your third fingers. Did you do all that?"
+
+The faces of Deirdre and Dulcie were a study.
+
+"No, we didn't. But Gerda Thorwaldson did it--every bit. And the water
+came down ever so much faster for her turn, too."
+
+"Probably she went behind the well, and cleared the channel of the
+stream. That's a well-known dodge to make the water flow quicker, and
+help the saint to work."
+
+"I certainly saw her climbing down the rocks," gasped Dulcie.
+
+"Then she's a cleverer girl than I took her for, and deserves her luck,"
+laughed Phyllis. "Look here, I can't stay wasting time any longer. I've
+got my prep to do. Ta, ta! Don't let St. Perran blight your young lives.
+Try him again next year."
+
+Left alone, Deirdre and Dulcie subsided simultaneously on to a bench.
+
+"It beats me altogether," said Dulcie, shaking her head. "How did she
+manage to do it? How did she know? Who told her?"
+
+"That's the puzzler," returned Deirdre. "Certainly not Phyllis, and I
+don't believe anybody else ever heard of those extra dodges. Gerda's
+only been a fortnight at the school, and says she's never been in
+Cornwall in her life before, so how could she know? Yet she did it all
+so pat."
+
+"It's queer, to say the least of it."
+
+"Do you know, Dulcie, I think there's something mysterious about Gerda.
+I've noticed it ever since she came. She seems all the time to be trying
+to hide something. She won't tell us a scrap about herself, and yet
+she's always asking questions."
+
+"What's she up to then?"
+
+"That's what I want to find out. It's evidently something she doesn't
+want people to know. She ought to be watched. I vote we keep an eye on
+her."
+
+"I really believe we ought to."
+
+"But mind, you mustn't let her suspect we notice anything. That would
+give the show away at once. Lie low's our motto."
+
+"Right you are!" agreed Dulcie. "Mum's the word!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV
+
+"The King of the Castle"
+
+
+The members of VB often congratulated themselves that their special
+classroom was decidedly larger than that of the Sixth or of VA. They
+were apt to boast of their superior accommodation, and would never admit
+the return argument that being so much larger a form, their room really
+allowed less space per girl, and was therefore actually inferior to its
+rivals. On one February evening the whole nine were sitting round the
+fire, luxuriating in half an hour's delicious idleness before the bell
+rang for "second prep.". Those who had been first in the field had
+secured the basket-chairs, but the majority squatted on the hearth-rug,
+making as close a ring as they could, for the night was cold, and there
+was a nip of frost in the air.
+
+"Now, don't anybody begin to talk sense, please!" pleaded Betty Scott,
+leaning a golden-brown head mock-sentimentally on Annie Pridwell's
+shoulder. "My poor little brains are just about pumped out with maths.,
+and what's left of them will be wanted for French prep. later on. This
+is the silly season, so I hope no one will endeavour to improve my
+mind."
+
+"They'd have a Herculean task before them if they did!" sniggered
+Annie. "Betty, your head may be empty, but it's jolly heavy, all the
+same. I wish you'd kindly remove it from my shoulder."
+
+"You mass of ingratitude! It was a mark of supreme affection--a kind of
+'They grew in beauty side by side', don't you know!"
+
+"I don't want to know. Not if it involves nursing your weight. Oh, yes!
+go to Barbara, by all means, if she'll have you. I'm not in the least
+offended."
+
+"That big basket-chair oughtn't to be monopolized by one," asserted Evie
+Bennett. "It's quite big enough for two. Here, Deirdre, make room for
+me. Don't be stingy, you must give me another inch. That's better. It's
+rather a squash, but we can just manage."
+
+"You're cuckooing me out!" protested Deirdre.
+
+"No, no, I'm not. There's space for two in this nest. We're a pair of
+doves:
+
+    "'Coo,' said the turtle dove,
+     'Coo,' said she".
+
+"I'll say something more to the point, if you don't take care. What a
+lot of sillies you are!"
+
+"Then please deign to enlarge our intellects. We're hanging upon your
+words. Betty can stop her ears, if she thinks it will be too great a
+strain on her slender brains. What is it to be? A recitation from
+Milton, or a dissertation on the evils of levity? Miss Sullivan, your
+audience awaits you. Mr. Chairman, will you please introduce the
+lecturer?"
+
+"Ladies and gentlemen, I hasten to explain that owing to severe
+indisposition I am unable to be present to-night," returned Deirdre
+promptly.
+
+"Oh, Irish of the Irish!" laughed the girls. "Did you say it on purpose,
+or did it come unconsciously?"
+
+"I wish I were Irish. Somehow I never say funny things, not even if I
+try," lamented Dulcie.
+
+"Because you couldn't. You're a dear fat dumpling, and dumplings never
+are funny, you know--it's against nature."
+
+"It's not my fault if I'm fat," said Dulcie plaintively. "People say
+'Laugh and grow fat', so why shouldn't a plump person be funny?"
+
+"They are funny--very funny--though not quite in the way you mean."
+
+"Oh, look here! Don't be horrid!"
+
+"You began it yourself."
+
+"Children, don't barge!" interrupted Romola Harvey. "You really are
+rather a set of lunatics to-night. Can't anyone tell a story?"
+
+"I was taught to call fibbing a sin in the days of my youth," retorted
+Betty Scott, assuming a serious countenance.
+
+"You--you ragtimer! I mean a real story--a tale--a legend--a romance--or
+whatever you choose to call it."
+
+"Don't know any."
+
+"We've used them all up," said Evie Bennett, yawning lustily. "We all
+know the legend of the Abbess Gertrude--it's Miss Birks's favourite
+chestnut--and what she said to the Commissioner who came to confiscate
+the convent: and we've had the one about Monmouth's rebellion till it's
+as stale as stale can be. I defy anybody to have the hardihood to repeat
+it."
+
+"Aren't there any other tales about the neighbourhood?" asked Gerda
+Thorwaldson. It was the first remark that she had made.
+
+"Oh, I don't think so. The old castle's very sparse in legends. I
+suppose there ought to be a few, but they're mostly forgotten."
+
+"Who used to live there?"
+
+"Trevellyans. There always have been Trevellyans--hosts of them--though
+now there's nobody left but Mrs. Trevellyan and Ronnie."
+
+"Who's Ronnie?"
+
+More than half a dozen answers came instantly.
+
+"Ronnie? Why, he's just Ronnie."
+
+"Mrs. Trevellyan's great-nephew."
+
+"The dearest darling!"
+
+"You never saw anyone so sweet."
+
+"We all of us adore him."
+
+"We call him 'The King of the Castle'."
+
+"They've been away, staying in London."
+
+"But they're coming back this week."
+
+"Is he grown up?" enquired Gerda casually.
+
+"Grown up!" exploded the girls. "He's not quite six!"
+
+"He lives with Mrs. Trevellyan," explained Betty, "because he hasn't got
+any father or mother of his own."
+
+"Oh, Betty, he has!" burst out Barbara.
+
+"Well, that's the first I ever heard of them, then. I thought he was an
+orphan."
+
+"He's as good as an orphan, poor little chap."
+
+"Why?"
+
+"Nobody ever mentions his father."
+
+"Why on earth not?"
+
+"Oh, I don't know! There's something mysterious. Mrs. Trevellyan doesn't
+like it talked about. Nobody dare even drop a hint to her."
+
+"What's wrong with Ronnie's father?"
+
+"I tell you I don't know, except that I believe he did something he
+shouldn't have."
+
+"Rough on Ronnie."
+
+"Ronnie doesn't know, of course, and nobody would be cruel enough to
+tell him. You must promise you'll none of you mention what I've said.
+Not to anybody."
+
+"Rather not! You can trust us!" replied all.
+
+It was perhaps only natural that the affairs of the Castle should seem
+important to the dwellers at the Dower House. The two buildings lay so
+near together, yet were so isolated in their position as regarded other
+habitations, that they united in many ways for their mutual convenience.
+If Miss Birks's gardener was going to the town he would execute
+commissions for the Castle, as well as for his own mistress; and, on the
+other hand, the Castle chauffeur would call at the Dower House for
+letters to be sent by the late post. Mrs. Trevellyan was a widow with no
+family of her own. She had adopted her great-nephew Ronald while he was
+still quite a baby, and he could remember no other home than hers. The
+little fellow was the one delight and solace of her advancing years. Her
+life centred round Ronnie; she thought continually of his interests,
+and made many plans for his future. He was her constant companion, and
+his pretty, affectionate ways and merry chatter did much to help her to
+forget old griefs. He was a most winning, engaging child, a favourite
+with everybody, and reigned undoubtedly as monarch in the hearts of all
+who had the care of him. It was partly on Ronnie's account, and partly
+because she really loved young people, that Mrs. Trevellyan took so much
+notice of the pupils at the Dower House. On her nephew's behalf she
+would have preferred a boys' preparatory school for neighbour, but even
+girls over fourteen were better than nobody; they made an element of
+youth that was good for Ronnie, and prevented the Castle from seeming
+too dull. The knowledge that he might perhaps meet his friends on the
+headland gave an object to the little boy's daily walk, and the jokes
+and banter with which they generally greeted him provided him with a
+subject for conversation afterwards.
+
+The girls on their part showed the liveliest interest in anything
+connected with the Castle. They would watch the motor passing in and out
+of the great gates, would peep from their top windows to look at the
+gardeners mowing the lawns, and would even count the rooks' nests that
+were built in the grove of elm trees. Occasionally Mrs. Trevellyan would
+ask the whole school to tea, and that was regarded as so immense a treat
+that the girls always looked forward to the delightful chance that some
+fortunate morning an invitation might be forthcoming.
+
+Mrs. Trevellyan had been staying in London at the beginning of the term,
+but early in February she returned home again. On the day after her
+arrival the girls were walking back from a hockey practice on the
+warren, swinging their way along the narrow tracks between last year's
+bracken and heather, or having an impromptu long-jump contest where a
+small stream crossed the path.
+
+"It's so jolly to see the flag up again at the Castle," said Evie
+Bennett, looking at the turret where the Union Jack was flying bravely
+in the breeze. "I always feel as if it's a kind of national defence. Any
+ships sailing by would know it was England they were passing."
+
+"I like it because it means Mrs. Trevellyan's at home," said Deirdre
+Sullivan. "A place seems so forlorn when the family's away. Did Ronnie
+come back too, last night?"
+
+"Yes, Hilda Marriott saw him from the window this morning. He was going
+down the road with his new governess. Why, there he is--actually
+watching for us, the darling!"
+
+The girls had to pass close to a turnstile that led from the Castle
+grounds into the warren, and here, perched astride the top rail of the
+gate, evidently on the look-out for them, a small boy was waving his cap
+in frantic welcome. He was a pretty little fellow, with the bluest of
+eyes and the fairest of skins, and the lightest of flaxen hair, and he
+seemed dimpling all over his merry face with delight at the meeting. The
+girls simply made a rush for him, and he was handed about from one to
+another, struggling in laughing protest, till at last he wriggled
+himself free, and retiring behind the turnstile, held the gate as a
+barrier.
+
+[Illustration: A SMALL BOY WAS WAVING HIS CAP IN FRANTIC WELCOME
+_Page 48_]
+
+"I knew you'd be coming past, so I got leave to play here. Thank you all
+for your Christmas cards," he said gaily. "Yes--I like my new governess.
+Her name's Miss Herbert, and she's ripping. Auntie's going to ask you to
+tea. I want to show you my engine I got at Christmas. It goes round the
+floor and it really puffs. You'll come?"
+
+"Oh! we'll come all right," chuckled the girls. "We've got something at
+the Dower House to show you, too. No, we shan't tell you what it
+is--it's to be a surprise. Oh, goody! There's the bell! Ta-ta! We must
+be off! If we don't fly, we shall all be late for call-over. No, you're
+not to come through the gate to say good-bye! Go back, you rascal! You
+know you're not allowed on the warren!"
+
+As the big bell at the Dower House was clang-clanging its loudest, the
+girls set off at a run. There was not a minute to be lost if they meant
+to be in their places to answer "Present" to their names; and missing
+the roll-call meant awkward explanations with Miss Birks. One only,
+oblivious of the urgency of the occasion, lingered behind. Gerda
+Thorwaldson had stood apart while the others greeted Ronnie, merely
+looking on as if the meeting were of no interest to her. Nobody had
+taken the slightest notice of her, or had indeed remembered her
+existence at the moment. She counted for so little with her
+schoolfellows that it never struck them to introduce her to their
+favourite; in fact they had been totally occupied among themselves in
+fighting for possession of him. She remained now, until the very last
+school sports' cap was round the corner and out of sight. Then she
+dashed through the turnstile, and overtaking Ronnie, thrust a packet of
+chocolates, rather awkwardly, into his hand.
+
+The bell had long ceased clanging, and Miss Birks had closed the
+call-over book when Gerda entered the schoolroom. As she would offer no
+explanation of her lateness, she was given a page of French poetry to
+learn, to teach her next time to regard punctuality as a cardinal
+virtue. She took her punishment with absolute stolidity.
+
+"What a queer girl she is! She never seems to care what happens," said
+Dulcie. "I should mind if Miss Birks glared at me in that way, to say
+nothing of a whole page of _Athalie_."
+
+"She looked as if she'd been crying when she came in," remarked Deirdre.
+
+"She's not crying now, at any rate. She simply looks unapproachable.
+What made her so late? She was with us on the warren."
+
+"How should I know? If she won't tell, she won't. You might as well try
+to make a mule gallop uphill as attempt to get even the slightest, most
+ordinary, everyday scrap of information out of such a sphinx as Gerda
+Thorwaldson."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V
+
+Practical Geography
+
+
+Miss Birks often congratulated herself on the fact that the smallness of
+her school allowed her to give a proportionately large amount of
+individual attention to her pupils. There was no possibility at the
+Dower House for even the laziest girl to shirk lessons and shield her
+ignorance behind the general bulk of information possessed by the Form.
+Backward girls, dull girls, delicate girls--all had their special claims
+considered and their fair chances accorded. There was no question of
+"passing in a crowd". Each pupil stood or fell on the merits of her own
+work, and every item of her progress was noted with as much care as if
+she were the sole charge of the establishment. Miss Birks had many
+theories of education, some gleaned from national conferences of
+teachers, and others of her own evolving, all on the latest of modern
+lines. One of her pet theories was the practical application, whenever
+possible, of every lesson learnt. According to the season the girls
+botanized, geologized, collected caterpillars and chrysalides, or hunted
+for marine specimens on the shore, vying with each other in a friendly
+rivalry as to which could secure the best contributions for the school
+museum.
+
+There was no subject, however, in Miss Birks's estimation which led
+itself more readily to practical illustration than geography. Every
+variety of physical feature was examined in the original situation, so
+that watersheds, tributaries, table-lands, currents, and comparative
+elevations became solid facts instead of mere book statements, and each
+girl was taught to make her own map of the district.
+
+"I believe we've examined everything except an iceberg and a volcano,"
+declared Betty Scott one day, "and I verily believe Miss Birks is on the
+look-out for both--hoped an iceberg might be washed ashore during those
+few cold days we had in January, and you know she told us Beacon Hill
+was the remains of an extinct volcano. I expect she wished it might
+burst out suddenly again, like Vesuvius, just to show us how it did it!"
+
+"Wouldn't we squeal and run if we heard rumblings and saw jets of steam
+coming up?" commented Evie Bennett. "I don't think many of us would stay
+to do scientific work, and take specimens of the lava."
+
+"Where are we going this afternoon?" asked Elyned Hughes.
+
+"Mapping, Miss Birks said. We're to make for the old windmill, and then
+draw a radius of six miles, from Kergoff to Avonporth. Hurry up, you
+others! It's after two, and Miss Harding's waiting on the terrace. What
+a set of slow-coaches you are!"
+
+It was the turn of VB to have a practical geography demonstration, and
+they started, therefore, under the guidance of the second mistress, to
+survey the physical features of a certain portion of the neighbourhood,
+and record them in a map. Each girl was furnished by Miss Birks with a
+paper of questions, intended to be a guide to her observations:
+
+    1.--Using the windmill as a centre, what direction do the roads
+    take?
+
+    2.--What villages or farms must be noted?
+
+    3.--What rivers or streams, and their courses?
+
+    4.--What lakes or ponds?
+
+    5.--The general outline of the coast?
+
+    6.--Are there hills or mountains?
+
+    7.--What historical monuments should be marked with a cross?
+
+Armed with their instructions, pocket compasses, and note-books, the
+girls set off in cheerful spirits. They dearly loved these country
+rambles, and heartily approved of this particular method of education.
+It was a beautiful bright afternoon towards the middle of February, one
+of those glorious days that seem to anticipate the spring, and to make
+one forget that winter exists at all. The sky was cloudless and blue,
+not with the serene blue of summer, but with that fainter, almost
+greenish shade so noticeable in the early months of the year, and
+growing pearly-white where it touched the horizon. There was a joyous
+feeling of returning life in the air; a thrush, perhaps remembering that
+it was St. Valentine's Eve, carolled with full rich voice in the bare
+thorn tree, small birds chased each other among the bushes, and great
+flocks of rooks were feeding up and down the ploughed fields. In
+sheltered corners an early wild flower or two had forestalled the
+season, and the girls picked an occasional celandine star or primrose
+bud, and even a few cherished violets. The catkins on the hazels were
+shaking down showers of golden pollen, and the sallows were covered with
+silky, silvery tufts of palm; the low sycamores in the hedge showed rosy
+buds almost ready to burst, and shoots of bramble or sprays of
+newly-opened honeysuckle leaves formed green patches here and there on
+the old walls.
+
+The girls walked at a brisk, swinging pace, in no particular order, so
+long as they kept together, and with licence to stop to examine
+specimens within reasonable limits of time. Miss Harding, who was
+herself a fairly good naturalist, might be consulted at any moment, and
+all unknown or doubtful objects, if portable, were popped in a basket
+and taken back to be identified by the supreme authority, Miss Birks.
+
+Though they fully appreciated the warren as a playground, it was
+delightful to have a wider field for their activities, and the
+opportunity of making some fresh find or some interesting discovery to
+report at head-quarters. Miss Birks kept a Nature Diary hung on the wall
+of the big schoolroom, and there was keen competition as to which should
+be the first to supply the various items that made up its weekly
+chronicle. It was even on record that Rhoda Wilkins once ran a whole
+mile at top speed in order to steal a march on Emily Northwood, and
+claim for VA the proud honour of announcing the first bird's nest of the
+year.
+
+The special point for which the girls were bound this afternoon was a
+ruined windmill that stood on a small eminence, and formed rather a
+landmark in the district. From here an excellent view might be obtained
+of both the outline of the coast and the course of the little river that
+ambled down from the hills and poured itself into the sea by the tiny
+village of Kergoff. No fitter spot could have been chosen for a general
+survey, and as the girls reached the platform on which the building
+stood, and ranged themselves under its picturesque ragged sails, they
+pulled out their note-books and got to business.
+
+It was a glorious panorama that lay below them--brown heathery common
+and rugged cliff, steep crags against which the growing tide was softly
+lapping, a babbling little river that wound a noisy course between
+boulders and over rounded, age-worn stones, tumbling in leaps from the
+hills, dancing through the meadows, and flowing with a strong, steady
+swirl through the whitewashed hamlet ere it widened out to join the
+harbour. And beyond all there was the sea--the shimmering, glittering
+sea--rolling quietly in with slow, heavy swell, and dashing with a dull
+boom against the lighthouse rocks, bearing far off on its bosom a chance
+vessel southward bound, and floating one by one the little craft that
+had been beached in the anchorage, till they strained at their cables,
+and bobbed gaily on the rising water. Only one or two of the girls
+perhaps realized the intense beauty and poetry of the scene; most were
+busy noting the natural features, and calculating possible distances,
+marking here a farm or there a hill crest, and trying to reproduce in
+some creditable fashion the eccentric windings of the river.
+
+"That little crag below us just blocks the view of the road," said
+Deirdre. "I can't get the bend in at all. Do you mind, Miss Harding, if
+some of us go to the bottom of the hill and trace it out?"
+
+"Certainly, if you like," replied the mistress. "I'm tired, so I shall
+wait for you here. It won't take you longer than ten minutes."
+
+"Oh, dear, no! We'll race down. I say, who'll come?"
+
+Dulcie, Betty, Annie, Barbara, and Gerda were among the energetically
+disposed, but Evie, Romola, and Elyned preferred to wait with Miss
+Harding.
+
+"We'll copy yours when you come back," they announced shamelessly.
+
+"Oh, we'll see about that! Ta-ta!" cried the others, as they started at
+a fair pace down the hill.
+
+The road was certainly the most winding of any they had attempted to
+trace that afternoon. It twisted like a cork-screw between high banks,
+then hiding beneath a steep crag plunged suddenly through a small fir
+wood, and crossed the river by a stone bridge. The girls had descended
+at a jog trot, trying to take their bearings as they went. Owing to the
+great height of the banks it was impossible to see what was below,
+therefore it was only when they had passed the wood that they noticed
+for the first time an old grey house on the farther side of the bridge.
+It was built so close to the stream that its long veranda actually
+overhung the water, which swept swirling against the lower wall of the
+building. Many years must have passed since it last held a tenant, for
+creepers stretched long tendrils over the broken windows, and grass grew
+green in the gutters. The dilapidated gate, the weed-grown garden, the
+weather-worn, paintless woodwork, the damp-stained walls, the damaged
+roof, all gave it an air of almost indescribable melancholy, so utterly
+abandoned, deserted, and entirely neglected did it appear.
+
+"Hallo! Why, this must be 'Forster's Folly'!" exclaimed Barbara. "I'd no
+idea we were so close to it. We couldn't see even the chimneys from the
+windmill."
+
+"What an extraordinary name for an even more extraordinary house!" said
+Deirdre. "Who in the name of all that's weird was 'Forster'? And why is
+this rat's-hall-looking place called his folly?"
+
+"He was a lawyer in the neighbourhood, I believe, and, like some
+lawyers, just a little bit too sharp. It was when the railway was going
+to be made. He heard it was coming this way, and he calculated it would
+just have to cut across this piece of land, so he bought the field and
+built this house on it in a tremendous hurry, because he thought he
+could claim big compensation from the railway company; and then after
+all they took the line round by Avonporth instead, five miles away, and
+didn't want to buy his precious house, so he'd had all the trouble and
+expense for nothing."
+
+"Served him right!" grunted the girls.
+
+"They say he was furious," continued Barbara. "He was so disgusted that
+he never even painted the woodwork or laid out the garden properly. He
+tried to let it, but nobody wanted it; so he was obliged to come and
+live in it himself for economy's sake. He was an old bachelor, and he
+and a sour old housekeeper were here for a year or two, and then he died
+very suddenly, and rather mysteriously. His relations came and took away
+the furniture, but they haven't been able to sell the house, it's in
+such a queer, out-of-the-way place. Then everybody in the neighbourhood
+said it was haunted, and not a soul would go near it for love or money."
+
+"It looks haunted," said Dulcie with a shiver. "Just the kind of
+lonely-moated-grange place where you'd expect to see a 'woman in white'
+at the window."
+
+"Never saw anything so spooky in my life before," agreed Deirdre.
+
+"Did you say it used to belong to Mr. Forster, the lawyer?" asked Gerda.
+"The one who had business at St. Gonstan?"
+
+"I don't know where he had business, but it was certainly Mr. Forster,
+the lawyer. I don't suppose there'd be more than one."
+
+"When did he die?"
+
+"About five years ago, I fancy. Why do you want to know?"
+
+"Oh, nothing! It doesn't matter in the least," returned Gerda, shrinking
+into her shell again.
+
+"It's the weirdest, queerest place I've ever seen," said Deirdre. "Do
+let's go a little nearer. Ugh! What would you take to spend a night
+here alone?"
+
+"Nothing in the wide world you could offer me," protested Betty.
+
+"I'd go stark, staring mad!" affirmed Annie.
+
+"Hallo!" squealed Dulcie suddenly. "What's become of Gerda? She's
+sneaked off!"
+
+"Why, there she is, peeping through one of the broken windows!"
+
+"Oh, I say! I must have a squint too, to see if there's really a ghost!"
+fluttered Annie.
+
+"You goose! You wouldn't see ghosts by daylight!"
+
+"Well, I don't care anyhow. I'm going to peep. Cuckoo, Gerda! What can
+you see inside?"
+
+When Annie Pridwell led the way, it followed of necessity that the
+others went after her, so they scurried to catch her up, and all ran in
+a body over the bridge and into the nettle-grown garden. Gerda was still
+perched on the window-sill of one of the lower rooms, and she turned to
+her schoolfellows with a strange light in her eyes and a look of
+unwonted excitement on her face.
+
+"I put my hand through the broken pane and pulled back the catch," she
+volunteered. "We've only to push the window up and we could go inside."
+
+"Oh! Dare we?"
+
+"Suppose the ghost caught us?"
+
+"Oh, I say! Do let us go!"
+
+"It would be such gorgeous sport!"
+
+"I'm game, if you all are."
+
+As usual it was Annie Pridwell who led the adventure. Pushing up the
+window, she climbed over the sill and dropped inside, then turning round
+offered a hand to Gerda, who sprang eagerly after her. It was imperative
+for Deirdre, Dulcie, Betty, and Barbara to follow; they were not going
+to be outdone in courage, and they felt that at any rate there was
+safety in numbers. There was nothing very terrible about the
+dining-room, in which they found themselves, it only looked miserable
+and forlorn, with the damp paper hanging in strips from the walls, and
+heaps of straw left by the remover's men strewn about the floor.
+
+"We'll go and explore the rest of the house," said Annie, with a
+half-nervous chuckle. "Come along, anybody who's game!"
+
+Nobody wished to remain behind alone, so they went all together, holding
+each other's arms, squealing, or gasping, or giggling, as occasion
+prompted. They peeped into the empty drawing-room and the silent
+kitchen, where the grate was red with rust; hurried past a dark hall
+cupboard, and found themselves at the foot of the staircase.
+
+"Oh, I daren't go up; I simply daren't!" bleated Barbara piteously.
+
+"Suppose the ghost lives up there?" suggested Betty.
+
+"My good girl, no self-respecting spook likes to make an exhibition of
+itself," returned Annie. "The sight of six of us would scare it away. I
+don't mean to say I'd go alone, but now we're all here it's different."
+
+"We've been more than Miss Harding's ten minutes," vacillated Deirdre.
+
+"Oh, bother! One doesn't often get the chance to explore. Come along,
+you sillies, what are you frightened at?"
+
+So together they mounted the stairs and took a hasty survey of the upper
+story. Here the remover's men had evidently done their work even more
+carelessly than down below, for though the furniture had been taken
+away, enough rubbish had been left to provide a rummage sale. All kinds
+of old articles not worth removing were lying where they had been thrown
+down on the bedroom floor--old curtains, old shoes, scraps of mouldy
+carpet, the laths of venetian blinds, broken lamp shades, empty bottles,
+torn magazines, cracked pottery, worn-out brushes, and decrepit straw
+palliasses.
+
+"Did you ever see such an extraordinary conglomeration of queer things?"
+said Annie. "I wonder they didn't tidy the house up before they went. No
+wonder nobody would take it! And look, girls! They've actually left a
+whole bathful of old letters! Somebody has begun to tear them up, and
+not finished. They ought to have burnt them. Just look at this piece! It
+has a lovely crest on it."
+
+"Oh, has it? Give it to me; I'm collecting crests," cried Deirdre,
+commandeering the scrap of paper. "It's a jolly one, too. I say, are
+there any more? Move out, Annie, and let me see!"
+
+"Look here," remonstrated Barbara; "I don't think we ought to go
+rummaging amongst old letters. It doesn't seem quite--quite honourable,
+does it? They are not ours, Annie. I wish you'd stop! No, Gerda, don't
+look at them, please! Oh, I say, I wish you'd all come away! Let's go.
+Miss Harding will think we're drowned in the river, or something; and at
+any rate she'll scold us no end for being so long. Do you know the
+time?"
+
+There was certainly force in Barbara's remarks. Their ten minutes' leave
+had exceeded half an hour, and Miss Harding would undoubtedly require a
+substantial reason for their delay.
+
+"Oh, goody! It's four o'clock!" chirruped Betty. "I'd no idea it was so
+late! We don't want to get into a row with Miss Birks. I believe I hear
+Romola shouting in the road. They've come to look for us!"
+
+"We'd best scoot, then," said Annie, and flinging back the letters into
+the bath, she turned with the rest and clattered downstairs.
+
+Miss Harding, grave, annoyed, and justly indignant, was waiting for them
+on the bridge. She received them with the scolding they merited.
+
+"Where have you been, you naughty, naughty girls? You're not to be
+trusted a minute out of my sight! I gave you permission to go straight
+to the bottom of the hill and back, and here you've been away more than
+half an hour! What were you doing in that garden? You had no right
+there! Come along this instant and walk before me, two and two. Miss
+Birks will have to hear about this. A nice report to take back of your
+afternoon's work at map drawing!"
+
+Map drawing! They had forgotten all about the maps. The girls looked at
+one another, conscience-stricken; and Deirdre, with an awful pang,
+realized that she had left her note-book on the mantelpiece of the
+dining-room. She had been disposed to titter before, but she felt now
+that the affair was no joking matter.
+
+"Miss Harding mustn't know we've been inside the house," she whispered
+to Gerda, with whom in the hurry of the moment she had paired off.
+
+"No one's likely to tell her, and she couldn't see us come out of the
+window from where she was standing," returned Gerda.
+
+"We shall get into trouble enough as it is. I didn't think Miss Harding
+would have cut up so rough about it. I say, just think of leaving those
+old letters all lying about! I got one--at least it's a scrap of
+one--with a lovely crest, a boar's head and a lot of stars--all in
+gold."
+
+"What!" gasped Gerda. "Did you say you found that on a letter?"
+
+"Well, it's a piece of a letter, anyway."
+
+"Oh, do let me see it!"
+
+"Is Miss Harding looking? Well, here it is. Be careful! She's got her
+eye on us! Oh, give it me back, quick!"
+
+Gerda had turned the scrap of paper over and was glancing at the writing
+on the other side. She reddened with annoyance as Deirdre snatched back
+her treasure.
+
+"Let me see it again!" she pleaded.
+
+"No, no; it's safe in my pocket! Better not run any risks."
+
+"You might give it to me. I'm collecting crests."
+
+"A likely idea! Do you think, if I wanted to part with it, I'd present
+it to you? No, I mean to keep it myself, thanks."
+
+"I'd buy it, if you like."
+
+"I don't sell my things."
+
+"Not if I offered something nice?"
+
+"Not for anything you'd offer me," returned Deirdre, whose temper was in
+a touchy condition, and her spirit of opposition thoroughly aroused. "We
+don't haggle over our things at the Dower House, whatever you may do in
+Germany."
+
+Gerda said no more at the time, but at night in their bedroom she
+returned once more to the subject.
+
+"You won't get it if you bother me to the end of the term," declared
+Deirdre, locking up the bone of contention in her jewel-case and putting
+the key in her pocket.
+
+"What do you want it for so particularly, Gerda?" asked Dulcie sharply.
+
+"Oh, nothing! Only a fancy of my own," replied Gerda, reddening with one
+of her sudden fits of blushing, as she turned to the dressing-table and
+began to comb her flaxen hair.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI
+
+Ragtime
+
+
+If there was one thing more than another that the girls of the Dower
+House considered a particular and pressing grievance it was a wet
+Saturday afternoon. They were all of them outdoor enthusiasts, and to be
+obliged to stop in the house instead of tramping the moors or roaming on
+the sea-shore was regarded as a supreme penance. On the Saturday
+following the mapping expedition there was no mistake about the rain--it
+seemed to come down in a solid sheet from a murky sky, which offered
+absolutely no prospect of clearing.
+
+The overflowing gutter-pipes emptied veritable rivulets into a temporary
+pond on the front drive; the lawn appeared fast turning into a morass;
+and even indoors the atmosphere was so soaked with damp that a dewy film
+covered banisters, furniture, and woodwork, and the wall-paper on the
+stairs distinctly changed its hue. In VB classroom the girls hung about
+disconsolately. There was to have been a special fossil foray that
+afternoon under the leadership of a lady from Perranwrack, who took an
+interest in the school, and who had thrown out hints of a fire of
+driftwood and a picnic tea among the rocks.
+
+"It's so particularly aggravating, because Miss Hall has to go up to
+London on Monday and won't be back for weeks, so probably she won't be
+able to arrange to take us again this term," grumbled Romola.
+
+"It's too--too _triste_!" murmured Deirdre in a die-away voice,
+arranging a cushion behind her head with elaborate show of indolence.
+
+"Weally wetched!" echoed Dulcie lackadaisically, sinking into the
+basket-chair with an even more used-up air than her chum.
+
+"Good old second best!" laughed Betty. "Whom are you both copying now?
+Have you been gobbling a surreptitious penny novelette? I can generally
+tell your course of reading from your poses. These present airs and
+graces suggest some such title as 'Lady Rosamond's Mystery' or 'The
+Earl's Secret'. Confess, now, you're imagining yourselves members of the
+aristocracy."
+
+"I believe the penny novelettes are invariably written in top garrets by
+people who've never even had a nodding acquaintance with dukes and
+duchesses," said Barbara. "The real article's very different from the
+'belted earl' of fiction. The Clara-Vere-de-Vere type is extinct now. If
+you were a genuine countess, Deirdre, you'd probably be addressing
+hundreds of envelopes in aid of a philanthropic society, instead of
+lounging there looking like a dying duck in a thunderstorm. Don't glare!
+I speak the solemn words of truth."
+
+"You make my he--head ache," protested Deirdre with half-closed eyelids,
+but her complaint met with no sympathy. Instead, several strong and
+insistent hands pulled her forcibly out of her chair and flung away the
+cushion.
+
+"I tell you we're sick of 'Lady Isobel' or whoever she may be. For
+goodness' sake be somebody more cheerful if you won't be yourself. Can't
+you get up an Irish mood for a change? A bit of the brogue would hearten
+up this clammy afternoon."
+
+"Oh, isn't it piggy and nasty!" exclaimed Annie, stretching out her arms
+in the agony of an elephantine yawn. "I want my tea! I want my tea! I
+want my tea! And I shan't get it for a whole long weary hour!"
+
+"Poor martyr! Here, squattez-ici on the hearth-rug and I'll make you a
+triscuit."
+
+"What on earth is a triscuit?"
+
+"Oh, you're not bright or you'd guess. It's a biscuit toasted nicely
+brown and eaten hot. Don't you twig? A biscuit means 'twice cooked';
+therefore if it's cooked again it must be a triscuit. That stands to
+reason."
+
+"Is it to be a barmecide feast? I don't see your precious biscuits."
+
+"'"I've got 'un here," sez she, quite quiet-like,'" returned Betty, who
+was a Mrs. Ewing enthusiast, and quoted Dame Datchet with relish. "Half
+a pound of cream crackers, and I mean to be generous and share 'em
+round. Don't you all bless me? Now the question is, how we're going to
+'triscuit' them."
+
+The girls crowded round with suggestions. Toasting biscuits was
+certainly more entertaining than doing nothing. Deirdre forgot for the
+time that she was a heroine of fiction, and plumped down by the fender
+with a lack of high-born dignity that would have scandalized "Lady
+Isobel".
+
+"You'll smash them up if you try sticking your penknife through them,"
+she observed. "It'll burn your fingers too to hold them so close to the
+fire. Try the tongs."
+
+"Some of them might be tilted up in the fender," volunteered Gerda,
+whose rare remarks were generally to the point. "They'd be getting hot,
+and we could finish them off afterwards."
+
+"Right you are! Stick them up in a row. Now if I take this one with the
+tongs and hold it just over that red piece in the fire----"
+
+"Be careful!"
+
+"Remember it's fragile."
+
+"There, I knew you'd smash it! Oh, pick the other half out, quick! It's
+burning!"
+
+"What a Johnnie-fingers you are! It's done for."
+
+In the end--and it was Gerda's quiet suggestion--the tongs were placed
+over the fire like a gridiron and the biscuits successfully popped on
+the top and turned when one side was done. Everybody appreciated them
+down to the last crumb, and awarded Betty a vote of thanks for her
+brilliant idea.
+
+"The worst of it is, they're finished too soon," sighed Evie, "and we've
+nothing else to fill up the gap till tea-time. I want to do something
+outrageous--break a window or smash an ornament, or damage the
+furniture! What a nuisance conscience is! Why does the 'inward monitor'
+restrain me?"
+
+"Probably the wholesome dread of consequences my dear. You might cut
+your hand in a wild orgy of window smashing and there'd be bills to pay
+afterwards for reglazing and medical attendance."
+
+"But can't we do anything interesting?"
+
+"Let's play a trick on VA," suggested Annie. "It would do them good and
+shake them up. My conscience gives me full leave."
+
+"It's celebrated for its well-known elasticity!" chuckled Evie.
+
+"But what could we do?"
+
+"Oh, just rag them a little somehow. It would be rather sport."
+
+"Plans for sport in ragtime wanted! All offers carefully considered.
+Now, then, bring on your suggestions."
+
+Everybody stared hopefully at everybody else, but no one rose to the
+occasion.
+
+"Going--going--going--a first-rate opportunity for mirth-provoking----"
+
+"Could we get them into the passage and one of us hide behind the
+curtain of the barred room and act ghost?" proposed Romola desperately.
+
+Her suggestion, however, was received with utter scorn.
+
+"Can't you think of anything more original than that?"
+
+"We're fed up with that ghost trick. Nobody even calls it funny now."
+
+"Besides, Miss Birks said she'd punish anyone who did it again. She was
+awfully angry last time."
+
+Duly squashed, Romola subsided, and the silence which followed resembled
+that of a Quakers' meeting.
+
+"I've got it!" shouted Betty at last, clapping her hands ecstatically.
+"The very thing! Oh, the supremest joke!"
+
+"Good biz! But please condescend to explain," commented Evie.
+
+"Oh, we'll try thing-um-bob--what d'you call it? Mesmerism--that's the
+word I want. With dinner plates, you know."
+
+Apparently nobody knew, for all looked interested and intelligent, but
+unenlightened.
+
+"Do you mean to say you've never heard of it? Oh, goody! What luck!"
+
+"Look here," interposed Annie, "you're not going to rag us as well. It's
+to be for the benefit of VA if there's any sell about it."
+
+"All right! They'll really be enough, and you shall act audience. Only
+with fourteen of you it would have been so----"
+
+"Betty Scott, give us your word this instant that you won't play tricks
+on your own Form."
+
+"I won't--I won't--honest, I won't!"
+
+"And tell us what you're going to do."
+
+"No, that would spoil it all. You must wait and see. Barbara, go to the
+kitchen door and cajole Cook into lending us seven dinner plates. Say
+you'll pledge your honour not to break them. And purloin a candle from
+the lamp cupboard. Be as quick as you can! Time wanes."
+
+Barbara executed her errand with speed and success. She soon returned
+with the plates and set them down on the table. Betty lighted the
+candle, laid one plate aside, then held each of the others in turn over
+the flame till the bottoms inside the rims were well coloured with
+smoke. The girls watched her curiously.
+
+"Now, I'm ready!" she announced, "but I want a messenger. Elyned, you go
+and tap at VA door and say we shall be very pleased if they care to come
+and try a most interesting experiment. Mind you put it politely, and for
+your life don't snigger."
+
+Now VA had been spending an even duller and more wearisome afternoon
+than VB, for they had not had the diversion of toasting biscuits. They
+were yawning in the last stages of boredom when Elyned arrived and
+delivered her message. Usually they considered themselves far too select
+to have much to do with the lower division, but to-day anything to break
+the monotony was welcome. They accepted the invitation with alacrity,
+and came trooping in to the rival classroom with pleased anticipation in
+their faces.
+
+"It's a most curious experiment," began Betty. "I learnt it from a
+cousin who's been out East. He saw it practised by some Chinese priests
+at a josshouse. I believe it's one of the first steps of initiation in
+Esoteric Buddhism. My cousin's not exactly a Theosophist, but he's
+interested in comparative theologies, and he went about with a lama, and
+found out ever so many of their secrets. He wrote down the formulary of
+this for me."
+
+"What's it about?" asked the elder girls, looking considerably
+impressed.
+
+"It's a species of mesmerism--or animal magnetism, as some people prefer
+to call it. You make certain passes, and repeat certain words after me,
+and then you all get into the hypnotic state. Of course it depends how
+psychic you are, but anybody with even undeveloped mediumistic powers
+will sometimes give replies to questions they couldn't possibly answer
+in the normal state."
+
+"I suppose it won't hurt us?" asked Agnes Gillard rather gravely.
+
+"Oh, not at all! It's wonderful sometimes to find how people who've
+never even suspected they possessed psychic gifts bring out absolutely
+unaccountable pieces of information. It really would be quite uncanny,
+except for the latest theory that it's merely utilizing a natural power
+once cultivated by man, but long forgotten except by a few priests in
+the Tibetan monasteries. The Theosophical Society, of course, is trying
+to revive it."
+
+"I'm afraid I don't know anything about Theosophy," murmured Hilda
+Marriott.
+
+"It's akin to the Eleusinian mysteries and the cult of Isis," continued
+Betty unblushingly. "You have to understand 'Karma' (that's
+reincarnation) and 'Yoga' (that's flitting about in your astral body
+while you're asleep), and--and--" But here both memory and invention
+failed her, so she hurriedly changed her point. "Oh! it would take me
+years to explain, and you couldn't understand unless you'd been
+initiated. Let's get to the experiment. Will you all stand in a row?"
+
+"Aren't any of you going to try?" asked Irene Jordan, addressing the
+members of VB, who, solemn as judges, stood slightly in the background.
+
+"We can only do it with seven, the mystic number--and there are eight of
+them, and they can't agree who's to be left out," said Betty hurriedly.
+"It's always done with six neophytes and one initiated. If you're ready,
+we'd best begin, and not waste any more time."
+
+She arranged her neophytes in a line, and gave to each a plate, telling
+her to hold it firmly in the left hand. Then, taking her stand facing
+them, she raised her own plate to the level of her chest.
+
+"Now you must do exactly as I do!" she commanded. "All fix your eyes on
+me, and don't take them off me for a single instant. The concentration
+of the seven visual currents is of vital importance. Put the middle
+finger of the right hand beneath the plate exactly in the centre, then
+describe a circle with it on the under side of the plate. Be sure the
+circle follows the same course as the sun, or we may break the mesmeric
+current. Watch what I'm doing. Now describe a circle on your face in the
+same manner, beginning with the left cheek. Copy me carefully. And now
+we must repeat the cabalistic formulary (the oldest in the
+world--Solomon got it from El Zenobi, the chief of the Genii): 'Om mani
+padme hum'. Let us say it slowly all together seven times, performing
+the orthodox circles at each."
+
+The neophytes played their parts admirably. They never removed their
+gaze from the face of their instructress; they copied her every
+movement, and repeated the mystic words to the very best of their
+ability. "Om mani padme hum" rolled from their lips seven times, and
+seemed to suggest the dreamy atmosphere of the occult.
+
+"The mesmeric current is forming! I can feel it working!" declared
+Betty. "It only requires further visualization for the hypnotic state to
+follow. To complete the magnetic circle, will you all kindly turn and
+face each other?"
+
+Still holding the plates, the obedient six swung round, stared at one
+another, then gasped and shrieked. And well they might, for, one and
+all, their countenances were besmirched with black in a series of
+concentric rings which caused them to resemble Zulu chiefs or
+American-Indian warriors on the warpath.
+
+"Oh! oh! oh!" came from the members of VB, who, having been stationed
+behind the neophytes, had been in equal ignorance of the trick that was
+being played on them. Then everybody exploded.
+
+"Oh, you look so funny!"
+
+"Is the magnetic current working?"
+
+"Is it the cult of Isis?"
+
+"Oh, my heart! Oh! ho! ho!" gurgled Betty. "You didn't twig your plates
+were smoked and mine wasn't! Oh, I've done you! Done you brown,
+literally!"
+
+"You p-p-p-pig!" spluttered the victims.
+
+"Don't break the plates! Here, put them on the table! Oh, don't look so
+indignant, or you'll kill me! I've got a stitch in my side with
+laughing. Here, don't stalk off like offended zebras! I'll apologize!
+I'll go down on my bended knees! It was a brutal rag--yes--yes--I own up
+frankly! I'll grovel! _Peccavi! Peccavi! Miserere mei!_"
+
+"I've got some chocolates here," murmured Annie Pridwell. "I was keeping
+them for Sunday, but do have them," handing the packet round among the
+outraged upper division.
+
+The occasion certainly seemed to warrant some form of compensation. Evie
+hastily followed Annie's example, and sacrificed a private store of
+toffee on the altar of hospitality. Blissfully sucking, the six seniors
+allowed themselves to be mollified. As connoisseurs of jokes, they were
+ready to acknowledge the superior excellence of the trick played upon
+them; moreover, they found one another's appearance highly diverting.
+
+"Betty Scott, you'll be the death of me some day," remarked Rhoda
+Wilkins. "Oh, Agnes! If you could only see yourself in the glass!"
+
+"It's the pot calling the kettle! Look at your own face!"
+
+"Do you think we could possibly work it on the Sixth?"
+
+"No, they'd smell a rat."
+
+"I want my tea," said Annie. "Oh, cock-a-doodle-doo! There's the first
+bell! Hip-hip-hooray! I say, you six, if you don't want to give Miss
+Birks a first-class fit, you'd best be toddling to the bath-room, and
+applying the soap-and-water treatment to your interesting
+countenances."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII
+
+An Invitation
+
+
+    "Zickery, dickery, lumby tum,
+     Tip me the wink, and out I'll come,
+     Leave my pagoda so glum, glum, glum,
+     To drink green tea with my own Yum-Yum!"
+
+So chanted Evie Bennett on the following Monday, bursting into VB room
+with a face betokening news, and a manner suggestive of Bedlam.
+
+"What's the matter, you lunatic? Look here, if you go on like a dancing
+dervish we shall have to provide you with a padded room! Mind the
+inkpot! Oh, I say, you'll have the black-board over! Hasn't anybody got
+a strait-waistcoat? Evie's gone sheer, stark, raving mad!"
+
+"I've got news, my hearty! News! news! news!
+
+    'What will you take for my news?
+     I know it will make you enthuse!
+     There isn't a girl who'll refuse,
+     Or offer to make an excuse.'
+
+Ahem! A poor thing, but mine own. I'm waxing so poetical, I think I must
+be inspired."
+
+"Or possessed! Sit down, you mad creature, and talk sense. What's your
+precious news?"
+
+"Mrs. Trevellyan requests the pleasure of the company of the young
+ladies of Miss Birks's seminary to drink tea with her on the occasion of
+the natal day of her nephew, Master Ronald Trevellyan," announced Evie,
+changing suddenly to a ceremonious eighteenth-century manner, and
+dropping a stiff curtsy.
+
+"Ronnie's birthday!"
+
+"Oh, what sport!"
+
+"It's on Wednesday."
+
+"Has she asked only us?"
+
+"No, the whole school is to go, mistresses and all," returned Evie.
+"Mrs. Trevellyan wants to introduce Ronnie's new governess to us."
+
+"There are sure to be games, and perhaps a competition with prizes,"
+rejoiced Annie Pridwell; "and we always have delicious teas at the
+Castle. Gerda Thorwaldson, why don't you look pleased? You take it as
+quietly as if it were a parochial meeting. What a mum mouse you are!"
+
+"Is it anything to get so excited over?" replied Gerda calmly.
+
+"Of course it is! The Castle's the Castle, and Mrs. Trevellyan is--well,
+just Mrs. Trevellyan. There are the loveliest things there--foreign
+curiosities, and old pictures, and illuminated books, and we're allowed
+to look at them; and there's special preserved ginger from China, and
+boxes of real Eastern Turkish Delight. Oh, it's a fairy palace! You may
+thank your stars you're going!"
+
+In spite of Annie's transports, Gerda did not look particularly
+delighted. She only smiled in a rather sickly fashion, and said nothing.
+The others, however, were much too occupied with their own pleasurable
+expectations to take any notice of her lack of enthusiasm. They had
+accepted her quiet ways as part of herself, and had set her down as a
+not very interesting addition to the Form, and thought her opinions--if
+indeed she possessed any--were of scant importance.
+
+Gerda had made very little headway with her companions; her intense
+reserve seemed to set a barrier between them and herself, and after one
+or two efforts at being friendly the girls had given her up, and took no
+more trouble over her. "Gerda the Silent," "The Recluse," "The Oyster,"
+were some of the names by which she was known, and she certainly
+justified every item of her reputation for reticence. If she did not
+talk much, she was, however, a good listener. Nothing in the merry chat
+of the schoolroom escaped her, and anybody who had been curious enough
+to watch her carefully might have noticed that often, when seemingly
+buried in a book, her eyes did not move over the page, and all her
+attention was given to the conversation that was going on in her
+vicinity.
+
+Having received an invitation to Ronnie's birthday party, of course the
+burning subject of discussion was what to give him as a present. Miss
+Birks vetoed the idea of each girl making a separate offering, and
+suggested a general subscription list to buy one handsome article.
+
+"It will be quite sufficient, and I am sure Mrs. Trevellyan would far
+rather have it so," she decreed.
+
+"It's too bad, for I'd made up my mind to give him a box of soldiers,"
+complained Annie, in private.
+
+"And I'd a book in my eye," said Elyned.
+
+"Perhaps Miss Birks is right," said Romola, "because, you see, some of
+us might give nicer presents than the others, and perhaps there'd be a
+little jealousy; and at any rate, comparisons are odious."
+
+"Miss Birks has limited the subscriptions to a shilling each," commented
+Deirdre.
+
+"Then let's take our list now. I'll write down our names, and you can
+tell me the amounts."
+
+For such an object everyone was disposed to be liberal--everyone, that
+is to say, except Gerda Thorwaldson. When she was applied to, she flatly
+refused.
+
+"Don't you want to join in the present to Ronnie?" gasped Romola, in
+utter amazement.
+
+"Why should I?"
+
+"Why, because we're going to tea at the Castle; and Ronnie is Ronnie,
+and Mrs. Trevellyan will be pleased too!"
+
+"I don't know Mrs. Trevellyan."
+
+"Well, you soon will. You'll be introduced to her on Wednesday. She
+always says something nice to new girls--asks them where their homes
+are, and if they've brothers and sisters, and how old they are--and if
+she finds out she knows their parents or their friends she's so
+interested. And she has such a good memory for faces! She actually
+recognized Irene Jordan, although she'd never seen her in her life
+before, because Irene is so like an aunt, a Miss Jordan who is a friend
+of Mrs. Trevellyan's."
+
+Gerda had turned a dull crimson at these remarks. She kept her eyes
+fixed on the floor, and made no reply. What her inward thoughts might
+be, no one could fathom.
+
+"Isn't your name to go down at all, then, on the list?" asked Romola,
+with considerable impatience.
+
+"No, thanks!" replied Gerda briefly, turning awkwardly away.
+
+Wednesday arrived, and perhaps even Ronnie hardly welcomed his birthday
+more than did his friends at the Dower House. His present--a toy
+circus--had arrived, and had been on exhibition in Miss Birks's study,
+and everybody had agreed that it was the very thing to please him. At
+three o'clock the girls went to change their school dresses for more
+festive attire, and were more than ordinarily particular in their choice
+of preparations.
+
+"How slow you are, Gerda Thorwaldson!" said Deirdre, whose own
+immaculate toilet was complete. "You haven't put on your dress yet. Why
+don't you hurry?"
+
+"You needn't think we'll wait for you," added Dulcie.
+
+Instead of replying, Gerda calmly donned her dressing-gown, and,
+volunteering no explanation, went out of the room and shut the door
+behind her.
+
+She walked downstairs to Miss Birks's study, and, tapping at the door,
+reported herself.
+
+"May I, please, stay at home this afternoon?" she begged. "I'm afraid I
+don't feel up to going out to tea to-day."
+
+"Not go to the Castle? My dear child, I hope you're not ill? Certainly
+stay at home, and lie down on your bed if your head aches. Nettie shall
+bring your tea upstairs. I'm sorry you'll miss so great a treat as a
+visit to Mrs. Trevellyan's."
+
+Gerda made no comment; but as she was habitually sparing of speech, her
+silence did not strike Miss Birks as anything unusual. It was time to
+start, and the Principal had her nineteen other pupils to think about,
+so she dismissed the pseudo-invalid with a final injunction to rest.
+
+Gerda did not return to her bedroom till she was perfectly sure that
+Deirdre and Dulcie had left it. She had no wish to run the gauntlet of
+their inevitable criticisms, or to be questioned too closely on the
+nature of her sudden indisposition. She loitered about the upper landing
+until from the end window she saw the whole school--girls, mistresses,
+and Principal--file down the drive and out through the gate in the
+direction of the Castle. Then, going to her dormitory, she rang the
+bell, and lay down on her bed.
+
+"Would you mind bringing my cup of tea now, Nettie, please?" she asked,
+when the housemaid appeared. "And then I should like to be left
+perfectly quiet until the others come back."
+
+"Of course I'll bring it, miss," said the sympathetic Nettie. "Nothing
+like a cup of tea for a headache. The kettle's on the boil, so you can
+have it at once. I won't be more than a minute or two fetching it."
+
+Nettie was as prompt as her word. She returned almost directly with the
+tea, and arranged it temptingly on a little table by the bedside.
+
+"Shut your eyes and try and go to sleep when you've drunk it," she
+recommended. "You'll perhaps wake up quite fresh. It is a pity you
+couldn't go with the other young ladies to the Castle. They were all so
+full of it--and Master Ronnie's birthday, too! I know how disappointed
+you must feel."
+
+Gerda finished her tea far more rapidly than is usual for invalids with
+sick-headaches; then, instead of taking Nettie's advice and closing her
+eyes, she rose and put on her school dress, her coat, and her cap. She
+opened the door and listened--not a sound was to be heard. The servants
+must surely be having their own tea in the kitchen, and no one else was
+in the house. With extreme caution she crept along the passage and down
+the stairs. The side door was open, and as quietly as a shadow she
+passed out and dodged round the corner of the house. A few minutes later
+she was running, running at the very top of her speed across the warren
+in the direction of a certain rocky creek not far from St. Perran's
+well.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+When the girls returned at half-past six, full of their afternoon's
+experiences, they found Gerda lying on her bed, with the blind drawn
+down. There was an almost feverish colour in her cheeks.
+
+"We'd a ripping time!" Dulcie assured her. "A splendid 'Natural Objects'
+competition. I nearly got a prize, but I put 'snake-skin' down for one,
+and it was really a piece of the skin of a finnan-haddock. Emily
+Northwood won the first, with sixteen objects right out of twenty, and
+Hilda Marriott was second with fourteen. I might have known that
+specimen was fish scales.
+
+"Ronnie was delighted with his circus," added Dulcie. "He gave us each a
+kiss all round. And Mrs. Trevellyan was so nice! She was sorry you
+couldn't come, and hoped she'd see you some other time. By the by, how's
+your headache?"
+
+"Rather better. I think I'll get up now," murmured Gerda. "I haven't
+touched my Latin to-day."
+
+"Plucky of you to come and do prep. If I had a headache, wouldn't I just
+make it an excuse to knock off Virgil!"
+
+It was getting near to the end of February. The days were lengthening
+visibly, and the sun, which only a month ago had appeared every morning
+like a red ball over the hill behind the Castle, now rose, bright and
+shining, a long way to eastward. In spite of occasional spring storms,
+the weather was on the whole mild, and every day fresh flowers were
+pushing up in the school garden. The warren, attractive even in winter,
+was doubly delightful now primrose tufts were venturing to show among
+the last year's bracken, and the gorse was beginning to gleam golden in
+sheltered stretches. The girls were out every available moment of their
+spare time, rambling over the headland or haunting the sea-shore. For
+most of them the latter provided the greater entertainment.
+
+They had discovered a new occupation, that of salvaging the driftwood,
+and found it so enthralling that for the present it overtopped all other
+amusements. The high spring-tides and occasional storms washed up
+quantities of pieces of timber, and to rescue these from the edge of the
+waves, and carry them into a place of safety, became as keen a sport as
+fishing. Quite a little wood-stack was accumulating under the cliff, and
+the girls had designs of carrying it piece by piece to a point on the
+top of the headland, and there building a beacon of noble proportions to
+be fired on Empire Day amid suitable rejoicings.
+
+It was exciting work to skip about at the water's edge, grasping at bits
+of old spars or shattered boards. The sea seemed to enjoy the fun, and
+would bob them near and snatch them away in tantalizing fashion,
+sometimes adding a wetting as a point to the joke. To secure a fine
+piece of wood without getting into the water was the triumph of skill,
+attended with considerable risk, not to life or limb, but to length of
+recreation, for Miss Birks had laid down an inviolable rule that anybody
+who got her feet wet at this occupation must immediately return to
+school, change shoes and stockings, and desist from further attempts on
+that day. One or two of the girls were lucky enough to possess
+india-rubber wading boots, with which they could venture to defy Father
+Ocean and rob him of some of the choicest of his spoils, but they were
+the highly-favoured few; the rank and file had to content themselves
+with the ordinary method of swift snatching with the aid of a hockey
+stick.
+
+Two days after Ronnie's birthday party a strong wind and squall during
+the night had furnished material for more than usually good sport, and
+the whole school betook itself to the beach to try to reap a harvest.
+Laughing, joking, squealing, the girls pursued their quarry, enjoying
+the fun all the more for the accidents of the moment. Evie Bennett
+dropped her hockey stick, and nearly lost it altogether. Romola Harvey
+slipped and fell flat into a pool of water; and many other minor mishaps
+occurred to keep up the excitement until the catch of the year was
+secured, a large piece of timber which it took the united efforts of all
+arms to drag successfully up the beach. Deirdre and Dulcie at last,
+grown reckless ventured a risky experiment on their own account, with
+the result that a wave caught them neatly, and gave them the full
+benefit of sea-water treatment.
+
+"Oh, you're done for. Go back at once!" commanded Jessie Macpherson, the
+head girl, whose office it was to see that the rule about changing shoes
+was duly observed.
+
+"Sea-water doesn't hurt," protested the chums.
+
+"Your feet are wet through, so back you trot this instant. Do you want
+me to report you?"
+
+Very loath to leave the shore, Deirdre and Dulcie were nevertheless
+bound to obey, so they toiled regretfully up the steep path from the
+cove, casting a lingering eye on their companions, who were still hard
+at work.
+
+"Where's Gerda?" asked Dulcie. "She's not down there, and now I think of
+it, I haven't seen her for the last half-hour or more. Did she get
+wet?"
+
+"I really didn't notice. I suppose she must have, and been sent back. We
+shall probably find her in the garden."
+
+The two stepped briskly over the warren, their shoes drying on their
+feet with a rapidity which made them disparage Miss Birks's excellent
+rule about changing.
+
+"It's just her fuss--we should have taken no harm," said Deirdre. "I
+say, surely that's Ronnie's laugh. I'd know it anywhere. Where is the
+child?"
+
+The girls were passing close to the high wall which separated the Castle
+grounds from the warren, and as it seemed more than probable that Ronnie
+was inside, playing in the garden, they managed with considerable
+effort, and the aid of some strong ivy, to climb to the top and peep
+over. Here a most unexpected sight met their gaze.
+
+On the grass, under a tamarisk bush, sat Gerda with Ronnie on her knee.
+She had evidently made friends with the little fellow to a great extent,
+for he seemed very much at home with her, and the two were laughing and
+joking together in the most intimate fashion. It was such an absolutely
+new aspect of Gerda that Deirdre and Dulcie were dumb with amazement.
+When, at the Dower House, had she laughed so gaily, or talked in so
+animated and sprightly a fashion? No shy, reserved, taciturn recluse
+this; her eyes were shining, and her whole face was full of a bright
+expression, such as the others had never seen there before.
+
+"Hallo, Gerda! What are you doing here?" called Deirdre, finding speech
+at last.
+
+Gerda dropped Ronnie, and sprang to her feet with a sharp exclamation.
+No one could have looked more utterly and egregiously caught. She stood
+staring at the two faces on the top of the wall, and offered no
+explanation whatever. Ronnie, however, waved his hand merrily.
+
+"We've been playing Zoo," he volunteered. "Gerda's been a lion, and
+gobbled me up, and she's been an elephant and given me rides, and we
+were both polar bears, and growled at each other. Listen how I can growl
+now--Ur-ur-ugh! Oh, and look what she's given me for my birthday! It
+comes from Germany," producing from his pocket a little compass. "Now if
+ever I get lost, I can always find my way home. See, I can show you
+which is north, and south, and east, and west."
+
+"You'd better be going back, Gerda," remarked Dulcie grimly. "You know
+we're not allowed in the Castle grounds without a special invitation."
+
+"I'll come through the side gate," replied Gerda, turning from Ronnie
+without even a good-bye. Deirdre and Dulcie dropped from the wall, and
+met their room-mate at the identical moment when she passed through the
+turnstile.
+
+"Well, of all mean people you're the meanest!" observed Deirdre. "I call
+it sneaky to take such an advantage, and go to play with Ronnie by
+yourself. We'd do it if it were allowed, but it isn't."
+
+"I wonder his governess wasn't with him," said Dulcie. "He's generally
+so very much looked after."
+
+"And as for going inside the Castle garden, it was most fearful cheek,"
+continued Deirdre. "We, who know Mrs. Trevellyan quite well, never think
+of doing such a thing."
+
+"What I call meanest," put in Dulcie, "was to try and curry favour with
+Ronnie by giving him a birthday present on your own account. Miss Birks
+said there were to be no separate presents: we were all to join, so that
+there'd be no jealousy--and you wouldn't subscribe. Oh, you are a nasty,
+hole-and-corner, underhand sneak! Have you anything to say for
+yourself?"
+
+But Gerda stumped resolutely along with her hands in her coat pockets,
+and answered never a word.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII
+
+A Meeting on the Shore
+
+
+"D'you know, Dulcie," remarked Deirdre, when the chums were alone, "the
+more I think about it, the more convinced I am there's something queer
+about Gerda Thorwaldson."
+
+"So am I," returned Dulcie emphatically. "Something very queer indeed. I
+never liked her from the first: she always gives me the impression that
+she's listening and taking mental notes."
+
+"For what?"
+
+"Ah, that's the question! What?"
+
+"I certainly think we ought to be on our guard, and to watch her
+carefully, only we mustn't on any account let her know what we're
+doing."
+
+"Rather not!"
+
+"She's no business to sneak away by herself when we're all salvaging on
+the beach. She knows perfectly well it's against rules."
+
+"She doesn't seem to mind rules."
+
+"Well, look here, we must keep an eye on her, and next time we see her
+decamping we'll just follow her, and watch where she goes. I don't like
+people with underhand ways."
+
+"It doesn't suit us at the Dower House," agreed Dulcie.
+
+Though the chums kept Gerda's movements under strict surveillance for
+several days, they could discover nothing at which to take exception.
+She did not attempt to absent herself, or in any way break rules; she
+asked no questions, and exhibited no curiosity on any subject. If
+possible, she was even more silent and self-contained than before.
+Rather baffled, the girls nevertheless did not relax their vigilance.
+
+"She's foxing. We must wait and see what happens. Don't on any account
+let her humbug us," said Deirdre.
+
+One afternoon a strong west wind blowing straight from the sea seemed to
+promise such a good haul at their engrossing occupation that the girls,
+who for a day or two had forsaken salvaging in favour of hockey
+practice, turned their steps one and all towards the beach. As they
+walked along across the warren they had a tolerably clear and
+uninterrupted view of the whole of the little peninsula, and were
+themselves very conspicuous objects to anyone who chanced to be walking
+on the shore. Deirdre's eyes were wandering from sea to sky, from
+distant rock to near primrose clumps, when, happening to glance in the
+direction of the cliff that overtopped St. Perran's well, she was
+perfectly sure that she saw a white handkerchief waved in the breeze. It
+was gone in an instant, and there was no sign of a human figure to
+account for the circumstance, but Deirdre was certain it was no
+illusion. She called Dulcie's attention to it, but Dulcie had been
+looking the other way, and had seen nothing.
+
+"Probably it was only a piece of paper blowing down the cliff," she
+objected. "How could it be anyone waving? Nobody's allowed on the
+warren."
+
+"It might be Ronnie and Miss Herbert."
+
+"Oh no! We could see them quite plainly if it were."
+
+"Gerda, did you notice something white?"
+
+"I don't see anything there," replied Gerda, surveying the distance with
+her usual inscrutable expression. "I think you must have been mistaken."
+
+It seemed quite a small and trivial matter, and though Deirdre, for the
+mere sake of argument, stuck to her point all the way down to the beach,
+the others only laughed at her.
+
+"You'll be saying it's a ghost next," declared Betty. "I think you're
+blessed with a very powerful imagination, Deirdre."
+
+Arrived on the shore, the girls found their expectations fully
+justified. Several most interesting-looking pieces of driftwood were
+bobbing about just at the edge of the waves, and with a little clever
+management could probably be secured, and would make a valuable addition
+to the stack which was to furnish their beacon fire. Jessie Macpherson,
+who possessed a pair of wading boots, was soon in command, directing the
+others how to act so that none of the flotsam should be lost, and
+marshalling her band of eager volunteers with the skill of a
+coastguardsman.
+
+"Wait for the next big wave! Have your hockey sticks ready! Doris and
+Francie and I will wade in and try to catch it, then, when the wave's
+going back, you must all make a rush and try to hold it. Not this wave!
+Wait for that huge one that's coming. Are you ready? Now! Now!"
+
+The owners of the wading boots did their duty nobly. They caught at the
+floating piece of timber and held on to it grimly, while a line of girls
+followed the retreating wave, and, making a dash, seized the trophy, and
+rolled it into safety.
+
+"Oh, it's a gorgeous big one--the largest we have!"
+
+"That was neatly done!"
+
+"We've robbed old Father Neptune this time!"
+
+"It's a piece of luck!"
+
+"Of flotsam, you mean!"
+
+"Three cheers for the beacon!"
+
+"Hip, hip, hip, hooray!"
+
+"Hooray! Hooray!" echoed Dulcie, then she looked round, and suddenly
+touched Deirdre on the arm.
+
+In the midst of the general excitement Gerda had vanished. Where had she
+gone? That was the question which the chums at once asked each other. It
+was impossible that in so short a space of time she could have scaled
+the steep path from the cove on to the top of the cliff. She must surely
+have run along the shore instead. To the east the great mass of crags
+formed an impassable barrier, but it was just practicable to round the
+headland to the west. Without a moment's delay they dashed off in that
+direction. They tore in hot haste over the wet sand, scrambled anyhow
+amongst the seaweed-covered rocks at the point, regardless of injury to
+clothing, and, valiantly leaping a narrow channel, turned the corner,
+and found themselves in a second cove, similar to the former, but larger
+and more inaccessible from the cliffs. They were rewarded for their
+promptitude, as the first sight that caught their eyes was Gerda,
+speeding along several hundred yards in front of them, as if she had
+some definite object in view.
+
+"Shall I shout after her?" gasped Dulcie.
+
+"Not for the world," returned Deirdre. "We mustn't let her know she's
+being followed."
+
+"If she looks back, she'll see us."
+
+"We'll hide behind this rock."
+
+"She'll be round the next corner in a minute."
+
+"So she will. Then, look here, we must wait till she's gone, and then
+climb up the cliff, and run along and peep over from the top."
+
+"Whew! It'll be a climb."
+
+"Never mind, we'll manage it. Let us take off our coats and carry them.
+I'm so hot."
+
+Deirdre's precautions proved to be most necessary. Gerda turned at the
+far headland, and took a survey of the bay before she scrambled round
+the point. She did not see the two heads peeping at her from behind the
+big rock, and, apparently, was satisfied that she had eluded pursuit. No
+sooner had she disappeared than Deirdre and Dulcie hurried forth, and,
+choosing what looked like a sheep track as the best substitute for a
+path, began their steep and toilsome climb. Excitement and determination
+spurred them on, and they persevered in spite of grazed knees and
+scratched fingers. Over jagged pieces of rock, between brambles that
+seemed set with more than their due share of thorns, catching on to
+tufts of grass or projecting roots for support, up they scrambled
+somehow, till they gained the level of the warren above.
+
+The course that followed was a neat little bit of scouting. Making a
+bee-line for the next cove, they then dropped on their hands and knees,
+and, crawling under cover of the gorse bushes to the verge of the cliff,
+peeped cautiously over. Gerda was just below them, standing at the edge
+of the waves and looking out to sea. This creek was a much smaller and
+narrower one than the others, and the rocks were too precipitous to
+offer foothold even to the most venturesome climber.
+
+Well concealed beneath a thick bush that overhung the brow of the crag,
+Deirdre and Dulcie had an excellent view of their schoolmate's movements
+without fear of betraying their presence. Gerda stood for a moment or
+two gazing at the water, then she gave a long and peculiar whistle, not
+unlike the cry of the curlew. It was at once answered by a similar one
+from a distance, and in the course of a few minutes a small white dinghy
+shot round the point from the west. It was rowed by a big, fine-looking,
+fair-haired man, who wore a brown knitted jersey and no hat.
+
+With powerful strokes he pulled himself along, till, reaching the
+shallows, he shipped his oars, jumped overboard, and ran his little
+craft upon the beach. He had scarcely stepped out of the water before
+Gerda was at his side, and the two walked together along the beach, he
+apparently asking eager questions, to which she gave swift replies. Up
+and down, up and down for fully ten minutes they paced, too absorbed in
+their conversation to look up at the cliff above, though had they done
+so they would scarcely have spied the two spectators who cowered close
+under the shelter of the overhanging hazel bush, squeezing each others'
+hands in the excitement of the scene they were witnessing.
+
+The man appeared to have many directions to give, for he talked long and
+earnestly, and Gerda nodded her head frequently, as if to show her
+thorough comprehension of what he was saying. At last she glanced at her
+watch, and they both hurried back to where they had left the boat. He
+launched his little dinghy, sprang in, seized the oars, and rowed away
+as rapidly as he had arrived. Gerda stood on the beach looking after him
+till he had rounded the point and disappeared from her view, then,
+crying bitterly, she began to walk back in the direction from which she
+had come. Deirdre and Dulcie waited until she was safely past the corner
+and out of sight, then they sprang up and stretched their cramped limbs,
+for the discomfort of their position had grown wellnigh intolerable.
+
+"Ugh! I don't believe I could have kept still one second longer,"
+exploded Dulcie.
+
+"My feet are full of pins and needles," said Deirdre, stamping her
+hardest, "and my elbow is so sore where I have been leaning on it, I
+can't tell you how it hurts."
+
+"It can't be worse than mine."
+
+"I say, though, we've seen something queer!"
+
+"Rather!"
+
+"Who can that man be?"
+
+"That's just what I want to know."
+
+"It looks very suspicious."
+
+"Suspicious isn't the name for it. Do you think we ought to tell Miss
+Birks?"
+
+"No, no, no! That would never do. We must say nothing at all, but go on
+keeping our eyes open, and see if we can find out anything more. Don't
+let Gerda get the least hint that we're on her track."
+
+"Suppose Jessie asks us why we left the cove? What are we to say?"
+
+"Why, that we missed Gerda, and as she's our room-mate, we went over the
+warren to see if we could find her and make a threesome. It was our
+plain duty."
+
+Dulcie chuckled.
+
+"Oh, our duty, of course! And naturally, of course, we didn't find her
+on the warren. She wasn't there."
+
+"She'll have to make her own explanations if Jessie asks her where she
+was."
+
+"Trust her for that!"
+
+"I wonder what excuse she'll give?"
+
+[Illustration: THE MAN APPEARED TO HAVE MANY DIRECTIONS TO GIVE
+_Page 95_]
+
+As it happened, everything turned out most simply. Deirdre and Dulcie
+overtook Gerda farther on along the warren, and concluded that she had
+probably climbed up from the second cove by the same path as themselves.
+They discreetly ignored her red eyes and made some casual remarks upon
+the weather. The three were walking together when the rest of the school
+came up from salvaging. The head girl looked at them, but seeing that
+they formed an orthodox "threesome" made no comment, and passed on. She
+probably thought they had been taking a stroll on the warren. Gerda
+looked almost gratefully at her companions. She had evidently felt
+afraid lest they should mention the fact that she had not been with them
+the whole time. She made quite an effort to speak on indifferent
+subjects as they walked back, and was more conversational than they ever
+remembered her. At tea-time, however, she relapsed into silence, and
+during the evening nobody could draw a word from her. Dulcie woke once
+during the night, and heard her crying quietly.
+
+The two chums puzzled their heads continually over the meaning of the
+strange scene they had witnessed. Many were the theories they advanced
+and cast aside. One only appeared to Deirdre to be a really possible
+explanation.
+
+"I'll tell you what I believe," she said, "I think that man in the brown
+jersey is a German spy. You know, although Gerda sticks to it that she
+is English, we've always had our doubts. She looks German, and she
+speaks better German than Mademoiselle, though Mademoiselle's Swiss, and
+has talked two languages from babyhood. Gerda isn't an English name. She
+says it was taken from Gerda in 'The Snow Queen', but can one believe
+her? I'm called 'Deirdre' because my family's Irish, and it's an old
+Celtic name, but 'Gerda' is distinctly Teutonic. Then she spells
+Thorwaldson 'son' but in one of her books I found it written
+Thorwaldsen, which is most suggestive. No, mark my words, she's a
+German, and she's come here as a spy."
+
+"What has she to spy on?" asked Dulcie, deeply impressed.
+
+"Why, don't you see? A knowledge of this part of the coast would be
+simply invaluable to the Germans, if they wanted to invade us. All these
+narrow creeks and coves would be places to bring vessels to and land
+troops, and the Castle could be taken and held as a fort, and perhaps
+the Dower House too."
+
+"Is that why she was measuring the passage?"
+
+"It might very easily be! She'd give them a plan of the school."
+
+"Oh! Would they come and turn us out and kill us?"
+
+"One never knows what an enemy might do. This bit of shore is not at all
+well protected; we're a long way from a coastguard station on either
+side. It's just the sort of spot where a whole army could be quietly
+landed in a few hours, before anyone had an inkling of what was going
+on. There's no doubt that we ought to watch Gerda most carefully. It may
+mean saving our country from a terrible catastrophe."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX
+
+A Message
+
+
+Now that they had decided on an explanation of their schoolfellow's
+mysterious conduct, the chums felt that every circumstance seemed to
+point in its favour. They wondered they had never thought of it before.
+The importance of keeping a strict watch was realized by both. There was
+a certain satisfaction in doing so. They felt as if they were rendering
+their country a service, almost indeed as if they were members of a
+secret diplomatic corps, and had been told off for special duty. Who
+knew what England might have to thank them for some day? Possibly at no
+very far-off date the whole country might be ringing with their names,
+and the newspapers publishing portraits of the two schoolgirls who had
+averted a national disaster. Just to be prepared for emergencies, they
+took snapshots of each other with Dulcie's Brownie camera, and added a
+series of photographs of the school, all of which they thought would be
+very suitable to give to the enthusiastic reporter who would demand an
+illustrated interview. They were rather disappointed with the results of
+the portraits, which in their estimation scarcely did them justice.
+
+"I look more like forty than fourteen!" said Deirdre, regarding ruefully
+the dark shadows on her cheeks and the lines under her eyes. "It doesn't
+show my hair properly, either. No one could tell it was curly."
+
+"And I look as fat as a prize pig, with no eyes to speak of, and an
+imbecile grin."
+
+"I wonder how real photographers manage to touch things up, and make
+them look so nice?"
+
+In spite of their best efforts it had proved impossible to do their
+developing and printing without their handiwork being seen by their
+companions. The photographs of the school were so good that the girls
+begged them shamelessly to send home. Gerda was particularly
+importunate, and even offered to buy copies when they were refused as a
+gift.
+
+"We don't sell our things," said Dulcie bluntly. "You may go on asking
+till Doomsday, and you won't get a single print, so there!"
+
+To the chums, Gerda's request was full of significance.
+
+"It shows pretty plainly we're on the right track," said Deirdre. "Of
+course she wants them to send to her foreign government. They'd pay her
+handsomely."
+
+"Don't she wish she may get them!" snorted Dulcie.
+
+The affair made an added coolness in their dormitory. Gerda appeared to
+think them unkind, while they stood more than ever on the alert. They
+watched her unceasingly. For some days, however, they could find nothing
+of an incriminating nature in her conduct. Possibly she was aware of
+their vigilance, and was on her guard against them.
+
+"I believe we're overdoing it," said Deirdre anxiously. "Best slack off
+a little, and seem as if we're taking no notice of her. Don't follow her
+about so continually. It's getting too marked altogether. We must be
+diplomatic."
+
+Just at present Gerda's behaviour was perfectly orthodox. If she went on
+the warren, it was invariably as one of a "threesome", and the chums
+could detect her in no more solitary and clandestine excursions. She
+seemed to have assumed a sudden interest in salvaging, and particularly
+in the beacon which the girls were beginning to build upon the headland.
+No one was ready to work harder in carrying up the pieces of driftwood
+from the beach, and piling them on to the great stack which every day
+grew a little higher and higher, till it really began to be a
+conspicuous object, and could be seen from both the villages of
+Pontperran and Porthmorvan, and from the sea. It was at Gerda's
+suggestion that a Union Jack, fastened to a pole, was kept flying from
+the top--a little piece of patriotism which appealed to the school at
+large, though it roused suspicion in the minds of the chums.
+
+"It's a signal, of course," said Dulcie.
+
+"Some fine day she'll pull it down, and substitute the German flag,"
+agreed Deirdre. "She's only waiting her opportunity."
+
+"Unless we circumvent her. There are two Britishers here who mean to
+look after their country!"
+
+It was curious how many little things, really quite trivial in
+themselves, seemed to point in the direction of the chums' fears. Miss
+Birks greatly encouraged a debating society among her girls, and on her
+list of subjects for discussion had placed that of "National Truth
+versus Diplomatic Evasions". Gerda had certainly been chosen to speak
+for the opposition, and was therefore pledged to the side of diplomacy;
+but Deirdre and Dulcie thought she made far too good a case of it, and
+pleaded much too warmly the cause of the ambassador who on behalf of his
+country's honour is obliged to meet guile with guile, and outwit the
+enemy by means of stratagems and deeply-laid schemes.
+
+"Any expedient is allowable for the sake of your fatherland," she had
+contended, and Dulcie quoted the words with a grave shake of her head as
+she talked the matter over with Deirdre.
+
+"Notice particularly that she said fatherland! Now the Vaterland is
+always Germany. She didn't mean Britain, you may depend upon it.
+No--she's planning and scheming for another war!"
+
+"Then we'll plan and scheme for King George! We'll accept her
+principles, and 'make use of any stratagem to outwit the enemy'."
+
+So they waited and watched, and watched and waited, in what they
+flattered themselves was true Machiavellian style, till they were almost
+growing tired of so fruitless an occupation.
+
+Then one day, quite unexpectedly, something happened. It was a wild,
+windy March morning, and the girls were taking a hasty run on the
+warren between morning school and dinner, to "blow away cobwebs" and
+give them an appetite. There was not time to go far, but they dispersed
+in all directions, trying which could make the biggest distance record
+available. Gerda had started with Annie Pridwell and Betty Scott, but
+under pretence of beating their speed she had got considerably ahead and
+left them panting in the rear.
+
+"Where's Gerda?" asked Deirdre, who, with Dulcie and Evie Bennett, had
+followed the first "threesome".
+
+"We simply can't keep up with her! She walked as if she had
+seven-leagued boots. She's gone over the hill there. I'm going to wait
+till she comes back."
+
+"There's no sense in flying like the wandering Jew!" protested Betty. "I
+hope she won't be long, because I don't want to walk back as fast as I
+came."
+
+"Dulcie and I'll go after her," said Deirdre promptly. "We don't mind
+running. You two can be toddling along with Evie as leisurely as you
+like."
+
+It only meant a change of "threesomes", so the girls agreed readily and
+departed at once, leaving the chums to act escort to the truant.
+
+"She's done it on purpose," gasped Dulcie as soon as they were alone.
+
+"Of course. It's a perfectly transparent dodge. Now we must do Secret
+Service work again and not let her see she's being followed."
+
+The chums really congratulated themselves that they were getting on in
+the matter of scouting, they availed themselves so cleverly of the cover
+of rocks and bushes and proceeded with such admirable caution and care.
+Their efforts were successful, for after a few minutes of skilful
+stalking they caught sight of their quarry.
+
+Gerda was climbing down the cliff side, fully a hundred feet below them,
+and had nearly reached the level of the beach. She descended quickly,
+almost recklessly, scrambling anyhow over rocks and through brambles,
+and splashing through a boggy piece where a trickle of water had formed
+a pool. Arrived on the shingle, she went straight to a hole among the
+rocks, searched in the seaweed, and produced a bottle. Taking a piece of
+paper from her pocket, she folded it into a long narrow slip and put it
+inside, replacing the cork tightly. Then she ran towards the crag at the
+mouth of the cove, and climbing up higher than was compatible with
+safety she hurled the bottle as far as she could throw it into the sea.
+She stood looking for a moment or two as it bobbed about on the surface
+of the water, then, turning round, began to scramble back with more
+haste than care.
+
+"We've seen enough! Come quick before she spies us!" whispered Deirdre,
+dragging Dulcie away. "We mustn't let her know we were anywhere near.
+Let us run and be a long way off before she gets to the top of the cliff
+and sees us."
+
+The clanging of the first dinner bell, which could plainly be heard in
+the distance, certainly offered a reasonable excuse for hurry. The chums
+fled like hares, and even with their best efforts only took their places
+at table when grace was said and the beef carved. Gerda was later still
+and scurried in, hot and breathless, after the potatoes had been handed.
+She drank her whole glassful of water at a gulp. Deirdre and Dulcie
+avoided looking at her, but they nudged each other secretly. It was a
+satisfaction to know what she had been doing, though they could not
+openly proclaim their rejoicing. The penalty for lateness at meals was a
+fine, but they put their pennies in the charity box with the feeling of
+philanthropists. They considered them as contributions to a most
+excellent cause.
+
+It was Wednesday, and a half-holiday. At three o'clock the whole school
+was to start for a walk to Avonporth, and in the meantime the girls were
+expected to busy themselves with minor occupations. A certain number
+were due at the pianos for practising or music lessons, and from the
+rest stocking-darning, mending, and the tidying of drawers would be
+required. Gerda marched off with a volume of Beethoven, and was soon
+hard at work on the Moonlight Sonata under Mademoiselle's tuition. She
+played well, for she had been carefully taught in Germany, and had a
+good execution and sympathetic touch.
+
+Deirdre and Dulcie stood outside the door for a moment or two listening
+to her crisp chords.
+
+"She's boxed up there safe for an hour," commented Deirdre.
+
+"Yes, Mademoiselle won't let her off," agreed Dulcie.
+
+"I could do my darning after tea, and my drawers are as tidy as tidy."
+
+"So are mine!"
+
+"Should we? Do you think we dare?"
+
+"Yes, yes. I'm game if you are."
+
+Then the pair did a scandalous deed, such as they had never even
+contemplated in all their schooldays before. They took French leave and
+went out on to the warren. They knew the consequences would be
+disastrous if they were caught, for they were breaking three rules all
+at once, absenting themselves without permission, going two together
+instead of in a "threesome", and being on the headland at a forbidden
+hour. Perhaps the very riskiness of the undertaking added to its
+enjoyment.
+
+"We must try and get that bottle, and here's our opportunity," said
+Deirdre.
+
+"We can't explain to Miss Birks now, but we can tell her some day that
+we went out of sheer necessity," argued Dulcie.
+
+"Of course; it's only our duty. Even the best of rules have to be broken
+sometimes when it's a matter of expediency. Miss Birks will quite
+appreciate that."
+
+"Yes--when she knows the whole."
+
+Meantime Miss Birks did not know, and the sense that their disinterested
+motives might be liable to misinterpretation caused the chums to proceed
+warily and avoid exposing themselves to any observer from the upper
+windows. They tacked along bypaths and went rather a roundabout route to
+reach their destination. Their hope was that the rising water might have
+washed the bottle back on to the beach, for Gerda's arm had not been
+strong enough to throw it sufficiently far to carry it into the open
+sea, and when they last saw it it had been whirling round and round at
+the mouth of the creek. They climbed down the cliff side by the same
+track that she had followed, and ran eagerly to the edge of the waves.
+
+The tide was much higher than it had been before dinner, and was rolling
+up its usual toll of sticks, seaweed, and miscellaneous debris. What was
+that dark-green object that kept appearing and disappearing, half-hidden
+by a mass of floating brown bladderwrack? One moment it had vanished,
+and the next it bobbed up persistently. Deirdre and Dulcie did not wait
+to ask. With one accord they whisked off shoes and stockings (a
+proceeding utterly and entirely forbidden except in the months of June
+and July) and plunged into the water. They were both adepts in the art
+of salvaging, but no piece of driftwood ever gave them more trouble than
+that elusive bottle, which dipped and dived and evaded them with the
+skill of an eel. The beach was shingly, not sandy, which made their
+fishing not only a slippery but a most agonizing performance. They were
+obliged to grip each other's hands to keep their foothold at all. At
+last a larger wave than usual proved helpful, and indeed did its office
+so thoroughly that it dashed the bottle against Dulcie's shins. With a
+squeal of pain she caught it, nearly upsetting herself and Deirdre in
+the process, and the pair hobbled back to where they had left their
+shoes and stockings.
+
+"Ugh! I'm absolutely lame! I didn't know stones could cut so,"
+complained Deirdre.
+
+"Look at my leg! It will be black and blue, I know," groaned Dulcie.
+
+The possession of the bottle, however, was ample compensation for any
+scars they might have won in the struggle for its acquisition. They
+tried with impatient fingers to pull out the cork, but as that proved
+obdurate they cut the Gordian knot by breaking the neck on a stone. The
+thin piece of foreign note-paper was quite untouched by wet. Together
+they unfolded it, knocking their heads in their eagerness to read it
+both at once. At last, surely, they were within reach of Gerda's secret.
+But the letter was written in German, and alas! the chums were still in
+the elementary stages of the language, so that except for a chance word
+here and there they could not decipher a line of it. Their
+disappointment was keen.
+
+"What does she mean by writing in her wretched old Deutsch?" demanded
+Dulcie indignantly.
+
+"Oh, bother her! I wish I could read it!" moaned Deirdre.
+
+Never had the advantages of education appealed to the girls more
+strongly. They began to think quite seriously of the necessity for
+studying foreign languages.
+
+"Why didn't I have a Fräulein in my babyhood instead of an ordinary
+English nursery governess?" lamented Deirdre.
+
+"We may be able to do something with a dictionary," said Dulcie more
+hopefully.
+
+The idea was consoling enough to prompt them to put on their shoes and
+stockings, pocket the document, and climb the cliff. After all, if they
+could make little out of it themselves, they had at least prevented the
+message from falling into the hands of the person for whom it was
+destined, and so had frustrated Gerda's intention. That was sufficient
+reward for their trouble, even without the chance of learning its
+contents.
+
+"We can keep asking separate words or even sentences until we can piece
+it all together," said Dulcie sagely.
+
+"Right you are! and now we'd best rush back as fast as we can."
+
+Time waits for nobody, and during their excursion to the beach it had
+seemed to roll on above the speed limit. Unless they meant to be late
+for the walk, they must hurry. They were obliged to skirt the cliffs,
+for they did not dare to show themselves on the open tract of the
+warren. It was not particularly easy to make haste along a narrow path
+beset with briers and riddled with rabbit holes. Deirdre went first,
+because she always naturally took the lead, and Dulcie, whose physical
+endurance was less, panted after her a bad second. Suddenly Deirdre
+stopped, and, shading her eyes with her hand, looked intently over the
+sea at a small object in the far distance.
+
+"What's that?" she asked sharply.
+
+For a moment or two it had the semblance of a huge bird, then a strange
+whirring noise was heard, and as it drew rapidly nearer and nearer they
+could see it was an aeroplane flying at no great height over the water.
+Apparently it was aiming for the exact spot where they were standing,
+and, quite scared, the girls crouched down beside a gorse bush. With a
+loud whirr it passed over their heads, and, steering as easily as a
+hawk, alighted gently on the moorland only about a hundred yards farther
+on.
+
+Here was a pretty state of things! Had the vanguard of the German army
+arrived already? And did the enemy mean to swoop down on the school?
+They peeped timorously from behind the bush and saw two airmen in full
+oilskins dismount hastily and make an examination of the machine.
+Whether they were Germans it was impossible to tell; they spoke in tones
+too low for their words to carry, and certainly their garments gave no
+hint of their nationality. They looked round searchingly, as if
+verifying their whereabouts, glanced in the direction of the girls who
+cowered under their gorse bush, devoutly hoping they were not visible,
+and consulted a map; then, after an earnest conference, entered their
+machine again and started off in a northerly direction, flying over the
+warren towards Avonporth. The chums, almost spellbound, watched the
+aeroplane till it waned into a mere speck in the sky; then fear lent
+them wings and they scuttled back to school at a pace they had never
+attained even at the annual sports. Fortune favoured them, and they
+managed to dodge unnoticed into the garden, run round to the front, and
+just in the nick of time take their places among the file of girls
+assembled on the drive.
+
+Nobody mentioned the aeroplane, so evidently nobody but themselves could
+have seen it. Whence it came and where it was going remained a mystery,
+though Deirdre and Dulcie had a settled conviction that Gerda could have
+enlightened them on that point. She was quite unconscious of the trick
+they had played her, and as they walked just behind her they chuckled
+inwardly at the knowledge that her cherished letter lay in Deirdre's
+pocket. Outward and visible triumph they dared not venture on: it was
+too dangerous an indulgence for those who wished to keep a secret. As it
+was, they found it difficult to evade the enquiries of their friends.
+
+"What became of you two just now?" asked Evie Bennett. "Miss Harding was
+inspecting drawers, and she sent me to fetch you. I'd such a hunt all
+over the place and couldn't find you anywhere."
+
+"You're a notoriously bad looker, you know, Evie," returned Deirdre,
+laughing the matter off.
+
+"So Miss Harding said; but it isn't fair to expect one to find people
+who aren't there."
+
+"Perhaps Betty had mesmerized us into the hypnotic state and rendered us
+invisible to mortal eyes such as yours!"
+
+"Now, don't rag me! Oh, wasn't that joke spiffing! I shall never forget
+VA with their faces all streaked with black! I laughed till I nearly
+died. They haven't forgiven us, and I believe they're plotting something
+to pay us back in our own coin."
+
+"Let them try, if they like. We're not easily taken in."
+
+"By the by, I was hunting for you two just now," Annie Pridwell broke
+in. "I wanted to borrow some darning wool, and as I couldn't find you I
+helped myself off your dressing-table. I don't know whose basket it was
+I rifled. I took the last skein."
+
+"Mine, but you're welcome," said Dulcie. "My stockings are darned for
+this week, and shown to Miss Harding and put away. I'll get some more
+wool on Saturday, if we go to the village."
+
+"But I couldn't find you when I looked for you," persisted Annie.
+
+"Yes, where were you?" asked Evie again.
+
+But to such an inconvenient question the chums prudently turned deaf
+ears.
+
+Deirdre and Dulcie were determined to leave no stone unturned until they
+had obtained a translation of the letter which they had purloined from
+the bottle. They did not care to show the manuscript itself to any of
+the elder girls, as to do so might be to betray their secret, but by
+dint of asking odd sentences and words they made it out to run thus:
+"Very little to report. No progress at all just at present. Extreme
+caution necessary. Better keep clear of headland for a while, and let
+all plans stand over." There was neither beginning nor signature, and no
+date or address.
+
+To the chums the communication had only one meaning. It must refer to a
+German attack upon the coast. The aeroplane had probably been
+prospecting for a suitable place to land troops. It was Gerda who was to
+supply the information needed by the foreign government as to a
+favourable time for executing a master-stroke.
+
+Evidently she did not consider the hour was yet ripe. For the present
+England was safe, but who knew for how long?
+
+"It's that man in the brown jersey who's engineering the mischief," said
+Deirdre. "When we see him sneaking about in his boat we may know there's
+something on foot."
+
+"What ought we to do?" asked Dulcie doubtfully.
+
+"Nothing can be done just now, if they're on their guard and lying low.
+We must be vigilant and keep a general eye over things. If anything
+unexpected crops up we can warn the police. But, of course, we should
+have to have very good grounds to go upon in that case, a perfectly
+circumstantial story to tell."
+
+"We've nothing but suspicions at present."
+
+"That's the worst of it. We want more direct evidence. They might only
+laugh at us for our pains, and we should get into trouble with Miss
+Birks for interfering in concerns that aren't ours. No; we'll keep the
+police as the very last resource, and only tell them what we know in the
+face of a great emergency."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X
+
+Marooned
+
+
+Miss Birks's birthday fell on the 1st April, and so did Betty Scott's.
+It was not a particularly happy date for an anniversary, but they both
+declared they liked it. To Betty it was certainly a chequered event, for
+the girls treated her to the jokes they dared not play on the
+head-mistress, and she had to endure a double dose of chaffing. But, on
+the other hand, a birthday shared with Miss Birks was luck above the
+common. There was invariably a whole holiday, and some special treat to
+celebrate the occasion. The nature of the festival depended so entirely
+upon the day that it was not generally decided till the last minute,
+which added an element of surprise, and on the whole enhanced the
+enjoyment. Whether this year's jollification would be outdoors or
+indoors was naturally a subject of much speculation, but the morning
+itself settled the question. Such a clear blue sky, such brilliant
+sunshine, and so calm a sea pointed emphatically to an excursion by
+water, and Miss Birks at once decided to hire boats, and take the school
+for a picnic to a little group of islets due west of the headland.
+
+The girls loved being on the sea, and did not often get an opportunity
+of gratifying their nautical tendencies, for they were, of course, never
+allowed to hire boats on their own account. Miss Birks was too afraid of
+accidents to permit lessons in rowing, though many of her pupils
+thirsted to try their skill with the oars, and had often vainly begged
+leave to learn in the harbour. To-day three small yachts, with steady
+and experienced boatmen, were waiting by the quay at Pontperran, and
+even Mademoiselle--the champion of timorous fears--stepped inside
+without any nervous dread of going to the bottom of the ocean. It was
+delightful skimming out over the dancing, shining water, so smooth that
+the worst sailor could not experience a qualm, yet lapping gently
+against the bows as if it were trying to leap up and investigate the
+cargo of fair maidens carried on its bosom. With one accord the girls
+struck up some boat songs, and the strains of "Row, brothers, row!" or
+
+    "Speed, bonny boat, like a bird on the wing,
+         Over the sea to Skye,"
+
+rang clear and sweet in the fresh spring air.
+
+Everybody agreed that the passage was too short, and they were almost
+sorry when they arrived at their destination. The islands were nothing
+more than a group of five rocks, too small for cultivation, and
+inhabited only by sea-birds. Some rough grass and bushes grew on the
+largest, where there was also a shelving sandy strip of beach that
+formed a safe landing-place. Here all disembarked, and the provision
+hampers were carried ashore, together with the big iron trivet and
+cauldron used for picnics. There was something very fascinating in thus
+taking possession of a desert island, if only for a few hours. For the
+present the school felt themselves a band of girl Crusoes, and set to
+work at once in pioneer fashion to make preparations for lunch. There
+was an ample supply of drift-wood lying above high-water mark to serve
+as fuel under their trivet, so while some got the fire going, others
+took garden spades which they had brought with them and dug sand seats
+sufficient to accommodate the company. The chairs destined for the
+mistresses were quite superior erections, provided with backs, and that
+of Miss Birks was adorned with shells, specially collected from the
+rocks by a committee of decoration told off for the purpose. In shape
+and elaboration of ornament it resembled a throne, and as a finishing
+touch the motto "A Happy Birthday" was placed in yellow periwinkles at
+the foot.
+
+By the time these extensive preparations were finished, the cauldron was
+boiling, for the fire had been well kept up, and replenished with wood.
+Miss Harding dropped in the muslin bag containing the tea, Jessie
+Macpherson assumed command of the milk can, and a willing army carried
+cups and laid out provisions. The boatmen were provided each with a
+steaming pint mug of tea, and a basket of comestibles amongst them, and
+retired to one of the yachts with grins of satisfaction on their
+countenances. That hospitality having been settled, the cauldron--which
+combined the function of urn as well--flowed busily, filling cup after
+cup till the whole school collected on the sand seats to do justice to
+the provisions. There were rival birthday cakes: Miss Birks's, a
+nobly-iced erection decorated with candied violets, was perhaps the
+larger of the two, but Betty's--sent from home--had the glory of fifteen
+coloured candles.
+
+"Yours ought to have had candles too, Miss Birks," she said, as she
+carefully struck a match.
+
+"I'm afraid they'd be too thick on the ground!" laughed Miss Birks. "I
+used to have them when I was a child, but I barred the exhibition of my
+years after I was twenty-one."
+
+"I once knew a gentleman who had a huge birthday cake with seventy
+candles on, and all his grandchildren came to his party," volunteered
+Hilda Marriott.
+
+"That must have been a truly patriarchal cake, and something to
+remember. I'm afraid I can only offer you candied violets. Betty, shall
+we each cut our first slice at the same moment? Here's to everybody's
+health and prosperity and good luck for the rest of the year!"
+
+It was the first real picnic since last autumn, so, added to the double
+birthday, it seemed a more than ordinary festivity, and everybody waxed
+particularly jolly. Miss Birks told humorous Irish stories, and made
+endless jokes; even Miss Harding, usually the pink of propriety, was
+guilty of an intentional pun. The merry meal was over at last, and when
+the baskets had been repacked, all dispersed to wander round the tiny
+island. It did not differ particularly from the mainland, but the girls
+found it amusing to investigate new coves, and ramble about on the
+grassy expanse at the top of the cliffs. A few sought out Miss Birks and
+begged to be allowed to explore the next largest islet of the group, so
+after a little discussion half a dozen were sent off under charge of
+Miss Harding in one of the boats. As there only remained about forty
+minutes before it would be necessary to go back, it was arranged that
+this boat should not waste time by returning to the bigger island, but
+should start on its own account, independently of the other two, as soon
+as its party had made a brief survey of the islet.
+
+Deirdre and Dulcie, who were venturesome climbers, took advantage of the
+extra liberty allowed them on this special day to escape by themselves
+without the tiresome addition of the usual third, and scaled the very
+highest point of the rocky centre. Here they found they had an excellent
+view of the whole of the small group, and could command a prospect of
+cove and inlet quite unattainable from the shore. Dulcie had brought a
+pair of field-glasses, and with their aid distant objects drew near, and
+what seemed mere specks to the ordinary vision proved to be sea-birds,
+preening their wings, or resting upon the rocks. They watched with great
+interest the progress of the boat to the other island.
+
+"Didn't know Miss Birks was going to let anyone go, or we'd have gone
+ourselves," lamented Deirdre. "Who's in her? Can you see?"
+
+"Perfectly. Miss Harding and Jessie Macpherson, Phyllis Rowland, Doris
+Patterson, Rhoda Wilkins, Irene Jordan, and Gerda Thorwaldson. David
+Essery is rowing them."
+
+"Oh, I wish we'd gone!" repeated Deirdre enviously. "Give me the
+glasses, and let me take a look."
+
+It was a very long look, that swept all round the islands and took in
+every detail of cliff and rock. Deirdre repeated it twice, then gave a
+sudden exclamation.
+
+"Dulcie, you see that big black cliff over there--rather like a
+seal--count three points farther on, and tell me if you don't think
+there's a boat in that tiny inlet."
+
+Dulcie seized the glasses, and proceeded to verify the statement.
+
+"It is! Oh, it certainly is! It's moving out now from behind the rock.
+Somebody's in it, rowing--Deirdre! I do believe----"
+
+"Not him!" shrieked Deirdre ungrammatically, snatching the glasses from
+her friend. "Oh, it is! I'm perfectly persuaded it is! It's just his
+figure, and he rows in the same way exactly--the man in the brown
+jersey!"
+
+"Then Gerda's engineered that expedition to go and meet him. It's as
+plain as plain!"
+
+Their excitement was intense. It did indeed seem an important discovery,
+and an added link in their chain of circumstances. Should they stay
+where they were, and watch the meeting through the field-glasses, or
+would it be possible to follow the matter up more nearly? They resolved
+to make a try for the latter. Climbing down as rapidly as they could
+from their point of vantage, they found Miss Birks, and entreated to be
+allowed to join the party on the other island.
+
+"John Pengelly would row us over, and we'd catch them up immediately,"
+they pleaded. "Oh, do please let us go!"
+
+Miss Birks was in a birthday frame of mind, and prepared to listen to
+any fairly-reasonable request.
+
+"There would be quite room for you to go home in David Essery's boat,"
+she acquiesced. "Yes, you may go if you wish. John Pengelly can take you
+at once. Tell Miss Harding I sent you, and you're to return with her
+party."
+
+The boatman was good-natured, and apparently did not mind making the
+extra journey. He grinned at the girls as he pushed off.
+
+"Can't have too much of the sea, missies?" he ventured. "I'll soon pull
+you over there."
+
+He landed them carefully on the second island, then rowed back to the
+first landing-place to join his fellow boatman and smoke a pipe till it
+was time to start. Deirdre and Dulcie knew exactly which way Miss
+Harding and the girls had gone, and their plain duty was to follow them
+as rapidly as possible, and report themselves as additions to the party.
+They did nothing of the sort, however. Instead, they took exactly the
+opposite direction, and made for the western side of the islet, where
+they had seen the mysterious boat.
+
+"You may depend upon it we shall find Gerda there," said Deirdre. "It's
+better not to let her know we're here. We're far more likely to catch
+her."
+
+With a little scrambling they reached an inlet, which--so they
+calculated--must be the one they had marked through the field-glasses.
+They could see no boat, however, and no Gerda. They waited for a while,
+then rambled farther along the shore, but finding nothing, came back to
+their former point. They had so entirely counted upon Gerda being there
+that they felt decidedly disappointed.
+
+"Perhaps she couldn't sneak off," suggested Dulcie. "Miss Harding's very
+tiresome and particular sometimes."
+
+"I wonder if the boat's waiting about for her?" said Deirdre. "I should
+very much like to know."
+
+Obeying a sudden impulse, she advanced to the edge of the waves and
+reproduced, as nearly as she could remember it, the long peculiar curlew
+cry which Gerda had given as a signal on the former occasion. The effect
+was instantaneous. There was an answering whistle, and from behind a
+rock not very far away a small craft shot out into the creek. It was
+undoubtedly the same white dinghy which they had seen before, and
+contained the same tall, fair man who had spoken with their school-mate.
+He rowed forward with a few rapid strokes, then seeing Deirdre and
+Dulcie he paused, took a searching glance round the shore, turned his
+boat, and rowed away from the island, passing as quickly as possible
+behind the shelter of the next of the group. Deirdre stood watching him
+through the field-glasses as he disappeared. She was not altogether sure
+whether she had not made a false move. It was perhaps hardly wise to
+have thus put him on his guard, and let him become aware that they knew
+of the curlew signal. She already regretted her hasty, thoughtless act.
+She was conscious that it would defeat her own ends. It seemed no use
+staying any longer in the creek, for he would certainly not be likely to
+return after such an alarm.
+
+"We'd better go and find Miss Harding," suggested Dulcie.
+
+It was undoubtedly high time they reported themselves, so, putting the
+field-glasses back in their case, they set off for the other side of the
+island. Arrived at the opposite cove, they looked eagerly for their
+school-mates, but nobody was to be seen.
+
+"I expect they're a little farther on," suggested Deirdre, hiding the
+fear she dared not own.
+
+But they were not farther on, and though the girls climbed the cliff, so
+as to have a thorough view of the shore, and shouted and cooeed till
+they were hoarse, there was not a sign of a human being anywhere. Far on
+the horizon were three tiny specks.
+
+Dulcie took out the all-useful glasses, and adjusted the focus
+anxiously. One glance confirmed her worst apprehensions--the boats had
+gone, and left them behind! It was perfectly easy to see how it had
+happened. Miss Birks, having sent them specially across the sound,
+believed them to be with Miss Harding's party, and Miss Harding did not
+even know that they had left the larger island. It was their own fault
+entirely for not reporting themselves. While they had been watching the
+mysterious boatman on the wrong side of the island, the others must have
+been starting, utterly unconscious that two of their number were
+missing.
+
+"We're marooned! That's what it amounts to." Deirdre's voice shook a
+little as she made the unwelcome admission.
+
+"Well, of all idiots we're the biggest! We have got ourselves into a
+jolly fix!" exploded Dulcie.
+
+It was highly probable that they would not be missed until the arrival
+at the harbour. Then, no doubt, someone would come back for them, but
+the tide was rising rapidly, and perhaps by the time a boat could return
+it would not be possible to land and take them off. The prospect of a
+night spent on a desert island was not enlivening. Then, too, came
+another fear. The mysterious stranger was in the near neighbourhood.
+Hidden behind rocks and creeks he might have accomplices, who might take
+it into their heads to reconnoitre. The idea was horrible. They felt an
+intense dread of the unknown man in the brown jersey. He must be very
+angry that they had discovered his signal. Suppose he were to find them,
+and wreak his vengeance upon them? They bitterly rued their folly,
+though that did not mend matters in the least.
+
+"We won't go over to that side of the island again, in case he might see
+us," quavered Dulcie. "Let us sit down here, in this sheltered corner.
+How cold it's getting!"
+
+"I'm hungry, too," sighed Deirdre. "There's nothing to eat on the place
+except raw periwinkles!"
+
+The sun had set behind a bank of grey clouds, and even in the last ten
+minutes the daylight had faded noticeably. A chilly wind had sprung up,
+and the girls shivered as they buttoned their coats closely.
+
+"Do you hear something?" said Dulcie presently.
+
+It was a sound of oars, and both pricked up their ears, half-nervously,
+half-hopefully. They did not venture to show themselves till they could
+ascertain whether it were friend or enemy. Hidden under the shadow of
+the rock, they watched the darkening water, then gripped each other's
+hands in terror--it was the white boat that appeared round the corner.
+Its brown-jerseyed occupant was rowing slowly and leisurely, with a
+careful eye on the shore as he went. Would he see them? They were only
+partially concealed, and a keen observer might easily detect their
+presence. To Deirdre those few minutes equalled years of agony--her
+lively imagination summoned up every possible horror. He paused at last
+on his oars, and gave the long shrill curlew call. A hundred seagulls
+screamed in reply. Twice, thrice he repeated it, then apparently judging
+it a failure, he rowed away in the direction of the mainland.
+
+Dulcie was crying with fright and cold. She let the tears trickle
+unwiped down her plump cheeks. She was not cut out by nature for a
+heroine, and would gladly just then have given up all chance of seeing
+her portrait in the newspapers if she could have found herself safely
+back in the schoolroom at the Dower House. Adventures might be all very
+well in their way, but this one had gone decidedly too far.
+
+"I wish you'd never suggested our coming," she said fretfully. "It was
+your fault, Deirdre."
+
+"Don't be mean, and try and throw the blame on me! You were just as keen
+as I was!"
+
+"I'm not keen now! I wish to goodness we'd never bothered our heads
+about Gerda. You won't catch me on such a wild-goose chase again!"
+
+"I'm utterly disgusted with you, Dulcie Wilcox!" returned Deirdre
+witheringly; and Dulcie wept yet harder, to have added to her physical
+troubles a quarrel with her chum.
+
+It was almost dark before a search party, consisting of Miss Birks and
+three boatmen, arrived to fetch them, and the tide had risen so high
+that it was impossible to land as before, so that John Pengelly had to
+wade through the water and carry each of them in turn on his back to the
+boat. Miss Birks said little, but they knew it was the ominous silence
+before a storm, and that she would have much to say on the morrow. They
+were intensely thankful when they at last saw the lights of Pontperran,
+and felt they were within measurable distance of food and fire.
+
+"You provided a nice birthday treat for Miss Birks, I must say,"
+commented Jessie Macpherson sarcastically. "What possessed you to go off
+on your own in that silly way? There was nothing in the least
+interesting on that side of the island, and you knew where we were, and
+that we should be starting almost directly. I simply can't understand
+such foolishness! Why did you do it?"
+
+But an explanation of the motives that had influenced their conduct was
+the very last thing in the world that Deirdre and Dulcie felt disposed
+to offer, even to mitigate the scorn of the head girl.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI
+
+"Coriolanus"
+
+
+It was an old-established custom at the Dower House that at the end of
+every term the girls must make a special effort to distinguish
+themselves. They would get up a play, or a concert, or a Shakespeare
+reading, sometimes a show of paintings, carving, and needlework, or a
+well-rehearsed exhibition of physical exercises and drill. It was quite
+an informal affair, only intended for themselves and the mistresses,
+though occasionally Miss Birks invited a few friends to help to swell
+the audience. Now April was here, the Easter holidays seemed fast
+approaching, and preparations were accordingly made for the usual
+function. As a rule, the girls organized the affair themselves, under
+the direction of the Sixth Form, but this term Miss Harding stepped in
+and assumed the management. She decreed that all the members of the
+Latin classes should give a Latin play, and selected a version of
+_Coriolanus_ for their performance. About half the school took Latin,
+just enough to make up the cast required, so both senior and junior
+students were set to work to learn speeches and get up orations. At
+first they were entirely dismayed at the prospect of so arduous an
+undertaking.
+
+"I hardly thought Miss Harding was serious when she proposed it," said
+Annie Pridwell, who with Deirdre, Dulcie, and Gerda made up the four
+representatives of VB.
+
+"Serious enough in all conscience," groaned Dulcie, turning over the
+leaves of the small volume with an air of special tragedy.
+"Volumnia--Volumnia--yes, here she comes again--Volumnia--oh! why am I
+chosen for Volumnia? I'll never get all this stuff into my head!"
+
+"You'll look the character nicely," said Annie consolingly. "You've
+really rather a classic sort of nose, and you'll have a big distaff and
+spindle, and be spinning as you talk."
+
+"That won't help me to remember my part, unless I can write it on a
+scrap of paper and hide it among the flax. I declare, it's not fair!
+Volumnia has far more to say than Tullus Attius or Sicinius. You ought
+to have something extra tagged on to your parts."
+
+"We've quite enough, thanks!" declared Deirdre and Annie hastily.
+
+"As for Gerda," continued Dulcie, "she's being let off too easily
+altogether. Her Senator's speech is only eight lines."
+
+"Well, it's my first term at Latin, remember," said Gerda.
+
+"Jessie Macpherson will have to swot like anything to get up 'Caius
+Marcus Coriolanus'. I'm glad I'm not picked for the show part, anyhow."
+
+"Jessie won't mind swotting if she has a chance to shine. There'd have
+been trouble if she'd had to play second fiddle."
+
+"No one would be rash enough to suggest that. She's not head of the
+school for nothing."
+
+"Look here! Is this play to be part of the Latin lesson or an extra?
+Shall we be excused our ordinary prep.?"
+
+"Not a line."
+
+"Oh, what a shame! Then it's giving us double lessons. I wish Miss
+Harding had left us to get up a concert by ourselves."
+
+Although the girls might grumble and make rather a fuss over learning
+their parts, they soon committed the little play to memory, and thanks
+to Miss Harding's efforts rehearsals went briskly. Jessie Macpherson,
+whose cleverness certainly justified her assumption of general
+superiority, rose to the occasion nobly, and tripped off her long
+speeches as if Latin were her mother tongue, to the envy and admiration
+of those who still halted and stumbled.
+
+"Jessie had got through her grammar before she came to the Dower House,
+though," said Irene Jordan, herself a beginner. "It gives her an
+enormous pull to have started early."
+
+"Boys' schools get up ever such grand Latin plays," remarked Rhoda
+Wilkins. "At Orton College, where my brothers go, they did the _Phormio_
+of Terence. We went to see it, and it was splendid. It took fully two
+hours. Ours won't take one."
+
+"Well, one expects boys to be better at Latin."
+
+"Some girls' schools run them hard," said Phyllis Rowland. "I know girls
+who can beat their brothers."
+
+"Oh, yes, at the big High Schools, where you choose classics or modern
+languages, and stick to one side. At the Dower House we dabble in
+everything all round, maths., and science, and accomplishments thrown in
+as well. Well, it gives you the chance to see which you like best."
+
+The most serious question in connection with the performance was the
+arrangement of the costumes. Miss Harding and the elder girls pored over
+illustrated Roman histories and classical dictionaries, trying to get
+the exact style of the period.
+
+"It's difficult to reproduce with twentieth-century materials," said the
+mistress. "One feels all the linens ought to be homespun, and woven in a
+loom like Penelope's; and as for the scenery--well, we shall just have
+to do the best we can."
+
+"As long as we avoid anachronisms we shall be all right," said Jessie
+Macpherson. "We shall have to leave something to the imagination of the
+audience."
+
+The whole school was requisitioned to help, and large working parties
+were held in the dining-room. The girls found it an amusement to hem
+togas or construct shields out of cardboard and brown paper, and
+stitched quite elaborate borders on the robes of Veturia, Volumnia, and
+Valeria. One of the difficulties that presented itself was the question
+of footgear. Roman matrons did not wear serviceable school shoes with
+heels, or elegant French ones either. It would certainly be necessary to
+contrive sandals.
+
+"We can't cut our best shoes down for the occasion!" said Marcia
+Richards.
+
+"I'd leave the school first!" returned Phyllis Rowland.
+
+Hiring "Roman" sandals was too great an expense, and an ambitious
+attempt of Jessie Macpherson's to make them out of paper turned out a
+ghastly failure.
+
+In the end Miss Harding cut some from strips of cloth, and this effect
+proved classical enough to serve the purpose.
+
+"That will be the best we can manage," she said.
+
+"I'm thankful I haven't to do a dance in mine. It would be a queer sort
+of shuffle!" confided Dulcie to her chum.
+
+In honour of the very special effort which was being made, Miss Birks
+decided to send a number of invitations and ask quite a considerable
+gathering to an afternoon performance.
+
+"It's going to be really a swell thing for once," said Deirdre. "I hear
+Miss Birks is getting new curtains--those old ones are quite worn
+out--and the joiner is to come and fix a rod. And there's to be tea
+after the entertainment. Such heaps of people are coming!"
+
+"Who?" asked Gerda.
+
+"Oh, Major and Mrs. Hargreaves and their little boys, and Canon Hall and
+Miss Hall, and Dr. and Mrs. Dawes, and all the four Miss Hirsts, and the
+Rector of Kergoff, and Mr. Lawson, and of course Mrs. Trevellyan."
+
+"And Ronnie?"
+
+"Rather! We wouldn't leave Ronnie out of it! Miss Herbert is to come
+too, if she hasn't gone home for the holidays."
+
+"You've never seen Mrs. Trevellyan yet, Gerda?" put in Dulcie.
+
+"Only in church."
+
+"Well, but I mean to speak to. You didn't go to Ronnie's birthday party,
+and the day she came here you were as shy as a baby, and scooted out of
+the way."
+
+"I can't help being shy," returned Gerda, blushing up to the very tips
+of her ears.
+
+"Why, there you are, turning as red as a boiled lobster! Miss Birks says
+shyness is mostly morbid self-consciousness, and isn't anything to be
+proud of. Why don't you try to get out of it? It looks right-down silly
+to colour up like that over simply nothing at all. I'd be ashamed of
+it!" said Dulcie, who could be severe on other people's faults, though
+she demanded charity for her own.
+
+"Gerda's copying eighteenth-century heroines!" mocked Deirdre. "They
+always tried to outvie the rose. Didn't Herrick write a sonnet to his
+Julia's blushes? And I'm sure I remember reading somewhere:
+
+        'O, sweet and fair,
+        Beyond compare,
+        Are Daphne's cheeks.
+    And Daphne's blushing cheeks, I swear!'
+
+Go it, Gerda! Can you possibly get a little redder if you try? If you
+outvie the rose, there's still the peony left!"
+
+Gerda took her room-mates' teasing, as she took everything else at the
+Dower House, with little or no remonstrance. It would have pleased the
+girls much better if they could have raised a spark out of her. Her
+queer, self-contained reserve was not at all to their taste, and they
+awarded the palm of popularity to Betty Scott, whose high spirits,
+perpetual jokes, and amusing tongue made her the public entertainer of
+the Form.
+
+"I wish Betty were acting," sighed Dulcie. "She's always the life and
+soul of a play. It was very stupid of her mother not to want her to
+learn Latin."
+
+"I'm afraid Gerda'll be a perfect stick as Ancus Vinitius," whispered
+Deirdre.
+
+"An absolute dummy," agreed her chum.
+
+But they underestimated Gerda's talents. Her part was a small one, yet
+she rendered it excellently. She walked, acted, and spoke with a calm
+dignity well in keeping with the character she represented. Everybody
+agreed that she made a most reverend and stately senator.
+
+"I ought to look old, though," she maintained. "It's absurd for us all
+to look so youthful."
+
+"Powder your hair," suggested Irene.
+
+"Not enough. I think I can do better than that."
+
+Rather to the girls' amusement, Gerda seemed more than ordinarily
+anxious about her costume.
+
+"She couldn't make more fuss if she was taking Coriolanus himself!"
+laughed Dulcie. "The Senator might be the chief part."
+
+Gerda had notions of her own, which she proceeded to carry out. She went
+to Jessie Macpherson and borrowed the white wig, and with the help of
+some more sheep's wool contrived a beard to match. On the afternoon of
+the performance she not only donned these, but blackened her eyebrows
+and painted her face with a series of wrinkles and crows'-feet.
+
+"Why, it's splendid!" exclaimed the girls. "You look seventy at the very
+least. Just the sort of venerable old city father you're meant for."
+
+"You'd hardly know me, would you?" enquired Gerda casually.
+
+"Nobody would know you. I don't believe even Miss Birks will recognize
+you. It's the best make-up of anybody's. Jessie'll be proud to see her
+wig used after all. She'll almost wish she'd worn it herself."
+
+The performers found the dressing nearly the greatest part of the fun.
+They arranged Volumnia's classical garments and ornaments, adjusted her
+gold fillet; draped the folds of Veturia's flowing robe, and persuaded
+Brutus to abandon spectacles for the occasion.
+
+"You forget we're supposed to be in _circum_ 490 B.C.," remarked Jessie
+Macpherson.
+
+"I shall be blind without them!" objected Brutus.
+
+"Never mind! You must catch hold of Sicinius's toga if you get into
+difficulties."
+
+"The Chinese used spectacles ages ago. Couldn't a pair of them have got
+imported into Rome?"
+
+"Certainly not. Those goggles of yours would spoil the whole classical
+spirit of the play, and I shan't allow them."
+
+"Well, I suppose I'll worry through somehow; but if I upset the rostrum
+don't blame me!"
+
+"You've just got to go through your part without upsetting anything,
+spectacles or no spectacles, or you'll have to settle with me
+afterwards!" observed Jessie grimly.
+
+By half-past three all the invited guests had arrived and taken their
+places in the dining-hall, where a temporary platform had been put up.
+From behind the curtains the performers could take surreptitious peeps
+and watch the arrival of the audience. Dulcie, with her eye at a tiny
+opening, reported progress to the others.
+
+"There's the Vicar! There's Mrs. Hargreaves with all the boys! There's
+Canon Hall! Oh, here's Mrs. Trevellyan, and Miss Herbert and Ronnie
+behind her!"
+
+"Where are they sitting?" asked Gerda.
+
+"Right in the middle of the front row. Do you want to peep?"
+
+"Thanks--just for a second. Tell me, is my beard all right? Miss Birks,
+or--anyone else--wouldn't know me?"
+
+"Not from Adam! What a fuss you make about your costume!" said Dulcie
+impatiently. "Nobody'll notice it all that much. There are ten others
+acting as well as yourself."
+
+"I'm glad you snubbed her," said Deirdre, as Gerda having taken her peep
+between the curtains, retired to the back of the stage.
+
+"She really needs it sometimes. It isn't good for people to let them get
+swollen head."
+
+"Are you all ready?" asked Miss Harding anxiously. "Then ring the bell,
+Marcia. Now, Rhoda, don't forget your cue, 'Satis verborum,' and
+remember to speak up. And, Doris, do put the right accent on 'Dulce et
+decorum est pro patria mori'. I shall be so ashamed if you get it
+wrong."
+
+The audience clapped vigorously as the curtains parted and disclosed an
+atrium with Veturia and Volumnia seated spinning and chatting as Roman
+matrons may very possibly have chatted in the year 490 B.C. The scene
+was really pretty, and became impressive when Caius Marcius arrived with
+his proud news. Jessie Macpherson had an excellent idea of acting, and,
+as her features were classical, she made an ideal personation of the
+future Coriolanus, putting just the right amount of aristocratic
+haughtiness into her demeanour and calm command into her tone of voice.
+Miss Harding had been nervous about many points, but as the play went
+on, and scene succeeded scene, she breathed more freely. Every girl was
+on her mettle to do her best, and things that had dragged even at the
+dress rehearsal now went briskly. Nobody needed prompting, and nobody
+forgot her cue; all spoke up audibly, and even the lictor, who had been
+the most difficult to train, did not turn his back on the audience.
+Though many of the guests certainly could not understand the dialogue,
+the plot of the play was so palpable that all could easily follow the
+story from its interesting opening to the end. Coriolanus died nobly,
+and fell to the ground with a really heroic disregard of possible
+bruises; and Veturia commanded the sympathy of the entire room as she
+shared his fate. The performers received quite an ovation as they stood
+in a line making their bows.
+
+"Really, Miss Birks, your girls are too clever for anything," remarked
+Canon Hall. "Their Latin was most excellent."
+
+"The soft pronunciation makes it sound just like Italian," said Mrs.
+Trevellyan. "They deserve many congratulations."
+
+"Yes, they caught the classical spirit of the thing so well," agreed Mr.
+Poynter, the vicar.
+
+"Considering that many of them are beginners, I think it is fairly well
+to their credit, and certainly to Miss Harding's," said Miss Birks.
+"This is the first Latin play they have attempted. Another time they
+will do better."
+
+The next part of the function was tea in the drawing-room, to which
+guests and pupils were alike invited.
+
+"Be quick and change your costumes!" commanded Coriolanus behind the
+scenes. "Here! somebody please unfasten me at the back! Where are my
+shoes gone to?"
+
+"Why need we change?" interposed Gerda quickly. "It will take so long,
+tea'll be over before we're ready. Why can't we go in as we are?"
+
+"Oh, yes, let us keep on our costumes!" agreed Dulcie, who liked being a
+Roman lady. "Miss Harding, mayn't we have tea in character?"
+
+"Why, I dare say it will amuse the visitors. Yes, run in as you are if
+you wish. Gerda, wouldn't you like to take off that beard and wash your
+face? Come here and I'll help you."
+
+"No, thanks! I'd rather keep it on, really."
+
+"I don't know how you'll negotiate any tea!"
+
+"I don't mind."
+
+The eleven performers made quite a sensation as they filed into the
+drawing-room. All the children among the guests wanted to examine their
+garments and handle their mock daggers. Ronnie in particular persisted
+in calling his aunt's attention to every detail.
+
+"I like Jessie and Rhoda and Hilda the best," he declared frankly. "I
+didn't know Marcia at first. And who do you think that old man is? It's
+Gerda--Gerda Thorwaldson! Gerda, do let Auntie look at you! Yes, you
+must come! I'll drag you! Here she is, Auntie!"
+
+"How do you do, my dear? Your make-up seems excellent," said Mrs.
+Trevellyan kindly, smiling as the senator blushed furiously under his
+painted wrinkles. "Ronnie, you mustn't be naughty! Don't hold her if she
+wants to go. What a little tyrant you are!"
+
+"Gerda is such a very shy girl," said Miss Birks, as Ronnie loosed his
+hold and Ancus Vinitius made his escape. "I always have the greatest
+difficulty in persuading her to speak to strangers. It amounts to a
+fault."
+
+"A pardonable failing at her age," returned Mrs. Trevellyan. "She'll
+outgrow it presently, no doubt. At any rate, it's pleasanter than too
+great self-assurance, which is generally the reproach cast at young
+people of the period. It's quite refreshing nowadays to meet a girl who
+is shy."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII
+
+In Quarantine
+
+
+However excellent the arrangements of a school, and however happy the
+girls may be there, the word "holidays" nevertheless holds a magic
+attraction. Miss Birks's pupils thoroughly appreciated the Dower House,
+but they would not have been human if they had not rejoiced openly in
+the immediate prospect of breaking-up day. Already preparations were
+being made for the general exodus; the gardener was carrying down trunks
+from the box-room, Miss Harding was checking the linen lists, and the
+girls were sorting the contents of their drawers and deciding what must
+be left and what taken home.
+
+"These are going to be extra-special holidays," triumphed Deirdre. "You
+know, my sister's at school at Madame Mesurier's, near Versailles? Well,
+Mother and I are to have ten days in Paris, so that we can see Eileen
+and take her about. Won't it be absolutely ripping? I've never been
+abroad before, and I'm just living for it. We're to go and see all the
+sights. Eileen's looking forward to it as much as I am."
+
+"I'm going to stay with my cousins in Hampshire," said Dulcie. "They're
+mad on horses, so I shall get some riding. They always give me 'Vicky',
+the sweetest little chestnut cob. She goes like a bird, and yet she's so
+gentle. When we're not riding we play golf. Their links are gorgeous."
+
+"Where are you going, Gerda?" asked Deirdre.
+
+"To London, to meet Mother," replied Gerda, with a light in her eyes
+such as the chums had not seen since she arrived. She offered no details
+of further plans, but evidently the prospect satisfied her. All three
+girls were counting the hours till their departure. There is a dour old
+proverb, however, which states that "there's many a slip 'twixt cup and
+lip", and for once its pessimistic philosophy was justified.
+
+On the very morning of the breaking-up day Deirdre, who had passed a
+funny, feverish night, woke up to find her face covered with a rash.
+Dulcie went for Miss Birks, who, after inspecting the invalid and
+finding on enquiry that both Dulcie and Gerda had slight sore throats,
+forbade the three to leave their bedroom until they had been seen by a
+medical man. Very much disconcerted, they took breakfast in bed.
+
+"It may be only nettle-rash," said Deirdre. "I had it once before when
+I'd eaten something that disagreed with me."
+
+"And I expect Gerda and I caught cold on the warren yesterday. No doubt
+it's nothing," said Dulcie, trying to thrust away the horrible
+apprehensions that oppressed her.
+
+When Dr. Jones arrived, however, and examined his patients he sounded
+the death-knell of their hopes. He pronounced Deirdre to be suffering
+from a slight attack of German measles, and from Dulcie's and Gerda's
+symptoms diagnosed that they were sickening for the same complaint.
+
+"The rash will probably be out to-morrow," he announced. "With care in
+the initial stages it should prove nothing serious, but for the present
+they are as well in bed."
+
+The three victims could hardly believe the calamity that had overtaken
+them. To stop in bed with measles when their boxes were packed and the
+last things ready to go into their hand-bags, and their trains arranged
+and their relations notified of the time of their arrival!
+
+"It's--it's rotten!" exclaimed Deirdre, turning her flushed face to the
+wall.
+
+"If it's German measles I believe it's your fault, Gerda!" declared
+Dulcie, weeping openly.
+
+"I didn't start them!" objected poor Gerda.
+
+"You've had them packed in your box, then!" snapped Dulcie, who was
+thoroughly cross and unreasonable. "Oh, won't it make a pretty
+hullaballoo in the school?"
+
+The sympathies of the moment might well be with Miss Birks. She had
+caused each of her remaining seventeen pupils to be examined by the
+doctor, and as all appeared free from symptoms was sending off seventeen
+telegrams to inform parents of the circumstances and ask if they wished
+their daughters to return home or to remain in quarantine. Without
+exception the replies were in favour of travelling, so the usual cabs
+and luggage carts drove up, and the girls, rejoicing greatly, were
+packed off under Miss Harding's escort by the midday train to Sidcombe
+Junction, where they would change for their various destinations.
+
+In spite of strict injunctions to keep warm, Deirdre got out of bed and
+watched the departure from the window.
+
+"To think that I ought to have been sitting inside that bus, and my box
+ought to have been on that cart!" she lamented. "Oh, I could howl!
+Mother will have got our tickets for Paris. I wonder if she'll go
+without me? Oh, why didn't I powder my face and say nothing about it?"
+
+"You couldn't have hidden that rash! Besides, it's horribly dangerous to
+catch cold on the top of measles. Get back into bed, you silly! I'll
+tell Miss Birks if you don't! Do you want what the doctor called
+'complications'? I think you're the biggest lunatic I know, standing in
+your night-dress by an open window!" Dulcie's remarks were sage if not
+complimentary, so Deirdre tore herself away from the tantalizing
+spectacle of the start below and dutifully returned to her pillow just
+in time to save herself from being found out of bed by Miss Birks, who,
+having said good-bye to the travellers, came upstairs to condole with
+the three invalids.
+
+"I can't think how we caught it!" sighed Dulcie.
+
+"At our performance of _Coriolanus_, I'm afraid," said Miss Birks. "Dr.
+Jones tells me that all the little Hargreaves are down with it. He was
+called in to attend them yesterday. Probably they were sickening for it
+and gave you the infection."
+
+"I hope Ronnie won't have caught it!" gasped Gerda.
+
+"I trust not, indeed. I shan't feel easy till I have sent to the Castle
+to enquire about him. It certainly is the most unfortunate happening.
+But Deirdre may be glad she had not started for Paris. There is nothing
+so miserable or so disastrously expensive as to be laid up in a foreign
+hotel. The proprietor would have demanded large compensation for
+measles, even if he had allowed her to remain in the house. Probably she
+would have been removed to a fever hospital."
+
+"Not a pleasant way of seeing Paris!" said Deirdre, summoning up a
+smile.
+
+"You'll have a holiday there another time, I'm sure. And now you must
+all be brave girls and try to make the best of things. Fortunately, none
+of you seem likely to be really ill. We'll do what we can to amuse
+ourselves."
+
+Miss Birks spoke brightly, and her cheery manner hid her own
+disappointment, though she might justly have indulged in a grumble, for
+she had been obliged to cancel all her arrangements for a motor tour and
+stay to attend to her young patients. The responsibility of looking
+after them and the subsequent disinfecting which must be done would
+completely spoil her holiday. She was not a woman to think of herself,
+however, and she put her aspect of the case so entirely aside that the
+girls never even suspected that her regrets were equal, if not superior
+to their own.
+
+As the doctor had prophesied, both Dulcie and Gerda developed the rash
+on the following day. Fortunately, all three girls had the complaint
+very slightly, and beyond a touch of sore throat and sneezing were not
+troubled with any very disagreeable symptoms.
+
+"The microbes have only fought a half-hearted battle, and they are
+retiring worsted," declared Miss Birks; "they're not as savage as
+scarlet-fever germs."
+
+"Quite tame ones," laughed Dulcie.
+
+"Germs 'made in Germany' aren't likely to be A1," said Deirdre, with a
+quip at Gerda.
+
+After a day or two in bed, Dr. Jones pronounced his patients
+convalescent, gave them permission to go downstairs, and held out the
+promise of a walk on the warren if they continued to improve. Their
+period of isolation was a fortnight, after which they were to be allowed
+to go home for the remaining week of the holidays. If it had not been
+for the thought of what they were missing, they might have congratulated
+themselves on having an extremely good time. Miss Birks was kindness
+itself, and allowed every indulgence possible. They were kept well
+supplied with books, in cheap editions which could be burnt afterwards,
+and had licence to pursue any hobby which admitted of disinfection. Dr.
+Jones brought good reports of the Hargreaves children, who were now
+convalescent. Ronnie had most fortunately not caught any germs, and was
+away with Mrs. Trevellyan in Herefordshire. Of the seventeen girls who
+had returned home, Irene Jordan only had developed a slight rash, so
+that on the whole the school had escaped better than might have been
+expected.
+
+After the constant society of their class-mates, the three invalids felt
+the Dower House to be very large and empty and lonely. It was
+astonishing how different it seemed now the rooms were untenanted. The
+whole place wore a changed aspect. In ordinary circumstances they hardly
+ever gave a thought to the ancient associations of the house, but now
+they constantly remembered that it had been occupied as a convent, and
+that hundreds of years ago gentle grey-robed figures had flitted up and
+down those identical stairs and paced those very same passages. It was
+the code of the school to laugh at superstition, and none of the girls
+would confess to a dislike to go upstairs alone, but it was remarkable
+what excuses they found for keeping each other company.
+
+Gerda was the worst off in this respect, for Deirdre and Dulcie, though
+ready to accommodate each other, did not show her too much
+consideration, and would often ruthlessly disregard her palpable hints.
+They kept very much together, and though not openly rude, made her feel
+most decidedly that she was _de trop_. She never complained, nor offered
+the least reproach; her manner throughout was exactly the same as it had
+been since her first arrival, gentle, reserved, and uncommunicative.
+Sometimes the chums, out of sheer naughtiness, tried to pick a quarrel
+with her, but she never lost her self-control, and either kept entire
+silence, or replied so quietly to their gibes that they were rather
+ashamed of themselves. To Miss Birks Gerda did not open her heart any
+more than to her room-mates. She appeared grateful for kindness, but
+the Principal's best efforts could not make her talk, and on the topic
+of her home and her relations she was dumb. To any questions she would
+return the most brief and unwilling answers, and seemed reluctant to
+have the subject mentioned at all. After several vain attempts to win
+her confidence, Miss Birks gave up trying, and allowed her to go on in
+her usual self-contained silent fashion--a negative policy not wholly
+satisfactory.
+
+All three girls made excellent progress, and Dr. Jones very soon gave
+permission first for a gentle walk round the garden at midday, then for
+a longer time out-of-doors.
+
+"We've been making invalids of them, though they're not invalids at
+all," he said jokingly. "They're nothing but three humbugs! Look at
+their rosy cheeks! And I hear reports of such excessive consumption of
+chicken broth, and jelly, and other delicacies, I shall have to diet
+them on porridge and potatoes. I think Miss Birks is too good to you,
+young ladies. When I was at school I wasn't pampered like this, I assure
+you, whatever infectious complaints I managed to catch. They used to
+dose us with Turkey rhubarb, no matter what our ailment; it was a kind
+of specific against all diseases, and nasty enough to frighten any
+microbe away."
+
+"May we go home next week?" pleaded Deirdre.
+
+"Girls who catch German measles don't deserve to go home. But I know
+Miss Birks wants to get rid of you, so I won't be too severe. Yes, I
+think I may consider you cured, and give you your order of release for
+next Wednesday."
+
+That evening three very jubilant girls sat in the small schoolroom
+scribbling their good news.
+
+"This day week we shall be at home," rejoiced Deidre.
+
+"Oh, goody! I am so glad! I can hardly write sense. I hope Mother'll
+understand it. She's accustomed to my ragtime letters, though."
+
+"Miss Birks is sending post cards about the trains," volunteered Gerda.
+
+"A good thing, too, for I never remember to put the time. Shall I read
+you what I've said, Deirdre?
+
+    "DARLING MUMMIE,
+
+    "I'm coming home--oh! isn't it spiffing? Do let us have trifle
+    and sausages for supper, and let Baba stop up for it. I've made
+    her a present, and it's not infectious, because Miss Birks has
+    had it stoved. And it will be ripping to see you all again. I'm
+    so glad I shan't miss Douglas. I hope Jinks is well, but don't
+    let them bring him to the station to meet me, in case he gets on
+    the line. Oh, high cockalorum for next week!
+
+        "Heaps and heaps of love from
+            "DULCIE."
+
+"It's a good thing Miss Birks is sending a post card, you silly child,"
+remarked Deirdre crushingly. "You've never told your mother which day
+you're coming, to say nothing of mentioning a time."
+
+"Oh, haven't I? No more I have. I'll put it in a P.S. I hope Mother
+won't forget I said trifle and sausages. She always lets me choose my
+own supper on the day I go home, and we have it all set out in the
+breakfast-room. Generally we only get biscuits and milk before we go to
+bed. I think they might let Baba sit up this time. She's nearly six. Oh,
+bother! My stamps are upstairs. Do come with me, and I'll fetch them. I
+simply hate going alone."
+
+"You're as big a baby as Baba," returned Deirdre. "No, I can't and won't
+and shan't go with you. You must pluck up your courage for once. Dear me
+there's nothing to be afraid of, you scared mouse."
+
+Thus duly squashed by her own chum, Dulcie made no further plea; she
+only banged the door in reply, and they could hear her footsteps
+stumping slowly and heavily upstairs. In a few moments, however, she
+descended with a much swifter motion, and, looking pale and frightened,
+burst into the schoolroom.
+
+"There's somebody or something inside the barred room," she gasped.
+"It--whatever it is--it's tapping on the door. I daren't go past."
+
+Both Deirdre and Gerda rose to the rescue, and--three strong--the girls
+ventured to investigate. With a few pardonable tremors they drew aside
+the curtains that concealed the door of the mysterious room. There was
+nothing to be seen or heard, however. The iron bars had not been
+tampered with, and all was dead silence within.
+
+"Your nerves are jumpy at present, and you'd imagine anything," decided
+Deirdre.
+
+"I didn't imagine it. I really heard it. I tell you I did. Oh, I say!
+There it is again!"
+
+Instinctively the girls clung together, for from inside the door
+certainly came the sound of rapping, not very loud, but quite
+unmistakable.
+
+"Who's there?" quavered Deirdre valiantly. But there was no reply. "If
+you want help, speak," she continued.
+
+The three held their breath and listened. Dead silence--that was all,
+nor was the rapping repeated.
+
+"I've heard it before," whispered Gerda.
+
+"When?"
+
+"Several times. Once just after I came, and again in the middle of the
+term, and about three weeks ago. It's always the same. A few taps, and
+then it stops."
+
+"Did any of the other girls hear it?"
+
+"I didn't ask them."
+
+"It's spooky to a degree. What can it be?"
+
+"Oh, do you think there's anybody inside?" whimpered Dulcie.
+
+"Why didn't he answer, if there was?"
+
+"He might be deaf and dumb. Oh, perhaps that's the secret of the room.
+Is some poor creature shut up there? Oh, it's too horrible!"
+
+"Don't get hysterical!" said Deirdre. "Mrs. Trevellyan wouldn't go
+shutting up deaf and dumb people! It is very mysterious, though."
+
+"Shall we tell Miss Birks?" suggested Dulcie.
+
+"No, certainly not. She's always fearfully down on us if we get up any
+scares about the barred room. Don't you remember how cross she was with
+Annie Pridwell and Betty Scott last term?"
+
+"Do you ever hear any other noises?" asked Gerda.
+
+"No, only what might reasonably be rats or mice."
+
+"Has anyone any notion what's inside?"
+
+"Not the very slightest. I don't believe even Miss Birks knows."
+
+"Well, look here," said Dulcie. "I shall never dare to go down this
+passage alone again. One of you will simply have to come with me."
+
+"I don't think we'll very much care to go alone ourselves," returned
+Deirdre.
+
+"You called me a scared mouse!" Dulcie's tone was injured, as if the
+epithet still rankled.
+
+"Well, we're three scared mice, and it's a case of 'see how they run!'"
+laughed Deirdre, getting back her self-possession. "We'll go up and down
+in threesomes for the future."
+
+"You promise? You'll never make me pass here by myself again?"
+
+"Faithfully, on my honour! We'll act police, and protect you against a
+dozen possible spooks. Do stop squeezing my arm, you've made it quite
+sore!"
+
+"I don't know how it is, Deirdre, you never take things seriously. I
+can't see anything to laugh about myself. The whole thing's queer, and
+uncanny, and mysterious, and I hate mysteries. Why can't Mrs. Trevellyan
+have the bars taken down and let us look into the room?"
+
+"Ah! Ask me a harder."
+
+    "'While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
+      As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door,'"
+
+quoted Gerda, who was learning "The Raven".
+
+"You're both determined to make fun of it, and it isn't a laughing
+matter," complained Dulcie. "I haven't got my stamps yet. Come along!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII
+
+The Life-boat Anniversary
+
+
+On the following Wednesday three much-disinfected girls took their
+places in the train, and started off for the short remainder of their
+holiday.
+
+"I wish we didn't smell so horribly of carbolic!" protested Dulcie. "I'm
+sure everybody'll think we're coming from a fever hospital, and give us
+a wide berth."
+
+"All the better if we can keep the carriage to ourselves," chuckled
+Deirdre. "Those three old ladies were just going to come in, when they
+turned suspicious and sheered off in a hurry. I feel rather inclined to
+label myself 'Recovering from Measles'."
+
+"Then you'd come under the Infectious Diseases Act, and be fined for
+travelling in a public conveyance. Perhaps they'd turn you out, and put
+you in the guard's van."
+
+"To give him measles? How kind! But I'd travel in a cattle-truck to get
+home. Only one week of the holidays left! I mean to get the most amazing
+amount into the time, I assure you."
+
+Deirdre and Dulcie were travelling together to Wexminster, where their
+ways parted, and Gerda was to go on to Hunstan Junction, where she
+would be met by a relative. If she was pleased at the prospect, she did
+not betray much excitement, nor did she vouchsafe any details of what
+was in store for her. The chums were too busy with their own plans to
+concern themselves with hers, and jumped out of the train at Wexminster
+in such a hurry that they almost forgot to bid her good-bye. Rather
+conscience-stricken, Dulcie remembered just in time, and turned back to
+the carriage window.
+
+"Good-bye! I hope you'll have as jolly holidays as mine," she called.
+
+"Thank you!" said Gerda, waving her hand, with a wan little smile, as
+the train began to move. And for the first time since they had known one
+another, it struck Dulcie that there was something infinitely sad and
+pathetic about her mysterious school-fellow.
+
+Could she really be a spy? The chums had discussed the question again
+and again. Her German associations, her intense reserve, and, above all,
+her incriminating meetings on the shore, seemed highly suspicious. What
+was the secret that she so persistently concealed? And what the
+explanation of the letter she had placed in the bottle? For the present
+the riddle must remain unanswered. Both they and she had turned their
+backs on Pontperran for one brief week, and during that time neither
+suspicions nor speculations must disturb the full bliss of their belated
+holiday.
+
+Deirdre and Dulcie made up for the shortness of the vacation by the
+thorough enjoyment of each precious day, and when they returned to the
+Dower House had enough material for conversation to last them a month or
+more. Even Gerda appeared cheered by the change. Though she did not
+offer any details of her doings, she admitted she had enjoyed herself in
+London. She looked brighter, and was more ready than formerly to join in
+the life of the school and take some part in all that was going on. The
+chums watched her closely, but found her conduct perfectly regular and
+orthodox. She indulged in no more surreptitious expeditions to the
+shore, and did not attempt, when on the warren, to separate herself from
+the others. Since the day they had been marooned on the island, Deirdre
+and Dulcie had not seen the brown-jerseyed stranger again. They
+concluded that he must have left the neighbourhood, and have suspended
+his evil designs till a more favourable season.
+
+Though they could not in any degree trust her, they certainly found
+Gerda a more genial companion than she had been last term. Her reserve
+about her own affairs remained unshaken, but she began to show an
+interest in school doings. She took keenly to tennis, and improved so
+rapidly that she was soon one of the best players, and even vanquished
+Jessie Macpherson in singles--a great triumph for VB.
+
+"She's 'Gerda the Sphinx' still, but she's not quite so bad as she was
+before," said Dulcie.
+
+The bedroom shared by the three girls had been well disinfected and
+repapered before their return after the measles. They themselves were
+regarded rather in the light of heroines by the others.
+
+"You weren't quite clever enough, though," said Betty Scott. "If you'd
+managed to catch it in term time it would have been a real excitement,
+and perhaps it would have spread, and we should have had one of the
+dormitories turned into a nice little hospital."
+
+Betty spoke regretfully, as if she had lost an opportunity which might
+not occur again. Evidently measles at school was an experience she
+craved for. Not a solitary germ, however, had survived the stoving and
+whitewashing, and the health record at the Dower House maintained its
+former standard of excellence.
+
+The summer term was always of more than usual interest. The school lived
+largely out-of-doors, many classes were held in the garden, and meals,
+when weather permitted, were often taken on the lawn. The girls would
+particularly petition for breakfast in the open air. It was delightful
+to sit in the warmth of the early morning sunshine, with birds singing
+in chorus in the trees and shrubs around, and the scent of lilac and
+hawthorn wafted by the gentle little breeze that was blowing white caps
+to the waves on the gleaming sea below the cliffs. The whole
+neighbourhood of Pontperran changed annually after Easter. During the
+winter it was as sleepy and quiet a spot as could be imagined, with no
+excitements beyond an occasional temperance meeting or village concert.
+In the summer it woke up. Every farm or cottage that had a room to spare
+let it to visitors. The place had a reputation amongst both artists and
+anglers, and throughout the season easels might be seen pitched at every
+picturesque corner, and the one hotel blossomed out into the
+head-quarters of the "Izaak Walton Club". So long as the visitors did
+not attempt to trespass on the headland, the girls rather enjoyed their
+advent. It was interesting to try to catch a glimpse of an artist's
+picture as they passed his easel, and the added gaiety in the village
+found its way to the school. Miss Birks took her pupils to an occasional
+concert or entertainment, and never omitted to let them attend such
+important functions as Hospital Saturday Parade and the Life-boat
+celebrations.
+
+It had been decided by the local authorities this year to keep the
+Life-boat anniversary on Whit Monday. On that day large numbers of
+visitors often came to Pontperran from other seaside places, a
+circumstance which would largely enhance the possibility of a good
+collection. The girls at the Dower House, having had a long Easter
+holiday, were not going home for Whitsuntide, so, with Miss Birks's
+permission, they were pressed into the service, and requisitioned to
+sell flowers and take donations. As it was the first time they had been
+allowed to play such a public part, they were much delighted and
+excited.
+
+"It's as good as a bazaar, only more fun, because it will be in the
+streets," said Evie Bennett.
+
+"We'll just make people buy," announced Annie Pridwell. "I'm not going
+to take a single flower back with me, I've made up my mind about that!"
+
+"I hope people will feel generous," said Elyned Hughes.
+
+It was arranged that the girls should be dressed in white, and should
+wear their school hats, and a badge consisting of a scarlet sash tied
+over the shoulder and under one arm. The flowers--imitation
+corn-flowers--were supplied at the public hall; they were made into tiny
+buttonholes, which were to be sold for the sum of twopence, or anything
+more that the charitable felt disposed to give for them. The collectors
+were to go two and two together, one to sell the flowers, and the other
+to hold the miniature life-boat into which the pennies were to be
+dropped. Dulcie begged hard to be allowed to collect with Deirdre, but
+this Miss Birks would not permit, apportioning an elder girl to each
+younger one, so that Dulcie, instead of having her chum for a partner,
+found herself, rather to her chagrin, placed with Jessie Macpherson, the
+head of the school.
+
+"It isn't going to be fun at all!" she lamented. "I'd almost as soon go
+about with Miss Harding. I thought we should have had a ripping time.
+I'll undertake Jessie will want to sell all the flowers herself, and
+make me rattle the box."
+
+Jessie decidedly had views on the due subordination of younger girls,
+and would probably have fulfilled Dulcie's gloomy prophecy, had not Miss
+Birks intervened with the injunction that the seniors were to commence
+the sale of the flowers, then when half the stock was disposed of, the
+remainder was to be handed over to the juniors, so that each might have
+a fair part in the proceedings.
+
+"Jessie looked rather sulky about it," chuckled Dulcie. "I shall see
+that those flowers are divided equally and she doesn't take more than
+her legitimate share of them. Twenty buttonholes apiece is the portion.
+I've a good mind to label mine."
+
+This particular anniversary was to be one of more than ordinary
+interest, for a new life-boat had been presented to the station, and was
+to be launched amid general rejoicings. A large influx of visitors was
+expected, so there seemed every reasonable hope of a speedy sale of the
+pretty little bouquets.
+
+"I only wish they'd been real flowers," said Deirdre, who, with Irene
+Jordan, had been apportioned a beat in the main street near the
+principal shops.
+
+"The real ones fade so horribly quickly," replied Irene. "They would
+have been drooping by the time we got them down to the town, and they'd
+only last about an hour in people's buttonholes. These are really very
+pretty, and can be kept as mementoes. I shan't part with mine till next
+year. Now, are you ready? I'm going to tackle that old gentleman over
+there; he looks charitably disposed."
+
+At first the girls were rather shy in pressing their wares, but people
+responded so kindly and readily that they took courage, and offered them
+even in unlikely quarters. It was amazing how many and what varied
+customers they found. A ragged, roguish-looking urchin, who generally
+begged from them when he could snatch the opportunity, came up now, and
+invested his twopence in the biggest posy he could select, standing with
+quite the air of a dandy as Irene pinned the treasure on to his faded
+little jersey. He dropped the coppers into the life-boat with keen
+enjoyment, and retired beaming, satisfied that he had contributed his
+small share to the general fund. Day trippers proved a harvest, some
+putting threepenny bits or sixpences in place of pennies, and buying
+more than one bouquet. A waggish young fellow decorated his sailor hat
+with enough bunches to form a wreath, quite finishing Irene's stock, and
+encroaching on Deirdre's half of the tray. Several ladies tied bouquets
+on to the collars of their pet dogs, and a sweet little girl insisted
+upon making a purchase on behalf of her doll. A small, very spoilt boy
+wanted to carry off the miniature life-boat, and howled lustily when he
+realized that it was not for sale; but was consoled when Irene allowed
+him to hold it for a few minutes, and rattle it suggestively at
+passers-by. So delighted was he with the novel occupation that his nurse
+could scarcely tear him away, and it was only by the bribe of a bun that
+she cajoled him into restoring the box to its lawful owner.
+
+"It's getting almost too full to shake!" laughed Irene. "If everyone
+else has done as well as ourselves, this ought to be a record day. Oh,
+look! There's Miss Herbert with Ronnie! They're coming this way!"
+
+"Ronnie must have one of my bunches, if I buy it myself and give it
+him!" declared Deirdre.
+
+But Ronnie had come with his small pockets well lined with pennies which
+he was burning to spend. He gallantly chose a buttonhole for his
+governess first then one for himself, and would have added a third for
+his aunt had not Miss Herbert reminded him that he would meet other
+friends with trays of flowers if they walked farther down the street.
+
+"I want to buy some from Jessie," he sighed, "and from Gerda. I do like
+Gerda--the best of anybody!"
+
+"He's taken quite a fancy to Gerda," laughed Miss Herbert. "He often
+talks about her. And really she's very kind. She gives him so many
+picture post cards--the sort he loves, with photographs of animals on
+them. I think she must get them from Germany. I've never seen any like
+them in England."
+
+"Gerda's ripping!" remarked Ronnie as he trotted away.
+
+Deirdre looked after him in much astonishment. She remembered how on the
+occasion of Ronnie's birthday Gerda had paid him a surreptitious visit,
+and given him a present on her own account, but she had no idea that the
+friendship had been continued. Gerda must surely have seen him on other
+occasions, and won his favour. Ronnie was so entirely the "King of the
+Castle" to the school at the Dower House that Deirdre felt hugely
+indignant at the notion of her room-mate stealing a march on his
+affections. It was an extraordinary thing, she reflected, that Ronnie
+should care for anybody so silent and uninteresting. Then a mental
+vision returned to her of Gerda's eager, animated face, as she had seen
+it when she had peeped unobserved over the wall. No, Gerda had not
+looked silent and uninterested when she was alone with Ronnie.
+
+"The girl's a riddle. I can make nothing of her," decided Deirdre.
+
+By half-past eleven the enthusiastic flower vendors had the extreme
+satisfaction of finding their trays cleared, and their miniature
+life-boats grown extremely heavy. They carried the latter to the public
+hall, and delivered them safely to the secretary of the fund; then,
+being off duty, they wended their way to the quay to await that
+most-important function, the launching of the new life-boat. Quite a
+crowd was assembled, of both visitors and townspeople, and the place for
+once seemed full almost to overflowing. A long jetty stretched out from
+the harbour, and here, during the summer months, large numbers of lasses
+were busy every day packing fish into barrels and boxes. They were a
+bonny, picturesque crew, most of them wearing gay-coloured handkerchiefs
+tied over their heads, and short sleeves which showed their well-shaped
+arms to advantage. They were brought to Cornwall for the summer from
+Scotland, in a special vessel chartered for the purpose, and performed
+their task of fish packing with a skill and dispatch in which nobody
+could rival them.
+
+For the moment they had ceased work, and, wiping the scales from their
+hands, stood watching the preparations with as keen interest as anybody.
+
+"They're talking Gaelic to each other!" exclaimed Ronnie, running up to
+Deirdre in great excitement. "Oh, it sounds so funny! Miss Herbert says
+it's rather like Welsh. I asked one of them to say something, and she
+just gabbled gibberish, and said it meant I was a sweet, nice little
+boy. She let me stand on a barrel, and I could see so well, but Miss
+Herbert made me get down, because she said it was too fishy."
+
+"Come and stand here with me," suggested Deirdre persuasively.
+
+"No, I'm going to Gerda--she's over there and smiling at me. Good-bye!"
+and Ronnie rushed away tumultuously to join his latest favourite,
+placing himself so extremely near to the edge of the quay as to have
+involved imminent danger, had not Gerda held one of his small hands, and
+Miss Herbert the other.
+
+As everybody seemed to be collected, and the appointed hour of noon was
+already past, a flag was waved as a signal for the proceedings to begin.
+First a blank charge was fired, which rang over the water with a
+tremendous report, scaring those who were not quite prepared for it, and
+making some people clap their hands over their ears. Then the great
+doors of the National station swung open, and the beautiful new
+life-boat came gliding gently out on her path to the sea. All her crew
+were in new jerseys and scarlet caps, and as the bow of their vessel
+first touched the water, they broke into a mighty ringing cheer. It was
+taken up by the crowd, and from every side came hurrahs and shouts of
+congratulation. Ronnie was flourishing his hat frantically (with Miss
+Herbert and Gerda both clutching him in the rear) and hurrahing with all
+the power of his young lungs; the fish packers were clapping and waving
+handkerchiefs; and even the sea-birds, frightened probably by the gun,
+screamed as if adding their quota to the general disturbance.
+
+"I do like anything that makes a noise!" declared Ronnie, when the
+excitement had calmed down a little, and everyone was tired of shouting.
+"I'm going to ask Auntie to let me fire the two old cannon on the
+terrace at home when I go back."
+
+"I'm quite sure she won't!" laughed Miss Herbert.
+
+The life-boat made a short trial trip round the harbour, then, returning
+to the quay, the coxswain announced that they would be pleased to take
+visitors on board in relays, and gave a special first invitation to the
+young ladies who had so kindly sold flowers in the interest of the
+institution. With Miss Birks's permission the delighted girls descended
+the stone steps, and were jumped by sturdy sailors into the boat. Ronnie
+begged so hard to be of the party that his pretty wistful little face
+gained the day, and the coxswain himself took him in his arms, and
+handed him safely on board. Very proud he was of his trip, and very
+loath to go back to dry land when the vessel, after a partial tour of
+the harbour, returned to take a fresh cargo of young people.
+
+When those of the juveniles among the crowd who cared to venture had had
+their turn, the crew provided a fresh sensation by giving an exhibition
+of life-saving. One of their number jumped into the water, and, throwing
+up his hands, shouted as if in the utmost jeopardy of his life.
+Immediately the boat was turned, a rope flung, and in record time he was
+rescued, hauled on board, and revived. The rocket apparatus was next
+fixed, and the crowd watched with deepest interest as a rope was fired
+over the vessel, and skilfully caught and attached by the crew, who then
+drew up the "cradle", a rough canvas bag, in which the passage from the
+life-boat to the shore must be made. Without wasting a moment one of the
+men was popped in, then those on shore hauled him as rapidly as possible
+to land. He kept dipping in the water as he came, so the girls decided
+that in a real storm it must be an extremely perilous passage, and he
+would be likely to arrive half-drowned.
+
+"I don't think I'd ever dare to be saved in a dreadful thing like that!"
+shuddered Dulcie. "I'd rather stay on board and take my chance."
+
+"I wish they'd let me go in it!" said Ronnie. "Are they going to take
+visitors as passengers? I'm going to run down the steps, and ask them to
+have me first!"
+
+"No, you're not!" laughed Miss Herbert. "You're getting too
+obstreperous, young man, and I must take you home. Say good-bye to the
+girls."
+
+"Good-bye! Oh, hasn't it been glorious! I have so enjoyed myself! When
+will the next fun be?"
+
+"Not till Empire Day. Then we'll have the beacon fire on the headland."
+
+"Oh, lovely! I wish it was to-morrow! What, Gerda?" as his friend bent
+over him and murmured something. "Really? Oh, how spiffing! Rather!"
+
+"What was Gerda whispering to you?" asked Deirdre jealously.
+
+"Shan't tell you! It's a secret between her and me," chirruped Ronnie as
+he danced away.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV
+
+The Beacon Fire
+
+
+The girls at the Dower House were extremely keen upon celebrating, with
+due ceremony, every festival that was marked in the calendar. They
+bobbed for apples on All-Hallows Eve, made toffee and let off fireworks
+on 5th November, tried to revive St. Valentine's fete on 14th February,
+practised the usual jokes on 1st April, and plaited garlands of flowers
+on May Day. They had thoroughly enjoyed Life-boat Monday, and now turned
+their attention to providing adequate rejoicings on Empire Day. All
+through the winter they had been collecting drift-wood on the beach, and
+carrying it to the headland to form the huge bonfire which they intended
+should be a beacon for the neighbourhood. They had built up their pile
+with skill and science, and, thanks to their heroic exertions, it had
+reached quite large and important proportions. A kindly wind had dried
+the wood, so that there was every prospect of its burning well, and Mrs.
+Trevellyan had promised a large can of paraffin, to be poured on at the
+last moment before lighting, so as to ensure a blaze. The only flaw in
+the arrangement was the fact that the sun did not set until past eight
+o'clock, and that owing to the long twilight it would probably not be
+really dark until ten, so that the effect of their beacon would be
+slightly marred.
+
+"If we could have had it at midnight!" sighed Annie Pridwell.
+
+"Yes, that would have been scrumptious, if we could have got people to
+come. Ronnie wouldn't have been allowed."
+
+"No; Mrs. Trevellyan's making a great concession as it is to let him
+stop up till nine. It's a pity she's laid up with sciatica, and can't
+come herself."
+
+"She'll watch it from a window, and Miss Herbert will bring Ronnie."
+
+Mrs. Trevellyan had been extremely kind in the matter of the bonfire;
+she had given Miss Birks carte blanche in respect to it, and told her to
+regard the headland as her private property for the evening, and ask any
+guests whom she wished to join in the celebration. Quite a number of
+invitations had been sent out to various friends in the neighbourhood,
+and a merry gathering was expected. Some were to arrive at the school
+and walk over the warren, and others had decided to come by boat to the
+little cove directly under the headland, an easier means of getting from
+Porthmorvan or St. Gonstan's than going round by road.
+
+Naturally, the girls were all at the very tiptop of expectation: even
+the dignified Sixth betrayed signs of excitement, and VB was in a state
+verging on the riotous. To their credit they all accomplished their
+shortened evening preparation with exemplary quiet and diligence, but
+once released, and speeding over the warren to the headland, they
+allowed their overwrought spirits to find relief. They danced ragtimes,
+sang, halloed, and cooeed, and generally worked off steam, so that by
+the time they reached the beacon they had calmed down sufficiently to
+satisfy Miss Birks's standard of holiday behaviour, and not make an
+exhibition of themselves before visitors.
+
+Already people were beginning to arrive both by land and sea. Miss Birks
+brought a select party who had motored from Kergoff, and at least half a
+dozen boats were beached upon the little cove. Ronnie was already on the
+scene in charge of Miss Herbert, immensely proud of being allowed to sit
+up beyond his usual bedtime, and running here, there, and everywhere in
+the exuberance of his supreme satisfaction.
+
+The girls had fixed a stake into the rocks close by, from which a Union
+Jack floated to give the key-note of the proceedings, and had prepared
+buttonholes of daisies, the Empire flower, to present to all the guests.
+They had twisted daisy-chains round their own hats, and even decorated
+their flagstaff with a long garland, so they felt that they had done
+everything possible to manifest their loyalty to King George. Mrs.
+Trevellyan's head gardener had brought the large can of paraffin, and
+filling a greenhouse syringe from it, began carefully to spray the wood,
+especially in the places where it was most important for the fire to
+catch. The company then drew back, and formed a circle at a safe and
+respectful distance. A thin train of gunpowder was laid down, and under
+the gardener's careful superintendence Ronnie was allowed the immense
+privilege of applying a taper to the end. The light flared up, and wound
+like a fiery snake to the beacon, where, catching a piece of gorse
+soaked with paraffin, it started the whole pile into a glorious blaze.
+Up and up soared the flames, roaring and crackling, and making as much
+ado as if the Spanish armada had been sighted again and it were warning
+the neighbourhood to arms. The girls could not help starting three
+cheers, the guests joined lustily, and Ronnie, almost beside himself
+with excitement, pranced about like a small high-priest officiating at
+some heathen ceremonial rite.
+
+Miss Birks had added a delightful feature to the celebration by
+providing a picnic supper. It was of course impossible to hang kettles
+on the beacon, but the large cauldron had been brought, and was soon at
+work boiling water to make coffee and cocoa. The girls helped to unpack
+hampers of cups and saucers, and to arrange baskets of cakes, and when
+the bonfire had formed a sufficient deposit of hot ashes, rows of
+potatoes were placed round it to cook, and to be eaten later. It was a
+very merry supper, as they sat on the short grass of the headland, with
+the beacon blazing on one hand, and on the other the western sky all
+glorious with the copper afterglow of sunset. The new moon, like a good
+omen, shone over the sea, and from far, far away came the distant chime
+of bells, stealing almost like elfin music over the water. From the
+beach below came the long-drawn, monotonous cry of a curlew.
+
+"The fairies are calling!" whispered Gerda to Ronnie. "Listen! This is
+just the time for their dancing--the new moon and the sunset. They'll be
+whirling round and round and round in the creek over there."
+
+"Really? Oh, Gerda! could we truly, truly see them?"
+
+The little fellow's blue eyes were wide with eagerness. He sprang on his
+friend's knee, and clutched her tightly round the neck.
+
+"You promised you'd take me!" he breathed in her ear.
+
+"Yes, if you're very quiet, and don't tell. Not a living soul must know
+but you and me. If anyone else sees us the fairies will all just vanish
+away. They can't bear mortals to know their secrets."
+
+"But they'll let you and me?"
+
+"Yes, you shall see the Queen of the Fairies, and she'll give you a
+kiss."
+
+"Oh, do let us go, quick!"
+
+"In a moment. Remember, nobody must notice. Let us walk over there, and
+pretend we're looking at the flag. Now, come gently round this rock.
+Hush! We must steal away if we're to find fairies! I believe we're out
+of sight now. Not a soul can see us. Give me your hand, darling, and
+we'll run."
+
+It was perhaps a few minutes after this that Miss Herbert, who had been
+engaged in a pleasant conversation with the curate from Kergoff, missed
+her small charge.
+
+"Where's Ronnie?" she asked anxiously.
+
+"I saw him just now," said Miss Harding. "He was with the girls as
+usual. Gerda Thorwaldson had him in tow."
+
+"If he's with Gerda he's all right," returned Miss Herbert, evidently
+relieved. "She's always so very careful. No doubt they'll turn up
+directly."
+
+"I expect they're only fetching more potatoes from the hamper," said the
+curate. "We'll soon hunt them up if they don't put in an appearance."
+
+Deirdre, who was standing near, chanced to overhear these remarks, and,
+jealous of Gerda's hold over Ronnie, turned in search of the missing
+pair. They were not by the bonfire, it was certain, nor were they among
+any of the groups of girls and guests who still sat finishing cups of
+coffee, and laughing and chatting, Deirdre walked to where the hamper of
+potatoes had been left, but her quest was still unrewarded. She returned
+hastily, and calling her chum, drew her aside.
+
+"Gerda and Ronnie have disappeared," she explained briefly. "I don't
+like the look of it. Gerda has no right to monopolize him as she does. I
+vote we go straight and find them, and bring them back."
+
+The two girls set out at once, and as luck would have it, turned their
+steps exactly in the direction where the truants had gone. They ran down
+the steep hillside behind the flagstaff, till they reached a broad
+terrace on the verge of the cliff overhanging the cove where the boats
+were moored. Ronnie was so fond of boats that they thought he had
+perhaps persuaded Gerda to take him to the beach to look at them.
+
+Advancing as near to the edge as they dared, they peeped over on to the
+sands. There was nobody to be seen, only the row of small craft lying on
+the shingle, just as they had seen them an hour ago. The tide had risen
+higher, and had begun to lap softly against them, but was not yet
+sufficiently full to float them; moreover they were all secured with
+stout cables. Stop! There was something different. Surely there had only
+been six boats before, and now there was a seventh added to the
+number--a seventh in whose shadow lurked the dark figure of a man.
+Suddenly from the beach below rang out Ronnie's clear, rippling laugh,
+followed by an instant warning "Sh! sh!" and immediately he and Gerda
+stepped from the shadow of the cliff on to the shingle. They ran hand in
+hand towards the seventh boat, and the boatman, without waiting a
+moment, jumped them in, one after the other, pushed off, sprang into his
+seat, and began to row rapidly away across the creek.
+
+"Look! Look!" gasped Deirdre in an agony of horror. "It's the man in the
+brown jersey!"
+
+Of his identity they were certain. Even in the failing light they could
+not be mistaken. And he was kidnapping Ronnie under the very eyes of his
+friends--Ronnie, the "King of the Castle", the idol of the school, and
+the one treasure of Mrs. Trevellyan's old age! Where were they taking
+him? Was he to be held for ransom? Or kept in prison somewhere as a
+hostage? Gerda, with her smooth, insinuating ways, had betrayed him, and
+led him away to his fate.
+
+"We must save him!" gasped Deirdre. "Save him before it is too late!
+Quick, quick! Let us run down to the shore. We mustn't let them get out
+of our sight."
+
+The two girls tore frantically down the path which led to the sea in
+such haste that they had not time to realize their own risk of slipping.
+That Ronnie was being kidnapped was the one idea of paramount
+importance. As they reached the belt of shingle the dinghy had already
+crossed the creek, and was heading round the corner of the cliffs to the
+west.
+
+"What can we do?" moaned Dulcie, wringing her hands in an agony of
+despair. "Shall we go and call Miss Birks, and get somebody to follow
+them with a boat?"
+
+"By the time we'd fetched anybody they'd be hopelessly out of sight, and
+gone--goodness knows where. No! If Ronnie's to be saved, we must act at
+once, and follow them ourselves. You can row, can't you?"
+
+"Yes, I learnt last holidays at home on the river."
+
+"So can I. Then come, let's choose the lightest boat we can find. We
+mustn't waste a minute. We're both strong, and ought to be able to
+manage."
+
+After a hasty review they selected a small skiff as looking the most
+likely to respond to amateur seamanship, and loosing the cable, which
+had been secured round a rock, coiled it and placed it inside. The tide
+had risen so fast that it did not require any very great effort to push
+off the boat.
+
+"Are you ready?" said Deirdre. "Don't mind getting your feet wet; it
+can't be helped. Now, then! Heave, oh! She's off!"
+
+With a simultaneous splash the two girls scrambled on board in the very
+nick of time, and, taking their places, gingerly unshipped the oars.
+They were neither of them skilled for their task, and both realized that
+it was rather a wild and risky proceeding. For Ronnie's sake, however,
+they would have ventured far more, so they mutually hid their feelings,
+and pretended it was quite an everyday, easy kind of performance. If
+they had not much experience, their zeal and their strong young arms
+made the light little skiff fly like a sea-swallow, and they had soon
+gained the headland round which the other boat had disappeared. Very
+cautiously they proceeded, for fear of currents, but they managed
+successfully to pilot their craft past a group of half-sunken rocks and
+take her round the corner into the next bay. In front through the
+gathering darkness they could just distinguish the object of their
+pursuit making a landing upon the opposite shore. They could hear the
+grating of the keel on the shingle and an excited exclamation from
+Ronnie. They strained their eyes to watch what was happening. The man in
+the jersey helped Gerda to land, then taking Ronnie on his back strode
+rapidly away with him, Gerda walking close by his side. In another
+moment they had disappeared behind a group of rocks.
+
+If the girls rowed fast before, they now redoubled their efforts. Both
+were flushed and panting, but they struggled valiantly on, and
+succeeded in beaching their skiff within a few yards of the white
+dinghy. They did not wait to cable her, but, anxious not to lose a
+moment of valuable time, made off in quest of the fugitives. At the
+other side of the group of rocks it was lighter, for they faced the
+west, and caught the last departing glories of the sunset. On the sands,
+bathed in the golden dying gleam of the afterglow, a lady was kneeling
+and clasping little Ronnie tightly in her arms. Even from the distance
+where they stood the chums could see how very fair and pretty she was.
+Her hat had fallen on the beach, and her flaxen head was pressed closely
+against the child's short curls.
+
+"Why, she's actually kissing him!" exclaimed Dulcie.
+
+The scene was so utterly unanticipated, and so entirely different from
+what they had expected to find, that the two girls stood for a moment
+almost at a loss. At that instant Gerda spied them, and turning to her
+companions made some remark in a low tone. The lady immediately loosed
+Ronnie and rose to her feet. Seeing their presence was discovered, the
+chums judged it best to walk boldly forward. They had come to rescue
+Ronnie, and it seemed high time to interfere.
+
+"Miss Herbert's looking for you! You must go back with us at once," said
+Dulcie, laying an appropriating hand on the child's shoulder and glaring
+defiance at his kidnappers.
+
+Gerda had blushed crimson. She looked egregiously caught. She glanced at
+the faces of her fellow conspirators as if seeking advice. The man in
+the brown jersey nodded.
+
+"Yes--we'll go back at once," she stammered. "I--I was only trying to
+give Ronnie some fun."
+
+"Miss Herbert doesn't think it fun," said Dulcie grimly. "You'd no
+business to take him away!"
+
+The chums each seized the little boy by a hand and began to hurry him
+along towards the boats.
+
+"But where are the fairies? Gerda promised I should see the fairies!" he
+objected.
+
+"The fairies can't dance now, dear," replied Gerda sadly. "You remember
+I said they could only come if nobody was watching."
+
+In silence the whole party returned to the shingle bank. Deirdre and
+Dulcie were too indignant for words, and Gerda seemed overwhelmed with
+embarrassment. The fair-haired lady was crying quietly. Still, keeping a
+tight hold on Ronnie, the chums approached their skiff. Then for the
+first time the man in the brown jersey spoke.
+
+"You'd better all come into my boat," he remarked briefly. "I'll fasten
+yours on to the stern and tow her along."
+
+The chums started with surprise. Instead of the local dialect of a
+fisherman or, as they expected, the foreign accent of a German, he had
+the cultured, refined tone of an English gentleman. For a moment they
+hesitated. Did he mean to kidnap them as well as Ronnie? Perhaps he saw
+the doubt in their eyes.
+
+"You needn't be afraid. I'll take you straight back," he urged.
+
+Glad to escape the risky task of rowing round the point and steering
+clear of dangerous currents, the girls consented, though rather under
+protest, and wondering at the novelty of the situation which had made
+them, the pursuers, return in charge of the stranger whom they still
+distrusted. They sat in the stern, with Ronnie between them, guarding
+him like two faithful bulldogs. The lady stood upon the shore watching
+them as the boat pushed off. There was a sad, wistful look in her eyes.
+She did not attempt to say good-bye.
+
+The chums felt considerably relieved when at last they arrived at the
+cove again in safety. The man in the brown jersey helped them all to
+land without a word; then he unloosed the skiff, beached her on the
+shingle whence she had been taken, and rowed out alone into the bay.
+Ronnie was growing sleepy; it took all Deirdre's and Dulcie's efforts to
+help him up the steep cliffside. Gerda followed a short way behind. Miss
+Herbert, who had really been uneasy about her charge, hailed their
+arrival with relief.
+
+"Here you are at last! Where have you been, Ronnie? To see fairies!
+Gerda mustn't tell you such nonsense. Wake up! We must be going home at
+once. It's after nine o'clock."
+
+The bonfire had burnt low, and the girls were packing the cups into
+baskets, ready to be carried to the Dower House.
+
+"We ought to tell Miss Birks about this," whispered Dulcie, and Deirdre
+agreed with her.
+
+Late as it was when they got in, the two girls sought the Principal in
+her study and poured out the whole of the story--their alarm on Ronnie's
+behalf, their dread of the man in the brown jersey, and their suspicion
+that Gerda was a German spy plotting against the country. Miss Birks
+listened most attentively, putting in a question here and there.
+
+"I don't think either England or Ronnie is in any immediate danger," she
+said. "You may make your minds easy on that respect. I shall have a word
+with Gerda presently. You have done right to tell me; but now you may
+leave the whole matter safely in my hands, and need not worry yourselves
+any more over it. On no account talk about it to anybody in the school,
+and unless Gerda refers to it herself, do not mention the subject to
+her."
+
+"Trust Gerda not to speak of it," said Dulcie as they went upstairs.
+"The Sphinx isn't likely to offer to unravel the mystery."
+
+"It's a jig-saw puzzle I can't fit together," replied Deirdre. "It's all
+in odd pieces. Why was that lady crying? And what have she and the man
+in the brown jersey got to do with Ronnie?"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XV
+
+The Old Windlass
+
+
+By this time the reader will probably have gathered that Master Ronald
+Trevellyan, though possessed of a very charming and winsome personality,
+had a decidedly strong will of his own. On the whole he was fairly good,
+but the lack of companions of his own age, and the fact that he was the
+one darling of the household, made it almost an impossibility to prevent
+him from becoming in some slight degree spoilt. Mrs. Trevellyan did her
+best to enforce obedience, but though her word was law, Ronnie was not
+always so ready to accept the authority of others, and occasionally
+exhibited a burst of independence. This was particularly noticeable with
+his governess. Miss Herbert was inclined to be easy-going and was not
+sufficiently firm with him, and the young scamp, finding he could get
+his own way, took advantage of her failing and sometimes defied her with
+impunity. The little fellow's simple lessons were over in the morning,
+and in the afternoon he either played in the garden or was taken for a
+walk. To him it was a great occasion if he chanced to meet the pupils
+from the Dower House. He counted them all as friends, and though he had
+his particular favourites among them, he was quite ready to be the
+general pet of the school. On the day but one after the bonfire, when on
+his way to the beach escorted by Miss Herbert, he encountered the twenty
+girls walking with Miss Harding towards the headland.
+
+"Hallo, Ronnie boy! Where are you off to? We're all going to drill on
+the green and do ambulance practice. Won't Miss Herbert let you come and
+watch us?"
+
+"Not to-day, thanks, I'm busy. I've got to go fishing," returned the
+"King of the Castle", proudly displaying a small shrimping net.
+"Auntie's going to have what I catch fried for breakfast to-morrow."
+
+"Hope she won't starve!"
+
+"Hadn't you better run after a rabbit and catch it for her?"
+
+"Or shoot a cock sparrow?"
+
+"Come with us to drill and we'll make you a colonel of the regiment."
+
+"Or we'll practise ambulance work, and bind up your leg and carry you
+home on a coat."
+
+"You've no idea what fun it would be."
+
+But Ronnie stuck to his guns. He had come out with the intention of
+fishing, and not even the attractions of drill and ambulance could tempt
+him from trying his new shrimping net.
+
+"We shall expect a pilchard apiece," declared his friends, as they gave
+up trying to cajole him and went on their way.
+
+"You won't get any; they're all for Auntie!" he shouted. "Yes, they
+are, even if I catch shoals, and shoals, and shoals!"
+
+The girls laughed, talked about him for a moment or two, and then
+dismissed him from their minds. They were full of their practice for the
+afternoon. It was only this term that drill and ambulance had been taken
+up at the school, so they were still in the first heat of their
+enthusiasm. On this occasion, too, Miss Barlow, a lady staying in the
+neighbourhood, who had been largely connected with the Girl Guide
+movement in Australia, had promised to come and inspect them and give
+them some of the results of her Colonial experience. A strip of green
+sward not far from the scene of the beacon fire made an excellent parade
+ground, and here they drew up in line to await the arrival of their
+honorary colonel, who was following with Miss Birks. Miss Barlow proved
+to be, like an old-fashioned children's book, "a combination of
+amusement and instruction". She had extremely jolly, pleasant manners
+and a fund of lively remarks, making everybody laugh heartily as she
+went her round of inspection.
+
+"I'm glad you know the difference between left and right," she said.
+"I'm told that country recruits for the army find such a difficulty in
+distinguishing between the two that their sergeant is sometimes obliged
+to make them tie a band of hay round one leg and a band of straw round
+the other. Then instead of calling out 'left--right--left--right' he
+says 'hay--straw--hay--straw' until they have grown accustomed to
+march."
+
+"Do you find Colonial girls much quicker than English?" asked Jessie
+Macpherson.
+
+"They are more resourceful, and very bright in suggesting fresh ideas,
+but they are not so willing to submit to discipline. They are more ready
+to copy a corps of roughriders than a Roman cohort. No doubt it is owing
+to the way they are brought up. Very few of them spend their early life
+in the charge of nurses and governesses. From babyhood they are taught
+to take care of themselves, to be prepared for emergencies, and to throw
+up whatever they may have in hand and go to the assistance of a
+neighbour who needs them. It is a training that makes them helpful and
+energetic, but perhaps a little too independent to accord entirely with
+the standards we keep at home. Our girls are more sheltered and guarded,
+and it is only natural that they should have a different style from
+those who must hold their own. I wish I could have introduced you to
+some of my bright young Australian friends. I think you would find the
+same charm about them that I do."
+
+Miss Barlow had many hints to give them on the subject of camp cookery.
+She showed the girls the quickest and most practical way to build a
+fire, and the right situation to choose for it as regards shelter.
+
+"I wish we could have stayed here for a whole day and prepared our own
+dinner," she said. "It is wonderful how much can be done with a
+three-legged iron pot and some gorse to burn under it. We would have
+made a most delicious stew. I should have liked to teach you to build a
+camp oven, but we should need a spade for that. One has to dig a hole
+nearly a yard deep and wide, line it with stones, light a fire in it,
+then pop one's iron pot on to the mass of hot ashes, and cover the whole
+with a roof of sticks and sods. I have often baked bread this way out in
+the bush. Then you ought to know how to wrap up your food in cases of
+green leaves and wet clay, to be cooked in the ashes round an ordinary
+camp fire; and how to mix flour and water cakes when there is no yeast
+to be had for bread."
+
+"If only we could come and camp out with you here for a week!" sighed
+the girls. "It would be ripping fun!"
+
+"Yes, if the weather were fine; but our English weather is apt to play
+unkind tricks. My brother is a doctor, and medical officer to a Boys'
+Brigade. At Whitsuntide he went with them to camp. It was delightful for
+the first three days, then in the night a perfect blizzard arose and the
+rain fell in torrents. The wind got under his tent and tore up some of
+the pegs, then half the canvas came flapping down, a wet mass, over his
+bed. A tightly-stretched tent will keep out the weather, but if it gets
+loose and rests against anything inside, the rain will soak through, and
+you can imagine the miserable condition. In preparing breakfast, &c.,
+all the boys got wretchedly wet, and to try to prevent their taking cold
+my brother dosed them all with camphor. As there were eighty in camp,
+you can understand it took a long time to measure out the orthodox ten
+drops on to each separate lump of sugar. I am afraid the last patient
+had full opportunity of catching the cold before he took the cure."
+
+"I expect the ancient Britons did camp cookery when they lived here,"
+suggested Irene Jordan.
+
+"No doubt they did. There are traces that a most early and primitive
+people, far older than the Celts whom Julius Cæsar wrote about, must
+have lived on this headland. We are sitting on the very remains of their
+little circular huts. Look! you can trace the outlines of the ancient
+stone walls. Here a small community must have lived, and hunted and
+fished, and fetched limpets and periwinkles from the beach to eat as
+dessert. Probably the reindeer or the Irish elk still came to feed on
+the mossy grass, and there would be a grand pursuit with bows and
+flint-tipped arrows. It must have been a great event to kill an elk. The
+whole primitive village would feast for days afterwards, toasting the
+flesh on little spits of wood. Then the women would prepare the skin and
+stitch it with bone needles into warm garments, and the horns would be
+used as picks or other implements, so that nothing was wasted. Their
+camp cookery would have to be even more simple than ours, for they had
+not yet discovered the use of metals, so could not have a three-legged
+cauldron. They boiled their water in a very curious manner, by dropping
+red-hot stones into it. It must have taken a long time and given rather
+a funny flavour to the joints, but no doubt they tasted delicious to
+Neolithic appetites."
+
+"I'd like to restore a few of the huts, and come and live in them for a
+few days, and pretend we were primitive folk," said Deirdre.
+
+"Mrs. Trevellyan has often talked of excavating them," remarked Miss
+Birks. "I hope she will do so. It is quite possible that some very
+interesting relics of the Stone Age might be turned up. It would
+probably fix the period when they were inhabited."
+
+"How long ago would that be?" asked one of the girls.
+
+"Most likely about two thousand years or more."
+
+The conversation at this point was interrupted, for in the distance
+appeared Miss Herbert, running, beckoning and calling to them all at
+once. In considerable alarm they went to meet her.
+
+"Where's Ronnie?" she gasped. "I've lost him! Oh, has anybody seen him?
+Is he here with you?"
+
+"He's certainly not here," said Miss Birks. "We've not seen him since we
+met you an hour or more ago. When did you miss him, and where?"
+
+"On the beach," sobbed Miss Herbert hysterically. "He was playing with
+his little shrimping net. I sat down to read my book, and I kept looking
+to see that he was all right, and then suddenly he had disappeared. I
+thought he must have trotted back round the point, so I followed, but I
+couldn't find him. I hoped he'd come up here to you. It's very naughty
+of him to run away."
+
+"We must find him at once," said Miss Birks gravely. "Girls, you had
+better go in parties of three, each in a different direction. Miss
+Barlow and I will go with Miss Herbert. We won't give up the search
+until he is found."
+
+"Did he go round the other corner of the cove?" asked Gerda.
+
+"He couldn't. The waves were dashing quite high against the rocks. I'm
+sure he would never venture," declared the distracted governess.
+
+"He's such a plucky little chap, he would venture anything."
+
+"Oh, surely not! He couldn't! He couldn't have gone there! He may have
+run home!"
+
+"Better not waste any more time, but go and see what's become of him,"
+suggested Miss Birks rather dryly. She had always thought Miss Herbert
+too easy-going where Ronnie was concerned.
+
+The bands of searchers set off in eight different directions, shouting,
+hallooing, cuckooing, and making every kind of call likely to attract
+the child's attention. Some took the beach and some the cliffs, while
+others ran to the Castle to see if he had returned to the garden. There
+had never been such a hue and cry on the headland. That Ronnie should be
+lost was an unparalleled disaster, and considering the many accidents
+which might possibly have happened to him, each of his friends searched
+with a deadly fear in her heart. Gerda, her once rosy face white as
+chalk, had flown along the cliffs with Deirdre and Dulcie, shouting his
+name again and again.
+
+"He may have gone round the west corner, though Miss Herbert says he
+couldn't," she panted. "Let us get on to the cliff above, where we can
+look down. Oh, Ronnie! Ronnie! Cuckoo! Where are you? Cooee!"
+
+As Gerda gave the last long-drawn-out call she stopped suddenly and
+motioned the others to silence. From the shore below there came a faint
+but quite unmistakable response. Creeping to the verge of the
+overhanging precipice Gerda peeped down. There, at a distance of forty
+feet beneath, stood Ronnie, a pathetic little figure, turning up a small
+frightened face and quavering a shrill "Cooee!" His position was one of
+imminent danger. The point round which he had scrambled half an hour
+before was now covered with great dashing waves that hurled their spray
+high into the air, and the narrow strip of shingle upon which he stood
+was rapidly growing smaller and smaller as the tide advanced. On either
+hand escape was impossible; behind him roared the sea, and in front
+towered the steep unscalable face of the cliff.
+
+"Gerda! Gerda!" he wailed piteously.
+
+Gerda turned to her companions almost like an animal at bay. Her lips
+were white as her cheeks, her eyes blazed. "We must save him!" she
+choked.
+
+"The life-boat! Let us fetch the life-boat!" cried Deirdre. "You stay
+here and I'll run to Pontperran. Some of the others will go with me;
+Annie Pridwell is a fast runner. Cooee! Cooee! Ronnie is found!"
+
+Deirdre was very swift of foot and darted off like a hare, shouting her
+message to the nearest band of searchers. In an incredibly short space
+of time the news had spread, and all were hurrying towards the cliff.
+The ill tidings reached Mrs. Trevellyan at the Castle, and, sick with
+anxiety, she hastened to the spot, first sending one of her men to urge
+speed in launching the life-boat. The tide was sweeping in fast, and
+nearer and nearer crept the cruel, hungry waves, as if thirsting to
+snatch the little figure huddled at the foot of the cliff. Ronnie was
+too worn out and too frightened to call now; he lay watching the
+advancing water with terror-stricken blue eyes, still grasping the
+shrimping net that had led him to this disaster.
+
+Could the life-boat possibly arrive in time? That was the question which
+each spectator asked dumbly, not daring to voice it in words. Nearer and
+ever nearer swept the waves. Where there had been yards of shingle there
+were only feet; soon it was a matter of inches. There was not a sign of
+any boat to be seen. A sea-crow below flapped its wings like an omen of
+death.
+
+"Tom and Smith have gone to fetch ropes," breathed Miss Birks, and her
+voice broke the strain of almost intolerable silence.
+
+"There's not time to wait for them."
+
+"Can we do nothing?"
+
+"Oh, is there no way to save him?"
+
+Then Gerda stood up, with a sudden light shining in her clear eyes.
+
+"Yes, yes!" she cried. "There's the old windlass! I'm going down to him
+by that!"
+
+Years ago there had been a small find of china clay on the headland. It
+had been lowered in buckets over the side of the cliff to be taken away
+by boat, and the remains of the apparatus, a derelict, rickety affair,
+stood within a few yards of the place where the watchers were gathered.
+A rusty bucket was still attached to the frayed, weather-worn rope
+twisted round the roller. To descend by so frail a support was indeed a
+risk so great that only the most desperate necessity could justify it. A
+general murmur of horror arose from those assembled.
+
+"It's the one chance--I'm going to try it," repeated Gerda. "You can
+lower me gently by the handle. I'm going to save him--or die with him."
+
+She began rapidly to unwind the windlass so as to allow the bucket to
+reach the edge of the cliff. Realizing that she was in grim earnest, the
+others offered no further objection, and came eagerly to her assistance.
+She had seized the rope and was about to step into the bucket when a
+strong hand put her aside. The stranger in the brown jersey had silently
+joined himself to the group.
+
+"This is my place," he said firmly. "I am going down the cliff. Hold
+hard, there! Pay out the rope gently and don't let me go with a run or
+I'm done for. Easy! Easy! Give me more rope when I call."
+
+So quickly did he substitute himself for Gerda that he was over the edge
+of the cliff almost before anyone had realized what was taking place.
+The onlookers held their breath as they watched the perilous descent.
+The bucket swayed from side to side and bumped against the rock, but
+holding on to the rope with one hand the man managed with the other to
+keep himself from injury. Down--down--down he swung, till, clear of the
+cliff, he dangled, as it seemed, in mid-air.
+
+"Now, rope! More rope!" he called. "Quicker!"
+
+The windlass creaked on the rusty axle, there was a rush, a drop, then
+a shout of triumph. The next moment he had snatched Ronnie in his arms.
+Ringing cheers reached him from above, but the battle was only half won
+after all. There was still no sign of the life-boat; a wave swept
+already over his feet. The only road to safety lay up the cliffside.
+Would the old weather-worn rope stand the double strain? There was no
+time for questioning. Telling Ronnie to hold on tightly round his neck
+he once more entered the bucket and gave the signal for the ascent. To
+the anxious hearts of the watchers the next few minutes seemed an
+eternity. Those at the windlass turned the handle slowly and steadily in
+response to the shouts from below. If there had been danger before, the
+peril now was trebled. With a child clinging round his neck it was far
+more difficult for the stranger to keep clear of the rock. The old
+worn-out machine creaked and groaned like one in mortal agony. Life or
+death hung on the strength of a rusted piece of chain and a half-rotten
+hempen rope. Up! Up! Up! Would the suspense never end? Only a few yards
+now and the watchers were waiting to help. Once more the rickety axle
+creaked and shivered, then the stranger's head and shoulders appeared
+over the edge of the cliff, and eager hands grasped him and pulled him
+gently forward on to firm ground. He had lost his hat in the descent,
+and now the sunlight fell full on his clear-cut features and his fair,
+closely-cropped hair.
+
+"You--L'Estrange! You! You!" shrieked Mrs. Trevellyan wildly.
+
+But for answer he placed Ronnie in her arms, and pushing his way through
+the excited group ran off over the warren and was out of sight before
+the lookers-on had recovered from their amazement. By the time the
+life-boat had made its way round the coast from Pontperran harbour great
+breakers were crashing against the face of the rock with a dull booming
+and showers of foam, as if angry to have been cheated of their prey.
+
+"No one could live for a moment in this cruel sea!" exclaimed Deirdre,
+shuddering with horror as she thought how the fierce water would have
+dashed and tossed and crushed the little helpless figure left to the
+mercy of the waves.
+
+"Ronnie will be doubly dear to us now," said Miss Birks, marshalling her
+girls together and turning to leave the cliff.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI
+
+Hare and Hounds
+
+
+After the intense excitement of Ronnie's peril and subsequent rescue,
+his friends at the Dower House found it a little difficult to settle
+down into ordinary school routine. They could discuss no other topic,
+and many were their speculations concerning the brown-jerseyed stranger
+who had appeared in the very nick of time, and vanished afterwards
+without waiting to be thanked. His identity had not been disclosed, and
+when the girls spoke of him, Miss Birks, rather to their surprise,
+dismissed the subject hurriedly.
+
+"If he does not wish his brave deed to be acknowledged, we must respect
+his silence," she said. "It is useless and futile to go further into the
+matter."
+
+Mrs. Trevellyan was for a few days prostrated from the effects of that
+half-hour of suspense, but she had sufficiently recovered to attend
+church on Sunday, and holding Ronnie's little hand tightly in hers,
+knelt in the old Castle pew, with bent head and tears raining down her
+cheeks, as the clergyman announced that a member of the congregation
+desired to return special thanks for a very great mercy vouchsafed to
+her during the past week. Others besides Mrs. Trevellyan joined with
+heart-felt gratitude in that addition to the general thanksgiving, and
+when afterwards the lines of the grand old hymn rang out--
+
+    "O God, our help in ages past,
+     Our hope for years to come",
+
+there was not a girl in the Dower House pews who did not sing it with
+real meaning in the words.
+
+On the Monday, Mrs. Trevellyan, hoping to recover from her nervous
+attack more easily if she were out of sight of the sea, went away for a
+short visit to an inland watering-place, taking Ronnie and poor contrite
+Miss Herbert, who could not forgive herself for having allowed her young
+charge to run into danger. Appreciating the wisdom of the step, and
+realizing that her own girls had been in a state of high tension, and
+were suffering from the consequent reaction, Miss Birks granted the
+school a whole holiday, and took votes on how the day should be spent.
+Opinions seemed divided, so it was finally decided that Forms VI and VA
+should go by train to Linsgarth, look over the ruins of the abbey, and
+walk home by road; while VB, containing the younger and more wildly
+energetic spirits, should enjoy the pleasures of a game at hare and
+hounds.
+
+It was years since a paper chase had been held at the school, and while
+the elder girls affected to despise it, the younger ones had plumped
+for it in a body. They felt they required something more stirring than
+admiring ruins and marching along a high road.
+
+"It may be very cultured, and good taste, and intellectual, and all the
+rest of it, to poke round with Miss Birks among Norman arches and broken
+choir-stalls, but it doesn't work off steam," confessed Evie Bennett.
+"I'm longing for a good sporting run, and that's the fact!"
+
+"Let the Sixth talk architectural jargon if they like; hard exercise for
+me!" agreed Betty Scott.
+
+It was arranged that all should start out at ten o'clock; Miss Birks
+conducting the expedition to Linsgarth, and Miss Harding assuming
+command of the paper chase, while Mademoiselle, who was a bad walker and
+disliked country excursions, promised herself a delightful day of rest
+and leisure in the garden. Miss Birks insisted that there must be three
+"hares", all solemnly pledged to keep well together, and the remaining
+six, who were to be "hounds", had orders not to outstrip Miss Harding to
+the extent of getting hopelessly out of eyeshot and earshot. Fortunately
+Miss Harding was energetic and enthusiastic, and promised not to be a
+drag on the proceedings. She donned her shortest skirt and her coolest
+jumper, and discarding a hat, appeared fully ready to play as hearty a
+part in the game as any of her pupils.
+
+Everybody, naturally, was anxious to act "hare", so it was decided that
+the fairest plan was to draw lots for the coveted posts. The three
+fortunate papers with the crosses fell to Deirdre, Gerda, and Annie
+Pridwell.
+
+"I'm not jealous, but I do envy you dreadfully," confessed Evie Bennett.
+"Oh, I'm not grumbling! I'm ready to take my sporting luck, and someone
+must draw the blanks. You'll make capital hares, because you're all good
+runners and don't lose your breath quickly. But, I beseech you, don't go
+too fast! Remember, the hounds are tied to Miss Harding's apron-string.
+It's no fun if we can't catch a glimpse of you the whole run. And,
+please, do a little backwards-and-forwards work, cross a brook, or
+double round a wood--anything to make it more difficult to find the
+scent. We don't want to be home in a couple of hours."
+
+"Trust us to be as cunning as foxes," declared Annie Pridwell. "I'm an
+old hand at the game. We play it in the holidays at home."
+
+"I haven't Annie's experience, but I can run," said Deirdre.
+
+"So you can, best of anyone in the school, and Gerda's no slacker, so I
+think you'll do."
+
+Each girl had a packet of sandwiches and a small folding drinking-cup,
+so that they could take some refreshment when they felt hungry. Miss
+Birks had arranged that a cold lunch should be laid in the dining-hall
+at the Dower House at one o'clock, and left on the table indefinitely,
+so as to be ready for the girls when they came in, whether early or
+late, and those who returned first were to help themselves without
+waiting for the others.
+
+"We shall all feel far more at liberty with this plan," she said. "It
+spoils everyone's pleasure to have to hurry home by a certain time. It
+is much more enjoyable to think we have the day free to do as we like.
+We can have tea together in the evening, and compare our experiences."
+
+"We shall have seen something worth seeing," declared the senior girls.
+
+"Ah, but you won't have had the ripping, glorious time that we mean to
+have!" retorted the members of VB.
+
+Punctually at ten o'clock the three hares were ready, each with a
+satchel round her shoulder containing the scraps of torn paper that were
+to provide the scent. They were to have ten minutes' start, after which
+the hounds would follow in full cry. They had decided among themselves
+what route to take, and, determined to give the hunt a run, they
+selected the direction of Kergoff, and set off towards the old windmill,
+where in the early spring they had surveyed the country to draw maps, as
+a lesson in practical geography. There was a definite reason for their
+choice, as the windmill could be approached by no less than three
+separate paths, and by dodging from one to another of these they hoped
+very successfully to puzzle their pursuers.
+
+"We'll leave some scent by the gate of Perkins's farm," said the
+experienced Annie; "then, of course, they'll think we've chosen the road
+past the quarry. But we'll only go a little way up the lane, then climb
+the wall, cross the fields, and get into the upper road, leave a scent
+there, then track through the wood, and go past the old yew tree by the
+path over the tor."
+
+"There'll be a scent on each separate path," chuckled Deirdre. "They'll
+be a good long time in finding out which to follow. We must be careful
+not to let ourselves be seen when we're crossing the tor."
+
+There was a delightful interest in baffling the hounds; it seemed to
+hold almost the thrill of earlier and more romantic times.
+
+"Can you imagine the moss-troopers are after you?" asked Deirdre; "or
+that you've slain the Red King, or robbed an abbot in the greenwood, and
+are fleeing for your life to take sanctuary in the nearest church?"
+
+"No, I'm a smuggler," said Annie, "trying to outwit the coast-guardsmen,
+and arrange to leave my kegs of brandy and packets of tea and yards of
+French lace in some cunning hiding-place. What are you, Gerda?"
+
+"An escaped prisoner from Dartmoor, running from his warders?" queried
+Deirdre. "That would be sport!"
+
+"There's a warrant out for your arrest, and you're dodging the officers
+of the law," laughed Annie lightly.
+
+But Gerda did not appear to accept the suggestions kindly, or in the
+spirit of fun in which they were intended. To the girls' surprise she
+blushed, just as she used to do when first she came to school, and
+looked so clearly annoyed instead of amused that the joke fell flat. She
+was never at any time talkative, but now, taking seeming offence at
+these very innocent remarks, she drew into her innermost shell, and
+refused to converse at all. Knowing her of old in this uncommunicative
+mood, the others did not trouble further, but left her to her own
+devices until she chose to come out of it. They had found by experience
+that it was useless either to question her, laugh at her, or rally her
+upon her silence; the more they pressed the subject the more obstinate
+she would grow. It was no great hardship to miss her out of their talk;
+they much preferred each other's company without an unwelcome third.
+
+"Those that sulk for nothing may sulk, so far as I'm concerned,"
+remarked Deirdre pointedly.
+
+"I hate people not to be able to take the least scrap of a joke," said
+Annie. "Why, Betty and Evie and I are teasing each other the whole time
+in our bedroom."
+
+"You three certainly know how to rag."
+
+"Rather! We'd die of dullness if we didn't."
+
+All the time they went the "hares" were carefully carrying out their
+policy of puzzling those who followed. Backwards and forwards, across
+small brooks, through woods and thickets, over field, farm-yard, and
+common they laid the most bewildering of scents, more than enough to
+satisfy the demands of Evie Bennett, and sufficient indeed to make her
+declare it almost an impossibility to decide on the right track. All
+this artful dodging, however, had necessitated scattering a large number
+of the precious handfuls of paper, and by the time they arrived at the
+old windmill they found to their consternation that the contents of the
+three satchels were almost exhausted.
+
+"What are we to do?" asked Annie tragically. "We can't go on and leave
+no scents! Are we to sit here on the windmill steps, and let ourselves
+be run to earth when we've only done half the round?"
+
+It was a crisis indeed, and Deirdre could not see any way out of the
+difficulty. She stood ruefully contemplating her empty bag, and looking
+utterly baffled. It was Gerda, after all, who came to the rescue with a
+valuable suggestion.
+
+"We're close to that queer old house," she said. "Don't you remember how
+we climbed in through the window, and found all those letters lying
+about upstairs? They can't be wanted, or somebody would have taken them
+away. Let's go and see if they're still there, and commandeer what we
+like."
+
+"Gerda, you're a genius!" shrieked Annie. "We'll go this second. Why,
+it's the very thing we want!"
+
+It was no great distance to the old house. Down the corkscrew road they
+ran, through the small fir wood, and over the river by the stone
+bridge. "Forster's Folly" looked if possible even more tumbledown and
+dilapidated than when they had visited it in February. The spring gales
+had blown down many more slates and made a gap in the roof; the creepers
+in their summer luxuriance almost hid the broken windows; large patches
+of stucco had fallen from the walls; a chimney-pot lay smashed on the
+front walk; one of the props of the long veranda had been swept away by
+the whirling stream, leaving the flooring in a dangerous condition; and
+the crop of nettles and brambles in the garden had outgrown all bounds
+and, smothering the original privet hedge, overflowed into the road.
+
+"It's more spooky and Rat's Hall-y and Moated Grange-y than ever!"
+declared Annie. "I could imagine there'd been a witches' carnival since
+we were last here, or a dance of ghouls. Ugh! I'm all in a shiver at
+having to go inside! Suppose we find the ghost after all?"
+
+"I'll chance ghosts," said Deirdre. "I'd be a great deal more frightened
+to find a tramp there!"
+
+"Oh, surely even a tramp wouldn't spend a night in such a haunted den!
+Still, it's so deserted, it might be a place for smugglers or coiners or
+burglars. Oh, I don't think I dare go in after all! No, I daren't!"
+
+Annie was half-serious, and looking inclined to turn tail.
+
+[Illustration: GERDA DARTED UPON THE BATHFUL OF OLD LETTERS _Page 201_]
+
+"Don't show the white feather now," said Gerda reproachfully. "Where are
+we to get our paper from?"
+
+"Come along, Annie, and don't be an idiot!" was Deirdre's
+uncomplimentary rejoinder. "Why, you were the first to go in before!"
+
+"My nerves were stronger last February," protested Annie. "I'll let one
+of you take the lead this time."
+
+It was quite a pilgrimage through the nettle-grown garden to reach the
+window where they had made their entrance into the house. It was open,
+just as they had left it, but long trails of clematis swept across, and
+there was an empty bird's nest on the corner of the sill. It did not
+appear as if anyone had disturbed its quiet for months. This time Gerda
+led the way, with a confidence and assurance that rather surprised the
+other two. Through the dilapidated dining-room, along the dim mouldy
+hall and up the creaking stairs they tramped, trying by the noise they
+made to dispel the ghostly feeling that clung to the deserted old place.
+If coiners, smugglers, or burglars had visited the house, they had left
+no trace of their presence. Everything on the story above was untouched,
+though perhaps a trifle more dust-covered and cobwebby than before.
+Gerda darted upon the bathful of old letters, and with eager fingers
+anxiously began turning them hurriedly over.
+
+"Haven't time to sort them out," declared Annie, snatching up a handful
+and putting them into her bag. "I vote we take what we want, and tear
+them up outside. Why are you looking at them so particularly, Gerda?"
+
+"I thought some might have crests. Do let me see what you've taken!"
+said Gerda beseechingly. "No, I don't want these!"
+
+"Why, you've never looked inside the envelopes! How can you tell whether
+they've crests?"
+
+"Oh, never mind! It doesn't matter!" Gerda was on the floor, searching
+among some opened and torn sheets that lay on the mouldering straw.
+
+"Look here! We can't stay all day while you read old Forster's
+correspondence! We've got enough! Come along!"
+
+"One minute! Oh, do wait for me a second! I'll come! Yes, I'll come in
+half a jiffy!"
+
+"We'll go without you, then you'll soon trot after us," said Deirdre,
+who had filled her satchel. She and Annie clattered downstairs again,
+looked into the empty kitchen, and dared each other to peep into the
+dark hall cupboard. They had hardly waited more than a minute in the
+dining-room when Gerda joined them.
+
+"Well, have you found the orthodox long-lost will?" mocked Annie.
+
+"I've got enough scent to take us back to Pontperran, and that's what I
+wanted," retorted Gerda, with a light in her eyes that seemed almost
+more than the occasion justified.
+
+No more time must be lost if they did not want to be run to earth by the
+hounds, so returning to the windmill steps they tore up their fresh
+supply of paper, taking bites of their sandwiches while they did so. A
+loud "Cuckoo!" in the distance caused all three to start to their feet
+in alarm, and leaving a trail behind the broken sail, they scrambled
+over a fence, and dived down through a coppice which led to the stream.
+They followed the bank for some distance before they judged it safe once
+more to take to a foot-path, then doubling round the hill on which the
+windmill stood, they tacked off in the direction of Kergoff.
+
+The hounds reached the Dower House at five o'clock, exactly half an hour
+after the hares, and over a combined luncheon-tea discussed the run, and
+universally agreed that the day had been "ripping".
+
+The Sixth and VA, rather puffed up with their archæological researches,
+tried to be superior and instructive, and to give their juniors a digest
+of what they had learnt at the abbey. But at this VB rebelled.
+
+"You've had your fun, and we've had ours," said Annie. "Don't try and
+cram architecture down our throats. I tell you frankly, I can't tell the
+difference between a Norman arch and any other kind of one, and I don't
+want to!"
+
+"You utter ignoramus!"
+
+"I'm a good hare, if I'm nothing else!" chuckled Annie. "We must have
+led them a run of about fourteen miles!"
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+"Deirdre, I want to ask you something," said Gerda that evening. "You
+remember that crest you took before from Forster's Folly? Will you swop
+it with me for some chocolates?"
+
+"Why, I'll give it to you if you like," returned Deirdre, who was in an
+amiable, after-tea frame of mind, and disposed towards generosity. "I'm
+tired of crest collecting, and I've taken up stamps. Here it is! It's
+been in my jewel-box since the day I got it. Are you going in for
+crests?"
+
+"They're my latest and absolutely dearest hobby," declared Gerda
+emphatically.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVII
+
+A Discovery
+
+
+After the delightful dissipation of a whole day's holiday, Miss Birks
+demanded a period of solid work from her pupils, and deeming that she
+had sufficiently satisfied their craving for excitement, took no notice
+of either hints or headaches, but enforced preparation and practising
+with, as Dulcie expressed it, "a total lack of all consideration".
+Dulcie, never a remarkably hard worker at any season, was more than
+usually prone to "slack" in summer, and it needed the combined energies
+of Miss Birks, Miss Harding, and Mademoiselle to keep her up to the
+mark. It was more than ever necessary to maintain the standard at
+present, for examination week was drawing near, and this year several
+extra prizes were offered for competition. Mrs. Trevellyan had promised
+a beautiful edition of Tennyson's poems for the best paper on English
+literature, the Vicar added a handsome volume of _Pictures from
+Palestine_ for the most correct answers to Scripture History, and
+Mademoiselle herself proffered a copy of _Lettres de mon Moulin_ for the
+most spirited declamation of any piece of French poetry not less than
+two hundred lines in length, the quality of the accent to be
+particularly taken into account. These were in addition to the usual
+annual rewards for mathematics, languages, English history, music,
+drawing, and needlecraft, so that among so many various subjects each
+girl might feel that she had at least some chance of winning success. At
+the eleventh hour the Principal announced that a prize would be given
+for general improvement.
+
+"That's to make slackers like you buck up, Dulcie!" declared Annie
+Pridwell.
+
+"Really, I wish Miss Birks would offer a prize for pure English," said
+Jessie Macpherson, who happened to overhear. "The slang you VB talk is
+outrageous. Your whole conversation seems made up of 'ripping' and
+'scrumptious' and 'spiffing' and other silly words that don't mean
+anything. I tell you, slang's going out of fashion, even at public
+schools, and you're behind the times."
+
+"Don't be a prig, Jessie. What else can I call Dulcie except a slacker?
+Am I to say she shows a languorous disinclination for close application,
+and advise her to exert her mental activities? It would sound like a
+'Catechism' from a Young Ladies' Seminary of a hundred years ago!"
+
+"There is one comfort in having worked badly," admitted Dulcie. "If I
+make a spurt now, I shall show more 'marked improvement' than if I'd
+been jogging along steadily all the time."
+
+"Ah, but the tortoise won the race while the hare slept!" retorted
+Jessie.
+
+In view of the forthcoming music examination, practising was performed
+with double diligence, and from 6 a.m. to 8.30 p.m. the strains of
+Schumann's "Arabesque", Tschaikowsky's "Chanson Triste", or
+Rachmaninoff's "Prelude", the three test pieces, echoed pretty
+constantly through the house, in varying degrees of proficiency.
+
+"It's a good thing nobody belonging to the school has to do the
+judging," said Emily Northwood, as she stood in the hall listening to
+the conflicting sounds of three pianos. "Even Miss Birks must be so sick
+of these particular pieces that she could hardly express a fair opinion
+on them. Dr. Harvey James will come fresh to the fray."
+
+The organist and choirmaster of the collegiate church at Wexminster,
+being a doctor of music, was regarded as a very suitable examiner for
+the occasion, and even if his standard proved high, all at least would
+have the same chance, for he had not visited the school before, and
+therefore could regard nobody with special favour. He was a new resident
+in the district, and Miss Birks hoped next term to arrange for him to
+come over weekly and give lessons to her more advanced pupils, who would
+be likely to appreciate his musical knowledge and profit by his
+teaching.
+
+The thought of having to play before their prospective music master
+spurred on most of the girls even more than the chance of the prize;
+they dashed valiantly at difficult passages, counted diligently, and
+loosened their muscles with five-finger exercises, each anxious to be
+placed in the rank of those sufficiently advanced to be transferred to
+his tuition. The drawing students also, though they could not practise
+specially for their own prize, were busy finishing copies and sketches
+for a small exhibition of work done during the school year, which was to
+be held in one of the classrooms during examination week, and criticized
+by Mr. Leonard Pearce, an artist who had consented to set and judge the
+competition. Miss Harding was urging increased attention to mathematics,
+Miss Birks was giving extra coaching in history and English literature,
+Mademoiselle was hacking away at languages till her pupils almost wished
+that French and German were as dead as ancient Egyptian and Assyrian, so
+it was a very busy little world at the Dower House, so busy that really
+nobody had time to think of anything else. The Principal, anxious to
+keep her flock in good health, insisted upon the recreation hours being
+devoted to definite exercise, and either games or organized walks under
+the supervision of a mistress were compulsory.
+
+For the present there was no strolling about the warren in "threesomes",
+there were no visits to the headland, or rambles on the beach. The girls
+grumbled a little at this lack of their accustomed freedom, complained
+that set walks reminded them of a penitentiary, and declared that to be
+obliged to play cricket took all the fun out of it. They thrived on the
+system, however, and were able to manage the increased brain work
+demanded from them without incurring the penalty of headaches,
+backaches, or loss of appetite. A few certainly pleaded minor ailments
+as an excuse for shirking, but Miss Birks's long experience had taught
+her to distinguish readily between real illness and shamming, and she
+dismissed the would-be invalids each with a dose of such a nauseous
+compound as entirely to discourage them from seeking further sympathy.
+Her bottle, a harmless mixture of Turkey rhubarb and carbonate of
+magnesia, might have been a magic elixir for the relief of all diseases,
+for with the same marvellous rapidity it cured Francie's palpitations,
+Irene's dyspepsia, and Elyned's attacks of faintness.
+
+"Nasty, filthy stuff!" declared the indignant sufferers, who, with a
+remembrance of Miss Birks's treatment of the measles patients, had
+fondly expected to be coddled and cosseted, regaled on soda-water and
+lemonade, and forbidden to overexert themselves.
+
+"Serve you right!" chuckled their friends. "It's your own faults, for
+you couldn't expect Miss Birks to believe in your whines when you look
+in such absolutely rude health, and compass your meals so creditably.
+Why didn't you refuse all solid food?"
+
+"Oh no, thank you!"
+
+"And declare cocoa made you shudder?"
+
+"That's beyond a joke."
+
+"If anybody looks ill in this house," continued Annie, "it's
+Mademoiselle. She's pale and thin, if you like, and eats next to
+nothing, but she doesn't make any fuss about it."
+
+Noticeably Mademoiselle's increased work and anxiety on behalf of her
+pupils' success had a bad effect on her health. She looked worn and
+overdone, and there were dark circles round her tired eyes. Though she
+did not complain, she confessed to being troubled with sleeplessness.
+Night after night she lay awake till daybreak, and was sometimes only
+dropping into a doze when the getting-up bell clanged in the passage.
+"_Nuits blanches_ may be all very well in music, but they are not
+pleasant when one experiences them," she confided to Miss Harding. "When
+I stay waiting for sleep, I hear many curious sounds. Yes--such as one
+does not hear during the daylight."
+
+"A house is always full of creaks and groans if one stays awake at
+night," returned Miss Harding. "You mustn't mind them."
+
+"During the day I smile at them," continued Mademoiselle, "but if I keep
+vigil I am nervous. Yes, to-night I shall be very nervous, for Miss
+Birks will be away. I like not that she be away."
+
+It was very seldom that the Principal gave herself a holiday during the
+term, but for once she was going to London to attend an important
+educational meeting, and would spend the night in town. She started by
+an early train, leaving her small kingdom in perfect order, and
+confident that for so short a space of time nothing could possibly go
+wrong. Certainly nothing ought to have gone wrong; her arrangements were
+excellent, and Miss Harding was thoroughly capable of acting deputy
+during her absence. Yet there is an old proverb that "while the cat's
+away the mice will play", and the mere fact that she was not on the spot
+made a difference in the school. The girls did not give any trouble, but
+there was a feeling of relaxed discipline in the air.
+
+At four o'clock, instead of going straight from their classroom to their
+practising, Deirdre and Dulcie decided to indulge in the luxury of a run
+round the grounds first. They walked briskly through the shrubbery, down
+the steps, and along the terrace, till they came to the kitchen-garden.
+Now this kitchen-garden was absolutely forbidden territory to the girls,
+and they had never been inside it. To-day the gate, which was generally
+locked, stood temptingly open. It seemed an opportunity too good to be
+resisted. With one accord they threw rules to the winds, and decided to
+explore.
+
+A thick and high holly hedge effectually screened this corner of the
+grounds from wind, and guarded it from intruders. It was a warm,
+productive plot of land, and entirely provided the school with fruit
+and vegetables. Deirdre and Dulcie did not trouble about the currants
+and gooseberries, but kept straight down the path. They wished
+particularly to investigate the far end. Here the garden abutted on the
+cliffs, which sloped downward in a series of zigzag ridges.
+
+The girls made their way gingerly over a freshly-prepared bed of young
+cabbages to the borderland where rhubarb and horse-radish merged into
+wormwood and ragwort. It was perfectly easy to slip over the edge and
+begin to go down the first long shelving slab of rock. There was a drop
+of about four feet on to the second shelf, which again sloped downwards
+at a gentle level to a third. Here the cliff ended in a precipice, so
+steep that even the most experienced climber could not descend without a
+rope. Rather baffled, the two girls crept cautiously along the edge,
+then Deirdre suddenly gave a whoop of delight, for she had spied a rough
+flight of steps cut in the surface of the rock, and evidently leading to
+the beach below. It was rather a cat's staircase to venture upon, but
+they were possessed with a thirst for exploration, and were not easily
+to be daunted. Deirdre went first, and shouted encouragement to her
+chum, and Dulcie picked up heart to follow, so that in the course of a
+few minutes they found themselves safely on the sands at the bottom.
+
+"Whew! It's like climbing down the ladder of a lighthouse," exclaimed
+Dulcie, subsiding on to a convenient stone. Her legs were shaking in a
+most unaccountable fashion, and her breath coming and going far more
+rapidly than was comfortable.
+
+"It might have been worse," affirmed Deirdre, trying not to show that
+her nerve had in any degree failed her, and surveying the scene with the
+eye of a prospector.
+
+They were in a small and very narrow cove, so hidden between cliffs
+which jutted out overhead that it was practically invisible from above,
+and certainly could not be seen from anywhere in the school grounds. It
+was a pretty little creek, with a silvery slip of beach, and green
+clumps of ferns growing high up in the interstices of the rocks; quite a
+romantic spot, so beautiful and secluded that it might almost be the
+haunt of a mermaiden or a water nixie. The ferns, which were flourishing
+in unusual luxuriance, caught Deirdre's attention.
+
+"I believe it's the sea-spleenwort," she remarked. "Don't you remember
+we found some at Kergoff, and Miss Birks was so excited about it? I'm
+sure she doesn't know all this is growing at the very bottom of her own
+garden. I'll try and get a root."
+
+To obtain a root was more easily said than done, however. Most of the
+clumps of fern were in very inaccessible situations, and too deeply
+embedded in the rock to be removed. Deirdre climbed from one to another
+in vain, then noticing a particularly fine group of fronds on a
+projecting shelf far above her head, commenced to scale the cliff. She
+reached the shelf fairly easily, but instead of setting to work to try
+to uproot the fern, she gave a long whistle of surprise.
+
+"What's the matter?" asked Dulcie from below.
+
+"Matter! Come up yourself and see! Oh, goody!"
+
+Dulcie was still a little shaky, but spurred on by curiosity she got up
+the cliff somehow, and added a "Hallo!" of amazement to her chum's
+exclamations. Facing them was the entrance to a cave. At one time it had
+evidently been carefully blocked up, but now the wooden boarding that
+guarded it had been wrenched asunder, leaving a small opening just
+sufficient to enter by. The girls peeped cautiously in, but beyond the
+first few yards all was dark. This was indeed a discovery. The mouth of
+the cave was so effectually hidden by the crags which surrounded it that
+nobody would have suspected its existence who had not come across it by
+accident. What secrets lay in its mysterious depths, who could say?
+Thrilled with excitement, the girls turned to one another.
+
+"If we could only explore it!" breathed Dulcie.
+
+"We're going to!" returned Deirdre firmly. "I shall run back this
+instant to the house for a candle. You wait here."
+
+Deirdre's impatience made short work of the cat's staircase. She
+scrambled up the rocks like a squirrel, and was soon racing up the
+kitchen-garden. To secure her bedroom candle and a box of matches was
+the work of a few minutes. As she pelted impetuously downstairs again,
+she nearly fell over Gerda, who had been doing preparation in the
+schoolroom, and scattered the pile of books she was carrying.
+
+"Do be careful," said the latter in remonstrance. "Where are you going
+in such a hurry? And what do you want with your candle?"
+
+"Never you mind! It's no business of yours!" retorted Deirdre, running
+away without even an apology.
+
+Gerda picked up her books and carried them upstairs, but instead of
+continuing her preparation she went to the window. She was just in time
+to catch a glimpse of Deirdre vanishing down the kitchen-garden. The
+sight seemed to afford her food for thought. She stood for a moment or
+two lost in indecision, then, evidently making up her mind, she set off
+in pursuit of her school-fellow. Deirdre, meanwhile, returned to the
+cove with speed and agility, and found Dulcie waiting where she had left
+her.
+
+"I had a horrible feeling that a monster might come out while you were
+away!" she declared. "Do you think we dare go in?"
+
+"Dare? Of course we dare! I'm not going to have fetched this candle for
+nothing. Dulcie Wilcox, where's your pluck? Come along this minute, or
+I'll not be chums with you again. Here, you may hold the matches."
+
+Having lighted the candle, the two girls stepped through the breach in
+the wooden barricade, and commenced their exploration. The passage, high
+at first, soon lowered till it was little above their heads, and
+narrowed to a width of barely three feet. The walls, which for the first
+ten yards were worn as if by the action of the sea, became more jagged,
+and had plainly been hewn out with the aid of a pick, the natural cavern
+having been greatly extended. Here and there the floor was wet, and the
+roof showed an oozy deposit as if some surface spring were forcing
+itself through the strata of the rock. On and on the girls went for two
+hundred yards or more, Deirdre going first and holding the candle well
+in front of her, so as to see the way. It was delightfully exciting, yet
+there was a thrill of horror about it, for who could tell what might be
+lurking round the next corner? Dulcie's nerves were strung to such a
+pitch that she was ready to scream at the least alarm. Not a sound,
+however, broke the dead silence. The passage in its lonely calm might
+have been the entrance to an Egyptian tomb.
+
+"Does it lead anywhere?" whispered Dulcie. "Oh! hadn't we better turn
+back? We've gone far enough."
+
+"I'm going to the end, if it's in Australia!" replied Deirdre, and
+having possession of the candle, she was in a position to dictate.
+
+A few extra yards, however, concluded their journey, the passage being
+once again blocked by a wooden barrier. This was more carefully
+constructed than the one at the entrance, being made of well-planed
+timber, and fitted with a door, which stood half-way open, and led into
+a rough kind of chamber, rather resembling the crypt of a church. At the
+far side of this there was a small closed door.
+
+"Well, we've got into a queer place!" exclaimed Deirdre. "Must have been
+a smuggler's cellar, I should say. No doubt they used to keep kegs and
+kegs of brandy down here in the good old days. Look, the roof is vaulted
+over there! Where does that door lead to?"
+
+The little door in question had apparently been opened by force, to
+judge from the broken lock and the marks of some sharp instrument on the
+jambs. At present it was closed, but not fastened. What lay beyond? With
+a feeling that they had arrived at the crowning-point of their
+adventure, Deirdre opened it and peeped in. She found herself looking
+down from an eminence of about four feet into a bedroom. The room was in
+complete darkness, for the window was barred with heavy wooden shutters,
+but by the aid of her candle she could see it was unoccupied. Giving the
+light to Dulcie to hold, she cautiously descended, then aided her chum
+to follow. The door through which they had stepped formed part of the
+panelling over the mantelpiece, and when closed with its original spring
+would no doubt have been indistinguishable from the rest of the
+woodwork. The room, though neglected and in great disorder,
+nevertheless bore traces of recent habitation. The bed, with its tumbled
+blankets, had certainly been slept in. On the dressing-table, spread out
+on a newspaper, were the remains of a meal. A small oil cooking-stove
+held a kettle, and one or two little packets, probably containing tea
+and sugar, lay about. On the floor, torn into small pieces, were the
+shreds of a letter written in German. Dusty and untended as it was now,
+the room must once have been pretty, and bore strong evidence of the
+ownership of a little girl. On the walls hung framed colour prints of
+Millais's "Cherry Ripe", "Little Mrs. Gamp", "Little Red Riding Hood",
+and "Miss Muffet". In the corner stood a doll's house, a doll's cradle,
+and a miniature chest of drawers. A chiffonier seemed to be a repository
+for numerous treasures--a set of tiny alabaster cups and saucers, a
+glass globe which when shaken reproduced a snowstorm inside, a
+writing-desk, a walnut work-box, a small Japanese cabinet, and a whole
+row of juvenile books. Deirdre took up some of the latter, blew the dust
+off and examined them. They were volumes of _Little Folks_ and
+_Chatterbox_ of many years ago. On the title-page of each was written:
+"To darling Lillie from Father and Mother".
+
+In greatest amazement the girls wandered round the room, looking first
+at one thing, then at another. How old the dust was that mostly covered
+them! Here and there it had been hastily swept away, to make a
+clearance for cup and saucer or provisions, but in general the little
+possessions were untouched. Even some New Year cards stood on the chest
+of drawers, bearing greetings and good wishes for the coming season.
+
+"I want to see better," said Deirdre. "This wretched candle only gives
+half a light. I've never been in such a fascinating place. Help me,
+Dulcie, and we'll try and unfasten the shutters."
+
+The heavy iron bar was old and rusty. It must have been in its place for
+many a long year. For some time the girls pushed and tugged in vain,
+then with a mighty effort they dislodged it from its socket, and let it
+clatter down. Deirdre slowly swung aside the shutter. After the faint
+light of their one candle, the flood of sunshine which burst in
+completely dazzled them. As soon as they could see, they peeped out
+through the dingy panes of glass. To their immense surprise they found
+they were looking into the Dower House garden. Then Deirdre suddenly
+realized the truth.
+
+"Dulcie! Dulcie!" she cried, "I verily believe we're in the barred
+room!"
+
+There seemed little doubt about the matter, when they came to consider
+it. The position of the window corresponded exactly with the closed-up
+one which had always faced them from the tennis-courts, and whose secret
+they had so often discussed. The mystery, instead of becoming clearer,
+seemed only to deepen. Why was one of the bedrooms in the Dower House
+filled with a child's possessions and sealed with iron bars, yet
+accessible from a cave on the beach, and evidently in present
+occupation?
+
+The daylight revealed its extraordinary condition with great clearness;
+the dust, dirt, and cobwebs looked forlorn in the extreme. On a hook on
+the door, which presumably led into the Dower House landing, hung a net
+filled with hard wooden balls, and as the draught blew in from the
+opening over the fireplace, these swayed about and knocked with a gentle
+rapping against the panel.
+
+"There's your ghost, Dulcie," said Deirdre. "That was the tap-tapping
+you heard in the passage. It wasn't a spook after all, you see."
+
+"You were just as scared as I was," protested Dulcie. "I think I'm
+rather scared now. Let's go! Suppose whoever's been here making tea were
+to come back? I believe I'd have hysterics."
+
+There was something in Dulcie's suggestion. It had not before occurred
+to Deirdre that it would be unpleasant if the owner of the kettle were
+to return and demand an explanation of their presence.
+
+"We must put the shutters back," she decreed.
+
+This was easier said than done, but after considerable trouble they
+managed to restore the room once more to its former state of darkness.
+Their candle was burning rather low, but they hoped it would be
+sufficient to light them to the mouth of the cave. With the aid of a
+chair they climbed on to the mantelpiece, passed through the door in the
+panelling to the vaulted chamber, and on into the subterranean passage.
+They scurried along as fast as they could without stumbling, partly from
+fear that the candle would go out, and partly in dread lest somebody
+should be coming from the entrance, and meet them on the way. It was
+with a feeling of intense relief that, bearing the last guttering scrap
+of candle, they at length emerged into the daylight.
+
+"Here we are, safe and sound, and met no bogy, thank goodness!" rejoiced
+Dulcie.
+
+"There's our bogy, waiting!" said Deirdre, pointing to a school hat
+which suddenly made its appearance from below.
+
+"Gerda, by all that's wonderful!" gasped Dulcie.
+
+Yes, it was Gerda who had followed them, and who now watched them as
+they came out of the cave. She was paler than usual, and there was a
+queer set look about her mouth.
+
+"So that was what you wanted the candle for. You might have told me,"
+she remarked.
+
+The two girls began an animated account of their strange adventure. They
+were so full of it that at the moment it would have been impossible to
+avoid talking about it. Gerda listened calmly, though she asked one or
+two questions. She spoke with the constrained manner of one who is
+putting a strong control on herself.
+
+"So you found nothing to explain the mystery?" she queried.
+
+"Nothing at all. Is it Lillie who's living there and doing her own
+cooking?"
+
+"And is she a girl or a spook?" added Dulcie.
+
+"Spooks don't drink tea. She must be alive," said Deirdre. "I wonder if
+Miss Birks knows about her?"
+
+"I guess we'd better not divulge the secret!" chuckled Dulcie.
+"What would Miss Birks say to us for trespassing in the
+kitchen-garden?--particularly when she's away."
+
+"We should get into a jolly row!" agreed Deirdre.
+
+"We shall all three get into one as it is if we don't go back quickly,"
+observed Gerda.
+
+Rather conscience-stricken, the chums obeyed her suggestion. They were
+fortunate enough to slip from the kitchen-garden without being observed,
+and hoped their escapade would not be discovered. After tea they hurried
+to make up arrears of practising, but Gerda, evading the vigilance of
+Mademoiselle, gave an excuse to Miss Harding and absented herself from
+preparation. Stealing very cautiously from the house she dived through
+the shrubbery and ran out on to the warren. Casting many a hasty glance
+behind her to see if she were observed, she hurried along till she
+reached the little point above St. Perran's well where a rough pile of
+stones made a natural beacon, easily visible from the sea or from the
+beach below. Taking her handkerchief from her pocket she tied it to a
+stick, which she planted at the summit of the pile. Waving in the breeze
+it was a conspicuous object. She watched it for a moment or two, then
+walked back along the cliff with the drooping air of one who is almost
+ready to collapse after meeting a great emergency.
+
+"It was a near thing--a near thing!" she muttered to herself. "Suppose
+they'd met? Oh, it's too horrible! It was too risky an experiment,
+really! I hope my danger signal's plain enough. I must get up early
+to-morrow and take it down before anyone from the school sees it. It'll
+be difficult with those two in the room--but I'll manage it somehow.
+Fortunately they're both sound sleepers!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVIII
+
+An Alarm
+
+That same evening an extraordinary thing happened. It was the custom for
+glasses of milk, dishes of stewed fruit, and plates of bread and butter
+to be placed on the table in the dining-hall about eight o'clock. This
+was done as usual, but when the girls arrived for supper they found a
+large proportion of the bread and butter had vanished. At first the
+suspicion fell on Spot, the fox-terrier, but the cook pleaded an alibi
+on his behalf, proving that he had been in the kitchen the whole time;
+also, the rifled plates were in the middle of the table, so no dog could
+have purloined their contents without knocking over glasses, or
+disturbing spoons and forks.
+
+"I'm afraid it's a two-legged dog," said Miss Harding gravely. "The
+French window was open, and it would be easy for anyone to walk in and
+help himself. I'm glad nothing more valuable was taken. I wish Miss
+Birks were here! It's most unfortunate it should happen on the very
+evening she's away."
+
+The incident gave cause for serious apprehension. Miss Harding made a
+most careful round of the house before bedtime, to see that all bolts
+and shutters were well secured. Though she would not betray her alarm to
+the girls, she was afraid that a burglary might be committed during the
+night. Both she and Mademoiselle kept awake till dawn, listening for
+suspicious footsteps on the gravel outside. All was as usual, however,
+in the morning; there were no evidences of attempts to force locks or
+windows, and no trace of the mysterious thief who had taken the bread
+and butter. Mademoiselle reported indeed that she had again heard the
+curious sounds which for some nights past had disturbed her. She had
+risen and patrolled the house, and had come to the unmistakable
+conclusion that they issued from the barred room. The closed chamber was
+as much a riddle to teachers as to girls, so Miss Harding merely shook
+her head, and recommended Mademoiselle to tell her experiences to Miss
+Birks as soon as the Principal returned.
+
+At five o'clock that afternoon Elyned Hughes came running downstairs
+with a white, scared face. She solemnly averred that, when passing the
+door of the mysterious room, she had heard extraordinary noises within.
+
+"It was exactly like somebody moving about and frying sausages. I
+smelled them too!" she declared.
+
+The report was in part confirmed by several other girls, who pledged
+their word that they heard stealthy movements when they listened at the
+barred door.
+
+"Are you absolutely certain, or is it only mice?" queried Gerda. "We've
+so often fancied things."
+
+"Mice don't clink cans, and strike matches, and clear their throats!"
+retorted Rhoda.
+
+"But you may have thought it sounded like that."
+
+"I couldn't be mistaken."
+
+"Somebody's there, beyond a doubt," said Agnes.
+
+"Perhaps it's a ghost?" queried Elyned.
+
+"It's nothing supernatural this time, I'll undertake to say--whatever
+may have made the noises before."
+
+"It ought to be enquired into," declared Doris. "Miss Birks ought to
+insist on having the bars taken down, and seeing what's going on."
+
+"Oh, no, no! It's best to leave things as they are."
+
+Gerda was looking white and upset and spoke almost hysterically.
+
+"Do you expect the ghost to bolt in amongst us the moment the door is
+unlocked?" mocked Rhoda.
+
+"No, of course, I'm not so silly! But it's often better to let well
+alone."
+
+"Mrs. Trevellyan is still away, so Miss Birks couldn't ask her to have
+the bars taken down now," volunteered Betty Scott.
+
+"So she is," exclaimed Gerda, with an air of relief.
+
+"Ah! You're afraid of the ghost," repeated Rhoda. "I'm more inclined
+towards the burglar theory. In the circumstances, I think Miss Birks
+would be quite justified in making an investigation, even without Mrs.
+Trevellyan's permission."
+
+"I shouldn't wonder myself if Miss Birks called in the police," said
+Betty Scott.
+
+The girls were in a ferment of excitement over the affair. Deirdre and
+Dulcie felt that in view of yesterday's discovery they had a strong clue
+to the mystery. They hesitated as to whether they ought at once to tell
+Miss Harding, but, as Miss Birks was expected home within an hour or
+two, they decided it was better to wait till they could deliver their
+news at head-quarters.
+
+Gerda, during the whole day, had been very abstracted and peculiar in
+her manner. She was nervous, starting at every sound, and seemed so
+preoccupied with her own thoughts that she often took no notice when
+spoken to.
+
+"What's wrong with the Sphinx?" commented Deirdre. "She's absolutely
+obsessed."
+
+"Yes, I can't make her out. She's disturbed in her mind. That's easy
+enough to see. There's something queer going on in this school. I hope
+she's not mixed up in it."
+
+"We'd decidedly better watch her. After all that's happened before, one
+can't trust her in the least. Until Miss Birks is safely back in the
+house I feel we oughtn't to let Gerda out of our sight. Who knows what
+she may be going to do, or whom she's in league with?"
+
+Coupled with the mysterious happenings of last night and to-day, Gerda's
+palpable uneasiness gave strong grounds for suspicion. The chums watched
+her like a couple of detectives. They were determined to warn Miss Birks
+directly on her return. Meanwhile nothing their room-mate did must
+escape their notice. They were to perform a duet at the musical
+examination, therefore they had the extreme felicity of doing their
+practising together. For the same half-hour Gerda was due at the
+instrument in the next room. They waited to begin until they heard the
+first bars of her "Arabesque". At the same moment came from the hall the
+sounds of the bustle occasioned by Miss Birks's arrival home. Deirdre
+and Dulcie looked at one another in much relief.
+
+"She'll just be downstairs again by the time we've finished practising,
+and then we'll go straight and tell her," they agreed.
+
+I am afraid neither in the least gave her mind to the piano.
+Mademoiselle, had she been near, would have been highly irate at the
+wrong notes and other faults that marred the beauty of their mazurka.
+Both girls were playing with an ear for the "Arabesque" on the other
+side of the wall.
+
+"She's stopped!" exclaimed Dulcie, pausing in the middle of a bar. "Now,
+what's that for, I should like to know? I don't trust you, Miss Gerda
+Thorwaldson."
+
+But Deirdre was already at the window.
+
+"Look! look!" she gasped. "Gerda's off somewhere!"
+
+The window of the adjacent room was a French one, and the girls could
+see their schoolfellow open it gently and steal cautiously out on to the
+lawn. She glanced round to see if she were observed, then ran off in the
+direction of the kitchen-garden. In a moment the chums had thrown up the
+sash of their window and followed her. All their old suspicions of her
+had revived in full force; they were certain she was in league with
+somebody, and for no good purpose, and they were determined that at last
+they would unmask her and expose her duplicity. They had spared her
+before, but this time they intended to act, and act promptly too.
+
+Gerda opened the gate of the kitchen-garden as confidently as if she
+were not transgressing a rule, and rushed away between the strawberry
+beds. Pilfering was evidently not her object, for she never even looked
+at the fruit, but kept straight on towards the end where the
+horse-radish grew. Keeping her well within sight, the chums went swiftly
+but cautiously after. She stood for a moment on the piece of waste
+ground that bounded the cliff, looked carefully round--her pursuers were
+hidden behind a tree--then plunged down the side of the rock and out of
+sight. Deirdre and Dulcie each drew a long breath. The conclusion was
+certain. Without doubt she must be going to pay a visit to the cave
+which communicated with the mysterious chamber. Whom did she expect to
+find there?
+
+"To me there's only one course open," declared Deirdre solemnly. "We
+must go straight to Miss Birks and tell her this very instant."
+
+The Principal, disturbed in the midst of changing her travelling
+costume, listened with amazement to her insistent pupils' excited
+account.
+
+"This must be investigated immediately," she declared. "Dulcie, fetch a
+candle and matches, and you must both accompany me to this cave. You say
+Gerda has gone on there alone?"
+
+Miss Birks took the affair gravely. She appeared very much concerned,
+even alarmed. She hurried off at once with the girls to the
+kitchen-garden.
+
+They led the way down the narrow staircase cut in the cliff, and across
+the beach and over the rocks. At the entrance to the cave they both
+uttered a sharp exclamation, for Gerda stood there in an attitude of
+hesitation, as if unable to make up her mind whether to enter or no. She
+turned red, and white, and then red again to the tips of her ears when
+she saw that she was discovered, but she offered no explanation of her
+presence there. She did not even speak.
+
+"Girls," said Miss Birks, "I think it is highly desirable and necessary
+that we should follow this passage into the room which I am told is
+beyond. Deirdre, you go first, with this candle, then Dulcie--Gerda,
+give me your candle, and walk just in front of me."
+
+Policing the three in the rear, the Principal gave nobody an opportunity
+to escape. She had her own reasons for her conduct, which at present she
+did not choose to explain. With a hand on Gerda's shoulder, she forced
+that unwilling explorer along, and she urged an occasional caution on
+Deirdre. They had reached the cavern, and now, opening the small inner
+door, flashed their candles into the room. The result was startling.
+
+On the bed reclined a figure, which, at sight of the light, sprang up
+with the cry of a hare in a trap--a man, unkempt, ragged, and dirty,
+bearing the impress of tramp written plainly upon his haggard, unshaven
+countenance. He darted wildly forward, gazed up at the strangers
+regarding him, then threw himself on a chair, and buried his face in his
+hands.
+
+Gerda gave a long sigh of supreme relief. It was evidently not at all
+what she had expected to see.
+
+"I'm done!" whimpered the tramp. "Send for the bobbies if you like. I'll
+go quiet."
+
+"You must first tell me what you are doing here," said Miss Birks,
+stepping down into the room. "Then I can decide whether or no it is
+necessary to call in the police. Who are you? And where do you come
+from?"
+
+"I knowed this passage when I was a boy," was the whining reply. "We
+used to dare each other to go up it, but the door at the end was firm
+shut. Then when I come back, down on my luck, and without a penny in my
+pocket to pay for a lodging, I thought I'd at least spend a night there
+under cover. I'd a bit of candle and a few matches, so I found my way
+along easy, and there! if the door at the end wasn't broke open, and the
+place waitin' all ready for me--bed, kettle, cooking-stove, frying-pan,
+cup and saucer, and all the rest of it, just as if someone 'ad put 'em
+there a purpose. I wasn't long in takin' possession, and I've lived here
+five days, and done nobody no harm. I didn't take nothing from the house
+either, except a bit of bread and butter last night when I felt
+starving. T'other days I'd found a job on the quay, and was able to buy
+myself victuals."
+
+"Did you cook sausages?" quavered Dulcie, with intense interest.
+
+"Aye, I'd earned a bit this morning to buy 'em with. Don't know who set
+up a stove here, but it come in handy for me, all filled ready with oil,
+too."
+
+"But you know you've no right here," said Miss Birks severely.
+
+"No, mum," reverting to his original whine. "I know that, but I'm a poor
+man, and I've been unfortunate. I came back to my native place looking
+for a bit of work. I've bin half over the world since I left it."
+
+"If you're a Pontperran man, somebody ought to be able to vouch for you.
+What's your name?"
+
+"Abel Galsworthy."
+
+Then Gerda sprang forward with intense, irrepressible excitement on her
+face.
+
+"Not Abel Galsworthy who was at one time under-gardener at the Castle?"
+she queried eagerly.
+
+"The same--at your service, miss."
+
+"And you were dismissed for--for----"
+
+"For borrowing a matter of a few pears, that made a little disagreement
+betwixt me and the head gardener. I swore I'd try another line of life,
+and I shipped as a fireman on board a steamer bound for America, and
+worked my way over the continent to California. I didn't get on with the
+Yankees, so I took a turn to Australia, but that didn't suit me no
+better, and after I'd knocked about till I was tired of it, I come
+home."
+
+"Do you remember that when you were at the Castle you witnessed a paper
+that the old Squire signed?"
+
+"Aye, I remember it as if it was yesterday. Me and Jim Robinson, the
+under-groom, was the witnesses, but Jim's been gone this many a year."
+
+"Should you know your own handwriting again? Could you swear to it?"
+
+"I'd take my Bible oath afore a judge and jury, if need be."
+
+"Then--oh! thank Heaven I have pieced the broken link of my chain!"
+cried Gerda. "Oh! can I really clear my father's name at last, and wipe
+the stain from the honour of the Trevellyans?"
+
+"What does she mean?" asked Dulcie. "I don't understand!"
+
+"It's all a jig-saw puzzle to me!" said Deirdre. "What does Gerda know
+about the Castle, and the old Squire, and a paper? And what has she to
+do with the honour of the Trevellyans?"
+
+"I guessed the riddle long ago," smiled Miss Birks, laying a friendly
+hand on Gerda's arm. "The likeness to Ronnie was enough to tell me that
+she was his sister."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIX
+
+A Torn Letter
+
+
+In order to understand the events which were happening at the Dower
+House we must go back for a period of some years in the history of the
+family at the Castle. The late owner, Squire Trevellyan, having lost his
+only child, had practically adopted his nephew L'Estrange Trevellyan as
+his heir. He had indeed other nephews and nieces, but they were the
+children of his sisters, and it seemed to him fitting that L'Estrange,
+the only one who bore the family name of Trevellyan, should inherit his
+Cornish estate. The young fellow was an immense favourite with his uncle
+and aunt, they regarded him in the light of a son, the Castle was
+considered his home, and they had even decided upon an alliance for him
+with the daughter of a neighbouring baronet. But in this matter
+L'Estrange had defied the wishes of the autocratic old squire, and,
+making his own choice, had wedded a lady of less aristocratic birth. His
+marriage caused a great coolness between himself and his uncle and aunt;
+his bride was not asked to the Castle nor openly recognized, and he was
+given to understand that he had seriously injured his chances of
+succession to the estate. His cousins, who had long been jealous of his
+prospects, were not slow to avail themselves of this opportunity, and
+did all they could to make mischief and to widen the breach.
+
+Matters went on thus for about ten years, during which time, though
+Squire and Mrs. Trevellyan occasionally asked L'Estrange to the Castle,
+they still refused to have anything to do with his wife, and did not see
+either of his children. At the Squire's death there was great anxiety
+among the relatives to know how he had disposed of his property. When
+the will was read it was found that he had left the Castle and entire
+estate to his wife, with power to bequeath it as she wished, and equal
+money legacies to all his nephews and nieces; but at the end came a
+codicil revoking the former part of the will, leaving only small
+legacies to the other nephews and nieces, but a large sum to L'Estrange,
+and bequeathing the Castle and property to him after Mrs. Trevellyan's
+death. The relations, furiously angry to be thus cut out, disputed the
+validity of the codicil. There were many points in its disfavour. The
+lawyer who had drawn it up was dead, and of the two witnesses who had
+signed their names to it one was missing and the other dead. There was
+therefore not a solitary person left to vouch for it. The family decided
+to go to law, and in the case which followed the handwriting experts
+decided that the signature to the codicil was not genuine, giving it as
+their opinion that it had been forged by L'Estrange Trevellyan.
+
+The case against L'Estrange looked extremely black, for he had been
+staying at the Castle at the time of his uncle's illness and death. In
+view of the decision in the case a criminal charge of forgery was laid
+against him, and a warrant issued for his arrest. Before it was out,
+however, he had disappeared--no one knew whither.
+
+To Mrs. Trevellyan the evidence seemed overwhelming, and in spite of her
+great affection for her nephew, she believed him guilty. It had always
+been her great wish that the Castle and estate should pass to one who
+bore the name of Trevellyan, and at this dreadful crisis she offered to
+adopt L'Estrange's little son, and to bring him up as heir to the
+property. Her one condition was that she must have the child absolutely,
+and that his father and mother should not attempt in any way to obtain
+access to him. In his desperate circumstances L'Estrange had consented;
+the boy was handed over to his great-aunt, and had been brought up at
+the Castle without any remembrance of his own home and parents.
+
+The affair had, of course, made a great stir in the neighbourhood, but
+as L'Estrange had not remained in the country to face a prosecution, and
+therefore no trial of the case had followed, opinions were divided as to
+his guilt. In the course of five years the excitement had died down, and
+though the story was well known at Pontperran it was regarded as the
+Trevellyan family skeleton, and best buried in oblivion. Miss Birks had
+tried to keep the matter from her pupils; they had a vague knowledge
+that Ronnie's father was unsatisfactory, but they had been able to glean
+no further details. In view, however, of the strange chain of events
+which had just transpired, Miss Birks gave Deirdre and Dulcie, in
+private, a hasty outline of the circumstances, telling them that Gerda
+was in reality the daughter of Mr. L'Estrange Trevellyan, and that from
+certain evidence which she had been able to collect she was confident of
+disproving the charge which had been brought against her father.
+
+Though the chums were thus briefly in possession of their school-mate's
+secret, they felt there were many pieces in the puzzle which they could
+not yet fit together. When they went to bed that night they begged Gerda
+to give them a full and complete explanation. To their surprise she
+immediately consented; indeed, instead of keeping her old habit of
+reserve she seemed anxious to take them into her confidence and to pour
+her whole story into their listening ears.
+
+"If you're Ronnie's sister you can't be Gerda Thorwaldson," said Dulcie.
+"I didn't know Ronnie had a sister. I thought he was an only child."
+
+"There are just the two of us," replied Gerda. "I am nine years older
+than he is, so I've always felt almost like a mother to him. Shall I
+tell you everything? Quite from the beginning? Miss Harding will excuse
+us for talking to-night. When our terrible trouble came upon us Ronnie
+was only fifteen months old--such a darling! He could just walk and say
+little words. I have his photo inside my work-box. You can imagine the
+grief it was to part with him, our baby, who'd never been a day from us.
+Mother was very brave--she realized that she had to decide between
+Father and her boy, and of course she chose Father. We knew it was
+entirely for Ronnie's good. Mrs. Trevellyan would bring him up in the
+old family home as an English boy should be, and would make him her
+heir; and we could only take him from one foreign place to another, and
+give him nothing but poverty and a tarnished name. You know, of course,
+that my father was accused of having forged a codicil to his uncle,
+Squire Trevellyan's will. By a round of misfortune everything seemed to
+combine in his disfavour. One witness to the codicil was dead, the other
+was missing, and though advertisements were put in the papers offering a
+reward for news of his whereabouts he could not be found. Mr. Forster,
+the lawyer who had drawn up both the will and the codicil, was dead, so
+there was no evidence on Father's side, and the case went heavily
+against him.
+
+"The codicil having been disproved, the public prosecutor stepped in and
+issued a warrant to arrest my father on a charge of forgery. In the
+circumstances, with no witnesses obtainable, it was not considered wise
+for him to stand the doubtful chance of a trial, and acting on the
+advice of his best friends, though very much against his own wishes, he
+quietly left the country. For nearly five years he, Mother, and I have
+lived together in various continental towns, constantly moving on, as we
+feared the foreign police might recognize the description circulated at
+the time of his escape and arrest him under an extradition warrant. For
+safety we changed our name at almost every place. I cannot express the
+wretched uncertainty and the misery of this hunted life, especially when
+we knew the charge to be so utterly false. There would have been only
+one worse evil--to see him wrongfully sentenced and sent to a convict
+prison. The dread of that possible horror we endured from day to day.
+Meantime Mother, though she would not confess it, fretted terribly at
+Ronnie's loss. As year after year went by, and she pictured him growing
+older, it became harder and harder for her to exist without hearing the
+least word about him.
+
+"'If I had even one poor little snapshot photo it would comfort me,' she
+said once. 'It would show me my darling is well and happy and cared for
+in his new home.'
+
+"Then an idea came to me. Though I had never been at Pontperran in my
+life I had often heard my father speak of the Dower House, and I knew it
+was close to the Castle. I begged to be sent to school there, for I
+thought I should find some opportunity of seeing Ronnie, and not only
+taking a photo of him, but sending first-hand news about him to Mother.
+I hoped also--but it seemed such a forlorn hope!--that if I were on the
+spot I might pick up some information that might throw a light on the
+case and help to clear my father's honour. There seemed little risk of
+my being detected, for Mrs. Trevellyan had never seen me--Aunt Edith, I
+ought to call her--and I meant to keep carefully out of her way.
+
+"Mother jumped at my suggestion. I could see that the mere chance of
+news of Ronnie put fresh life into her, and after some persuasion Father
+agreed to let me go. I took the name of Gerda Thorwaldson, and the
+letters to Miss Birks, arranging for me to be received as a pupil, were
+written from Donnerfest, a little town in Germany. Mother brought me to
+London, and put me safely into the train for Cornwall. Then she used the
+opportunity of being in England to pay quiet visits to some of her own
+relations whom she had not seen for many years.
+
+"My father had a friend, a man who believed in his innocence, and did
+his best to help him. This Mr. Carr took him a cruise on his yacht, and
+came to Cornish waters, tacking about the coast from Avonporth to
+Kergoff. By borrowing the yacht's dinghy, Father was able sometimes to
+land near Portperran and meet me for a few minutes. Of course it was a
+terribly risky thing to do, for he was liable to be arrested any moment
+that he set his foot on English soil; but he longed so much to see me,
+and, above all, to hear what I could tell of Ronnie. He was so anxious
+to catch a glimpse of the little fellow for himself that he insisted
+upon venturing farther on shore. He knew the secret of the barred room,
+so, bringing with him an oil cooking-stove, a kettle, and a few other
+things from the yacht, he took up his quarters there for a while.
+
+"I was in an agony lest he should be discovered. I cannot tell you what
+I suffered on this account. He did not stay the whole time at the cave;
+indeed he lived mostly on the yacht, but kept spending occasional nights
+in the secret room. I never knew whether he was there or not, and the
+uncertainty made me wretched.
+
+"During the last five years we had seemed continually to be standing on
+the brink of a volcano, and I was always prepared to face the worst.
+
+"I can scarcely express how deeply I realized the difference between
+myself and all the other girls at school. I know you thought me reserved
+and uncommunicative and stand-off and everything that is disagreeable,
+but I simply dared not talk, for fear I might reveal something that
+would betray my father. You with your happy homes, and nothing to
+conceal, how can you understand what it is perpetually to guard a
+dreadful secret? I could tell you nothing about my home, for we had no
+home, we had only moved on from one lodging to another, and left no
+address behind. I could see that you misjudged me, and were full of
+suspicions, but I could not explain.
+
+"You were annoyed with me for winning favour with Ronnie. You would not
+have grudged me his affection if you had known how I had craved for him
+all these years, and how hard, how very hard it was to be obliged to
+treat him as if I were an entire stranger, instead of his own sister.
+Then I was terribly afraid of meeting Mrs. Trevellyan, lest she should
+recognize my likeness to my father and guess our secret. I avoided her
+on every possible occasion, and on the whole I managed very successfully
+to keep out of her way.
+
+"But Mother was pining and yearning to see Ronnie. The little photos I
+had sent, and my descriptions of him, added to the fact of her being in
+England, so near to him, only made her long for him more bitterly than
+before. It seemed so cruel that she--his own mother--must be so utterly
+parted from him. I was determined that she should have at least the poor
+satisfaction of seeing him, and I plotted and schemed to contrive a
+meeting. I decided that on the night of the beacon fire I might manage
+to carry Ronnie away for a few minutes, so as to give the opportunity we
+wanted. I cajoled him with promises of fairies, and persuaded him quite
+easily to go with me to find them. Father, who was as anxious and
+excited as Mother, was waiting with a boat, but you know the rest, for
+you followed us. Perhaps Mrs. Trevellyan suspected something--she must
+have known shortly afterwards, for she recognized Father when he rescued
+Ronnie on the cliff. I heard her call him by his name. Father used to be
+her favourite nephew, indeed he was almost like a son to her, but she
+had believed him guilty, and had told him never to show his face to her
+again. Even before Squire Trevellyan's death there had already been an
+estrangement between them because of his marriage. My mother was not
+their choice, and on this account Mrs. Trevellyan objected to her, and
+only once consented to meet her. Though Father sometimes went to the
+Castle to visit his uncle and aunt, my mother and I were never invited
+there, and Mrs. Trevellyan had not seen Ronnie until she adopted him.
+
+"After the beacon fire I felt I had accomplished one part at least of my
+mission at school. Mother had seen and kissed her boy, and she seemed a
+little comforted and cheered in consequence. But the greater task which
+I had set myself, that of clearing my father's name, was still
+untouched. One possible clue there was which I thought I might follow
+up. Do you remember how in February we went to Forster's Folly? I knew
+that Mr. Forster had been the lawyer who drew up Squire Trevellyan's
+will and the famous codicil. That was the reason why I was so anxious to
+go into the house, and so excited when we found those letters lying
+about upstairs. I would have stayed to look at them if I had dared. You
+Deirdre, tore off a scrap of a letter with a crest on it, to take for
+your collection. Now that crest was the boar's head of the Trevellyans,
+which I knew very well, for it used to be on our own note-paper before
+our trouble came. You had torn the piece from the rest of the letter,
+but I could read--
+
+    "'DEAR FORST ..
+        "'Kindly c . . . . .'
+
+And on turning the scrap over I found on the other side--
+
+    "'wish to . . .
+        "'extra codi . . . . . .'
+
+"Could it be possible, I speculated, that this was a portion of an
+original letter sent by Squire Trevellyan to Mr. Forster, asking him to
+come to the house, as he wished to make an extra codicil to his will? If
+that were really so, it would make a most important piece of evidence. I
+begged you to give me the crest, but you would not part with it then,
+and locked it up. I was most anxious to go to Forster's Folly again and
+try to find the rest of the letter, but I never found an opportunity
+until last week. It was too far to venture in our recreation time, and I
+dare not be absent from school for hours without leave. I would have
+told Mother and asked her to go, but there were two reasons against
+this. We feared she might be known to the police, and that they would
+watch her so as to obtain some clue to my father's whereabouts, so she
+did not wish to venture into Cornwall while he was near the coast. When
+she came to see Ronnie she went over first to France, and our friend
+fetched her from there in the yacht, and took her back to St. Malo, so
+that she need not be seen on the South-Western Railway.
+
+"My second reason was that until I could be sure that the other part of
+the letter really contained what I expected, it seemed cruel to raise
+false hopes. If you had seen, as I have, the bitter, bitter tragedy of
+my parents' lives, you would understand how I wanted to spare them a
+disappointment. So I waited and waited, and at last my opportunity came.
+Circumstances were kind, and when we had our whole day's holiday, I was
+chosen as a hare. Oh, how rejoiced I was when you decided to go past the
+windmill to Kergoff! I was determined to put in a visit somehow to the
+old house, but it came so naturally when we needed more paper. To my
+intense delight I found the other portion of the letter that I wanted,
+and then you were kind and gave me the scrap with the crest. The two fit
+exactly together. Look, I will show you! This is what they make when
+joined--
+
+        "'THE CASTLE,
+            "'_Thursday_.
+
+    "'DEAR FORSTER,
+
+    "'Kindly come to-morrow morning about eleven, if you can make
+    that convenient, as I want to consult you on a matter of some
+    importance. Those Victoria Mine shares have gone up beyond my
+    wildest dreams, and I'm thinking of selling out now, and
+    clearing what I can. They'll make a difference to my estate, and
+    to meet this I wish to add an extra codicil to my will.
+    L'Estrange is here, so you will see him. I have not been well--a
+    touch of the old heart trouble, I am afraid. I must ask Jones to
+    arrange for me to consult a London specialist. If you cannot
+    come to-morrow morning, please arrange Saturday.
+
+        "'Sincerely yours,
+            "'RICHARD TREVELLYAN.'
+
+This is very strong evidence that Squire Trevellyan intended making the
+codicil to his will. I am longing to show it to Father and Mother, but
+they are both away cruising in the yacht. I don't know where they are
+now; they promised to send me word when it was safe for me to write to
+them.
+
+"When we began to hear those strange noises in the barred room, and
+yesterday you discovered the secret of its entrance, I was dreadfully
+alarmed. I thought my father must have come back again in spite of my
+warnings that the cave was unsafe. I felt so nervous and uneasy that at
+last I decided to go and see for myself, and beg him not to stay.
+
+"When I reached the entrance, however, I did not dare to go in alone, in
+case it should be somebody else instead of my father who was there. I
+reproached myself for my cowardice, but I was only just screwing my
+courage to the point when you two arrived with Miss Birks. I need not
+tell you how relieved I was when we did not find my father. You saw my
+frantic excitement when it turned out that the tramp whom we discovered
+was no other than Abel Galsworthy, the missing witness to the will? With
+his oath and this precious, precious letter the evidence ought to be
+complete. Oh, the rapture of the day when Father's name is cleared and
+his honour restored, and he can live anywhere he likes, openly and
+without fear. Now I have told you my whole story. I'm sure you'll see
+why I was so queer and secretive, and so different from other girls."
+
+"We understand and sympathize now," said Deirdre, "but you puzzled us
+very much at the time."
+
+"We thought you were a German spy," chuckled Dulcie. "We were going to
+get great credit by finding out your wicked plot against England, and
+informing the Government!"
+
+"Had you anything to do with that man in the aeroplane? Why, I'd almost
+forgotten him!" exclaimed Deirdre.
+
+"I never even knew there was an aeroplane here," protested Gerda.
+
+"You haven't told us your real name yet," urged Dulcie.
+
+"Mary Gerda Trevellyan. Father and Mother have always called me Mamie,
+but I like Gerda best, and when I came to school I begged to be 'Gerda
+Thorwaldson', so that part at least of my name was genuine."
+
+"Weren't you afraid that Mrs. Trevellyan might discover you through
+that?"
+
+"She had always heard me alluded to as Mamie. We thought she had
+probably quite forgotten the 'Gerda'."
+
+"There's one thing I still can't understand," said Dulcie. "We found out
+the entrance to the barred room, but why was it ever barred? It seems so
+extraordinary--right in the middle of a school."
+
+"I can explain that too," returned Gerda. "Father has often told me the
+story. Years and years ago Squire and Mrs. Trevellyan had one only
+child, a little girl named Lillie. Father was very fond of this cousin,
+and they were almost like brother and sister together. Then, when she
+was ten years old, she died. At that time they were living at the Dower
+House, because alterations were being made at the Castle. Her death was
+very sudden--she was only ill a few hours. One day she was laughing and
+playing about, and on the next she was dead. Her poor father and mother
+were simply heart-broken. They took her toys, and all her little
+treasures, and put them in her bedroom, which they left just as if she
+were going to occupy it still. Then they locked up the door and barred
+it, and declared that during their lifetime nobody should ever enter. It
+was to be sacred to Lillie, and no one else must use it. My father, of
+course, knew about it, and he also knew of the secret passage--an old
+smuggler's way--that led into it from the cave. The door of this passage
+had been carefully nailed up before Lillie used the room, but he had
+heard that it opened over the fireplace. In his desperate need of a safe
+shelter he remembered this place, came up the passage, then forced the
+door and found his way into the room. He said it was surely no crime,
+for 'little Cousin Lillie' had been fond of him, and always ready to
+screen him in his boyish days, so he thought, if she could know, she
+would be glad for him to use what had once been hers."
+
+"I haven't asked half all yet," persisted Dulcie. "Do you remember when
+first you came to school, we all tried our luck at St. Perran's well,
+and you were the only one who did the right things, and whose stick
+floated away? How did you manage it?"
+
+Gerda smiled.
+
+"Father had often told me about the well, and the exact way to perform
+St. Perran's ceremony. He used to try it with Lillie when he was a
+little boy. He said half the secret was to unstop the channel above the
+spring. My wish was that I might clear his name, so you see it came
+true, though at the time it seemed as unlikely as flying in an aeroplane
+to America."
+
+"You put a message in a bottle and threw it into the sea for your
+father," said Deirdre. "You didn't know Dulcie and I fished it out?"
+
+"Oh! Did you?" said Gerda reproachfully. "Then that was the letter he
+never received?"
+
+Gerda's discovery in Abel Galsworthy of the missing witness for whom
+such long search had been made was certainly a very fortunate
+circumstance for that worthy. Instead of being handed over to the
+police, and prosecuted for trespassing and pilfering, he found himself
+provided with new clothes, comfortably lodged in the village, and given
+a promise of work when his important part in the law proceedings should
+be over. At present he was the hero of the hour, for on his word alone
+hung Mr. Trevellyan's honour. As the other witness and the lawyer were
+both dead, his oath to his signature would be sufficient to prove the
+genuineness of the codicil. There were, of course, elaborate legal
+proceedings to be taken. Mr. Trevellyan appealed for a reversal of the
+judgment in the former trial, and the case would have to wait its turn
+before it could come before the court. As the warrant for his arrest was
+still technically in force, he was obliged to continue living on the
+yacht until his innocence had been officially recognized--a state of
+affairs that greatly roused Gerda's indignation, though Miss Birks
+preached patience.
+
+"I wanted Father and Mother to come to the prize-giving," she lamented.
+
+"These legal difficulties cannot be rolled away in a few days," said
+Miss Birks. "Let us be thankful that we can count upon success later
+on."
+
+Now that Gerda no longer needed to hide a tragic secret, her whole
+behaviour at the Dower House had altered, and her schoolfellows hardly
+recognized in the merry, genial, sociable companion, which she now
+proved, the silent recluse who had given her confidence to nobody. In
+this fresh attitude she was highly popular; the romance of her story
+appealed to the girls, and they were anxious to make up to her for
+having misjudged her. Also they greatly appreciated her newly-discovered
+capacity for fun and humour.
+
+"Gerda never made one solitary joke before, and now she keeps us
+laughing all day," said Betty Scott.
+
+"How could she laugh when she was carrying that terrible burden all the
+time?" commented Jessie Macpherson. "Poor child! No wonder she's
+different now the shadow's removed from her life."
+
+"We'll have ripping fun with her next term," anticipated Annie Pridwell.
+
+Meanwhile very little of the old term was left. The dreaded examination
+week arrived, bringing Dr. Harvey James to test those who were to
+undergo the piano ordeal, and Mr. Leonard Pearce to criticize the
+artistic efforts. In the other subjects there were written papers, which
+were corrected and judged by the donors of the prizes. In spite of much
+apprehension on the part of the girls, Dr. Harvey James made a good
+impression, and did not turn out to be the strict martinet they
+expected; indeed he commented so kindly and so helpfully on their
+playing that they began to look forward to their lessons with him during
+the forthcoming autumn.
+
+The art class spent a delightful though anxious afternoon, sketching a
+group of picturesque Eastern pots artistically grouped by Mr. Leonard
+Pearce, who was kind and charitable in his criticisms of their little
+exhibition of paintings hung in the big classroom. To their delight he
+finished his visit by himself making a study of the pots, while they
+stood round and watched his clever brush dabbing on the colour with
+swift and skilful strokes.
+
+"Miss Birks is going to have his sketch framed," said Deirdre
+appreciatively, when he had gone.
+
+"I wish he could teach us every week," declared the art enthusiasts.
+
+"Ah! you see, he lives in London, and only comes to Cornwall sometimes
+for a holiday. But Miss Birks has promised to get an artist next summer
+to give us sketching lessons."
+
+One advantage of the smallness of the school was that it was not a
+lengthy matter to correct the examination papers of only twenty pupils.
+That work was soon over, and the girls had not long to remain in
+suspense before the lists were ready. The annual prize-giving was always
+the occasion of a social gathering. Some of the girls' parents came
+down for it, and friends in the neighbourhood were invited. If the
+weather were favourable, it was generally held in the garden, and this
+time, the sky being cloudless, all arrangements had been made on the
+lawn, where the gardener had erected a temporary platform. It seemed a
+great day to Gerda, as she came downstairs in her white dress, and
+watched the company that was already beginning to arrive. If only her
+father and mother could have been numbered among the guests her bliss
+would have been complete. Ronnie, however, was running in and out like a
+sunbeam, and her aunt had spoken to her, and had been kindness itself.
+
+"We must all let bygones be bygones now, my dear, and rejoice together
+at this happy ending of our troubles," said Mrs. Trevellyan. "I hope you
+will soon come to know the Castle as well as Ronnie does, and feel
+equally at home there."
+
+Most of the prizes fell exactly as had been expected. Jessie Macpherson
+won the lion's share in the Sixth, Hilda Marriott scored the record for
+VA, and Barbara Marshall and Romola Harvey divided the honours of VB.
+Deirdre got "highly commended" for both music and drawing, but Dulcie,
+despite her valorous spurt at the finish, had no luck. She was only too
+delighted, however, to find that the prize for which she had tried--that
+for general improvement--had been awarded to Gerda.
+
+"She deserves it if anyone does," she whispered to Deirdre. "I say,
+dare we start three cheers for her?"
+
+"We'll risk it," returned Deirdre, augmenting the applause by a vigorous
+"Hip-hip-hip hooray!" which was at once taken up by the entire school.
+Gerda, red as a rose, walked back from the platform, blushing now with
+real bashfulness, instead of her old nervous apprehension. Ronnie was
+waving his little hat and shouting the shrillest of cheers, and Mrs.
+Trevellyan was clapping her best.
+
+"Ave! Ave! winner of General Improvement!" exclaimed the members of VB,
+as they welcomed her back to their particular bench. "Miss Birks
+couldn't have given it better!"
+
+Gerda's eyes filled with tears.
+
+"I'm glad if you do find me improved," she said. "It's ever so nice of
+you to be kind to me now. I was horrid before--and I knew it--but I
+couldn't help it."
+
+"We understand exactly," sympathized the girls.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+There is very little more of our story left to be told. Mr. Trevellyan
+won his case, and successfully proved his innocence to the whole world.
+Restored to good name and fortune, he has taken "Overdale", a pretty
+house in the neighbourhood of Pontperran, which happened to be to let.
+Gerda continues a pupil at the Dower House, though she is often able to
+visit her own home. Ronnie, while he will see his aunt every day, is to
+live with his parents, a fitting and also a very salutary arrangement,
+for he is no longer a baby, and was growing too much for Mrs.
+Trevellyan's and Miss Herbert's powers of management. The self-willed
+little fellow respects his father's authority, and will run far less
+risk of getting spoilt than when he was "King of the Castle".
+
+"In a year or two the young rascal will be old enough for school," said
+Mr. Trevellyan, "and in the meantime he must get to know his mother and
+me."
+
+Gerda is immensely delighted with her new home, and very proud to take
+school friends there on half-holidays. Deirdre and Dulcie are frequent
+visitors. Abel Galsworthy, a reformed character after his wanderings, is
+gardener at Overdale, and likely to prove a most devoted servant; and as
+for the torn letter, it is framed and glazed, and occupies the place of
+honour on the wall over the chimney-piece in Gerda's bedroom.
+
+
+
+
+Transcriber's Note:
+
+Punctuation has been standardised. Hyphenation and spelling have been
+retained as in the original publication, except as follows:
+
+    Page 121
+    through the field-glasses as he disappeard _changed to_
+    through the field-glasses as he disappeared
+
+    Page 184
+    and fetched limpets and perwinkles _changed to_
+    and fetched limpets and periwinkles
+
+    Page209
+    Irene's dyspepia, and Elyned's attacks of faintness _changed to_
+    Irene's dyspepsia, and Elyned's attacks of faintness
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The School by the Sea, by Angela Brazil
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