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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/7820-8.txt b/7820-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9418f5a --- /dev/null +++ b/7820-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6881 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Monitress Merle, by Angela Brazil + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: Monitress Merle + +Author: Angela Brazil + +Release Date: April, 2005 [EBook #7820] +[This file was first posted on May 19, 2003] +[Date last updated: December 1, 2004] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO Latin-1 + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, MONITRESS MERLE *** + + + + +Juliet Sutherland, Charles Franks, and the Online Distributed Proofreading +Team. + + + +MONITRESS MERLE + +BY + +ANGELA BRAZIL + +Author of "A Fortunate Term" + +"The Princess of the School" &c. + + + + + + + +_Illustrated by Treyer Evans_ + +_DEDICATED TO THOSE READERS WHO ASKED ME TO WRITE THE FURTHER +ADVENTURES OF MAVIS AND MERLE_ + + * * * * * + +CONTENTS + +I. A LAST BATHE + +II. A SCHOOL BALLOT + +III. THE NEW MONITRESS + +IV. CHAGMOUTH FOLK + +V. MISS MITCHELL, B.A. + +VI. FISHERMAIDENS + +VII. MUSICAL STARS + +VIII. YULE-TIDE + +IX. FACING THE FOOTLIGHTS + +X. THE MUMPS + +XI. BAMBERTON FERRY + +XII. FIFTH FORM JUSTICE + +XIII. "THE KITTIWAKE" + +XIV. THE HAUNTED TREE + +XV. LEAVE-TAKINGS + +XVI. THE TADPOLE CLUB + +XVII. THE FOURTH OF JULY + +XVIII. LOVE-IN-A-MIST + + * * * * * + +Illustrations + +"WHY DIDN'T 'EE FASTEN UP THE CHAIN?" + +"WE'RE JUST READY! YOU CAN COME IN IF YOU LIKE!" + +MR. CASTLETON DID NOT LOOK AT ALL PLEASED + +SHE HAD BROUGHT HER WONDERFUL STRADIVARIUS VIOLIN + +HE KEPT THEM DAWDLING + +THE FOURTH OF JULY PARADE + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER I + +A Last Bathe + + +The warm, mellow September sunshine was streaming over the irregular +roofs and twisted chimneys of the little town of Chagmouth, and was +glinting on the water in the harbour, and sending gleaming, straggling, +silver lines over the deep reflections of the shipping moored by the side +of the jetty. The rising tide, lapping slowly and gently in from the +ocean, was floating the boats beached on the shingle, and was gradually +driving back the crowd of barefooted children who had ventured out in +search of mussels, and was sending them, shrieking with mirth, scampering +up the seaweed-covered steps that led to the fish market. On the crag-top +above the town the corn had been cut, and harvesters were busy laying the +sheaves together in stooks. The yellow fields shone in the afternoon +light as if the hill were crowned with gold. + +Walking along the narrow cobbled path that led past the harbour and up on +to the cliff, Mavis and Merle looked at the scene around with that sense +of rejoicing proprietorship with which we are wont to revisit the pet +place of our adoption. It was two whole months since they had been in +Chagmouth, and as they both considered the little town to be the absolute +hub of the universe it was really a great event to find themselves once +more in its familiar streets. They had spent the summer holidays with +their father and mother in the north, and had come back to Durracombe +just in time for the reopening of school. On this first Saturday after +their return to Devonshire they had motored with Uncle David to his +branch surgery at Chagmouth, and were looking forward to several hours of +amusement while he visited his patients at the sanatorium. + +Readers who have followed the adventures of Mavis and Merle Ramsay in +_A Fortunate Term_ will remember that the sisters, on account of +Mavis's health, had come to live with their great-uncle Dr. Tremayne at +Durracombe, where they attended school daily at 'The Moorings.' Dr. +Ramsay, their father, had decided shortly to leave his practice at +Whinburn and go into partnership with Dr. Tremayne, but the removal to +Devonshire could not take place till nearly Christmas, so the girls were +to spend another term in sole charge of Uncle David, Aunt Nellie, and +Jessop the elderly housekeeper, an arrangement which, though they were +sorry to be parted from their parents, pleased them uncommonly well. It +was a favourite excursion of theirs to accompany their uncle on Saturdays +when he motored to visit patients at Chagmouth. On these occasions they +would have lunch and tea with him at Grimbal's Farm, where he had his +surgery, and would spend the intervening time on the seashore or +wandering along the cliffs. To-day, tempted by the brilliant sunshine, +they had brought their bathing costumes, towels, and tea-basket, and +meant to secure the last dip of the holidays in case the weather should +change and further mermaiding should prove impossible. They chatted +briskly as they climbed the path up the cliff. + +"Too bad Bevis has gone back to school! I thought we should just have +seen him before he went!" + +"And Tudor too! I met Babbie, while you were inside Carlyon's shop buying +chocs, and she told me Tudor started yesterday, and Gwen went last +Tuesday to a boarding-school near London. It was decided quite in a hurry +because there happened to be a vacancy for her. It's a very fashionable +school where they take the girls out to theatres and concerts and all +sorts of places. Gwen's fearfully thrilled to go. They wanted to send her +there before, only they couldn't get her in. Somebody else has left +unexpectedly though, so there was a cubicle at liberty for her." + +"It will just suit Gwen! But she'll miss her riding. She nearly lived on +Taffy's back as a rule. Won't it be very lonely for Babbie all by herself +with a governess? Will she come to school for French and dancing as +usual?" + +"She's coming to 'The Moorings' altogether. They're going to motor her +over every day, and fetch her back at four. She's quite pleased about it. +She always liked 'The Moorings' much better than Gwen did." + +"And 'The Moorings,' from all reports, is going to be an utterly +different school this term!" + +"So I suppose! Hope it won't be too much changed, that's all! A new +teacher, hot from a High School, means a new broom that will sweep very +clean. It strikes me those nice do-as-you-please lessons with Miss Fanny +will be dreams of the past, and we shall have to set our brains to work +and swat! Ugh! It's not a particularly delirious prospect!" + +Mavis laughed. + +"Don't wrinkle your forehead into quite so many kinks! You look about +forty!" she objected. "It mayn't turn out as hard as you expect. Anyhow, +don't let us spoil the last Saturday of the holidays with thinking about +it. I want to enjoy this afternoon thoroughly. I feel as if I'd been away +from Chagmouth for years and years. Isn't it priceless to see it again? +Have a chocolate! Or would you rather take a piece of toffee?" + +The two girls had been mounting steadily as they talked, and were now +walking along a narrow track which led along the top of the cliffs. Below +them lay the gorgeous-hued crags of the rugged coast and a great expanse +of sea, silver at the horizon, blue at mid-distance, and deep metallic +green where it touched the shore. Innumerable sea-birds wheeled and +screamed below, and the incoming tide lapped with little white waves over +the reefs of rocks, and submerged the pools where gobies were darting +about, and sea-anemones were stretching out crimson or green tentacles, +and scurrying crabs were hiding among masses of brown oar-weed. Above and +beyond was a network of brambles, where ripe blackberries hung in such +tempting clusters that it was hardly in human nature to resist them, and +Merle, with purple-stained fingers, loitered and lingered to enjoy the +feast. + +"If you're not quick the tide will have turned and it won't be half so +nice to bathe!" urged Mavis impatiently. "Do hurry up now, and you can +absolutely gorge on blackberries as we come back, if you want to. I'll +promise to wait for you then." + +"Right-o! I'm coming! Though I must just get that one big beauty! There! +I won't eat a single one more till I've had my dip. We must be close to +the cove now. I'll run if you like!" + +The bathing-place for which the girls were bound was a sandy creek among +the rocks. A hundred years ago it had been a favourite spot for smugglers +to land contraband goods, and a series of steps cut in the cliff +testified to its former use. Nowadays it was commonly deserted, and in +the early part of the summer, when Mavis and Merle had been wont to visit +it, they had had it all to themselves. They had gone there so often and +found it untenanted that they had come to regard it as their private +property, and, in consequence, they were most unreasonably annoyed, when +climbing down the steps, to hear sounds of laughter rising up from below. + +"Who's in _our_ cove?" demanded Merle sharply, somewhat as Father +Bruin asked the immortal question, "Who's sleeping on _my_ bed?" + +"All the world, I should say!" replied the aggrieved voice of Mavis, who +was in front and had first view of the scene beneath. "The place is an +absolute 'seaside resort.' Never saw so many people in my life before! +Where do they all come from?" + +The little cove, _their_ cove, which in June had been so +delightfully secluded and retired, was undoubtedly invaded by quite a +number of visitors. Children were paddling or scampering along the sands, +wet heads were bobbing in and out of the water, every rocky crevice was +in use as a dressing-room, picnic parties were taking tea on the rocks, +and a circle of boys and girls were playing a noisy game at the brink of +the waves. Very ruefully Mavis and Merle descended to swell the throng. +It was not at all the sort of bathe which they had anticipated, and, had +there been another available spot within reach, they would have utterly +disdained it. + +"Shall we go on to Yellow Head?" ventured Merle hesitatingly. + +"There isn't time. The tide would be out before we got there, and it's a +perfect tangle of oar-weed unless the water's high. Never mind! There'll +be elbow-room in the sea at any rate. There's a corner here where we can +undress. Come along! O-o-h! There's some one else inside!" + +[Illustration: "WE'RE JUST READY! YOU CAN COME IN IF YOU LIKE!"] + +"We're just ready! You can come in if you like!" proclaimed a voice, as +two girls in navy bathing costumes and rubber caps issued from behind a +rock, and running swiftly down the sand plunged into the water. + +Availing themselves of the opportunity Mavis and Merle took temporary +possession of the naiads' dressing-room, and in the course of a few +minutes more were revelling in a swim. The red rubber caps of the girls +who preceded them were plainly to be seen some distance from the shore, +where their owners were apparently having a race towards a rock that +jutted from the waves. + +"Oh, they _mustn't_ go out there! There's an awful current! Bevis +warned us about it!" gasped Mavis, swimming securely with one foot on the +ground. "Can't we stop them? Shout, Merle!" + +"Hello, there! Ahoy! Come back!" yelled Merle, who possessed stronger +lungs than her sister. "They don't hear me! Coo-oo-ee! That's done it, +thank goodness! Come--back--you're--going--to--get--into--a--current!" + +The two red caps, warned in time of their danger, turned and swam into +safer waters. They did not venture so far again from the shore, but +frolicked with some companions, trying to make wheels and to perform +various other feats of agility, which were generally failures and ended +in a splash. They were so long about it that Mavis and Merle went from +the water first and had time to dress quite leisurely before the others, +shaking out wet fair hair, followed to the crevice among the rocks. + +The Ramsays took their picnic basket, and, climbing a short way up the +steps, settled themselves upon a grassy platform which afforded a good +view of the cove below. They liked this vantage-ground better than the +sands, and began to spread out the cups and saucers and parcels of cakes +which Jessop had packed for them, congratulating themselves upon having a +spot at least fairly apart. But they were not destined to spend that +afternoon in solitary state. They had scarcely opened their basket when +three heads came bobbing up the steps, shamelessly invaded their +platform, and also began to unpack tea-cups. + +Merle, who did not like other people to trespass upon her rights, frowned +and turned her back upon them, and probably each little party would have +taken its meal separately had not an unforeseen and utterly untoward +accident happened. Mavis knocked their thermos flask with her elbow and +sent it spinning over the cliff. Here was a pretty business! Their tea +was gone, and the flask, if they found it, would be utterly smashed. + +"It's not worth climbing down to pick it up!" lamented Mavis contritely. +"I'm so sorry, Merle! It was horribly clumsy of me!" + +"Do have some of ours!" suggested one of the strangers sympathetically. +"We've heaps! Two flasks; and that's more than we shall drink ourselves. +You might just as well!" + +"I say, it was awfully decent of you to call to us not to go on to those +rocks!" put in another. "We didn't know about the current." + +The third girl made no remark, but she smiled invitingly and held out one +of their flasks. + +So it came about that Mavis and Merle moved nearer and joined the others, +so that they formed one party. For a few minutes they sat in polite +silence, taking in the items of their neighbours' appearance. When the +Ramsays compared notes afterwards they decided that they had never before +seen three such pretty girls. The two who had worn the red bathing caps +were evidently sisters, for they had the same clear-cut features, fair +complexions, cupid mouths, and beautiful dark-fringed eyes. Their +companion, whose brown hair was drying in the breeze, was a complete +contrast, with her warm brunette colouring and quick vivacious manner, +"like an orchid between two roses," as Mavis described her later. It was +she who spoke first--quite a conventional inquiry but decidedly to the +point. + +"Are you staying in Chagmouth?" she asked. + +"We've only come over for the day from Durracombe," answered Merle. + +The three strangers looked immediately interested. + +"Durracombe! Why, we're going to start school there next week!" + +"Never at 'The Moorings'!" gasped Merle excitedly. + +"That's the place! Do you go there too? Oh! I say! Do tell us all about +it! We've been just crazy to know what it's like. You two look sports! +What are your names? Are the rest of the school jolly, and is Miss +Pollard nice?" + +With such a common interest as 'The Moorings' to talk about, the ice was +completely broken, and the five girls were soon chatting in friendly +fashion. + +Mavis and Merle, having given a few details about themselves and how they +often motored over to Chagmouth with Dr. Tremayne, drew in turn some +information from their new acquaintances. The two fair-haired girls, aged +respectively fourteen and thirteen, were Beata and Romola Castleton, and +their father, an artist, had lately removed from Porthkeverne in +Cornwall, and had taken a house at Chagmouth. Their friend Fay Macleod, a +year older than Beata, was an American, whose father had come to Europe +in search of health, and being attracted to Chagmouth by his love of +sketching, had settled there temporarily for a rest-cure, and was +enjoying the quiet and beauty of the quaint place and its surrounding +scenery. + +"I suppose you'll all be weekly boarders?" ventured Mavis, when Fay had +finished her communications. + +"No, we're to be day-girls. Six of us from Chagmouth are joining in a car +and motoring every morning and being fetched back at four--ourselves, Nan +and Lizzie Colville, and Tattie Carew. It will be rather a squash to cram +six of us into Vicary's car! We've named it 'the sardine-tin' already. I +hope nobody else will want to join us!" + +"Babbie Williams is to be a day-girl this term. She lives over there at +The Warren." + +"We haven't room for her." + +"She's going in their own car." + +"That's good news for the sardines! I was thinking some of us would have +to ride on the footboard or the luggage-carrier. Is Babbie fair, with +bobbed hair? Then I've seen her in church. Seven of us from Chagmouth! We +ought to make quite a clique in the school!" + +"Oh, we don't want any cliques," said Merle quickly. "We had enough of +that sort of thing when Opal was there. Miss Pollard told mother that the +new mistress, Miss Mitchell, is going to reorganise everything, and bring +it up to date, so I expect we shall find a great many changes when we +start again. Have you been at school before?" + +"Romola and I went to The Gables at Porthkeverne," replied Beata. "We +loved it, and we were dreadfully sorry to leave. Fay, of course, has been +at school in America." + +"And we used to go to a big High school in the north until we came to +Durracombe. 'The Moorings' seemed a tiny place at first, and then we grew +to love it. We adore Miss Pollard and Miss Fanny. I hope you'll like them +too! I'm so glad we've met you, because we'll know you when you arrive at +school, and we can show you round. I'm afraid we shall have to be going +now, because Uncle David will be back from the sanatorium and waiting for +us. Thanks most immensely for the tea. We'll look out for you on Tuesday. +Good-bye!" + +As Mavis and Merle walked back along the cliffs to Chagmouth their +tongues wagged fast in discussion of their new acquaintances. Mavis was +charmed with Beata and Romola, and Merle had utterly lost her heart to +Fay. + +"I feel as if I could like her!" she declared. "She's a sport, and really +we want somebody to wake us up a little at 'The Moorings.' I believe this +term is going to be jolly. My spirits are rising and I see fun ahead. I +only wish Daddy could go and live at Chagmouth and _we_ could go to +school every day in 'the sardine-tin.' They'll have the time of their +lives, the luckers! Don't I envy them, just!" + +"I don't think I'd like to be packed quite so tight, thanks!" objected +Mavis. "On the whole, I much prefer going backwards and forwards to +Chagmouth in Uncle David's car. Merle! Do you know it's after five! We +must simply scoot--oh, I daresay I did promise you might eat +blackberries, but you haven't time now. You shouldn't have stayed so long +at the cove if you wanted a blackberry feed! If you don't hurry up I +shall run off and leave you and go home with Uncle David by myself! +There! Oh, you're coming! Good! I thought you'd hardly care to spend the +night upon the cliffs with the sea-gulls!" + + + + +CHAPTER II + +A School Ballot + + +Mavis and Merle started for school on Tuesday morning confident of +finding many changes. Hitherto 'The Moorings' had been a modest +establishment where about twenty-four children had been educated by Miss +Pollard and her sister Miss Fanny, who were the daughters of the late +Vicar of the parish. They were neither of them particularly learned or up +to date, but they had a happy knack with girls, and had been especially +successful in the care of delicate pupils. The remarkably mild climate of +Durracombe made the place peculiarly suitable for those who had been born +in India or other hot countries, and so many more boarders had been +entered for this term that the school was practically doubled. +Recognising the fact that this sudden enlargement in numbers ought also +to mean a march forward in other ways, the sisters were wise enough to +seize their golden opportunity and completely reorganise their methods. +They were fortunate in being able to get hold of the house next to their +own, and, turning that into a hostel for boarders, they devoted the whole +of 'The Moorings' to classrooms. They engaged a thoroughly competent and +reliable mistress, with a university degree and High School experience, +and gave her _carte blanche_ to revise the curriculum and institute +what innovations she thought fit. They allowed her to choose her own +assistant mistress, and made fresh arrangements for visiting teachers, +reserving for themselves only a very few of the classes, and +concentrating most of their energies on the management of the hostel. +These new plans gave great satisfaction to both parents and pupils. + +"It will be rather nice to have somebody modern at the head of things, so +long as Miss Pollard and Miss Fanny aren't entirely shelved," declared +Merle. + +"They're perfect dears! We couldn't do without them," agreed Mavis. + +"But they're not clever!" + +"Um--I don't know! It depends what you call clever! They mayn't be B.A.'s +and all the rest of it, but they're well read, and they can sketch and +sing and play and do a hundred things that a great many graduates can't. +I call them 'cultured,' that's the right name for them. They're such +absolute and perfect ladies. It's a style you really don't meet every +day. And they're so pretty with their pink cheeks and their silver hair, +like the sweet old-fashioned pictures of eighteenth-century beauties in +powder and patches. I love to look at them, and to listen to the gentle +refined way they talk--I think they're adorable!" + +"So they are--but you want something more in a school. I hope the fresh +teacher will be a regular sport, and that she'll use slang sometimes, and +play hockey. That's my ideal of a head mistress." + +Miss Mitchell, the new peg upon which so much was now to depend at 'The +Moorings,' might not have been blamed for regarding Tuesday morning as +somewhat of an ordeal. If she was nervous, however, she managed to +conceal her feelings, and bore the introduction to her prospective pupils +with cheerful calm. + +Forty-six girls, taking mental stock of her, decided instantly that she +was 'the right sort.' She was tall, in her middle twenties, had a fresh +complexion, light brown hair, a brisk decisive manner, and a pleasant +twinkle in her hazel eyes. She was evidently not in the least afraid of +her audience, a fact which at once gave her the right handle. She faced +their united stare smilingly. + +"I'm very pleased to meet you all!" she began. "I hope we shall work +together splendidly and have an extremely happy term. As Miss Pollard has +just told you, there have been so many changes at 'The Moorings' that it +is practically a new school. It's a tremendous opportunity to be able to +make a fresh start like this. We can make our own traditions and our own +rules. Some of you have been at the school before and some have been at +other schools, but I want you all to forget past traditions and unite +together to make 'The Moorings' the biggest success that can possibly be. +We're all going to love it and to be very loyal to it. We hope to do well +with our work, and well with our games. I must explain to you later about +all the various societies which we mean to start, but I want to tell you +that though there is plenty of work in front of you there's also plenty +of fun, and that if every girl makes up her mind to do her very best all +round we shall get on grandly. Now I am going to read out the lists of +the various forms, and then you can march away in turn to your own +classrooms." + +In making her arrangements for the reorganisation of the school Miss +Mitchell had decided to have no Sixth form as yet. The girls were all +under seventeen, and she did not consider any of them sufficiently +advanced to be placed in so high a position. The Fifth was at present to +be the top form, and consisted of eleven girls, all of whom she intended +should work their uttermost and fit themselves for the honour of becoming +the Sixth a year later. + +Mavis and Merle, both of whom were included in this elect eleven, walked +demurely away to their new classroom. Five of their old companions were +with them, Iva Westwood, Nesta Pitman, Aubrey Simpson, Muriel Burnitt, +and Edith Carey, and the remaining four consisted of Beata Castleton, Fay +Macleod, and two strangers, Sybil Vernon and Kitty Trefyre. Romola +Castleton had been placed in the Fourth, together with Maude Carey, +Babbie Williams, Nan Colville, Tattie Carew, and several other new girls. + +The Fifth, as the top form, was to be mainly Miss Mitchell's; Miss +Barnes, the fresh assistant mistress, was to take the Fourth; and the +teaching of the three lower forms would be shared by Miss Hopkins, +Mademoiselle, and Miss Fanny Pollard. Lessons, on a first morning, are +usually more or less haphazard, but at any rate a beginning was made, the +pupils were entered on their class registers, their capacities were +tested, and they began in some slight degree to know their teachers. +Before the school separated at 12.30 for dinner Miss Pollard had an +announcement to make. + +"Miss Mitchell and I have decided that for the general good of the school +it will be wise to appoint four monitresses. Two of these must be +boarders and will be chosen by us, but the other two may be elected by +yourselves. We will have a ballot this afternoon. You may nominate any +girls you like by writing their names upon slips of paper and handing +them in to me before 2.30. All candidates, however, must be over the age +of fifteen and must have spent at least two previous terms at 'The +Moorings.' The voting will take place in the big schoolroom immediately +after four o'clock." + +Mavis and Merle, walking home to lunch at Bridge House, discussed the +project eagerly as they went. + +"Good for Miss Pollard! Or I expect it's really Miss Mitchell who +suggested it! I call it a ripping idea. It's just exactly what's wanted. +The monitresses will lead the games and all the various societies. Run +the school, in fact. What sport!" rejoiced Merle, with shining eyes. "The +old 'Moorings' will really wake up at last." + +"Only four monitresses, and two of them are to be boarders and chosen by +the powers that be!" mused Mavis. "That means Iva and Nesta, if I know +anything of Miss Pollard and Miss Fanny! Now the question is who are to +be the other two lucky ones?" + +"It ought to be somebody who could lead!" flushed Merle. "Somebody really +good at games and able to organise all that rabble of kids. Some one +who's been accustomed to a big school and knows what ought to be done. +Not girls who've spent all their lives in a tiny school like this. +They've no standards. I've often told them that! They've simply no idea +of how things used to swing at the Whinburn High!" + +"I wish Miss Pollard and Miss Mitchell would have done all the choosing," +said Mavis anxiously. "I think myself it's a mistake to put it to the +vote. Probably somebody quite unsuitable will be elected. The juniors +will plump for the girl they like best, without caring whether she knows +anything about games or not. There's Aubrey Simpson!" + +"Oh! They _can't_ choose 'the jackdaw'!" interrupted Merle. + +"They can choose her if they like. She's over fifteen and perfectly +eligible. Edith Carey is rather a favourite, I believe." + +"That silly goose! Good-night!" + +"Well, there's Muriel Burnitt at any rate. She's been a long time at 'The +Moorings.'" + +"All the worse for that, though she's better than Edith or Aubrey. I +shall vote for her myself, and for you." + +"And I'm going to vote for _you_, and for Muriel, because, as you +say, she's better than the others. I sincerely hope you'll win." + +"I hope we both shall. I'll nominate you if you'll nominate me!" + +"Rather a family affair, isn't it? I think I'll ask first and see if +anybody else is going to give in our names. Perhaps Iva or Nesta may. It +would be much nicer than seeming to poke ourselves forward." + +"If we don't hustle a little we'll never get there! That's my opinion! +You're too good for this wicked world, Mavis! I've often told you so!" +declared Merle, running into the house and putting down her books with a +slam. "Angel girls are all very well at home, but school is a scrimmage +and it's those who fight who come up on top! Don't laugh! Oh, I enjoy +fighting! I tell you I want most desperately and tremendously to be made +a monitress, and if I'm not chosen, well--it will be the disappointment +of my life! I'm not joking! I mean it really and truly. I've set my heart +upon it." + +Mavis, who had a very fine sense of the fitness of things, and who did +not think sisters should nominate one another, returned early to school +that afternoon and hunted up Iva Westwood. She found her very +enthusiastic about the election. + +"We've never had anything of the sort before at 'The Moorings,'" purred +Iva. "We're beginning to wake up here, aren't we? I'm going to give in +your name as a candidate, Mavis! I'm just writing it now." + +"Thanks! Won't you put Merle too?" + +"Oh, I will if you like." (Iva's voice was not too enthusiastic.) "I +suppose it doesn't matter how many we nominate. Somehow I never thought +of Merle." + +"She's a splendid leader, and A1 at games. You should have seen her at +Whinburn High!" + +"Oh, I daresay! Well, to please you I'll put her name on my list. It can +do no harm at any rate." + +"Thanks ever so!" + +"Old Muriel's canvassing like anything downstairs among the kids!" + +"Is canvassing allowed?" + +"Well, it hasn't been forbidden. Nesta and I are too proud to go and beg +for votes, but Mu doesn't care in the least; rather enjoys it, in fact. +She's sitting in the playroom, with Florrie Leach and Betty Marshall on +her knee, 'doing the popular,' and giving away whole packets of sweets. +If Merle really wants--hello! here's Merle herself!" + +Mavis turned quickly, for her younger sister, looking flushed and +excited, had burst suddenly into the room and was speaking eagerly. + +"Mavis! Have you a shilling in your pocket? I left my purse at home! +_Do_ lend it to me! What for? I want to tear out and buy some +sweets. Oh yes, I've time. I shall simply sprint. Hand it over, that's a +saintly girl! Thanks immensely!" + +Merle departed like a whirlwind, slamming the door after her. Iva +Westwood pulled an expressive grimace and laughed. + +"So she's trying the popular trick too! Well, sometimes it works and +sometimes it doesn't. I think Edith Carey has a good chance myself. The +kids are rather fond of her. Have you written your nominations yet, +Mavis? Then come along, and we'll drop them inside the box." + +As the first bell rang at 2.25 and the girls began to assemble in the big +schoolroom, Muriel Burnitt walked in followed by a perfect comet's tail +of juniors, some of whom were hanging on to her arms. Each was sucking a +peppermint bull's-eye, and each wore a piece of pink ribbon pinned on to +her dress. + +"Muriel's favours!" they explained, giggling loudly. "We're all of us +going to vote for her. Isn't it fun?" + +Mavis glanced round for Merle, hoping her expedition to the sweet-shop +would not have made her late, and to her relief saw her sitting on the +opposite side of the room, in company with Beata and Romola Castleton, +Fay Macleod, and a number of other new girls whose acquaintance she had +evidently just made. They were passing round chocolates, and seemingly +enjoying themselves. Merle waved a hand gaily at her sister, beckoning +her to join the group, but at that moment Miss Mitchell entered the room, +and all seated themselves on the nearest available benches while the +roll-call was taken. + +"We will meet here at four o'clock for the election," said the mistress, +as she closed the register and dismissed the various forms to their +classrooms. + +The first day of a new term always seems intolerably long, and with such +an interesting event as a ballot before them most of the girls felt the +hour and a half to drag, and turned many surreptitious glances towards +wrist watches. Merle in especial, who hated French translation, groaned +as she looked up words in the dictionary, and made several stupid +mistakes, because her thoughts were focussed on the election instead of +on the matter in hand. Once she yawned openly, and drew down a reproof +from Mademoiselle, whereupon she heaved a submissive sigh, controlled her +boredom, and went on wearily transferring the flowery sentiments of +Fénelon into the English tongue. At precisely five minutes to four the +big bell clanged out a warning, dictionaries were shut, exercise-books +handed in, pencil-boxes replaced in desks, and the class filed downstairs +to the big schoolroom. Miss Pollard was not there: she was busy in the +hostel; and Miss Fanny, looking rather flustered and nervous, had +evidently given over the conduct of the meeting to Miss Mitchell, and was +present merely as a spectator. The new mistress seemed perfectly at home +and ready for the occasion. She passed round pieces of paper, inquired +whether everybody had a pencil, then made her announcements. + +"As Miss Pollard told you this morning, you are here to elect two +monitresses. Two from among the boarders have already been chosen by us, +these are Iva Westwood and Nesta Pitman, but the remaining two are to be +balloted for from among the list of candidates. As perhaps some of you +don't understand a ballot, I will tell you just what to do. I have +written on the blackboard the names of those girls who have been +nominated: + +"Muriel Burnitt. + +"Aubrey Simpson. + +"Edith Carey. + +"Mavis Ramsay. + +"Merle Ramsay. + +"What I want you to do is to write on your piece of paper the names of the +two candidates for whom you wish to vote, then fold your paper and hand +it in. You must not add your own name to it, and you have no need to tell +anybody how you voted. The whole principle of a ballot is that it is done +in secret. Are you ready? Then please begin." + +The little ceremony was soon over, the girls scribbled rapidly, folded +their papers, and passed them along the benches to Nesta and Iva, who +collected them and gave them to Miss Mitchell. + +"It will take a short time to count the votes," explained the mistress. +"Those girls who wish to go home can do so, but any who like to wait and +hear the result can stay." + +Miss Mitchell and Miss Fanny retired to the study and the meeting broke +up. Most of the day-girls put on their hats and coats in readiness to go +home, but hung about the hall until the names should be announced. The +contingent from Chagmouth, whose car was stationed outside in the road, +and whose driver was waxing impatient, were obliged to depart without the +exciting news. Merle went as far as the gate to watch them pack into +their 'sardine-tin.' Four sat behind, and two in front with the +chauffeur, all quite radiant and thoroughly enjoying themselves. + +"Good-bye! I hope you'll win!" said Beata, waving a hand to Merle with +difficulty, for she was tightly sandwiched between Fay and Tattie. "We +did our best for you and Mavis. I didn't know any of those others. +Romola, have you got the books? That's all right. I was afraid we'd left +the satchel. Yes," (to the chauffeur) "we're quite ready now, thanks! +Ta-ta, Merle! Good luck to you! We're off!" + +Merle, looking after the retreating car, was joined by Aubrey Simpson, +rather injured, and disconsolate. + +"I didn't know all these new girls were to have votes," she grumbled. +"How can _they_ choose a monitress when they don't know anybody! +It's rather humbug, isn't it?" + +"They know _me_" perked Merle. + +"Did you canvass them? Oh, how mean!" + +"Why mean? You could have done it yourself. Muriel was canvassing among +the juniors as hard as she could go." + +"I might have canvassed among the new boarders! Why didn't I think of +it?" wailed Aubrey. + +"Well, really, it's your own stupid fault! Don't blame me!" snapped +Merle. + +"Iva and Nesta said they didn't mean to ask for votes." + +"Well, they'd no need to. They were both jolly certain that Miss Pollard +would make them monitresses. It's easy to talk loftily when you're sure +of your innings." + +"Did Mavis canvass?" + +"No--but then, of course, Mavis wouldn't!" + +"Why not?" + +"Oh--because she's Mavis! I can't see her doing it somehow. What a long +time Miss Mitchell and Miss Fanny are over their counting! I wish they'd +hurry up. I want to go home to tea." + +The girls had not much longer, however, to wait. + +In the course of a few minutes the new mistress entered the hall and read +out the important result. + +"The polling is as follows," she announced. + + "Muriel Burnitt . . . 27 + Mavis Ramsay . . . 20 + Merle Ramsay . . . 19 + Edith Carey . . . 14 + Aubrey Simpson . . . 12 + +"The two monitresses elected, therefore, are Muriel Burnitt and Mavis +Ramsay." + +Some of the girls raised a cheer, others took no notice; Miss Mitchell, +who seemed in a hurry, vanished back into the study. The boarders, +hearing their tea-bell, made for the hostel. + +"Congrats, Mavis!" said Iva, as she walked away arm-in-arm with Nesta. +"I'm glad the lot has fallen on you. Muriel was pretty sure of a +walk-over, but it was a toss-up who was to be the fourth. I don't mind +telling you I voted for you myself. And so did Nesta, I'm sure." + +"It was a ballot, and I'm not going to let out whom I voted for!" +declared Nesta. "Some people can't keep their own secrets! All the same, +I'm glad it's you, Mavis. I wouldn't have had Aubrey a monitress for +worlds." + +The Ramsays walked home together along the High Street to Bridge House. +Muriel Burnitt, escorted by Florrie and Viola Leach and the three little +Andrews, was on in front, pluming herself upon her victory. The Careys +had disappeared down the short cut to the Vicarage. Mavis hardly dared to +look at Merle. The latter kept her face turned away and blinked her eyes +hard. She had enough self-restraint not to weep openly in the High +Street. When they reached their own door however, she bolted through the +surgery entrance and, running into the garden, hid herself in the +summer-house, whither Mavis, after a word to Aunt Nellie, presently +followed her to offer what consolation she could. + +"It's not that I'm jealous of _you_!" sobbed Merle stormily. "I +wanted us both to win! What does Muriel know about a decent game of +hockey, or how to conduct a society, or run a school magazine? It's +idiotic that she should be chosen. Neither she nor Iva nor Nesta has ever +been at a big school. A precious bungle they'll make of their meetings. I +know _you'll_ be there--but you're so gentle you'll never stand up +against them, and they'll have everything their own silly way. 'The +Moorings' won't be very much changed if it's just to be run upon the same +old lines. I shan't bother to try and help. I might have done so much if +they'd elected me, but what's the use now? I'm frightfully and +frantically disappointed. If Miss Mitchell had had any sense she'd have +waited a fortnight till she got to know the girls, and then have chosen +the monitresses herself. If it's Miss Fanny's fault, I'm not friends with +her any more! Tea-time, did you say? I suppose I shall have to come in +then, though I really don't want any. Ugh! I hate everything!" + +Tea that day was a dreary affair. Uncle David was out, Aunt Nellie had a +headache so was unusually quiet, and Merle, with red eyes, sat silent and +brooding. Mavis tried desperately to make a little conversation, but it +was impossible to maintain a monologue, and she soon dropped the futile +attempt. Merle, after eating half a piece of bread and butter and +declining a chocolate biscuit, begged suddenly to be excused, and with +two big unruly tears splashing down her cheeks fled from the room. + +"Poor child! I'm afraid she's terribly disappointed," commented Aunt +Nellie sympathetically. + +"It seems a pity she wasn't chosen. I suppose she would have made a +splendid monitress. It's half the battle to be keen about anything." + +Mavis agreed, passed the cake, finished her tea, picked up the dropped +stitches in Aunt Nellie's piece of knitting, carried a message to the +cook, then went out into the garden. She wanted to be alone for a little +while. There was a retired corner among the bushes by the wall +overlooking the river. She had placed a box here for a seat, and called +it her hermitage. Even Merle had not so far discovered it. It was a +retreat where she could withdraw from everybody, and be absolutely +uninterrupted and by herself. There was something about which she wished +to think in quiet. The idea had been pressing upon her, clamouring in her +brain ever since Miss Mitchell's announcement, but she must consider it +carefully before she acted upon it. Sitting in her green nook, watching +the golden light sparkling upon the river below, she faced her problem: + +"_Merle would really make a far better monitress than I should. Oughtn't +I to give the post up to her?_" + +It was a struggle, and a very difficult one, for Mavis, quiet though she +was, had her ambitions, and it would be hard to yield place to her +younger sister. It is only those who are accustomed to practise self- +control who have the strength for an emergency. She longed for the +opportunity of helping the school, and to stand aside voluntarily and +give the work up to another seemed a big sacrifice. + +"It's got to be, though!" sighed Mavis. "I'll go down and see Miss Fanny +about it at once. I expect I can make her understand." + +Dodging Merle, who was disconsolately doing some gardening, she walked +back to 'The Moorings' and went to the hostel. Miss Fanny, busy among the +new boarders, received her with astonishment. + +"What is it, Mavis? I can only spare you five minutes. You want to speak +to me about the monitress-ship? My dear child, Miss Mitchell will explain +everything to you to-morrow, and tell you exactly what you have to do. +There's no need to trouble about it now." + +"It isn't that, please, Miss Fanny!" blushed Mavis. "The fact of the +matter is that I think Merle ought to have been chosen instead of me. I +was only one mark ahead of her. She'd make a far better monitress than I +should. May I resign and let her have the post instead?" + +This was coming to the point with a vengeance. Miss Fanny knitted her +eyebrows and pursed up her mouth into a button. + +"I rather expected Merle to be elected," she admitted cautiously. + +"She'd be splendid!" urged Mavis, pursuing her advantage. "She's a born +leader. She's able to organise things and to keep order, and she's good +at games. She'd throw herself heart and soul into it, and work +tremendously at all the new schemes. She'd start clubs among the juniors +as well as the seniors, and coach them in hockey, and do her level best! +I'll guarantee she would!" + +"And what about yourself? Can't you do any of these things?" questioned +Miss Fanny. + +"Not so well as Merle! I'm shyer, and I daren't speak out, and I'm not +much good at games. And oh! Miss Fanny, there's another side of the +question. I know Merle so well. If she's made monitress she'll be heart +and soul for the school and an enormous help, but--she's a queer girl, +and if she has no special place here or anything to concentrate her +energy on, she may give trouble." + +"That is certainly no reason for placing her in a post of authority," +frowned Miss Fanny. + +"No--but she's a girl who's always for or against, and it's so very +important she should be on the right side. I believe this would be the +making of her. She'd try for the sake of others when she wouldn't make +any effort for herself." + +"I believe you're right," conceded Miss Fanny thoughtfully. "Miss +Mitchell would certainly be most relieved to have a monitress who was +capable of organising the juniors at games. She was wondering how she was +going to manage. Do I understand, then, that you wish to resign in favour +of Merle?" + +"Please! I'll help her all I can in the background." + +"Very well, Mavis. I'll accept your resignation and announce the matter +in school to-morrow. Now I must go, for I have a hundred things to do. +Tell Merle to come five minutes earlier in the morning and I'll talk to +her in the study. On the whole, I think the arrangement will be all for +the best." + +It was a very radiant, triumphant Mavis who ran home to the old garden, +found Merle among the flowerbeds, and told her the glorious news. + +"Sis! You can't mean it! Is it true? Oh, I don't like to take it! It's +too good of you! Don't you really mind? It's all the world to _me_. +I've been hoping to be made monitress ever since Miss Pollard spoke about +reorganising the school. Won't I have the time of my life! Monitress +Merle! It sounds nice, doesn't it? I must go and tell Jessop and Aunt +Nellie! How astonished everybody will be in school to-morrow. Fay and +Beata will be pleased. They were tremendously keen on my winning the +ballot. I'm so glad about it I want to turn a somersault or do something +mad. Come and dance with me, you old darling! What a trump you are! +You're _sure_ you don't mind?" + +"Not a bit," said Mavis, swallowing a little lump in her throat. "Of +course I'll be ready to help you with anything whenever you want me. +There'll be plenty of hard work just at first, no doubt. You'll soon be +up to your eyes in starting clubs and societies. Keep a corner for me on +the school magazine if you found one. That's all I bargain for. I always +liked the Literary Society at Whinburn High. My hearty congratulations to +you, and every good wish for the success of everything you undertake +--Miss Monitress Merle!" + + + + +CHAPTER III + +The New Monitress + + +The announcement of Mavis's resignation and the consequent promotion of +Merle to the post of monitress was received at school with varying +degrees of surprise. Some of the girls regretted it, others thought that +in the circumstances it was a wise decision. + +"On the whole, I'm glad," admitted Iva in private to Nesta. "I love +Mavis, but she's too fine stuff for the job. It's like trying to cut +sacking with your most delicate pair of scissors. Now Merle will slash +away and won't mind anything. She's not afraid of those juniors, and +really some of them need a tight hand, the young wretches. It would half +kill Mavis to have to battle with them. Merle enjoys fighting." + +"She'll get it, then," laughed Nesta. "There'll be plenty of scope for it +in the school, and I daresay I shall have a scrimmage or two with her +myself. Certainly Muriel will! Don't look shocked. We'll do our squabbles +in private if we have any. To the rest of the world, of course, the four +monitresses will seem absolutely at one about everything. We won't give +ourselves away!" + +In a school where hitherto there has been no strict standard of +discipline, and which has suddenly doubled its numbers, it is rather a +difficult matter to decide the absolute limits of authority. Miss +Mitchell, new herself, gave the monitresses some general rules and +directions but left them to make what she called 'their own by-laws.' + +"Work as much as you can through committees, and have an occasional +general meeting to voice popular opinion," she counselled. "Always keep +your position as leaders, but don't degenerate into an oligarchy. Listen +to just grievances, and try and bring everybody into harmony. The tone of +the school will depend very largely upon you four. Remember it's a +responsibility as well as an honour to have such a post of trust." + +By the wish of both Miss Pollard and Miss Mitchell, it was arranged that +Iva and Nesta, who were boarders, should busy themselves mostly with the +affairs of the hostel, and that Muriel and Merle should look after those +things which specially concerned the day-girls. There were, of course, +various societies in which they could all unite, but the interests of +both were to be equally balanced. In order that the girls should have +time to inaugurate the numerous projects that loomed on the horizon, the +last hour of the coming Thursday afternoon was set apart for the purpose, +and a general meeting was to be held in the schoolroom. + +"I shall leave you to manage it entirely yourselves," said Miss Mitchell. +"Found your own clubs, make your own arrangements, and elect your own +committees and officers. You can come and tell me about it afterwards." + +Merle, rejoicing over the liberty thus given, found Iva, Nesta, and +Muriel a trifle nervous and diffident. + +"The fact of the matter is," admitted Iva ruefully, "we none of us know +how to conduct a public meeting. What do you _do_? I've a vague idea +that there ought to be a chairman and a secretary, but what else? Rather +weak of us, isn't it? It seems so humiliating to go and tell Miss +Mitchell we can't carry on! She'll think us queer monitresses. Merle, can +you give any light?" + +"We used to have heaps of public meetings at Whinburn High, and I think I +know the ropes. I can coach you all up beforehand. I should say we'd +better find out what girls are most likely to be of help, and arrange for +them to be proposed as members of committees. There's Mavis, of course. +Beata and Romola Castleton have been at school before, and so has Fay +Macleod. Kitty Trefyre looks as if she might be useful." + +"I shall propose that you take the chair," said Iva. "Oughtn't that to be +a question of age?" interrupted Muriel quickly. + +"It's a question of who is competent to do it. Merle's the only one of us +who knows how," returned Nesta, looking Muriel squarely in the face. + +"Oh, all right!" (rather sulkily). + +"We shall want a secretary, and you're a quick writer," suggested Merle, +with more tact than she generally possessed. + +It was evident to Merle from the first that the greatest factor of +trouble in connection with her new post would lie with Muriel Burnitt. +Muriel was a little older than herself, she was clever, and she had a +sharp tongue. She had been educated solely at 'The Moorings,' and she +very much resented any allusions by Merle to former doings at the +Whinburn High school. Iva and Nesta were more broad-minded, and were +quite ready to take the benefit of Merle's past experiences, but as their +work lay largely at the hostel they were not so likely to clash. Even +Muriel, however, recognised the necessity of receiving instruction on the +subject of a public meeting, and allowed herself to be duly coached for +the duties of the occasion. + +All the school felt quite excited when three o'clock on Thursday +afternoon arrived, and they were left to themselves in the large +classroom. Big girls, little girls, new girls, and old girls sat on the +forms in giggling anticipation, chattering like swallows on the eve of +migration, and determined to have a good time and enjoy themselves. + +"You're the eldest! Open the ball!" said Iva, pushing Nesta forward. + +But Nesta had turned shy. She had never been in such a position before, +and, flushing scarlet, she urged her utter inability to cope with the +matter. + +"I can't! You do it--or Muriel!" she whispered in an agonized voice. + +But Muriel, in spite of her ambition, was also afflicted with stage-fright +and passed on the honour. + +Iva, making a supreme effort, called to the girls for silence, but they +were too much out of hand to listen to her and only went on talking. +Merle, following some wise advice administered by Mavis, had allowed the +other three to have first innings, but as none seemed capable of +controlling the meeting she now stepped to the front and, making a +megaphone of a roll of foolscap, yelled, "Order!" with all the force of +her lungs. The effect was instantaneous. There was an immediate dead +hush, and all eyes were turned in her direction. + +"We're here this afternoon on business, and our first matter is to elect +a chairwoman," she proclaimed. "Will somebody kindly nominate one." + +"I beg to propose Merle," piped Iva. + +"And I beg to second her," fluttered Nesta, taking courage. + +The clapping and stamping that followed witnessed the entire approval of +the meeting. Merle was unanimously elected to the chair, and having thus +received the symbol of authority proceeded to wield it. She was not in +the least bashful, and was quite ready to cope with anything that lay +before her. She held up a hand for silence and addressed her audience. + +"I've told you we're here on business, and I want to explain. As it +affects everybody, perhaps you'll kindly listen without talking. Will +those three girls on the back bench move out here? Thanks! Now you all +know the school has started on a new era, and we hope it's going to forge +ahead. In the past we haven't done very much in the way of societies. +Perhaps that's all the better, because it gives us the chance to make a +clean start now, without any back traditions to hamper us. What I propose +is this: We'll go slow at first until we get into the swing of things, +and then later on we can blossom out as much as we like. I suggest that +we should get up three societies: + +"A Games Club. + +"A Literary Club. + +"An Entertainment Club. + +"The Games Club will try and work up a decent hockey team, and when our +play is worth anything, we'll see if we can't arrange a match with some +other school. The Literary Club will run a magazine, to which you'll all +be welcome to send contributions; and the Entertainment Club will +concentrate on getting up theatricals or something of that sort for the +end of the term. Does this meet your views?" + +"Rather!" + +"A1." + +"Go ahead!" shouted several voices. + +"Well, our first business is to appoint a president and a secretary for +each. I'm going to write a few likely names upon the blackboard, and then +you can make your choice. I ought to add that the boarders have already +started a Recreation Club of their own, and have made Nesta Pitman +president and Aubrey Simpson secretary. This has nothing to do with the +day-girls, but I just mention it, thinking you'd like to know about it. +We haven't time for a ballot, so if you'll propose candidates we'll take +the voting by a show of hands." + +An interesting and exciting ten minutes followed, in which the merits and +demerits of various nominations were discussed, and the following girls +were finally elected to office: + +GAMES CLUB + + _President_. Merle Ramsay. + _Secretary_. Kitty Trefyre. + _Committee_. Muriel Burnitt. + Aubrey Simpson. + Beata Castleton. + Tattie Carew. + Edith Carey. + Peggie Morrison. + +LITERARY CLUB + + _President_. Muriel Burnitt. + _Secretary and Editress of Magazine_. Mavis Ramsay. + _Committee._ Iva Westwood. Maude Carey. + Merle Ramsay. Fay Macleod. + Nesta Pitman. Peggie Morrison. + +ENTERTAINMENTS CLUB + + _President_. Iva Westwood. + _Secretary_. Nesta Pitman. + _Committee_. Muriel Burnitt. Aubrey Simpson. + Mavis Ramsay. Sybil Vernon. + Merle Ramsay. Kitty Trefyre. + +It was just when the successful candidates were receiving congratulations +that Beata Castleton stood up. + +"As this is an open meeting may I make a suggestion?" she asked. + +"Certainly," replied Merle from the chair. + +"Well, I should like to suggest a 'Nature Study Club.' There doesn't seem +to be anything of that sort in the school, is there?" + +"We have a museum somewhere about the place, I believe," admitted Merle. + +"It's all put away in boxes," said Edith. + +"Then why can't we bring it out and arrange it and add to it? And can't +we start a record, year by year, of when we find the first specimens of +certain wild flowers, hear the first notes of certain birds, and see +migratory birds? It would be ever so interesting." + +"What a splendid idea! I'd like to second that!" exclaimed Mavis, jumping +up in great enthusiasm. + +The general feeling was in favour of the proposition, and the Nature +Study Club was duly inaugurated, with Beata for president and Fay Macleod +for secretary, and a committee consisting mostly of the particular little +set of girls who motored daily from Chagmouth. + +By four o'clock the whole of the business was concluded, the societies +were established, and a very hopeful start had been made. Among the many +activities of that important afternoon one point seemed to stand out +firmly and clearly--Merle above all the other monitresses had shown +herself capable of taking the lead. Where Iva, Nesta, and Muriel had +failed to control the school she had restored order, conducted the +meeting admirably, and exhibited considerable powers of organisation. She +had undoubtedly justified her position, and had won the respect of most +of her comrades. + +"Did I do all right?" she asked Mavis anxiously, as they walked home. + +"Splendiferously! I was bursting with pride! I couldn't have done it +myself, Merle! When I saw all that rackety crew talking and ragging, I +thought it was hopeless and that we should have to fetch Miss Mitchell. +Some of those juniors had just made up their minds to give trouble. You +tackled them marvellously." + +"I wasn't going to give in to them!" declared Merle. "I meant to stop +their ragging if I had to go round and box all their ears. Well! They +know now they have to behave themselves or I'll know the reason why! But +oh, Mavis! I don't think Muriel will ever forgive me for being +chairwoman." + +"Why not?" + +"She never wanted me to be a monitress!" + +"Nonsense!" + +"It's the truth." + +"Well, she missed her own opportunity, so she can't blame you for taking +it this afternoon." + +"She's against me all the same. Iva and Nesta are quite nice, but there +are going to be squalls with Muriel. You'll take my part?" + +"Of course I shall, through thick and thin. You can always count on your +own sister." + +"That's something to go upon at any rate. I shall need support. I don't +believe it's going to be an easy business." + +"'Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown,'" quoted Mavis laughingly. + +"Exactly. I wanted tremendously to be monitress, but I didn't realise all +I was in for. I see many breezes in front." + +"You'll weather them all, don't fear! After such a splendid start I've +every confidence in you. It's only a question now of keeping it up and +going ahead." + +Merle was not mistaken in her estimation of the difficulties that lay +before her. A certain section of the juniors, led by Winnie Osborne and +Joyce Colman, the firebrands of the Third form, offered great resistance +to the authority of the monitresses, and put every possible obstacle in +their way. To keep these unruly youngsters in order meant a constant +clashing of wills, and needed much courage and determination. Some of the +new girls also were inclined to rebel and to air their own views. Sybil +Vernon, in particular, was a thorn in the flesh. She had been at +boarding-school before, and on the strength of her previous experience +she offered advice upon any and every occasion. She was very aggrieved +that she had not been eligible for election to office herself. + +"I know so much more about it than most of you!" she would explain +airily. "If Miss Pollard had only chosen _me_ as a monitress I could +have organised everything exactly like it used to be done at The Limes." + +Sybil was a curious girl, fair, with a fat babyish face, and a vast idea +of her own importance. She was very proud of her family, and never for a +moment forgot, or allowed anybody else to forget, that she belonged to +the Vernons of Renshaw Court, and that Sir Richard Vernon was her second +cousin. She expected a great deal more attention than the school was +willing to accord to her, and was invariably offended or aggrieved or +annoyed about something. The girls did not take her very seriously, and +laughed at what they called her 'jim-jams,' which had the effect of +making her first very indignant and finally reducing her to floods of +tears. + +Though Sybil might be annoying there was really not much harm in her, and +her criticisms were very easily combated. A different girl altogether, +however, was Kitty Trefyre. She also had been at another school, and set +forth standards of conduct which were dissimilar from those at 'The +Moorings.' She was cautious in airing these, and wisely so, for most of +them caused the monitresses to lift their eyebrows in amazement, +whereupon she would instantly retract her remarks and declare she was +only 'ragging.' How much she really meant Merle never knew, but the +latter did not trust her. + +"There's a sneaky look about her eyes," she commented to Mavis. "Sybil +lunges out and finds open fault, but Kitty hits in the dark. I hope she's +not going to spoil Iva!" + +"Oh, don't say that!" + +"They're chums already, and Iva is rather a chameleon! She takes the +colour of her character from her friends." + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +Chagmouth Folk + + +As this book partly concerns the doings of the group of girls who came +daily from Chagmouth to Durracombe, we will follow them as they motored +back on their ten miles' journey from school. Squashed together in 'the +sardine-tin,' as they irreverently nicknamed the highly respectable car +driven by Mr. Vicary, who owned the garage close to the mill, they held +high jinks and talked at least thirteen to the dozen. There was so much +to discuss. The school was new to all of them, and naturally they wished +to criticise its methods, its teachers, its girls, and its prospects of +fun during the ensuing term. + +"I like Miss Mitchell!" + +"Yes, she's jolly, though I fancy she could be stern." + +"Oh, I shouldn't like to face her in the study, of course." + +"Miss Fanny is a dear!" + +"And so is Miss Pollard." + +"What d'you think of the monitresses?" + +"Merle is A1!" + +"Yes, I'm taken with Mavis and Merle! Partly because they seem to belong +to Chagmouth. They come over nearly every Saturday with Dr. Tremayne." + +"Good! Then we shall see something of them. Hello! What's this car trying +to pass us? Babbie Williams! I'd forgotten for the moment she lives at +Chagmouth too." + +It was Babbie, driving in solitary state, who flew by in the big motor, +which turned up the side road that led to The Warren. She gave a friendly +nod as she passed, and the six 'sardines' smiled in return. + +"It's a case of 'we are seven' from Chagmouth," commented Fay. "If we +include Mavis and Merle that would make nine. I guess we'll get up a set +of nature study rambles on Saturday afternoons and all go out together. +We'd have some real frolics!" + +"Rather! I'm your girl! Romola and I are ready for any fun that's going. +That's to say if there's going to be time for any fun. But with all the +pile of lessons Miss Mitchell has given us we shall be busy, with our +noses at the grindstone. It always takes both of us hours to do our +prep!" + +The car meanwhile, with Mr. Vicary at the driving-wheel, had run across +the moor and down the steep hill, and was jolting over the cobble-stones +of the narrow main street of Chagmouth. It stopped outside the Post +Office, for the principal reason that if it went any farther it would be +impossible for it to turn round, and the girls, dismounting, took their +satchels or piles of books, said good-bye to one another, and scattered +to their respective homes. Beata and Romola crossed the bridge that +spanned the brook, skirted the harbour, climbed a flight of steps cut in +the solid rock, and reached a house which stood on the top of a high crag +overlooking the sea. It was an ideal spot for an artist to live, and it +was chiefly for its glorious view that Mr. Castleton had chosen it. He +was intensely sensitive to his surroundings, and preferred a picturesque +cottage, however inconvenient, to the comforts of an unaesthetic, bow- +windowed, modern, red-brick, suburban residence. + +"Romance before everything!" he declared. "It's impossible to paint +unless you're in the right atmosphere. English scenery is getting spoilt +and vulgarised to such a degree that there'll soon be none of it left to +sketch. Where are the beautiful villages of thirty years ago? Gone--most +of them! The thatched roofs replaced by corrugated iron, and the hedges +clipped close to please the motorists. I defy anybody to make a +successful picture out of a clipped hedge! Even the gnarled apple trees +are being cut down and replaced by market gardeners' 'choice saplings.' +Picturesque England will soon be a thing of the past! I consider +Chagmouth one of the last strongholds for an artist, and I'm going to +live here as long as it remains unspoilt. There's enough work to keep me +busy for several years at any rate." + +It is part of an artist's business to move about from place to place in +quest of fresh subjects. Mr. Castleton had spent some years at +Porthkeverne, and having, from a professional point of view, exhausted +that neighbourhood, he had transferred himself and his family to a new +horizon. He had a genius for discovering his right niche, and he had been +fortunate enough to light upon exactly the place that appealed to him. It +would not have suited everybody. It was a long low house, made of three +fishermen's cottages thrown into one, built so close to the edge of the +cliff that it seemed like a sea-bird's nest, with windows overlooking the +channel and the harbour, and a strip of stony garden behind. Inside, the +accommodation was somewhat cramped, but the rooms, if small, were quaint, +with an old-fashioned air about the panelled parlour and raftered dining- +room that suggested bygone days of smugglers and privateers. Below, in a +nook of the cliff, stood an old sail-shed, which Mr. Castleton had turned +into his studio. The big new skylight had only just been fitted into the +roof, and the stove which was to heat it during the winter was still at +Durracombe station waiting for the carrier to fetch it, but canvases were +already hung round the walls, the throne was erected and the big easel +placed in position, and an old fisherman, with weather-beaten countenance +and picturesque stained jersey, sat every morning for his portrait. + +Those of our readers who have met the Castletons before in _The Head +Girl at the Gables_, will remember that they were a very large family. +Morland, the eldest, had been at the war, had won the D.C.M., and was now +learning engineering; Claudia was studying singing in London; Madox had +been sent for his first term at boarding-school; and the four little +ones, Constable, Lilith, Perugia, and Gabriel, were still in the nursery. +There was only one gap. Landry, poor Landry, who had never been like +other boys, had passed over the divide and joined the beautiful mother +whom in features he had so strongly resembled. A painting of him, as a +little child in her arms, hung on the studio wall. In some respects it +was the most brilliant portrait which Mr. Castleton had ever achieved. He +always showed it to visitors as a specimen of his best work. + +At the time this story begins, Beata and Romola were fourteen and +thirteen years of age. They thoroughly maintained the family reputation +for good looks. There was a certain resemblance between them, and yet a +difference. Beata's eyes were clear grey, with dark lines round the iris, +and her hair was the exact shade of one of her father's best English gold +picture frames. She was a clever, capable girl, with a great love for +music, and was beginning to play the violin rather well. She got on quite +tolerably with her stepmother, and was fond of the little half-brothers +and sisters, though the warmest corner of her heart was reserved for +Madox, who was the baby of the elder portion of the family. + +Romola, blue-eyed and ethereal, with long amber hair like a Saxon +princess, was her father's favourite model whenever he wished to depict +scenes of olden times. She figured as 'Guinevere' in a series of +illustrations to the _Morte d'Arthur_, as 'Elaine' her portrait had +been exhibited in the Academy, as 'The Lady of Shalott' she had appeared +in a coloured frontispiece of _The Art Review_, she inspired a most +successful poster of 'Cinderella,' and was the original of a series of +fairy drawings in a children's annual. She was not so clever or go-ahead +as Beata, and was rather dreamy and romantic in temperament, with a gift +towards painting and poetry, and a disinclination to do anything very +definite. She left most of the problems of life to Beata, and seldom +troubled to make decisions for herself. She was rather a pet with Violet, +her young stepmother, who, while preferring her to her sister, found her +the less useful of the two. + +"You go, Beata, you're so quick!" Violet would say, when she wanted an +errand done, and for the same reason gave the charge of the children to +the one who was the more capable of assuming the responsibility. + +It was not that Romola consciously shirked home duties, but she would any +time rather pose for an hour on the throne in the studio than take +temporary command of the nursery. Beata, on the contrary, hated sitting +still, and considered there was no greater penance than to be +commandeered by her father as a model. Her energetic temperament liked to +find its expression in outdoor activities. She had set to work upon the +neglected garden, and was busy trying to make flower-beds, and she looked +forward keenly to the forthcoming hockey season at school. The daily +drive to Durracombe and back was pure delight, and formed her greatest +compensation for leaving Porthkeverne and The Gables. + +The Haven, as the house occupied by the Castletons was called, had been +changed into its present form by an old retired sea-captain, and there +was much about it that suggested a nautical atmosphere. The panelled +walls of the parlour might have been taken from a ship's cabin, the +dining-room contained convenient lockers, there was a small observatory +upstairs built to accommodate a big telescope, and the figure-head of a +vessel adorned the garden. Young Mrs. Castleton, whose tastes inclined +towards up-to-date comforts, often grumbled at its inconveniences, but on +the whole the family liked it. They would not have exchanged it for a +suburban villa for worlds. Just on the opposite side of the harbour, with +the jetty and the broad strip of green water in between, was the +furnished house rented at present by the Macleods. It stood in the more +aristocratic portion of Chagmouth, apart from the town and the fishing, +in company with one or two other newly-built residences. It was +charmingly pretty and artistic, in a perfectly modern fashion, and had +been designed by a famous architect. Its owner, a retired naval officer, +had gone abroad for a year, and had let the place in his absence, +rejoicing to have secured a careful tenant. He might certainly +congratulate himself upon leaving his house in such good hands. Mr. +Macleod was an American gentleman, who, owing to a nervous breakdown, was +travelling in Europe, and happening in the course of the summer to wander +to Chagmouth, he had fallen in love with the quaint old town and had +decided to spend the winter there. The factor which largely influenced +this decision was the presence of Mr. Castleton. Mr. Macleod was an +enthusiastic amateur painter, and the prospect of being able to take +lessons from so good an artist was sufficient to chain him to Chagmouth. +His wife encouraged the idea. + +"George is just miserable if he's nothing to do," she explained to her +friends. "The doctor told me not to let him read too much or take up any +special mental hobby, but sketching strikes the happy medium. He +thoroughly enjoys pottering about in Mr. Castleton's studio, or making +drawings down on the quay. It's not arduous work and yet it keeps him +occupied. I like the house, and Fay can go to school near, so I expect +we're fixed here until next spring at any rate. If I get too bored I +shall run over to Paris and see my sister, but really I haven't been well +lately myself, and it will do me good to take a thorough rest for a +while." + +Fay, who had formed an enthusiastic friendship with Beata and Romola, was +as pleased with Chagmouth as her parents. From the windows of Bella Vista +she could look across the harbour to The Haven, and had already arranged +a code of signals by which she might communicate with her chums. She was +a bright, amusing girl, rather grown-up for her age, and the constant +companion of her father and mother. + +"Fay runs the house!" Mrs. Macleod would declare sometimes; but she was +immensely proud of her young daughter, and unwilling to thwart her in any +of the projects which she might care to take up. These, indeed, were +many. Fay dabbled in numerous hobbies, and her demands varied from +photographic materials to special sandals for toe dancing. She thoroughly +enjoyed life, and the freshness of her enthusiasm provided her parents +with a perpetual interest. To those friends who urged boarding-school her +mother was ready with the reply: + +"Why must we be parted from her? She's her father's best tonic! She keeps +him young and makes him laugh. She's getting her education and living her +home life at the same time, and that seems to me ideal. We shall probably +have to spare her later on to be married, so we may as well make the most +of her now while we've got her. It's the chief tragedy of parents that +the children grow up and go away. We'll enjoy our nest while we have our +one chick here. When the young ones are fledged, the old birds stop +singing." + +[Illustration: MR. CASTLETON DID NOT LOOK AT ALL PLEASED] + +Of the other girls who shared the car to Durracombe, Tattie Carew, whose +parents were in India had come to live with her aunt Miss Grant, in the +ivy-covered house at the top of the hill, while Nan and Lizzie Colville +were the daughters of the newly-appointed vicar. All six, therefore, were +fresh comers to the neighbourhood, and as yet had neither explored the +whole of its beauties nor learnt to understand its traditions. In both of +these respects Mavis and Merle, though non-residents, had the advantage +of them. Their friendship with Bevis Talland, the boy who, once the +village foundling, had turned out to be heir to the Chagmouth estate, had +given them an intimate acquaintance with the life of the place. Bevis had +shown them the haunts of the birds, and the best places for wild flowers, +had told them the local legends and the histories of the various worthies +of the parish. The little town indeed seemed strangely empty without him, +but at present he was away at school, and later would be going to +college, though eventually, when he came of age, he would probably take +up his residence in the old family home. The Warren, where Tallands had +lived for so many generations, had been let on a lease to Mr. Glyn +Williams, and the lawyers who managed the property had decided that this +arrangement should be continued during Bevis's minority; heavy death +duties and land-taxes would cripple the estate for some years, and it was +not worth while running a house for the sake of a schoolboy who could +pass only his holidays there. Mr. Glyn Williams meanwhile had bought +Bodoran Hall near Port Sennen, and would have leisure to make all the +many structural alterations which he wished before he was obliged to +leave The Warren. Through Bevis's foster-mother, Mrs. Penruddock of +Grimbal's Farm, where Dr. Tremayne had his branch surgery at Chagmouth, +Mavis and Merle were also kept very much in touch with the tone of the +place and knew most of the little happenings that occurred. They were +friendly with many of the village people, almost all of whom were their +uncle's patients at one time or another, and the Saturday expedition over +the moor from Durracombe was to them the central attraction of the whole +week. + +On the first Saturday afternoon of the new term, by special invitation, +they called at The Haven, and made the acquaintance of at least a portion +of the Castleton family. Beata was practising her violin, but she laid it +aside at once. + +"I'll finish my half-hour afterwards. It will do quite as well this +evening. It's too fine a day to stay stuffing inside the house. Do you +care to come into the garden? We can step out through this window. These +are the babies, Constable, Lilith, Perugia, and Gabriel. I was keeping an +eye on them while I practised, to see they weren't in any mischief. +Violet has a headache and is lying down. She's our stepmother, you know. +We don't let the little ones call her Violet though! Come here, Perugia, +and shake hands! She's rather a pet, isn't she?" + +The younger Castletons, from curly-headed Constable, known familiarly as +'Cooney,' to lovely three-year-old Baby Gabriel, were beautiful children, +and looked particularly picturesque in holland play-overalls embroidered +with saxe-blue. Mr. Castleton, who valued artistic effect before +everything, found Constable one of his most useful models, and though the +boy was now seven and a half, he was generally dressed in a Kate +Greenaway smock and his crop of golden curls was still uncut. + +"Don't touch him!" his father would protest, whenever the question of +Constable's hair arose in the family; "as he is he's worth an income to +me! He always gets into exhibitions and he generally sells. He's just +what the average British patron wants to buy. The public can't always +understand my allegorical pictures, but they know a pretty child when +they see one. He'll be spoilt for the studio if he loses his curls, and I +want to sketch him as a singing angel, and as a water-baby, and for some +of my Hans Andersen illustrations. It's too bad to ruin his artistic +value just when I've trained him to pose properly. It will be years +before Gabriel learns to sit as still--if he ever does." + +The little fellow had charmingly attractive manners, and came forward +willingly to talk to visitors. He and Perugia were the talkative ones; +Lilith, a flaxen-haired fairy of six, was very shy, and the baby was busy +with his own affairs and refused to be interrupted. + +"Romola is sitting for Father," explained Beata. "I expect he'd let her +go now though, if you'd care to come for a walk with us. Bother! What +shall I do with the little ones? I can't leave them to Violet when she's +lying down." + +"Bring them with you," suggested Mavis, who was making friends with +Perugia. + +"Should you mind? I'll tell you what! I'll borrow the donkey from the +farm, then they can ride in turns and won't get tired. Mrs. Donnithorne +is very good-natured about lending it. Constable, you run and ask her, +while we go to fetch Romola. Do you care to come to the studio?" + +Mavis and Merle were only too delighted to have the opportunity of taking +a peep into Mr. Castleton's den, so followed Beata to the old sail-room +down a flight of steps cut in the cliff side. They remembered the place, +for Job Helyar used to plait osiers there, and they had come once to buy +a basket from him. In its former days it had been nothing but a rough +shed. They hardly recognised it now it was turned into a studio. Beata +went boldly in, and introduced her visitors. Her father was painting a +study of Romola for incorporation in a large historical picture. She was +standing on the throne, in a beautiful scarlet mediaeval costume, with +her long fair hair unbound and flowing like an amber waterfall down her +back. Mr. Castleton did not look at all pleased at being interrupted in +his work, but he glanced at his watch and nodded a reluctant permission +to Romola to relieve her pose. She came down from the platform, +stretching her tired arms. + +"I'm supposed to be holding up a casket, and it's a horrid position to +keep," she explained. "May I go now, Dad? We want Mavis and Merle to take +us for a walk. I shan't be three seconds changing out of this costume. +You think the study is like me, Mavis? Show them the sketch for the +picture, Dad! Now you see where my place will be in it--just there. The +little page-boy is Constable, and Violet sat for the queen." + +While Romola slipped off her mediaeval robe and plaited her long hair, +Beata escorted the visitors back to the garden. She fetched a pair of +field-glasses, took a survey through them, then declared: + +"I can see Fay at her window, and Tattie sitting on the bank above her +aunt's tennis-court. I'll signal to them both, and they'll meet us by the +bridge. We'll call at the Vicarage and pick up Nan and Lizzie, then we +shall be quite a jolly party. Oh, here's Constable with Billy. I'm so +glad Mrs. Donnithorne will lend him to us. Are we all ready? Then come +along!" + +The six picturesque Castletons were already well known in the streets of +Chagmouth, and many eyes were turned to look at them as they passed +along, with Perugia and Gabriel riding the donkey together, Romola +holding them both on, and Lilith leading Billy by the bridle. Kindly +comments came from cottage doorways. + +"Stick on tight, ma dear!" + +"Don't 'ee walk behind or her'll kick!" + +"Mind her don't run away with ee!" + +"Don't they ride pretty, bless 'em!" + +At the bridge by the harbour the party was reinforced by Fay and Tattie, +and farther on they were joined by the Colvilles, so that they were +twelve strong as they left the town, and a particularly merry crew. At +the beginning of the first hill, however, the donkey stopped dead. +Several hands seized its bridle and tried to urge it forward, while Mavis +and Merle pushed it in the rear, but not all their efforts could induce +it to stir an inch. + +"Romola! What utter idiots we are!" exclaimed Beata. "Of course we've +forgotten the peppermints!" + +"Bother! So we have! We must go back for some, that's all!" + +"The 'donk' won't go without peppermints! He simply loves them!" +explained Beata tragically. + +"We always take a big packet of them with us to give him. He expects +them! He's turning his head round to look for them!" + +"Bless his heart, he shall have them then!" cooed Merle, patting the +dusty coat of their steed. "His auntie will go and get some for him +herself if he'll wait like a good boy. Is he particular what kind he +gets?" + +"He likes those big brown humbugs!" + +"Right-o! I'll run to Denham's shop and buy some. It's not far. Wait for +me, won't you?" + +"Wait!" echoed Beata. "There'll be no question of going on. Nothing but +humbugs will make him move his four feet. We'll camp here till you come +back." + +Merle performed her errand quickly, returning with two packets of sweets, +one for Billy and the other for the rest of the party. The donkey, after +consuming several peppermints, condescended to move on, and the +procession started once more. They had not gone far, however, before a +mishap occurred: in lieu of saddle a cushion had been tied on to Billy's +back, the strap had loosened, the cushion suddenly slipped, and Perugia +and Gabriel descended into the road. Romola managed to break their fall, +but they were both terrified, and refused to mount again, so Constable +took a turn instead, holding the bridle himself, while Lilith, with all +the Castleton instinct for artistic effect, gathered posies of wild +flowers and wove them into a wreath for the donkey's neck. + +The small people could not walk fast, and the steed stopped so often to +demand refreshments, that the expedition was very leisurely and they did +not proceed far. They had only reached the point above the lighthouse +when Mavis, with an eye on her wrist watch, declared it was time to turn +back. + +"We'll go with you another time, when we haven't to trail all this crew +along!" sighed Beata, as she bade good-bye to her friends. "Children are +a nuisance if you want to get on quickly. I'd have left them in the +garden if I could! Come and see us again at The Haven, won't you? I wish +Claudia and Morland were at home and we'd have some music. Well, I shall +see you next week, I suppose. I'm to have my first violin lesson on +Monday. I don't know whether I'm glad or not. I expect I shall be +terrified of Mr. Barlow. I learnt from a lady before. How I'm going to +practise and do all the home lessons Miss Mitchell sets us I can't +imagine! I think I shall strike like the 'donk' and refuse to stir unless +they give me peppermints!" + + + + +CHAPTER V + +Miss Mitchell, B.A. + + +Naturally at present the most prominent person at 'The Moorings' was Miss +Mitchell. Hers was a task which required a combination of a number of +very high qualities. It needed force of character and tact, initiative +and patience, energy and experience. To reorganise an old school is a far +more difficult matter than to start an entirely new one, especially when +those responsible for the former _régime_ have not absolutely +retired. To a certain extent the Misses Pollard had given their teacher a +free hand, but she realised that at first it would be wise to go slowly +and not make the changes too drastic. She did not yet know what stuff she +had to work upon, the characters or capacities of her pupils, or their +readiness to adopt her ideas. While leading the school, she wished it to +be self-developing, that is to say, she thought it better to give the +girls a few general directions, and allow them to run their own +societies, than to arrange all such matters for them. + +"Never mind if they make a few mistakes," she said to Miss Fanny, who +held up her hands in horror at some of the names chosen to serve on +committees. "If a secretary proves inefficient, the others will very soon +call her a 'slacker,' and she will have to reform or resign. It will be a +question of public opinion. A girl may shirk her lessons in school and +her classmates don't much care, but if she shirks the work she has +undertaken to do for a society they will be very indignant. These clubs +are an elementary object-lesson in community life, and will teach that +each individual must do something for the general good. The girls must +'feel their feet' before they can run; they'll probably have difficulties +but they'll learn by experience, and in the meantime they'll be shaping +their own traditions." + +"Ye-es; I suppose you're right," dubiously agreed Miss Fanny, whose ideal +of management was to trust everything in the hands of a few girls whom +she knew best and discourage any signs of individuality on the part of +the others. + +As regards the work of the various forms Miss Mitchell, helped by her +assistant mistress Miss Barnes, made many innovations. She introduced new +subjects and fresh modes of teaching, and fixed a very high standard of +efficiency. She expected great concentration, and exacted hard work, +especially in the matter of home preparation, but she was an exceedingly +interesting teacher and put much enthusiasm into her lessons. She had a +theory that no subject was really absorbed unless it was vividly realised +by the pupils. + +"Imagination is half the value of education" was her favourite saying. "A +child may reel off a string of facts, but unless it can apply them they +are undigested mental food and of no use. What I want to do is to find +out how far each girl understands what she has learnt. Mere parrot +repetition is quite valueless in my opinion, and most public examinations +are little better." + +Miss Mitchell's method of testing the knowledge of her pupils was +undoubtedly modern. She would teach them certain episodes of history, +explaining particularly the characters of the various personages and the +motives for their actions, then, instead of a verbal or written catechism +on the lesson, she would make the girls act the scene, using their own +words, and trying as far as possible to reproduce the atmosphere of the +period. Free criticism was allowed afterwards, and any anachronisms, such +as tea in the times of Queen Elizabeth, or tobacco during the Wars of the +Roses, were carefully pointed out. Most of the girls liked this new +method immensely. It encouraged their dramatic instincts, and resembled +impromptu theatricals. It was a point of honour to throw themselves +thoroughly into the parts, and they would often prepare themselves at +home by reading up various points in histories or encyclopaedias. This +was exactly what Miss Mitchell aimed at. + +"They're educating themselves!" she explained to Miss Fanny. "They'll +never forget these facts that they have taken the trouble to find out. +Once a girl has realised the outlook of Mary Queen of Scots or Elizabeth, +and has learnt to impersonate her without glaring mistakes, she has the +keynote to the history of the times. When she has spoken to 'Darnley,' +'Black Both-well,' 'Rizzio,' 'John Knox,' or to 'Bacon,' 'Raleigh,' +'Essex,' and 'Sidney,' she has turned mere names into real personages, +and will be no more likely to confuse them than to mix up her friends. +By supplying her own dialogue she shows exactly how much she knows of the +character, and I am able to judge how far the lesson has been +assimilated. Fifteen years hence I venture to think Scottish Mary or +Queen Elizabeth will still be vivid remembrances to her; but would she be +able to tell the date of the battle of Pinkie? And would it be of very +vital importance whether she did or not? In my opinion to grasp the main +motives of history and to follow the evolution of the British nation is +far more necessary than memorising dates. Of course, a few must be +insisted on, or there would be no means of relative comparison, but these +few, accurately learnt, are better than a number repeated glibly without +any particular conception of their importance." + +In the teaching of geography Miss Mitchell also put her theories into +action. As taught in many schools she thought it was a wearisome subject. + +"You don't want to knock into a child's head the names of the capes and +bays of Africa or the population of Canada, but you want to give it some +conception of the different countries on the face of God's earth. Instead +of making it learn the exports of Italy, show it pictures of the orange +groves and of gathering the olives, and it will name you the exports for +itself. Geography ought to be as interesting as a game." + +And so indeed she contrived to make it. She had brought a magic lantern +to school with her, and used it for most of her lessons, arranging thick +curtains to darken the windows. She had a selection of good slides +showing many different countries, and when her pupils were somewhat +accustomed to these she would test their knowledge by exhibiting one and +asking them where it was, whether in a hot or cold country, what kind of +people lived in such a place, what fruits, flowers, and animals would be +found there, and for what reasons British traders went to it. If the +girls made mistakes she would show them again the particular slides +relating to the place, explaining where they had been wrong, and taking +them, by means of the eye, on a short foreign tour. + +"Imagine you're there and you'll feel quite travellers!" she would say. +"Now on this slide you notice a little pathway up the hill among some +trees. If you could walk up that path what would you be likely to find? +What language would the people, whom you met, speak? And how would they +be dressed?" + +Geography on these lines became very attractive, and, as in the case of +the history lessons, the girls eagerly looked out all kinds of points in +books of reference so as to come to class armed with information about +the birds, flowers, or native customs of some particular country. By +visualising the place, imagining themselves to be there, and relating all +they saw, they created such vivid mental pictures that they could almost +believe they had spent the hour really in Africa or South America, as the +case might be. + +"You'd know what clothes to take with you to India or Canada at any +rate," said Miss Mitchell, "and what sort of a life you must be prepared +to live there. Before the term is over I think you'll realise what +British women are doing all over the globe. Climatic conditions have an +immense effect upon people and ought to be properly understood. The +knowledge of these is the foundation of the brotherhood of races." + +It was not only in history and geography that Miss Mitchell made +innovations. French also was to be on a different method. It had always +been a successful subject at 'The Moorings,' though it had developed +along old-fashioned lines. Mademoiselle Chavasse, however, had left, and +the new Mademoiselle came from a very up-to-date School of Languages in +London. She taught largely by the oral system, making her pupils repeat +words and build them into sentences, like babies learning to talk. She +used English as little as possible, trying to make them catch ideas in +French without the medium of translation. Thus, in a beginners' class she +would hold up a book and say, "le livre," then placing it _on_ the +table or _under_ the table would extend her sentence to show the use +of the prepositions. The girls soon began to grasp the method, and learnt +to reply in French to simple questions asked them, and were given by +degrees a larger vocabulary and encouraged to try to express themselves, +however imperfectly, in the foreign tongue. She also instituted French +games, and set the whole school singing, "Qui passe ce chemin si tard?" +or "Sur le pont d'Avignon," while several of the Fifth form who could +write letters in French were put into correspondence with schoolgirls in +France. + +Miss Pollard and Miss Fanny, who had gasped a little at some of the +drastic changes, were pleased with the improvement in the teaching of +French, and still more so with the innovations with regard to music. This +had been a very special subject at St. Cyprian's College, where Miss +Mitchell had been educated, and she was anxious to introduce some of the +leading features. Her theory was that most girls learn to play the piano, +a few practise the violin, but hardly any are taught to understand and +appreciate music, apart from their own often unskilful performances. She +arranged, therefore, to hold a weekly class at which a short lecture +would be given on the works of some famous composers, with musical +illustrations. A few of the selections could be played by the pupils +themselves or by Miss Fanny, and others could be rendered by a +gramophone. The main object was to make the girls familiar with the best +compositions and cultivate their musical taste. + +"Constant listening is the only way to learn appreciation," said Miss +Mitchell. "You form a taste for literature by reading the best authors, +not by trying to write poetry yourself! Learning an instrument is a good +training, but certainly only a part of music--to understand it and +criticise it is quite another matter." + +So all the school, including even the little girls, met to listen to the +masterpieces of Beethoven, Chopin, or Schubert, and were encouraged to +note particular points and to discuss them intelligently. + +"At the end of the term," said Miss Mitchell, "we'll have a concert, just +among ourselves, and then I hope some of you will surprise me. You must +all practise hard, because it will be a great honour to be asked to play +on that particular afternoon." + +In revising the curriculum of 'The Moorings' upon these very modern +lines, Miss Mitchell did not neglect the athletic side. The school did +not yet possess a gymnasium, but there were classes for drill and +calisthenics, and games were compulsory. + +"A good thing too!" commented Merle. "Some of the girls are fearful +slackers! They've never been accustomed to stir themselves. Maude Carey +hardly knows how to run. I believe she thinks it's unladylike! And Nesta +would shirk if she could. Those kids need a fearful amount of coaching. I +shall have my work cut out with them." + +Merle, owing to her enthusiasm for sports, had been chosen as Games +Captain, and was doing her best to cultivate a proper enthusiasm for +hockey in the school. In this matter she had the full co-operation of the +new mistress. Merle liked Miss Mitchell, whose cheery, breezy, practical +ways particularly appealed to her. Merle was not given to violent +affections, especially for teachers, so this attraction was almost a +matter of first love. She, who had never minded blame at school, found +herself caring tremendously for praise in class. It raised the standard +of her work enormously. She could do very well if she tried. She had +always poked fun at girls who took much trouble over home lessons, and +had been accustomed to leave her own till the last possible moment. It +was certainly a new phase to find her getting out her books immediately +after tea, or practising for half an hour before breakfast. She was ready +to do anything to win notice from Miss Mitchell, and was decidedly +jealous that Iva and Nesta, being boarders, were able to see more of her, +and thus establish a greater intimacy. Merle always wanted to 'go one +better' than the other monitresses. The status of all four was exactly +equal, and so far there was no head girl at 'The Moorings.' Merle had +indeed taken a most prominent part at the general meeting of the school, +but though she might be the unacknowledged leader, that gave her no +increased authority. Sometimes her excess of zeal led to ructions. Miss +Mitchell had strongly urged the necessity of improving the games, and +particularly of training the juniors to play hockey properly. Merle +seized upon them at every opportunity and made them practise. One +afternoon, as everybody filed out at four o'clock, she captured her +recruits and began some instruction. But unfortunately it happened that +Winnie and Joyce, who were her aptest pupils, were wanted by Nesta for +schemes of her own, and she came and called them in. + +"Can't spare them now!" objected Merle briefly. + +"Sorry! But they'll have to come!" + +"Not if their Games Captain wants them!" + +"I'm their hostel monitress!" + +"Miss Mitchell asked me to see to the hockey!" + +"Then you must get day-girls to stay for your practice. I've instructions +to see that all the boarders come straight back to the hostel after +school!" + +Merle gave way with a very bad grace. She felt that Nesta was interfering +out of sheer officiousness. + +"What a jack-in-office!" she grumbled under her breath. "I believe those +boarders may do anything they like until tea-time. Nesta needn't plume +herself upon being prime favourite with Miss Mitchell. She may whisk +Joyce and Winnie off now and spoil our practice, but I'll be even with +her in some other way!" + +In talking about the various school institutions, Miss Mitchell mentioned +one day that there ought to be a general record of the various societies +and their officers, and the work which they had undertaken to do. + +"It should be kept in the study so as to be available any time for +reference," she said. "It would be a far simpler method than having to +ask the secretaries for particulars." + +This gave Merle an idea. She said nothing to her fellow-monitresses, but +she at once began to compile the list which Miss Mitchell wanted. She was +determined to do it beautifully. Her handwriting was not remarkably good, +so she decided to type it. There was a little typewriter in Uncle David's +consulting-room, which he allowed her to use, and though she was so far +from being an adept at it that it actually took her longer than using pen +and ink, she thought the result would justify the trouble. She meant to +stitch the sheets together and fasten them inside a cardboard cover, +decorated with an artistic design. She set to work upon it with much +energy and enthusiasm. + +She was leaving school one afternoon when Muriel Burnitt ran up to her. + +"By the by, Merle! Can you give me the names of the committee of the +Nature Club? I can't just remember them all." + +"What d'you want them for?" asked Merle suspiciously. + +"Oh, to write out for Miss Mitchell! She was asking for a list the other +day." + +"Fay Macleod is secretary of the Nature Club. She'd be able to tell you +exactly," temporised Merle. + +"So she would! I'll ask her to-morrow." + +Merle went home with her head in a whirl. It was quite evident that +Muriel had hit upon exactly the same idea as herself, and intended to +present Miss Mitchell with a full record of the societies. + +"Only, hers will probably be written in an exercise-book and not be half +as nice as mine! She mustn't forestall me, though! However artistic my +list is, it will fall very flat if Muriel gives hers in first. I've got +to finish it somehow to-night and take it to school to-morrow morning. +That's certain!" + +When Merle made up her mind about anything, nothing could move her. +Directly she got home she set to work upon the book-back, and toiled away +at it, utterly ignoring her preparation. In vain Mavis urged the claims +of Latin verbs and Shakespeare recitation. + +"I shan't stop till I've finished this!" declared Merle stubbornly. "Not +if I sit up all night over it. Bother the old 'Merchant of Venice' and +beastly Latin verbs! I'll glance through them at breakfast-time and trust +to luck. Surely Miss Mitchell will understand when she knows how busy +I've been over this! I shall give it to her before nine o'clock." + +"Can't I help you? I've finished my prep." + +"No, thanks! I want it to be entirely my own work." + +Merle was not so clever at drawing as Mavis, but she contrived to turn +out a very pretty cover all the same. She illuminated 'The Moorings' in +large letters upon it, and painted a picture of a boat moored to a jetty +below, as being an appropriate design. She stitched the typed sheets, +fastened the whole together, and tied it with a piece of saxe-blue ribbon +(saxe was emphatically Miss Mitchell's pet colour), then she printed upon +the back of it, 'With much love from your affectionate pupil Merle +Ramsay.' She sat up over it long after Mavis and Aunt Nellie had gone to +bed, and, indeed, finished it hurriedly under the eyes of Jessop, who was +waiting to turn out the gas. + +"Can't I just look over my Latin?" implored Merle. + +"Not a word!" declared the old servant. "Put those books away, Miss +Merle, and go upstairs. We'll be having you with brain-fever at this +rate! I don't approve of all these home lessons. Why can't they teach you +what they want to in school, I should like to know? That's what teachers +are paid for, isn't it? I've no patience with this continual writing in +the evenings. A nice bit of sewing would be more to my mind. You've not +done more than an inch of that crochet pattern I taught you. Being +monitress is all very well, I daresay, but I'm not going to let you sit +up till midnight, my dearie, over your books. Not if I have to go myself +to Miss Pollard, and tell her my mind about it." + +Merle had meant to wake up a little earlier and run through her +preparation, but she was sleepier than usual next morning, and had to be +roused by Mavis. She opened her eyes most unwillingly. + +"I never heard Jessop bring the hot water. It can't be half-past seven! +Oh, bother! I'd give all the world to be left quiet in bed! Go away!" + +"All right! Stop in bed, and let Muriel give her list to Miss Mitchell!" +said Mavis. + +Whereupon Merle groaned, sat up, and began to pull on her stockings. + +"Guess I'll take the wind out of Muriel's sails!" she murmured. + +The list was beautifully wrapped up in a sheet of new tissue-paper, and +Merle carried it proudly to school. Miss Mitchell was generally in the +study from about 8.45 till 9 o'clock, so there would be nice time to +present it before call-over. On this particular morning, however, as fate +would have it, the study was unoccupied. Merle peeped in many times, went +to the hostel, asked the boarders if they had seen Miss Mitchell, but was +utterly unable to find her. She seemed to have mysteriously disappeared, +and only walked in, from no one knew where, just in time to take the +register. The Fifth form marched away to its classroom, and Merle's +offering, for the present, was obliged to be consigned to the recesses of +her desk. + +Latin was the first lesson, and as far as she was concerned it was a +dismal failure. Miss Mitchell looked surprised at her ghastly mistakes, +and one or two of the girls glanced at each other. Merle was hot and +flustered at the close of the hour, and closed her books with relief. She +hoped to manage a little better in 'The Merchant of Venice,' which was at +least an English subject. The girls were supposed to learn the notes, and +were questioned upon them and upon the meaning of the passages, and she +trusted to native wit and successful guessing to supply her answers. The +teacher, however, very soon grasped the fact that Merle knew nothing +about the lesson, asked her to recite, and found that she broke down at +the end of three lines. + +"You're absolutely unprepared!" said Miss Mitchell scathingly. "A nice +example for a monitress to set to the rest of the form! Come to the study +at eleven, and report yourself! I'm astonished at you, Merle!" + +A very depressed and humiliated monitress entered the study at 'interval' +to receive her scolding. + +"I can't understand you! You have been doing so well. Why have you +suddenly slacked off?" asked her inquisitor, who believed in getting to +the bottom of things if a girl shirked her work. + +Merle, who was too much upset even to mention her reason, and who had +left the offering inside her desk, said nothing, and only looked +unutterably miserable. Matters, therefore, were at rather a deadlock, +when there was a tap at the door and Mavis entered bearing the precious +parcel. + +"Miss Mitchell, _please_! In case Merle won't tell, I've brought +this. She sat up fearfully late last night doing it for you, and that's +why she didn't do her prep. Please excuse me for coming in!" and Mavis +bolted in much confusion. + +Miss Mitchell unwrapped the parcel and looked critically at its contents. + +"It's very kind of you to have made this for me, Merle," she said, in a +gentler voice. "I only wish it hadn't been at the expense of your +preparation. I like the monitresses to do all they can for the school, +but they must remember their own work comes first, and that they have to +set an example to the rest. Don't let a thing like this happen again! I +thought you would have had more discretion. The list could have waited a +day or two. I was not in such a hurry for it as all that. It was kindly +meant, but a little excess of zeal, wasn't it? Thank you for it all the +same! There! I'll put it on my desk so that it will be always ready if I +want to refer to it. Now run along, or you won't have time to eat your +lunch before the bell rings." + +Merle, hurrying to the dressing-room, inwardly congratulated herself. + +"I got jolly well out of a bad business!" she thought. "Miss Mitchell +wasn't very cross after all, and she liked the list! I've got mine in +before Muriel's anyway, and it's going to stay on her desk, so she'll +always have something of mine right under her eyes. She fingered that +saxe-blue ribbon rather lovingly! It exactly matches her sports coat! +I'll make her a calendar for Christmas and put the same kind of ribbon to +hang it up by. But I don't mean to tell a single soul, in case Muriel +goes and does the same! Miss Mitchell is my property, not hers!" + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +Fishermaidens + + +Several Saturdays turned out wet, and it was not until the middle of +October that Mavis and Merle were again able to motor with Dr. Tremayne +to Chagmouth. + +They had made arrangements for a nature ramble, so, after an early lunch +at Grimbal's Farm, they went to the trysting-place by the harbour to meet +the other members of the club. Beata and Romola turned up alone to-day, +unencumbered by younger brothers and sisters or the donkey. They had +brought businesslike baskets with them, and were armed with note-books to +record specimens, some apples and nuts, and a couple of log-lines. + +"We might be able to get some fishing!" they explained eagerly. "Father +went out yesterday in old Mr. Davis's boat, and he brought home the most +_lovely_ mackerel. Wouldn't it be a surprise if we could get some +for ourselves? I don't see why we shouldn't!" + +The idea appealed to the others. Fish were undoubtedly a division of +zoology and ought to be included in their nature study. Specimens would +be no less scientifically interesting from the fact that they could be +eaten afterwards. Fay instantly rushed into Helyar's General Store to buy +a log-line of her own; Mavis and Merle, after cautiously ascertaining the +cost, invested in one between them, while Tattle, Nan, and Lizzie +contented themselves with purchasing a few fishhooks and a ball of fine +string. + +"I suppose we ought really to take some bait with us," remarked Romola +casually. "There isn't time, though, to go and dig for lob-worms. What's +to be done about it?" + +"Oh, we'll use limpets or anything else we can get," decreed Beata. +"We'll find something along the rocks, you'll see. Mavis, where are we +going? You know all the best walks. We elect you leader this afternoon." + +"It's beautiful along the cliffs towards St Morval's Head. There's a path +most of the way, and we can scramble where there isn't. I wouldn't have +dared to take the children, but I vote we venture it." + +"Anywhere you like so long as we don't waste any more time; I'm just +crazy to start!" agreed Fay. + +So they went by a narrow alley and up steep flights of steps to the hill +above the town, and took the track that led along the edge of the cliffs +towards St. Morval's Head. It was a glorious autumn afternoon, and, +though the bracken was brown and withered, there were specimens of wild +flowers to be picked and written down in the note-books. Summer seemed to +have lingered, and had left poppies, honeysuckle, foxgloves, and other +blossoms that were certainly out of season. Tattie, who was keen on +entomology, recorded a red admiral, a clouded yellow butterfly, and a +gamma moth, though she did not consider them worth chasing and catching +for her collection. + +Flocks of goldfinches and long-tailed tits were flitting about, and they +spied some black-caps and pipits, and even a buzzard falcon poised in the +air high above the cliffs. Here quite a little excitement occurred, for +several sea-gulls attacked the buzzard and with loud cries tried to drive +it away, following it as it soared higher and higher into the heavens, +and finally routing it altogether and sending it off in the direction of +Port Sennen. + +The path along which the girls had been walking was the merest track +through the bracken. So far there had been either a low wall or a hedge +as a protection at the edge of the cliff, but now these outposts of +civilisation vanished and they were at the very brink of the crags. +Tattie, whose head was not of the strongest, turned giddy and refused to +go farther; indeed, she was so overcome that she sank on the ground and +buried her face in her hands. + +"I daren't look down!" she shuddered. "I know I shall fall if I do. Oh! I +wish I'd never come! How am I going to get back?" + +"There's only about a hundred yards like this," urged Mavis. "After that +the path is all right again. Take my arm." + +"No, no! I daren't! I can't go either backwards or forwards. I feel as if +I should faint!" sobbed Tattie, waxing quite hysterical. + +Here was a dilemma! She must certainly be made to move one way or the +other. With great difficulty Fay and Beata between them got her back to +the path along which they had come, where she collapsed under the shelter +of the wall, and sat down to recover. + +"I'll be all right now," she said, wiping her eyes. "I can go home alone. +Don't let me keep any of you." + +"We'll come with you," said Lizzie Colville. "Nan and I don't like +walking so near the edge either. I wouldn't cross that place for worlds." + +So it was arranged that the Ramsays and the Castletons and Fay should go +on to St. Morval's Head, while the rest of the company turned back. + +"It's a pity, but it's no good taking people who turn giddy," commented +Mavis. "If they can't manage that piece of cliff, how would they scramble +down into the cove?" + +"They haven't got tennis shoes on for one thing," remarked Merle, "and +boots are horribly slippery. You ought to have rubber soles for these +rocks. It just makes all the difference. Mavis and I always wear them at +Chagmouth." + +"So do we. We learnt that at Porthkeverne. We're used to scrambling. As +for Fay she's a real fairy. I believe she could fly if you gave her a +push over the edge to start her off." + +"Don't try, thanks, or I might turn into a mermaid instead of a fairy or +a bird! I often think, though, I'd like a private aeroplane of my own. +They're things that are bound to come sooner or later. I only hope I +shan't be too old to use one when they do. What a view it is here!" + +The difficult piece of cliff had led them round a corner, and they were +now facing a magnificent sweep of coast-line. Below them, fixed to a buoy +that floated on the water, a bell was ringing incessantly, its clanging +sound floating over the sea like the knell of a mermaid's funeral. + +"It's to warn the vessels off the rocks," explained Mavis. "They can hear +it in a fog when they can't see quite where they are." Merle and I always +call it 'The Inchcape Bell.' Oh, you know the story? + + 'The worthy abbot of Aberbrothock + Had fixed that bell on the Inchcape rock. + On a buoy in the storm it floated and swung, + And over the waves its warning rung.' + +Then the pirate, Sir Ralph the Rover, goes and cuts it off, just out of +spite, and sails away. Years afterwards his ship comes back to Scotland, +and there's a thick fog, and he's wrecked on the very Inchcape rock from +which he stole the warning bell. + + 'Sir Ralph the Rover tore his hair; + He cursed himself in his wild despair. + The waves poured in on every side, + And the vessel sank beneath the tide.'" + +"Serve him right too! It was a sneaking rag to play!" commented Merle. + +"The bell makes me think of an old hermitage," said Romola. "I expect to +see a monk walking along, telling his beads. Who was St. Morval? Didn't +he have a little chapel on the cliffs here?" + +"Romola always thinks of the Middle Ages," laughed Beata. "That's because +she poses so much for Dad's pictures. It sounds like a church bell under +the sea to me. When we lived at Porthkeverne we were close to the lost +land of Lyonesse, and there was a lovely story about a mermaid. They said +she used to come and sit on a broad flat stone outside the church and +listen to the singing; and the priest heard of it, so one day he came out +and talked to her, and asked her if she wouldn't like to be baptized, and +she said she'd think about it. So she swam away; but she came back again +and again, and it was decided that she was to be baptized on Easter +Sunday. But on Good Friday there was a terrible storm, and the waves came +up and swallowed the whole of the village, so that when the poor mermaid +arrived she found the church sunk under the sea, and the priest and all +the people drowned. There was nobody to baptize her, and there never has +been since, and she swims about the water weeping and singing any little +bits of the service that she can remember. The fishermen said if anybody +was at sea and heard her it was bad luck, and a sign he would certainly +be drowned before long." + +"I love the quaint old legends!" said Mavis. "I shall always think of +your mermaid now, when I hear the bell. This is our way down to the cove. +It's a most frightful scramble. Can you manage it?" + +The girls went first over grass and gorse, then climbed down a tiny track +so narrow and slippery they were obliged to sit and slide, and finally, +with some difficulty, scrambled on to the grim rugged rocks beneath. They +were on a kind of platform, covered with seaweed and little pools, and +with deep swirling water below. + +Beata decided it would be a good place to fish, so they got out their +log-lines. The first and most manifest thing to do was to find bait. +There were plenty of limpets on the rocks, and with penknives they +managed to dislodge some of them. It was only when a limpet was caught +napping that it was possible to secure him: once he sat down tight and +excluded the air from his shell, no amount of pulling could move him. The +victims thus gathered were sacrificed by Beata and Merle, who acted as +high priestesses, and chopped them up, and placed them upon the hooks, +for neither Mavis nor Romola would touch them, and even Fay was not +particularly keen upon this part of the fishing operations. They were +ready at last, and cast their lines. Merle, unfortunately, through lack +of experience, had not unreeled hers far enough, and the heavy weight +sank deeply in the water and jerked the whole thing out of her hands into +the sea. + +"Oh, what a shame! And we've only just paid two and sixpence for it! What +an utter idiot I was! I never thought it would pull like that. See, it's +floating about down there!" + +"I'll get it for you if I can," said Beata. With some manoeuvring she +managed to fling her own line over it and drag it slowly in, losing it +several times but rescuing it in the end. + +After that mishap Merle was wiser, and threw with more discretion. Fay +also tried her luck, and the girls sat waiting for bites. But alas! none +came. There were several false alarms, but the lines when hauled in held +nothing more exciting than hunks of seaweed. It was really most +disappointing. + +"I'm afraid they don't like the bait," said Beata at last. "If we could +find a few lob-worms now, it might tempt them. They're evidently rather +dainty." + +"And I expect we don't know much about it!" said Mavis. + +"Well, people have to learn some time, I suppose. You can't tumble to +fishing by instinct!" + +It was decided to go farther along and try to find lob-worms. The +difficulty was to scramble down the rocks on to the sand. From above it +looked quite easy and possible, but at close quarters the crags were very +precipitous. At one point, however, they determined to venture. They sat +on the edge of the sloping rock, let go, and then simply slid down, +hanging on to pieces of ivy and tufts of grass. The cove, when they thus +reached it, was worth the trouble of getting there. Sand-gobies were +darting about in the pools, and came swimming up to fight for the pieces +of limpet which the girls dropped in for them. They found a few lobworms +and re-baited their hooks and cast their lines afresh, but met with no +better success than before. + +"I'm fed up with fishing!" announced Romola at last. "Let's go home!" + +She had voiced the general opinion of the party. All immediately began to +wind up their lines. + +"The tide's coming in fast, and we're close to the blow-hole," said +Mavis. "It seems a pity not to stop and watch it." + +The blow-hole was a curious natural phenomenon. The sea, pouring into a +narrow gully, forced air and water to spurt through an opening at certain +intervals. First a low groaning noise was heard, which waxed louder and +louder until--so Beata declared--it resembled the snoring of Father +Neptune. Then suddenly a shower of spray spurted from the aperture, the +sunshine lighting it with all the prismatic colours of the rainbow. For a +few seconds it played like a fountain, then died down as the wave +receded. The girls were so interested in watching it that they quite +forgot the sea behind them. While their backs were turned to it, the +great strong tide was lapping and swelling in, moving higher and higher +up the rocks, and covering the pools, and creeping into the cove, and +changing the sand and seaweed into a lake. When Mavis happened to look +round she found her basket floating. She started up with a cry. The one +accessible spot where they had climbed down now had a deep pool under it. + +"We must wade!" gasped Beata, and hurriedly pulling off her shoes and +stockings she plunged as pioneer into the water. + +She soon realised it was too dangerous a venture. The slimy seaweed +underneath caused her to slip, and the strong swirl of the tide nearly +swept her from her feet. With difficulty she splashed back again. + +"We might swim it!" she suggested. "But what about our clothes?" + +Mavis shook her head. + +"We can't cross there till the tide goes down." + +"Are we going to be drowned?" asked Romola, in a tremulous little voice. + +"Certainly not!"--Mavis sounded quite calm and sensible--"we're safe +enough here, but we're in a jolly nasty fix. We can sit above high-water +mark, but it means staying till the tide goes down and that won't be for +hours, and then it will be dark and how can we see to scramble up the +cliffs?" + +"I suppose we've got to wait till morning!" groaned Fay. "This is +_some_ adventure at any rate!" + +"Rather more than most of us bargained for!" agreed Beata. + +"I wouldn't care a nickel, only Mother'll be in such a state of mind when +I don't turn up!" + +"And Uncle David will be waiting to go home in the car. I wonder what +he'll do?" + +"They'll have the fright of their lives!" + +"And we shall have the colds of ours!" shivered poor Romola. "October +isn't exactly the month you'd choose for camping out. I wish we'd brought +some more biscuits with us. I'm hungry!" + +"Don't talk of biscuits or eating! I'm just ravenous." + +Five very disconsolate girls found a sheltered corner under the cliff and +squatted down to watch the sunset. There was a glorious effect of gold +and orange and great purple clouds tipped with crimson, but they were +none of them quite in the mood to appreciate the beauties of nature, and +would much have preferred the sight of a tea-table. It was beginning to +grow very cold. They buttoned their sports coats about their throats, and +huddled close together for warmth. The sun sank into the sea like a great +fiery ball, and the darkness crept on. Presently the moon rose, shining +over the sea in a broad spreading pathway of silver, that looked like a +gleaming fairy track across the water to the far horizon, where a distant +lighthouse glinted at intervals like a fiery eye. The waiting seemed +interminable. Romola, who felt the cold most, had a little private weep. + +"I've always been crazy on stories of shipwrecks and desert islands," +said Fay, "but when you go through it yourself somehow it seems to take +the edge off the romance. I don't want any more to be a Robinson Crusoe +girl! I'd rather stay warm with pussie by the fire." + +"If we'd had a box of matches with us we might have lighted a fire!" +sighed Beata. "Why _didn't_ we bring some?" + +"Why didn't we look at the tide and get home in decent time? It's no good +crying over spilt milk!" grunted Merle rather crossly. + +After that they all subsided into silence for a while. There was no sound +except the monotonous lap of the waves. The sea-gulls and cormorants had +flown past at sunset and gone to roost. The absolute quiet, and the dark +shadows, and the silver light of the moon gave such an eerie atmosphere +to the scene that presently Fay could stand it no longer. + +"I guess I'll stir up the spooks!" she remarked, and scrambling to her +feet she made a trumpet of her hands and called out a loud "Coo-o-ee." + +To the immense astonishment of everybody an answering shout came from +somewhere across the water. Instantly all sprang up and woke the echoes +with their loudest possible lung-power. Before long came a splash of +oars, and a boat, with a lantern fastened to its bow, entered the cove. +It advanced cautiously to the rocks, and a tall boyish figure sprang out +and held it steady, while some one in a fisherman's jersey stretched out +a strong hand to help the girls to enter. Only when they were safely +seated and the moonlight shone on their faces did Mavis recognise their +rescuers. + +"Mr. Penruddock--and surely not _Bevis_!" she exclaimed. + +He enjoyed her amazement. + +"I've got the week-end. There's been 'flu' at school, so they've sent +some of us off while Matron fumigates the rooms. I thought I'd find you +at the farm. There was a pretty to-do when it grew dark and you didn't +turn up. The Doctor went to the Vicarage to ask if you were there, and +they said you'd gone along the rocks fishing. So we took the boat and +came to look for you. I say, you were in a jolly old mess, weren't you? +Rather cold for sleeping out?" + +"If we'd known you were coming over we wouldn't have started." + +"I didn't know myself till the last minute. I'll bike over to Durracombe +to-morrow afternoon if I may? I haven't seen you and Merle for ages. +You've given Chagmouth people an excitement! I should think half the +town's waiting on the quay for you! We'd rather a business to find you. +But 'all's well that ends well,' isn't it?" + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +Musical Stars + + +Mavis and Merle had not seen Bevis since last July, so they had an +immense amount to talk about when he came over to Bridge House on the +following afternoon. They had to tell him all their adventures during the +summer holidays and about the changes at 'The Moorings,' and he also had +much to relate about his own school and his future plans. Though he was +now squire of Chagmouth, he took his new honours very quietly and made no +fuss about them. + +"It's something to feel I'm back at the old Coll. and can go on to +Cambridge," he acknowledged in reply to the girls' questions. "The +lawyers are very decent to me and give me pretty well all I want. In the +spring I'm going to have a yacht of my own! They've promised me that. +I'll take you both out for a sail in it." + +"Oh, do! We shall just live for Easter!" rejoiced the girls. + +"I wish it was holidays all the time!" added Merle. "What fun we'd have +in your yacht!" + +Such a wish, however, could certainly not be realised. + +Bevis was due back at Shelton College, and 'The Moorings' claimed both +Mavis and Merle. School might not be as exciting as yachting, but it had +its interests. There was the Magazine, of which Mavis was editress, and +to which many spicy items were contributed; there was the Entertainments +Club, which was getting up a piece to act at the end of the term. + +In connection with this society, alack! a tremendous squabble ensued. It +had fallen almost entirely into the hands of the boarders, and they +seemed determined to keep all its privileges to themselves. They fixed +upon a play, shared the cast among them, and held rehearsals in the +evenings. Mavis, Merle, and Muriel, the only day-girls on the Committee, +were furious. + +"Where do we come in?" demanded Merle. + +"It's too cool to settle everything without consulting us! We're as much +on the Committee as you are! It's completely out of order!" + +"Oh, what does it matter?" said Nesta, with aggravating easiness. "We +can't bother to be always holding meetings. We wanted to set to work at +once and rehearse, and there weren't enough parts to include day-girls. +Can't you act audience for once? You seem very anxious to show off!" + +"It's the pot calling the kettle black then, if we do!" retorted Muriel. +"What about yourselves, I should like to know?" + +The worst of it was that Miss Mitchell seemed to take the side of the +boarders. + +"I can't have you day-girls coming in the evenings to rehearse!" she +decided. "No, I can't allow you to stay at four o'clock either, because +the boarders must get their walk before tea. It would upset all our +arrangements. Perhaps we may put some of you in a tableau, because that +really wouldn't need much preparation." + +A tableau! The day-girls felt much insulted! Miss Mitchell, who had seen +them act in the history class, ought not thus to scout their talents. +Merle took the matter particularly to heart because of her adoration for +the new mistress. She was furiously jealous of the boarders, who could +sit at meal-times at the same table as her idol, and could indulge in +private chats with her during the evenings. Miss Mitchell was perfectly +well aware of Merle's infatuation, but did not encourage it too deeply. +She meant to be quite impartial, and to have no favourites. Moreover, she +was very modern and unsentimental, and disliked what she called +'schoolgirl gush.' She had been the subject of violent admirations +before, and knew how soon they were apt to cool down. She was perfectly +nice to Merle, but a little off-hand, and never showed her any +preference. This line of treatment rather aggravated Merle's symptoms +instead of curbing the tendency. + +"I'll _make_ her like me!" she said to herself stubbornly. + +The siege laid to the teacher's heart progressed slowly, partly because +Merle's tactics were noticed by the others and became somewhat of a joke. +Merle had placed a daily buttonhole of flowers upon the teacher's desk, +but, led by Muriel, the Fifth form rallied, and one morning each of them +appeared with a kindred posy and deposited her offering. Miss Mitchell +turned quite pink at the sight of the eleven floral trophies. She was not +absolutely sure how far it was meant for a 'rag.' + +"This looks like a nature study competition!" she remarked. "I'm sure +it's very kind of you all to bring me flowers, but unless it's my +birthday or some special occasion I'm afraid I really don't know what to +do with them. You can put them all in water at eleven, Nesta, but you +mustn't waste time now fetching vases." + +Merle, of course, never presented any flowers again. She brought a book +to school one day that she had heard Miss Mitchell express a wish to look +at, and, after lingering about in the classroom, plucked up courage to +interrupt her idol, who was correcting exercises, and offer the loan of +it. + +The mistress, with her finger held to mark her place, looked up and shook +her head. + +"I've really no time for reading, thanks! At present my days are full +from morning till night." + +As direct means failed Merle turned to indirect. She wrote anonymous +poems and popped them in the letter-box, hoping, however, that her +writing might be recognised. Whether Miss Mitchell read them or not is +uncertain; she made no mention at any rate of their receipt, and probably +dropped them in the waste-paper basket. Merle would have been far more +grieved over these repulses had there not been a counter interest at +home. At the beginning of November Dr. and Mrs. Ramsay left the north +altogether and came to settle at Durracombe. Naturally there were great +changes at Bridge House. Jessop--the invaluable Jessop, who had been so +many years in Dr. Tremayne's service--was leaving to take charge of a +widower brother, and a young parlour-maid was coming in her place. +Several rooms were cleared to make way for Dr. Ramsay's possessions, and +a large motor van arrived bearing some of his furniture from Whinburn. +Mrs. Ramsay was to have a little upstairs drawing-room of her own, in +which to deposit her special treasures, and her husband was to turn the +gun-room into his study. The delight and excitement of welcoming her +father and mother made Merle temporarily dethrone Miss Mitchell in her +heart. It was such fun to help to arrange all the things from home, and +see how nice they looked in their new surroundings. Then Dr. Ramsay had +brought his car, and of course Merle wanted to help to clean it and to go +out with her father in it and coax him to allow her to drive. Everybody +felt that it was ideal to have Mrs. Ramsay at Bridge House. She took the +place of a daughter to Aunt Nellie, who was somewhat of an invalid, and +would nurse her and manage the housekeeping for her instead of Jessop. +She had always loved her native county of Devon, and rejoiced to return +there instead of living in the north. + +"I shall grow young again here!" she declared. "I'm going to try to find +time to do some sketching. I've hardly touched my paintbox for years. +Mavis and I must go out together and find subjects." + +"While I drive Daddy about in the car!" decreed Merle. "I've told him I'm +going to be his chauffeur as soon as I leave school. He didn't jump at +the offer! Wasn't it ungrateful of him? He doesn't deserve to have a +daughter! Oh, well, yes, I _did_ run the car into the hedge +yesterday, but there was no damage done, after all." + +Dr. Tremayne thoroughly welcomed Dr. Ramsay as his partner. The calls of +the practice had lately been growing too much for him, and he was glad to +be able to share the numerous visits, so the arrangement of joining +households was a satisfaction to all concerned. Jessop wept when it came +to the time of her departure. + +"I've been here thirty-two years come Christmas!" she said. "I know it's +the best for everybody, but I do feel it. I'm fond of my brother, and +willing to look after him and the shop, but I'll miss the patients here! +I've known many of them since they were born. At my age it's hard to make +a change and settle down afresh." + +"We'll motor over very often and see you, Jessop, and tell you all the +news," consoled Mavis. + +"I'll always be glad to welcome you and Miss Merle whenever you come. Let +me know beforehand if you can, and I'll make you crumpets for your tea. +You always like my crumpets!" + +"Nobody else in the world knows how to make them properly," Merle assured +her. "Those heavy things with holes in them that they sell in the shops +simply aren't fit to be called by the same name!" + +With Mother in the background to consult about matters of difficulty +school seemed much easier, though not altogether without thorns. Last +summer term Merle had considered herself the chosen chum of Iva Westwood, +but now Iva had completely fallen into the arms of Kitty Trefyre. As they +were both boarders and in the same dormitory, it was perhaps only natural +they should be friends, yet it is never nice to be dropped, and Merle +thought hard things of Iva. If she could have kept her feelings locked in +her own breast it would not have mattered so much, but she was a true +daughter of Jupiter, and, when provoked, could not refrain from shooting +her arrows of bitter words. They quarrelled about the silliest trifles: +the loan of an indiarubber, the loss of a pencil, or some slight +differences of opinion, over which they would argue hotly. It was a pity, +for at bottom Iva was a nice girl, and was merely passing through a phase +from which she would probably soon have recovered if Merle would only +have let her alone. On her side she might very well have contended that +it is hard to be pinned to a single chum, and that she was perfectly at +liberty to make fresh friends if she wished without of necessity giving +offence to the old ones by so doing. + +"Merle's so jealous!" she complained. "Why should she care? I'm sure I +don't mind her walking about the school arm-in-arm with Beata Castleton!" + +That, however, was exactly the point. Merle wanted Iva to mind, and was +extremely annoyed because the incident left her unruffled. + +One afternoon, in the musical appreciation class, the two had partly +patched up past squabbles, and, for a wonder, were sitting side by side. +The subject was 'Handel,' and for one of the illustrations Miss Mitchell +called upon Merle to play the celebrated 'Largo.' She went through her +performance quite creditably, took her music, and turned from the piano. +Then she saw that during her absence Kitty had commandeered her seat next +to Iva. For a moment Merle stood with a look of the blankest +consternation, not knowing where to go, till Mavis beckoned and made a +place for her, into which she thankfully slipped, squeezing her sister's +hand surreptitiously, and feeling there was no friend in all the world so +staunch as Mavis. + +"If you wouldn't worry so over everybody, you'd get on better, dear!" +advised the latter. + +"I can't help caring! I wasn't born calm. It all matters so very much to +me! What's the use of anything unless you care? You'd better swop me for +a nice, little, tame, harmless sister guaranteed never to squabble even +if people pull her hair, and always content to sit in the background +everywhere!" + +"She'd be very uninteresting!" laughed Mavis, bestowing a kiss upon +Merle's apple cheek. "I think I prefer to keep you, thanks!" + +"Thunderstorms and all?" + +"So long as they clear the air, certainly! But we expect to have sunshine +afterwards, please!" + +Miss Mitchell intended to wind up her course of lessons on musical +appreciation with a concert among the pupils, and certain of them had +been bidden to play or sing. Naturally those on whom the choice fell went +through agonies in the matter of practising. After hearing so much about +great composers and the proper interpretation of their works, it seemed +almost a liberty for schoolgirls to venture to give their rendering, and +all felt that their performances would be subjected to decided criticism. + +"It's the audience that will make me nervous!" fluttered Merle. "If I +could play my piece when I'm alone and in the right mood and get a +gramophone record taken of it that could be put on at the concert, I +shouldn't mind. It would be rather fun sitting in a corner and listening +to my own playing. Something like seeing my own ghost, wouldn't it?" + +Mavis, Merle, Muriel, and Edith were all down for piano solos, Beata was +to bring her violin, and Nesta, Iva, and Kitty were to sing. They would +all do their best, but none had reached a very high level in the matter +of attainment. Miss Mitchell, with memories of the splendid talent +mustered at St. Cyprian's College in her own schooldays, felt that the +concert would be a most modest affair. + +"I wish we could get one or two good performers to come and help us!" she +suggested. + +"Durracombe isn't at all a musical place," admitted Miss Fanny. "There +really isn't anybody whom we could ask. Mrs. Carey used to play, but +she's out of practice and I'm sure she wouldn't venture before a roomful +of schoolgirls." + +"It would be rather an ordeal, I own." + +About ten days before the event was to take place Muriel Burnitt had a +tea-party at her own home to which she invited Miss Fanny, Miss Mitchell, +and the elder boarders, asked them to bring their music, and went through +all the programme of the little concert. It, in fact, answered the +purpose of a dress rehearsal. + +Mavis and Merle had not been included in the invitation and they were +very much hurt. + +"Muriel asked Beata, only she couldn't come. I know because Romola told +me so. She even asked Babbie Williams!" + +[Illustration: SHE HAD BROUGHT HER WONDERFUL STRADIVARIUS VIOLIN] + +"It's most mean of her to miss us out!" + +"When we're playing solos, too!" + +The boarders talked tremendously about the pleasant evening they had had, +and how very much they had enjoyed themselves. + +"Muriel's aunt will be staying with her next week, and she's going to +persuade her to sing at the concert!" said Iva. "She has a beautiful +voice, and it will give things such a lift. Miss Mitchell is as pleased +as Punch about it, and says that's just what we want. We ought to have +one or two musical stars to make it go." + +Muriel, who felt she had scored by securing a singer, took up a rather +lofty attitude and made herself so objectionable that Merle raved in +private, and even gentle Mavis was ruffled. They poured out their +grievances at home. + +"What's the date of the concert?" asked Mrs. Ramsay. "The 17th? Well, I +have an idea! No! I don't mean to tell you now in case my scheme doesn't +come off." + +"What is it, Mummie? I'm curious." + +"That's my secret! Take my advice and don't worry any more about Muriel. +Things will probably turn out even in the end." + +In spite of coaxing Mother refused to explain herself further, and it was +only when a few days had gone by, and they had almost forgotten the +incident, that one morning she opened a letter, read it, and clapped her +hands in triumph. + +"I've some lovely news for you! Cousin Sheila is coming to stay with us +on the 16th, and she's actually bringing her friend Mildred Lancaster, +the famous violinist! You know they both went to St. Cyprian's and were +in the same form with Miss Mitchell. She'll be so pleased to meet them +again! Cousin Sheila says Miss Lancaster promises to play at your school +concert. Isn't that an honour? It will be something for you to tell Miss +Mitchell, won't it? We'll ask her and Miss Fanny and some of the girls to +tea while our visitors are here!" + +This was indeed a delightful surprise. The name of Mildred Lancaster was +one to conjure with in musical circles. She had just completed a most +successful tour in Australia and America, and had won great applause. She +was booked to give a recital in Exeter on the 15th, so that she would be +in the neighbourhood and able easily to come on to Durracombe. She made +her headquarters at Kirkton, so Mrs. Ramsay explained, but travelled much +about the country playing at concerts. She was to be married in the +spring to her old friend, Rodney Somerville, to whom she had been engaged +for some years, but she did not intend to give up her music, and hoped +still to make frequent public appearances. + +"They're to have a flat in town," read Mother from Cousin Sheila's +letter. "I'm so glad it's settled that way, because I want Mildred to be +happy, yet it would be a wicked shame if she flung her talent to the +winds, as some girls do when they marry. She'll have her own little home +and yet go on with her career. I call it ideal!" + +Mavis and Merle danced off to school simply brimming over with their +news. It certainly had the desired effect. Miss Mitchell was very much +thrilled at the prospect of meeting her old friends, and highly +appreciated the privilege of a violin solo at the concert. The girls +were, of course, most excited, except the performers, who nearly had +hysterics at the prospect of playing before so great a musical star. + +"I shall leave my violin at home!" wailed Beata. + +"Nonsense! You'll find nobody more kind and encouraging than Miss +Lancaster," said Miss Mitchell. "It isn't the great artists who find +fault--they understand the difficulties only too well--it's the carping +critics who can't perform themselves and yet think they know all about +it! Do your best and no one will expect you to do any more!" + +It was a great day for Mavis and Merle when their visitors arrived. They +were fond of Cousin Sheila and welcomed her on her own account. With her +companion they readily fell in love. Mildred Lancaster was a most +charming personality, and although she had been so fęted on concert +platforms, she was absolutely simple and unaffected in private life. She +had brought her wonderful Stradivarius violin, upon which she always +played, and she took it out of its case and allowed the girls to admire +its graceful curves, and its fine old varnish. + +"It's my mascot!" she said. "I've had it all my life, and if anything +were to happen to it I believe I'd give up music! It's been a great +traveller, and always stays in my berth on sea voyages." + +To say that the Ramsays were proud to escort Miss Lancaster and her +Stradivarius to 'The Moorings' hardly describes their elation. A few +parents and friends had been asked, so that with the school there was +quite a large audience. It was arranged to take the girls' part of the +programme first, and the visitors' solos afterwards, a proceeding for +which the young performers were devoutly thankful. They got through their +pieces very creditably, especially Beata, who won warm praise from Miss +Lancaster. + +"That child's artistic and will make a musician if she goes on with it. +She puts _herself_ into her playing." + +"They're rather a remarkable family. Her sister is studying singing in +London," purred Miss Pollard, pleased to have one of her pupils thus +noticed. + +The treat of the afternoon was when Mildred Lancaster began to play, and +her entire mastery of her instrument was a revelation to most of the +girls. They had never before had the opportunity of listening to such +glorious music. + +"The gramophone will sound like a ghost after this, however good the +records!" declared Iva. "I wish I could hear her again." + +"Miss Fanny's bringing fourteen of you to tea to-morrow--hasn't she told +you yet?" exulted Merle. + +Muriel had also been included in the invitation in spite of her previous +discourtesy. + +"It hurt _you_ to be left out, so don't inflict the same feeling on +anybody else!" urged Mrs. Ramsay when her younger daughter demurred. "Two +blacks never make a white! The best way of 'getting even' with people is +to do them a kindness. That stops the whole thing and sets it into a +different groove. Ask Muriel if her aunt will come too. She sings +beautifully, and perhaps she will bring her music." + +The Ramsays' 'Musical At Home' was remembered for a long time by those +girls who were present at it. Mother was a clever hostess, and she +managed to put all her guests at ease and raise that magic atmosphere of +enjoyment which only certain people seem able to create. The drawing-room +looked charming with late flowers in its vases and a blazing log fire. +Miss Mitchell, having snatched a private chat with her two old school +friends, was radiant. Jessop, who had heard full details of the occasion, +had insisted on coming over to bake the cakes, and hovered in the +background like a beneficent deity, sending in fresh batches of hot +crumpets. There were chocolates in little silver bonbonničres and even +crackers, though it was not yet Christmas. Aunt Nellie was there and +enjoyed the music, and Dr. Tremayne and Dr. Ramsay joined them before the +performance was over. + +"Wasn't it a triumph? I think we know how to give a party!" rejoiced +Merle in private afterwards. + +"Yes, when Mother pulls the strings!" agreed Mavis. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +Yule-tide + + +The end of the term was, to use Merle's expression, 'a little thin.' Miss +Mitchell did not seem disposed to make any very great fuss about it, and +merely set aside the last hour of the last afternoon for the play which +the boarders had prepared. She suggested, indeed, that the day-girls +might get up some tableaux, but as no one evinced any enthusiasm the +matter dropped. + +"Tableaux are rather tame unless you have most beautiful dresses," +sniffed Muriel. + +"It really isn't worth our while bothering over them," agreed Merle. + +They were decidedly disappointed to have no chance to exhibit their own +dramatic talents, but they were 'sporting' enough to give a hearty clap +to the boarders' performance, a really magnanimous attitude on the part +of Mavis, who had lent a pale pink silk dress to Nesta, and watched +candle grease dropping down the front of it as that heroine pretended to +investigate a smuggler's cellar with a light. + +"Never mind! We'll have some acting of our own in the hols," she +whispered to Merle, who sat next to her. + +"Rather! And it will beat this simply into fits, though of course I +shan't tell them so." + +The holidays this Christmas were to compensate for every disagreeable +thing that had happened in the course of the term. First and foremost, +and this ought to be written in big letters like a poster heading, BEVIS +WAS COMING TO STAY. Mrs. Ramsay had invited him for a three weeks' visit +to Bridge House, and he was to arrive on December 23rd. He had always +been a great favourite with Dr. Tremayne, who thought that the boy's +position was rather a lonely one, and that on this first Christmas in +particular, after the solution of the mystery of his birth, he would feel +the lack of any family of his own and would be glad to be welcomed by +friends. + +Naturally, to Mavis and Merle this was the event of greatest importance, +but there was to be another pleasant happening as well. Cousin Clive was +also coming to spend the holidays. He was Dr. Tremayne's grandson and his +home was in London. The girls had never seen him, as he had not paid a +visit to Durracombe during the last year, and they were very curious to +know what he was like. Any misgivings which they may have cherished +vanished instantly, however, at the first sight of Clive. He was a very +big boy of twelve, as tall as Merle, with merry grey eyes that looked +capable of fun. He was, of course, full of the affairs of his own +preparatory school, but as he found they were ready to listen to his +accounts of football matches or dormitory 'rags' he took them into his +masculine confidence and extended the hand of friendship. He showed a +particular fancy for Merle, whose robuster constitution allowed her to +tear about with him and indulge in some rather hoydenish performances. + +"You're a thorough tomboy!" said Mother, having called her younger +daughter down from the coach-house roof, whither she had climbed in +company with her cousin. + +"Well, you see, Mummie dear, I have to amuse Clive!" was always Merle's +excuse. "If I didn't keep him quiet he'd kick up no end of a racket and +disturb Aunt Nellie. It's really very kind of me!" + +"There's a large spice of enjoyment mixed with the philanthropy!" +twinkled Mother. + +"Well, that's the right spirit. We ought to enjoy our own good deeds!" +laughed Merle. + +As Aunt Nellie was really a consideration in regard to noise, the young +people had taken over the harness room as a temporary boudoir during the +holidays. They carried down some basket chairs, tacked a few coloured +pictures from annuals on its bare walls, and made it look quite pretty. +Tom lighted them a blazing fire every day, and tended it during their +absence with the care of a vestal virgin, so they were extremely cosy and +jolly there. The joiner's bench and the glue-pot gave facilities for any +hobbies they wished to carry on; they could make as much noise as they +liked, and walk in and out with dirty boots, unreproved. + +To Bevis this visit was elysium. All his experiences of young people had +been confined to school, and he had never before spent such a holiday. + +"It's grand to be in a home like this!" he said, once, to Mavis. "I can't +help thinking, sometimes, how different life would have been to me if my +mother had lived. It's hard not to have even the slightest remembrance of +her. Suppose she had been here now and living at 'The Warren'!" + +"You'll go there yourself some day." + +"Perhaps. It'll be rather a forlorn business though, being in that big +house with only a pack of servants. I believe I'll take a voyage round +the world in a yacht. The fact is I can't quite see my future. I'm going +to Cambridge, but after that things are vague. I always had dreams of a +profession, but the lawyers say I ought to settle down on the estate. +What's a fellow to do?" + +"I wouldn't worry your head about it yet. There'll be plenty of time to +think things over while you're at College," counselled Mavis. "Enjoy your +holidays at any rate." + +"No mistake about that. I'm having the luck of my life!" + +It was only to Mavis's sympathetic ear that Bevis poured out these +confidences. With Merle he was on different terms. He called her +'Soeurette' (little sister) and was always ready for some joke with her. +She and Clive together led him a lively time, as well as keeping him busy +helping them to make boxes, build a boat, and several other joinering +enterprises. + +"It does Bevis all the good in the world to be teased!" declared Merle. + +"He certainly gets it, then!" laughed Mavis. + +One special grievance had Merle. Bevis had devoted some of his spare time +at Shelton College to taking motoring lessons, for he hoped to buy a car +some day, and he could now drive so well that Dr. Ramsay trusted him at +the steering-wheel. + +"It's too bad!" declared that indignant damsel. "Just because Mother's +nervous and thinks I'm going to run her into the ditch! Wait till I've +had _my_ course of motoring lessons! I'll take the shine out of +Bevis! See if I don't!" + +"You shall try my motor bike, if you like, Soeurette!" consoled Bevis. +"That's to say, if they'll allow you." + +"Don't, for goodness' sake, ask anybody, but just take it out on the +quiet and I'll guarantee to ride it. Let's do it this very afternoon!" +returned Merle, somewhat pacified. + +On the whole the weather had proved exceedingly wet, so with the +exceptions of a few runs in the car with the hood up, they had not +ventured very far away, and had mostly taken walks in the neighbourhood. +Bevis naturally wished to explore the Durracombe district, and they had +not been to Chagmouth since his arrival, and knew nothing of what was +going on there. One drizzling morning, however, when they were all +sitting in the harness room, they heard a clatter of hoofs and then a +shout in the stable yard, and looking out of the window saw Tudor +Williams on his little horse, Armorelle. The girls ran out at once. + +"I say! How d'you do?" said Tudor. "Isn't your man about anywhere to take +this horse?" + +"Tom's in the greenhouse, I'll fetch him!" and Merle darted across the +dripping yard. + +"Have you come to see Uncle?" asked Mavis, stroking Armorelle's satin +nose. + +"No, I've a message from the Mater for you and Merle. Oh, here's your +groom! Yes, just give her a wipe down, please" (as Tom led Armorelle away +to the stable), "she's too fat and gets easily hot! Ugh! It's rather a +horrid day. The Mater wanted to send me in the car, but I said I'd rather +ride." + +"Won't you come into the house?" asked Mavis. + +"Or into our den?" invited Merle. "We've made the harness room into a +snuggery." + +"By Jove! Not a bad idea, that! Yes, take me there. I'm too splashed to +be fit for the drawing-room. I say, this is no end! What a decent fire +you've got!" + +"You know Bevis? And this is our Cousin Clive," said Mavis, performing +the introductions. + +Tudor nodded, flung himself into a basket chair and looked round the room +with some amusement. + +"It's like you two!" he vouchsafed. "_I_ should never have thought +of taking over the harness room! 'Pon my word, it's cosy! You won't want +to turn out when I tell you what I've come for!" + +"Turn out where?" + +"Well, it's a long story. You see there are some new +people come to live in Chagmouth--an artist with a family about a yard +long. Of course, the Mater goes and calls and gushes and comes back +talking about beauty and talent and all the rest of it. She's an eye to +business though, has the Mater! Mr. Colville had asked her to get up a +concert in aid of something or other, I don't know what it's for! The new +Vicar's as bad as the old one for wanting money, and the Mater's +perpetually raising the wind for the parish with entertainments. She's +worked all her local stars rather hard, so you can imagine she pounced +upon anybody new, and got them to promise about half the programme. She +came back purring. There was the other half of the programme, though, to +be fixed up. The Girl Guides had learnt a dialogue, so she said they +might as well act it, and she had the posters printed and sent the school +children round selling tickets." + +"Well?" said Mavis, as Tudor paused for breath. + +"I'm coming to the point fast enough! It seems the principal characters +in the dialogue are three sisters, and yesterday one of them developed +measles! The other two are contact cases and, of course, they're not +allowed on the boards. You can't act 'Hamlet' without the Prince of +Denmark and Ophelia and Polonius! It's the same business here. The +dialogue has collapsed like a pricked balloon!" + +"Have they no understudies?" + +"Never heard of such things, and say it would take them six weeks to +train any one else in the parts, besides which the others say they +wouldn't dream of doing it without Gertie and Florrie or whatever their +names are. The Mater sprinted round the village trying to fill up her +empty programme but all her stars were huffy because they hadn't been +asked before, and they said they had colds or they wanted to go to their +grandmothers' funerals, or some such excuse. Back comes the Mater almost +in tears and says she really doesn't know whatever she's going to do +about it, and there never was such a fiasco, etc. Then Babbie suggested +'Send for Mavis and Merle, they'll help you out.' Mother jumped to it +like a drowning man at a rope. So I trotted off immediately after +breakfast to ask if you'll come to the rescue." + +"O-o-h! But when is the concert?" + +"To-night at 7 prompt." + +"Great Scott! We can't!" + +"Yes, you can! Any of those impromptu things you give will simply delight +people. They've paid their shillings and their sixpences to see some +acting and they don't mind what it's like so long as it makes them laugh +and they get their money's worth. The Mater'll send the car over for you +after lunch and she'll put you up for the night--you, Talland, too, and +you," nodding to Clive. "Be sporting, all of you, and come!" + +"Could we possibly get through the thing we did last night?" hesitated +Mavis, looking at the others. + +"Let's try," decided Merle. "It's all gag, Tudor, and if we get stage +fright and can't go on we shall just have to walk off, that's how it is." + +"You won't do that! I say, you know, it's most awfully kind of you! The +Mater will be _so_ relieved. She'd have written a note but there was +some other hitch about the refreshments and she was interviewing the +schoolmaster. Shall we send the car at three? Then I'd better hurry home +now and set the Mater's mind at rest." + +"Wait, Tudor! We haven't asked Mother yet." + +"Oh, didn't I tell you? I met Dr. and Mrs. Ramsay in your car and stopped +them, and they both said 'Go, by all means.'" + +"Well, we've let ourselves in for something!" exclaimed Mavis as Tudor +rode away on Armorelle. "It was your fault, Merle!" + +"No, it wasn't, it was yours! I think it will be rather fun! Cheer up, +Bevis! Don't look such a scared owl! Here's old Clive absolutely +peacocking at the idea." + +"If I'm to be Isabella?" grinned Clive. + +"Of course, if I'm Augustus!" + +"Merle--you _can't!_" + +"Who says I can't? The joke of it will be that nobody'll know. Clive and +I are the same height and really rather alike, and if we change clothes +they'll all think _he's_ Augustus and _I'm_ Isabella." + +"Will anybody recognise me as Uncle Cashbags?" groaned Bevis. + +"Not your nearest and dearest. Be as gruff as you can, and limp as you +did last night. We're not going to let you off! Don't you think it! Why, +we couldn't possibly do the piece without you!" + +The young people, ostensibly for the entertainment of their elders, but +largely for the amusement of themselves, had been acting in the evenings +to an audience of Aunt Nellie, Uncle David, and Father and Mother. Their +last performance had really been so successful that they felt they might +venture to give it in so great an emergency. They began at once to pack +their various properties. + +"Rather a score to be asked to appear on a public platform! I wish Miss +Mitchell could be there to see us!" triumphed Merle. + +"The joke is that I don't believe Chagmouth people will recognise any of +us," said Mavis, hunting for a pair of spectacles she had mislaid. "I'm +going to bargain that our names aren't announced beforehand." + +"Right-o! The audience can imagine we're a London Company on tour in the +provinces, or anything else they like. They'll think far more of us if +they don't know who we are till afterwards. Tudor mustn't give us away!" + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +Facing the Footlights + + +The big five-seater car came punctually at three and conveyed the young +people and all their belongings to The Warren, where their arrival caused +much satisfaction. + +"You've saved us from a most awkward predicament," declared Mrs. Glyn +Williams. "I hardly know how to thank you. Wasn't it clever of Babbie to +think of it?" + +"We've never forgotten how you did a scene here once!" said Tudor. +"Couldn't do it myself to save my life! And Gwen says the same. Oh, here +she is! I was looking for you, Gwen! Here are the Ramsays, and Talland." + +The Gwen who advanced to shake hands was so different from their old +acquaintance that the girls felt they scarcely would have recognised her. +She did her hair in a new fashion, and was wonderfully grown-up, and even +more patronising than formerly. She said a languid "How d'you do," then +left Babbie to entertain them, which the latter did with enthusiasm, for +she was fond of Mavis and Merle. + +"I expect you're thinking of all the improvements you'll make here when +you come of age?" said Mrs. Glyn Williams, trying to be pleasant to Bevis +over the tea-cups. "It's a nice place, and will really look very well +when it's been redecorated. You'll have to do it up for your bride, won't +you?" + +At which joke Bevis blushed crimson and dropped his cake on the carpet, +to his own confusion and the delight of the fox-terrier Jim, who thought +it was done for his especial benefit, and promptly swallowed the piece, +icing and all. + +"I don't want to hurry you to turn out," protested Bevis shyly. + +"Oh, we shall have Bodoran Hall ready by that time. We were there last +week looking at the new building. The workmen are really beginning to get +on with it at last." + +"You'll have to build fresh stables here, Talland, if you mean to do any +decent hunting," advised Tudor airily. "If I were you I'd get those +lawyers to start them at once, then they'd be ready when you want them. I +suppose you _will_ hunt?" + +"I'm not sure yet what I mean to do," replied Bevis guardedly. + +He did not like so much catechism about his future plans. In the old days +of his poverty he had never admired the Glyn Williams' ideals of life, +and he had no wish to mould himself upon their standards. The sporting +landlord, with a horizon bounded by the local meet or a county ball, was +a type that did not appeal to him, and he saw no reason why he should be +forced by a spurious public opinion into lines that were uncongenial. +Though on the surface he and Tudor were friends, at bottom the old +antagonism existed as in the days when they had quarrelled on the cliffs +near Blackthorn Bower. + +It was only to please Mavis and Merle that he had accepted this +invitation to The Warren, where he found himself in the peculiar position +of being patronised in his own house. + +With Bevis rather gloomy and restrained, Tudor slightly aggressive, and +Gwen too fashionable to trouble to entertain her old friends, matters +were not as exhilarating as they might have been, and everybody seemed +relieved when it was time to walk down to the Institute. + +"I suppose I shall have to go!" yawned Gwen. "These village concerts of +Mother's are _such_ a nuisance! Why can't the people get up their +own instead of always expecting her to bother with them! _I_ don't +want to hear Miss Smith and Miss Brown and Miss Robinson! It bores me +stiff." + +"Not very polite of her when _we_ are going to act!" whispered +Merle to Mavis as they put on their hats. + +"It certainly isn't! But Gwen's always like this. I vote we try not to +mind," returned Mavis heroically. + +The entertainment was to be given in the local Institute, which was +fitted with a platform and curtain, but otherwise held no great +facilities for theatricals. A large and very unruly crowd of young people +were outside waiting for admission, and through these our party had to +push their way to a side entrance. At the back of the platform great +confusion raged. The whole of the Castleton family seemed to be trying to +dress one another among a rich jumble of costumes, while Mr. Castleton, +altering the poses in his tableaux at the eleventh hour, kept sending +messengers home to his studio for articles which he had forgotten. + +"The pantry's the only place for the Ladies' Dressing-Room, and it's full +of tea-cups!" said Beata, kneeling on the floor to button Lilith into a +mediaeval robe that reached to her toes. + +"Tea-cups or no tea-cups, I'll have to use it!" said Merle. "Come with +us, Romola, and mount guard over the door while we change. I'm not going +to have all the parish popping in. How sublime you look!" + +"Very hot and uncomfortable!" sighed Romola. "I'd put on the blue costume +and then Dad suddenly altered the whole tableau and made me get into this +instead. Wasn't it tiresome of him? Now he's fussing about and I know we +shall be late! We always are!" + +"So shall we be if we don't hurry up. Have you got the right bag, Mavis? +Oh, here are some of Bevis's things! I must rush out and give them to him +before we begin." + +Dressing in a pantry full of tea-cups, by the aid of candles and a hand- +mirror, was not at all an easy performance, but the girls did their best +for one another and were pleased with the result. As soon as they were +ready they went to help Bevis and Clive, who needed much assistance, and +were beginning to suffer from stage-fright. + +"I was a silly owl to let myself in for it!" groaned the former. "I +expect I'll forget every word I ought to say and disgrace myself!" + +"You'll do nothing of the sort!" declared Merle firmly. "If you could act +it last night you can act it to-night, so don't be ridiculous. You've +just _got_ to--there!" + +"All right, Soeurette! Don't get baity! I won't let you down if I can +help it!" + +The audience by this time had been admitted, and had surged into the room +and struggled for seats, slightly restrained by the boy scouts, who were +acting as stewards, and who vigorously turned out the rank and file if +they invaded the reserved benches. The noise was tremendous, everybody +was talking, and rough lads at the back were indulging in whistling and +an occasional cat-call. + +"The tickets have gone well, at any rate," said Nan Colville, who was +helping in one of the tableaux. "It's something to have the room full, +Dad says! But just listen to them! Aren't they rowdy?" + +"If everybody's ready we really _must_ begin!" declared the Vicar, +making a hurried visit behind the scenes. "I don't think they'll wait any +longer." + +Furious stamping from the audience endorsed his words, so Mr. Castleton, +who had contemplated yet another alteration, was obliged to be content +and allow the curtain to go up. The scene was 'the first meeting of Dante +and Beatrice,' and was a charming presentment of mediaeval Italy. +Constable, robed in pale green velvet with a Florentine cap on his +picturesque curls, made a very glorified representation of the youthful +poet, while Lilith, in the traditional red dress described in the _Vita +Nuova_, looked ethereal enough to inspire a lifelong devotion and +whole volumes of poems. + +The rest of the Castleton family, and a few friends, were grouped as +relations and nobles, in some of the richest dresses of the studio, and +made a very brave show, evoking much applause. It was years since the +villagers had seen 'Living Pictures,' and this was superior to anything +of the sort given before. Without the Castletons the entertainment would +have been almost non-existent. They provided the greater half of the +programme. They were so accustomed to posing as models that they took +most graceful positions in the tableaux, and preserved their postures +admirably without moving so much as a finger. They included Babbie in a +scene from _The Vicar of Wakefield_, and she made a dear little +'Sophia' in muslin dress and mob cap, hugely to her mother's +satisfaction. + +Morland, who was at home for Christmas, gave two piano solos, and though +his beautiful artistic playing was much above the heads of most of the +audience, there were some who were musical enough to enjoy it. Everybody +appreciated Claudia's songs. Her voice was of a rare quality, and even +the rough lads at the back of the room stopped 'ragging' and listened in +silence. It was very highly trained singing, but held that divine throb +of passion which uses art as the instrument of nature, and united the +correctness of a musician with the spontaneous carolling of a bird. With +youth and so pretty a face added to her talent it was no wonder that +Claudia had an ovation. + +"I'm not supposed to sing anywhere in public till I've finished with the +college," she announced behind the scenes. "Signor Arezzo would be simply +furious if he knew. He's a terrible Turk about it. I don't see how he's +going to get to hear about it though! I shan't tell him myself, you may +be sure." + +Fay, who had considerable skill at elocution, gave a most amusing +recitation, to which Morland played a very soft and subdued accompaniment +on the piano, and for the encore that followed she repeated some quaint +poems of American child-life, which were such a success that the Vicar +mentally voted her a discovery, and decided to ask her to help the +programme on future occasions. + +It was now the turn of our party from Durracombe, who were trying to keep +up one another's spirits behind the scenes. The audience, owing to long +sitting still, was growing a little obstreperous. The chairman had to +keep constantly ringing a bell and reminding people to be quiet. The +noise at the back waxed so violent that his voice could hardly be heard, +and the occupants of the front seats had to turn round and shout, +'Order!' 'You'll be turned out!' before the delinquents preserved a +decent hush. The little piece evolved by Mavis and Merle was entitled: + +_A Rich Relation._ + +The first scene disclosed Mrs. Hardup, a widow lady, lamenting her lack +of means, and regretting that her son, Augustus, should have engaged +himself to Isabella, a charming but utterly impecunious damsel. She +cheered up, however, when the young people came in bearing a letter; for +it was from Uncle Cashbags, their rich relation, announcing that he was +coming that very day to have lunch with them. Mavis, as the diplomatic +widow, with grey hair and tortoise-shell-rimmed spectacles, looked at +least fifty, and preserved her disguise admirably. As for Merle, not a +soul in the audience would have recognised her as Augustus. She wore +Clive's Eton suit and overcoat, had a brown wig and a moustache, and +affected a deep-toned fashionable drawl. Clive, arrayed in some of Mrs. +Ramsay's garments, with a hat and veil and a fur, looked a thorough +member of the smart set and acted the most modern of modern damsels. He +entered, affectionately leaning on the arm of Augustus, and almost +embarrassed that youth by his attentions. + +Bevis, as Uncle Cashbags, with white hair, long beard, false eyebrows, +and a gouty foot, came limping on to the stage, and was received with +effusion by the widow and Augustus, and especially by Isabella, who was a +minx, and set herself to captivate the old gentleman. In vain the +luckless Augustus tried to ingratiate himself with his rich relation; he +was unfortunate enough to tumble over the gouty leg and make several +other most exasperating mistakes, which ended in Uncle Cashbags +wrathfully repudiating him as his heir, and announcing his intention of +marrying Isabella himself, finally hobbling away with the fair and +faithless damsel clinging fondly to his arm and blowing a good-bye kiss +to her former fiancé. + +Mischievous Clive was in his element, and played the part with such +tremendous zeal that the audience, who had not yet grasped his youth and +his sex, watched his manoeuvres breathlessly, and several old ladies +looked quite scandalised and disapproving. It was only when called before +the curtain that, at a whisper from Mavis, he pulled off hat and veil, +revealing his unmistakably boyish head, whereupon a great shout of +laughter arose from the benches and a perfect storm of applause. + +"It has been capital! Capital!" said Mrs. Glyn Williams. "One of the best +entertainments we've ever had at the Institute! Didn't Babbie look sweet +as 'Sophia'? We must have some more tableaux another time. Gwen, you +ought to have been in too! The Castletons were splendid! Such a number of +nice young people here! We ought to have a little dance. They must all +come up to The Warren to-morrow evening, and we'll clear the drawing-room. +I'll telephone to Dr. Tremayne and say I'm keeping you four till +Friday. Your dresses? Oh, we'll send over for them. I'm sure your Mother +won't mind your staying!" + +There was no possibility of refusal, for Mrs. Glyn Williams had quite +settled the matter, and invited the Castletons and the Macleods and the +Colvilles and several other people on the spot. The Ramsays, who had made +plans of their own for the following evening, felt a little caught, +especially as Bevis looked glum and reproachful. + +"How _could_ you?" he said to Mavis in an agonized whisper. + +"How could I help it?" + +"We were shot sitting," murmured Merle. "Cheer up, Bevis! A dance is a +dance, anyway. I hope I haven't spoilt Clive's Etons for him!" + +Mrs. Glyn Williams really meant to be very kind and to give the young +people pleasure, and if Bevis did not entirely appreciate her hospitality +it was no doubt his own fault. The fact was that the snubs which he had +received as Bevis Hunter still rankled, and though as Bevis Talland he +was on a very different footing, he found it difficult entirely to forget +all that had gone before. + +"I was exactly the same as I am now, but no one would notice me till I +came into the estate--except you and Merle!" he said once rather bitterly +to Mavis. "I sometimes feel their friendship is hardly worth having!" + +"It's the way of the world, and you have to take people just as they +are," she replied. "It's no use keeping up ill-feeling, Bevis. If they +hold out the olive branch, it's more gracious to accept it, isn't it?" + +"Oh, I'll behave myself! But all the same, I discriminate between my old +friends and my new acquaintances; I'd rather not call them by the name of +friends!" + +There were great preparations next day at The Warren. The furniture was +carried out of the drawing-room, the parquet floor was polished, and +Chinese lanterns were hung up in the conservatory, and the cook was busy +preparing light refreshments. It was a pretty house for a dance, and +looked very gay and festive with its Christmas decorations of holly and +ivy, and its blazing fire of logs in the hall. Mavis's and Merle's party +dresses duly arrived, and they made careful toilets, coming downstairs +shyly, to feel a little in the shade by the side of Gwen the magnificent, +who, alack! was trying to copy the up-to-date manners of some of her new +school friends, with rather unhappy results. Perhaps kind little Babbie +noticed the Ramsays' embarrassment, for she went to them at once to give +them their programmes. + +"How nice you look!" she said. "Isn't it always a horrid time, just when +every one is arriving? It's ever so much nicer when the first dance has +started!" + +There were a great many people present whom Mavis and Merle did not know. +Some of these were introduced by Tudor, and asked for dances, and very +soon the sisters were separated and gliding over the polished floor with +partners. + +Mrs. Glyn Williams, having welcomed the young guests, retired to a sofa +for a chat with some other dowagers, and left them to fill up their +programmes as they liked. There were far more ladies present than +gentlemen, so it was a case of girls dancing with one another. Merle +readily whisked away with Tattie, or Nan, or Lizzie, but shy Mavis, after +the first two-step, stood in a corner unnoticed. Gwen was enjoying +herself very much with the pick of the partners, Beata and Romola floated +by together, and Clive was carefully performing his steps in company with +a much amused married lady. Mavis acted wallflower for several dances, +feeling considerably out of it, till Bevis's voice sounded suddenly in +her ear. + +"Why, here you are! I've been looking for you everywhere! How many dances +can you give me? I've kept my programme as free as I could till I found +you. I thought the pixies must have spirited you away! What did you say? +I ought to ask Gwen? It isn't necessary in the least. You know I'm a +duffer at it, and I should probably tread on her toes and she'd hate me +for evermore. May I have these four?" + +"Give half to Merle!" + +"Soeurette's perfectly happy with the kids! If you won't let me have them +I won't dance at all. I'll hide in the conservatory, or run away into the +garden. You promised to be my teacher!" + +"So I will, but I feel I mustn't monopolise you. Oh, dear! Well, if +you've written them down I suppose it will have to be!" + +"May I have the pleasure, Miss Ramsay?" twinkled Bevis, offering his arm. + +"Thanks very much! You may!" laughed Mavis. + +"I'm always glad when I get my own way!" chuckled Bevis, as they started +a valse. + +Three of the dances which Bevis had appropriated on Mavis's programme +came in succession, and as their steps went well together they thoroughly +enjoyed themselves. At the close of the third they were walking into the +hall to get lemonade when Mrs. Glyn Williams smilingly stopped them. + +"I want to introduce you to some fresh partners. There are plenty of +people anxious to know you!" she said to Bevis archly. Then, tapping +Mavis with her fan, she continued, laughing, "Naughty girl! You mustn't +keep him _all_ to yourself! I really _can't!_ allow it!" + +Poor Mavis blushed magenta, and stood aside while her hostess whisked the +unwilling Bevis away and remorselessly fixed up the rest of his programme +for him. She did not attempt to find a partner for Mavis, who was too +overwhelmed with confusion to care to dance even with Lizzie Colville, +and who backed towards the piano and began to turn over the music. +Inwardly Mavis was raging, though she had sufficient pride to preserve an +outward calm. + +"If there's anything here you know I'd be grateful if you could play it +and give me a rest, my hands are so stiff," said Mrs. Colville, who had +volunteered to act as pianist for the evening. + +"I'll try with pleasure!" answered Mavis, taking her place. + +She was glad to have an excuse for not dancing. She only wished she could +have run away from The Warren and gone straight home and poured out her +troubles to her mother. The Glyn Williams had cut Bevis in the old days +and poured scorn on the Ramsays for knowing him, and it seemed too bad +that their present hospitality to him should still be a subject for +blame. Mavis's pride kept her at the piano all the rest of the evening. +She was a good reader, and assured Mrs. Colville that she liked playing. +She shook her head when Bevis came for his fourth dance. + +"_Please_ get another partner! I'm busy here! Mrs. Glyn Williams +will find you somebody!" + +Whereupon Bevis, muttering very uncomplimentary remarks about his hostess +under his breath, deliberately passed by several eligible wallflowers, +chose out the youngest child in the room, and led her off in a valse. + +Merle, who was still an absolute schoolgirl and revelled in anything in +the nature of a party, enjoyed her evening supremely. Mavis was very glad +when it was all over and she was quiet in bed. Some new element seemed to +have entered to-night into her old happy world and to have rubbed the +bloom off her innocent friendship with Bevis. + +"It was so jolly in the old days when we hunted for primroses and had +picnics in Blackthorn Bower!" she thought. "It's not ourselves who have +changed, but other people who won't allow us to be the same. Why couldn't +things go on as they were? If this is society I don't like it! Oh, dear! +I wish we could always stay exactly as we are and never grow up at all!" + + + + +CHAPTER X + +The Mumps + + +When the Christmas holidays were over, a very important decision was +arrived at with regard to Clive. For many reasons his parents considered +his preparatory school too strenuous for him, and, as he had considerably +outgrown his strength, it was arranged to allow him to miss the spring +term and to stay at Durracombe until Easter. He was to go every morning +to the Vicarage for private lessons from Mr. Carey, and he was to be out +of doors as much as possible, drink plenty of milk, and try, as his +grandfather expressed it, to 'put on flesh.' Master Clive himself was +only too well content to have what he justly considered a continuation of +his holidays. He did not mean to be too clever over his lessons at the +Vicarage, and, indeed, he planned to make a little work go a long way. +Being out of doors as much as possible suited him exactly. He strutted +about Durracombe, with a rolling naval walk, making friends with +everybody, and telling them he had quite determined to go to sea and +become an Admiral. He went out motoring with his grandfather or Dr. +Ramsay, and he spent a considerable portion of time with Tom, the old +gardener, who was long-suffering in many ways, though roused to wrath by +any injury to his young bedding-out plants. Mrs. Ramsay 'mothered' Clive, +feeling it was some return for the kindness which Uncle David had shown +to her own girls. She grew fond of the young scapegrace and covered his +escapades as far as possible, so as not to alarm nervous Aunt Nellie, who +would have been much perturbed at some of her grandson's reckless +performances. + +There was no harm about Clive; he was simply a young, restless, fast- +growing boy, who constantly wanted fresh outlets for his energies. He +loved to tease his cousins, but met his match in Merle, who generally +turned the tables and carried the war into the enemy's camp. When they +were not sparring or playing jokes upon one another, the two were firm +allies. Merle had always wished for a brother, and lively Clive was a +companion after her own heart. Mrs. Ramsay, indeed, complained that her +younger daughter was becoming an utter tomboy, but she was glad for the +two to be together, as she could trust Merle not to allow her cousin to +go too far, and to keep him from endangering either his own limbs or the +safety and comfort of other people. + +The Spring term had advanced only a few weeks when a most untoward thing +happened. Merle got mumps! How she picked them up nobody knew, but, as +mother said, in a doctor's house you may always be prepared to catch +anything, and it was a marvel the children had had so few complaints. +Merle was not really very ill, but her face and neck were swollen and +painful, and, worst of all, she was considered in a highly infectious +condition and was carefully isolated in a top bedroom. Neither Mavis nor +Clive had had mumps, and it was hoped they might escape, though as they +had been with Merle the germs might still be incubating. Mavis was, of +course, not allowed to go to 'The Moorings,' and Clive was debarred from +his lessons at The Vicarage, and they had to preserve a species of +quarantine, equally trying to them both, for at Dr. Tremayne's suggestion +Mavis turned temporary governess to Clive and coached him in several +subjects in which he was deficient. The young rascal, highly aggrieved at +this unexpected tuition, took liberties with his gentle cousin which he +would not have dared to take with Mr. Carey, and extracted as much fun as +possible from his studies. Mavis was quite sure he made mistakes on +purpose, and pretended to be stupid in order to reduce the standard of +what was required, but the main object was to keep him quiet and out of +mischief, and her teaching served that end at any rate. + +"I wouldn't be a mistress in a boys' preparatory school if they offered +me a thousand a year!" she told Mother. "I'd rather clean doorsteps, or +sew buttons on shirts at a farthing a dozen, or sell watercress, or wash +dishes in a restaurant!" + +"Nonsense! It's not so bad as all that, surely!" laughed Mrs. Ramsay. +"If you knew how the little wretch rags me! I only wish it was Merle who +had to teach him and that I had the mumps instead. It must be nice and +quite comfortable by the fire upstairs!" + +Merle, however, did not at all appreciate the privilege of being ill and +confined to one room. She was not so fond of indoor amusements as her +sister, and soon tired of reading and drawing and games of patience. Her +great grievance was that she was left so much alone. Mrs. Ramsay had to +attend to Aunt Nellie, to answer the telephone, and to interview patients +who came while the doctors were out and to take their messages, as well +as to do the housekeeping, so she was kept constantly busy and had not +much time to sit upstairs with Merle. Dr. Tremayne and her father paid +her flying visits, but these were too short to content her. + +"What's five minutes out of a long day?" she asked. "It's too bad! When +Mavis used to have bronchitis we all almost lived in her bedroom. Nobody +makes the least fuss about _me_! You don't even look decently sorry +or very sympathetic! You come smiling in as if mumps were a sort of joke. +It isn't a smiling matter to me, I can tell you. I'm fed up with them!" + +"Poor old lady! It's a shame to laugh at your big face! Shall I cry +instead?" said Father. + +"It wouldn't seem quite so heartless!" retorted his indignant patient. + +Next day Merle received a letter, which was pushed under the door. It was +all in rhyme, and as it was in Dr. Ramsay's handwriting she concluded +that her father must have sat up late the night before courting the muse +of poetry. His verses ran as follows: + + MERLE WITH MUMPS + + When Merle was suffering from the mumps + She felt most down and in the dumps; + Her friends, to cheer her up the while, + Laughed at her face to make her smile. + + But eyeing with reproach her folk + She told them 'twas a sorry joke. + "Hard-hearted wretches," so she cried, + "To jeer while here upstairs I bide!" + + Having no bad intent to tease her, + But wishing only just to please her, + Her family then ceased their jeers + And showed their sympathy in tears. + + Her mother, who her pillow set, + Dropped tears and made the room quite wet, + And gurgled forth, "Alack-a-day, + That here upstairs with mumps you stay!" + + Her uncle just outside the door + Sobbed till his chest was hoarse and sore, + And, swallowing in his throat some lumps, + He mourned, "My Niece has got the mumps" + + The maids who came her plight to see + Splashed tears in cups of milk or tea; + The room it grew so very damp + Her limbs began to feel the cramp. + + Her father to her chamber crept, + And lifted up his voice and wept; + With kerchief of capacious size + He stood and groaned and mopped his eyes. + + So big the tears that from him fell + They were enough to make a well, + And, standing in a pool of water, + He sighed, "Alack! my mumpsy daughter!" + + "Stop! Stop!" cried Merle, "O don't be sad! + These waterworks will drive me mad! + Good gracious, how I wish you'd smile + Instead of weeping all the while! + + "Cheer up, for goodness' sake, I pray, + And treat me in your usual way. + No more I'll call you hearts of leather, + In spite of mumps we'll laugh together!" + +Perhaps the family thought they had not done enough to relieve the tedium +of Merle's banishment; at any rate they set to work and made great +efforts to amuse her. Mavis sketched her portrait, adding wings and a +halo, and printed underneath "Saint Merle suffering her Martyrdom." +Mother clicked away on the typewriter, and deposited a document in her +daughter's room, which claimed to be: + +_Extract from "The Durracombe and Devon Times"_ + +SOCIETY GOSSIP + +It is with sincere regret that we record the indisposition of that leader +of our local social life, Miss Merle Ramsay. Well known for her dramatic +talent, she lately acted the part of principal boy at an important +performance held in Chagmouth, the Metropolis of the West. Her audience, +which included some of the most celebrated critics and press +representatives of the neighbourhood, was unanimous in acknowledging her +spirited conception of what was certainly a difficult and delicate role, +which, in less skilled hands than hers, might have degenerated into +buffoonery or sheer melodrama. She was greatly to be congratulated on her +achievement, and it is hoped this is not the last time she will appear on +the boards and give Devon audiences the opportunity of enjoying her rare +humour. It may be noted that, in addition to her powers of dramatic +representation, Miss Ramsay has no mean record in the world of sport. + +Her athletic proclivities are marked, and she has the distinguished +honour of being president of the Games Club at that great west country +centre of education 'The Moorings.' Among her many activities Miss Ramsay +numbers a facility in music and an affection for horticulture; she has +travelled much in the immediate neighbourhood of Durracombe, and her +favourite hobby is motoring. + +Miss Ramsay, who through the nature of her indisposition was unable to +afford our press representative a personal interview, sent messages of +thanks for the local sympathy expressed for her condition. + +"It is a matter of much gratification to me to know that I am missed," +were her words; "I trust soon to be back at work and to be able to fulfil +my many engagements." At the request of the local Entertainments +Committee we are asked to state that, owing to the absence of their most +prominent member, no further performances will be given for the present. +We wish Miss Ramsay a speedy return to health. + +Merle laughed very much over these literary effusions, and they certainly +had the effect of cheering her up. What she pined for chiefly, however, +was company. She had a very sociable disposition and hated to be alone. +She particularly missed Clive, who had grown to be her best playfellow. +She begged for the dog or the cat to share her solitude, but that was +strictly forbidden on the ground that they might be germ-carriers and +convey the mumps to others. One day she was sitting at her table trying +to amuse herself with an everlasting game of patience, when she suddenly +heard peculiar noises on the roof above. There was a scraping and +bumping, as if an eagle or some other enormous bird had alighted there. +The sounds continued till at last there was a thump on the skylight and +Clive's mischievous face appeared grinning down at her. Immensely +thrilled she lifted the window, and he crawled farther along and thrust +his head through. + +"Hello, old girl! How are you getting on? I say! You do look rather a +sight! I wanted to have a squint at you! Are you going to have your photo +taken?" + +"Don't be a young beast! How did you get up here?" + +"They're repainting the house next door, so I took French leave and +borrowed the tall ladder. I've had rather a business clambering about +till I found your window. I say, does your face hurt?" + +"Not much now, but it did at first." + +"You look like the picture of the fat woman at a fair!" + +"Wait till you get it yourself, and then I'll jeer." + +"I'm awfully sorry for you! Look here, I've brought you some toffee. Can +you catch it if I throw it down? I've finished that boat we were making. +Tom helped me. Mavis is hemming some sails; then I'm going to try it on +the reservoir. I wish you could come with me!" + +"So do I," said the patient dolefully. "But that's out of the question. +Don't you think you ought to be going back? Suppose somebody takes away +the ladder!" + +"I'd drop down into your room then." + +"And catch the mumps?" + +"Shouldn't much care if it meant missing my lessons!" + +"I can hear somebody coming upstairs!" + +"I'll be off then. Ta-ta! You're not exactly beautiful, but on the whole +you don't look so bad as I expected. You needn't tell anybody I came! +Bye-bye!" + +On the 14th of February Merle was still a prisoner. She had almost +forgotten there was such a saint as St. Valentine, so it came as a great +surprise to find certain mysterious parcels brought up on her breakfast +tray. There were flowers and a packet of chocolates, and a new game of +solitaire, and an amusing little mascot dog with a movable head. It was +almost like having a birthday. On the top of the parcels was an envelope +addressed in a disguised handwriting. It contained a sheet of pink paper +bearing the picture of a heart pierced by an arrow, while Cupid drew his +bow in the distance. Underneath was written: + + "Sweet Merle, of Durracombe the belle, + Accept this heart that loves you well: + A heart most tender, kind, and true, + That lives and beats for only you! + 'Twere cruel in this faithful heart + To plant and fix so big a dart, + So heal its wound I beg and pray, + And be my VALENTINE to-day!" + +The sender, as is usual in valentines, remained anonymous, and Merle +could only guess at the authorship, though she had strong suspicions of +Daddy and taxed him with it. + +"St. Valentine never lets out secrets!" he twinkled. "He's a most +discreet old gentleman. People don't make as much use of him as formerly. +Very foolish of them, for he came in extremely handy. It's a pity to let +good old customs drop. A St. Valentine revival society might be rather a +good idea. By the by, that heart isn't anatomically correct! It looks +more like a specimen from a butcher's shop than the human variety!" + +"Don't be horrid!" laughed Merle. "You can't expect Cupid to know the +difference! He's sent me some nice things. Aren't there any more saints +in the calendar who bring presents? What's the next red-letter day?" + +"Nothing till Shrove Tuesday, my dear, and by that time, I hope, you'll +be downstairs again, and eating your pancakes with the rest of the +family." + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +Bamberton Ferry + + +Miss Pollard was extremely nervous on the subject of the mumps. She +insisted upon waiting until long after the usual period of disinfection +before she would allow Mavis and Merle to return to 'The Moorings.' + +"One can't be too careful!" she fluttered. "I know in a doctor's house +they are apt sometimes to take these things too lightly. It's far better +not to run any risks." + +As Merle had a medical certificate of complete recovery, and neither +Mavis nor Clive had developed the complaint, there was now no reason for +keeping the girls away from school, and one Monday morning they were +received back into the fold. They had lost a considerable amount of +ground in regard to their lessons, and had to work hard to try to make up +for the weeks that were missed. At hockey, too, Merle found her teams +were slack. It needed much urging to persuade them to play a really +sporting game. + +"I daren't fix a match yet with any other school," she assured them. "We +should only be beaten hollow, and it's no use playing if we have no +chance to win. You must all buck up and get more into the swing of +things. Perhaps next season we shall be a stronger team." + +"If we never play matches we shall never improve," objected Sybil, who +was anxious to accept the challenge of the Beverton County School. + +"We've got the credit of 'The Moorings' to think about!" snapped Merle. +"You wouldn't like them to go home crowing they'd absolutely wiped us off +the face of the earth? I've had a little experience in matches and I know +what I'm talking about. It would be downright silly to give ourselves +away." + +Sybil was rather a thorn in Merle's side. She had come from another +boarding-school, and on the strength of this experience thought she had +the right to become at once a leader at 'The Moorings.' She was very +disgusted not to be in any position of authority, and consoled herself by +continual criticism of the monitresses, particularly Merle, with whom she +was always sparring. She was a curious character, all precept but not +much practice. She loved to give good advice and to lay down the law, and +was rather priggish in bringing out moral maxims for the benefit of +others. She had a tremendous sense of her own importance and what was due +to her, and was very ready to consider herself overlooked, or neglected, +or misunderstood. + +"Look here!" said Merle bluntly one day. "_Why_, I ask, _why_ +should people be expected to make such a fuss over you? I don't wonder +you're neglected! I'd neglect you myself! And serve you jolly well right +too!" + +Whereupon Sybil dissolved into tears, and confided to her nearest friend +that so long as Merle Ramsay was monitress she was afraid she would never +be happy at 'The Moorings.' Poor Sybil had her good points. She was +generous in her own way, and rather affectionate, but nature had not +endowed her with tact, and she would go blundering on, never seeing that +she was making mistakes. Her very chums soon tired of her and discreetly +left her to some one else. + +"I sometimes think she's a little bit dotty!" opined Nesta. + +"Nonsense! She's as sane as you or I. It's all swank! I've no particular +patience with her!" said Merle. + +One particularly aggravating feature of Sybil was the way she traded upon +rather delicate health. There was really nothing much the matter with +her, but she sometimes had slight attacks of faintness, which, the girls +declared, always came on when she thought she could be a subject of +interest. She liked to extract sympathy from Miss Mitchell, or to arouse +Miss Pollard's anxiety. Moreover, it was often a very good excuse for +slacking off in her preparation or her practising. + +One afternoon Merle, coming back to school, met Miss Mitchell by the +gate. + +"I was just looking for you!" said the teacher. "I've arranged an extra +hockey practice at three, instead of English language. Will you tell the +others?" + +This was excellent news. The Fifth hated the English Language class, +which consisted mostly of learning strings of horrible derivations, and +to have it cut out for once in favour of hockey was quite an event. Merle +walked up the drive smirking with satisfaction. By the porch she found +Sybil, with an English language book in one hand, half-heartedly helping +Miss Fanny, who was nailing up creepers. She looked very sorry for +herself. + +"I wish you'd hold the ladder, Merle!" she sighed, eager to thrust her +duties on to a substitute. "I don't feel quite well this afternoon. I get +such a faintness. Aren't these derivations too awful for anything?" she +added _sotto voce_. "I don't believe I know one of them." + +"Buck up!" whispered Merle with scant sympathy. + +"It's all very well to say 'buck up'! You don't know what it is to feel +faint. You're as strong as a horse. I'm really not fit to stand about!" + +"Shall I ask Miss Fanny to let you go in and lie down?" + +"I wish you would! I don't like to ask her myself; it seems making such a +fuss." + +Merle proffered the request, with which Miss Fanny, rather astonished, +complied. + +"Certainly, Sybil, if you really are ill! Shall I give you a dose of sal +volatile?" + +"No, thanks! I shall be all right if I can just rest on my bed," answered +the plaintive voice. + +"I daresay you'll soon feel better. It's a pity you'll miss the hockey +practice," said Merle. + +"What hockey practice?" + +"Miss Mitchell has just told me to tell everybody. We're to play instead +of having English language this afternoon." + +Sybil's face was a study. But Miss Fanny's eyes were fixed upon her with +such a questioning look that she was obliged to preserve her air of +faintness and continue to pose as an invalid. There was nothing for it +but to go and lie down. As she turned, however, she managed to whisper to +Merle: + +"You're the meanest thing on the face of this earth! Why couldn't you +tell me sooner about the hockey?" + +"Your own fault entirely!" chuckled Merle. "You nailed me straight away +to do your job for you. Hope you'll enjoy yourself! Yes, Miss Fanny! I'm +coming to hold the ladder! I was only opening the door for Sybil, she +still-feels rather faint!" + +It was about a week after this episode that Miss Mitchell, who was keen +on nature study, took the Fifth form for a botanical ramble. They started +punctually at two o'clock, so as to be back as soon as possible after +four, on account of Beata Castleton and Fay Macleod, who must not keep +Vicary's car waiting. They went off ready for business, all taking note- +books and pencils, some carrying tin cases, and some armed with boards +with which to press their specimens on the spot. Their exodus was rather +characteristic, for Aubrey was chatting sixteen to the dozen, Iva was +trying to scoot ahead so as to walk alone with Kitty Trefyre, Muriel was +squabbling with Merle as to which should appropriate Miss Mitchell, and +Sybil was, as usual, seeking for sympathy. + +"I couldn't find my boots! I had to put on my shoes instead, and the +heels are worn down and they're not comfortable, and I shall very likely +twist my ankle!" she complained. "What would you have done? Ought I to +have gone to Miss Pollard and asked her about my boots?" + +"And kept everybody waiting? You are the limit!" exclaimed Merle +impatiently. "No, I'm not going to hold your case for you while you tie +your hair ribbon. You always want to dump your things on to other +people." + +"You might carry the camera, at any rate!" wailed Sybil. + +"Why should I? You insisted on bringing it, though I told you it would be +a nuisance." + +"It's for your benefit! I'm going to take a group of the whole party." + +"Right-o! But don't expect to get the credit and make us carry the +camera! You like to do your good deeds so cheaply!" + +"Really, Merle!" + +"I'm only telling you a few home truths. No, Mavis! I shan't let you load +yourself with Sybil's property! You've got quite enough of your own to +lug along!" + +There was keen competition among the girls as to who could find most +specimens. They rooted about in hedgerows, climbed banks, and made +excursions into fields. Durracombe was not quite so good a neighbourhood +for flowers as Chagmouth; still, they found a fair variety, and were able +to chronicle early blooms of such specimens as the greater stitchwort, +the ground ivy, and the golden saxifrage. It was a fresh March day, with +a wind blowing scudding white clouds across a pale blue sky. Rooks were +beginning to build, green foliage showed on the elder trees, and the elms +were flowering. + +"We shall all be pixie-led if we gather the white stitchwort!" said +Mavis. "They're the pixies' flowers, so Mrs. Penruddock told me! It's a +very old Devonshire superstition." + +"Is that so? I never heard it before," said Miss Mitchell. "I know ever +so many of the flowers are supposed to belong to the fairies in various +parts of the country. Foxgloves are really 'the good folks' gloves,' and +they're called fairies' petticoats in Cheshire, and fairies' hats in +Ireland. Wild flax is always fairy flax, and harebells are fairy bells." + +"Our old nurse used to call funguses pixie stools," said Edith Carey, +"and the hollow ones were pixies' baths. She wouldn't let us pick elder, +I can't remember why." + +"That's a very old superstition. The 'elder mother' is supposed to live +inside the tree, and to be very angry indeed if any harm is done to it. +In the good old days, people used to ask her permission before they dared +to cut down an elder. They knelt on bended knees and prayed: + + "Lady Elder! Lady Elder! + Give me some of thy wood. + +"There's a story about a man who hadn't the politeness to perform this +little ceremony. He made a cradle for his baby out of the elder tree. But +the sprite was offended, and she used to come and pull the baby out of +the cradle by its legs, and pinch it and make it cry, so that it was +quite impossible to leave the poor little thing in the elder cradle, and +they had to weave one of basket-work for it instead." + +"Tell us some more fairy lore about the plants!" begged the girls. + +"Well, the St. John's wort is called 'the fairies' horse.' If you pick it +after sunset a fairy horse will rise from the ground and carry you about +all night, leaving you in the morning wherever you may chance to be at +sunrise. You know if you keep fern-seed in your pockets you'll have the +chance of seeing the pixies. The moonwort is supposed to be a very +supernatural plant, and to have the power of opening locks if you place a +leaf of it in the keyhole. No, I've never tried to burgle with it! I've +never found any moonwort. It's an exceedingly rare plant now, and it's +not been my luck to come across any. If you're troubled with warts, you +ought to go at sunrise to an ash tree, stick a pin into the bark, and +say: + + "Ashen tree! Ashen tree! + I pray thee buy these warts of me! + +"Then the ash tree would cure you, that's to say, if you'd repeated the +charm properly!" + +"I suppose it was always wise to leave a loophole in case the cure didn't +come off!" laughed Mavis. + +They had been walking by a footpath across the meadows, and found +themselves in the little village of Bamberton, a small place with +picturesque cottages close to a river. Miss Mitchell, who was an +enthusiast upon architecture, marched her party off to view the church, +much to the disgust of several of them. + +"Don't want to see mouldy old churches! I'd rather be out of doors!" +grumbled Merle. + +"And there are actually sweet violets growing in a field on the opposite +side of the river," said Edith, who knew the neighbourhood. + +"Oh, are there? Do let's get some." + +"It'll be too late by the time we've been all round the monuments and +read the inscriptions and the rest of it!" + +"How long will Miss Mitchell stay in the church?" + +"A good twenty minutes, I daresay. You can't get her away when she starts +talking about architecture. Dad took her round our church one day, and I +thought she'd never go. Tea was getting cold, but she went on asking +questions about windows and pillars and things!" + +"Then why shouldn't we slip out and run and get the violets while she's +inside the church with the others?" + +It was a naughty thing for a monitress to propose, but even Sybil, who +happened to overhear, did not wax moral for the occasion. + +"I'll come with you!" she said eagerly. "I'm not at all fond of going +round churches, and looking at monuments. It always makes me wonder if +I'm going to die young! When Miss Mitchell took us to Templeton Church +and read us the epitaphs, I cried afterwards! There was one about a girl +exactly my age. 'Sweet flower, nipped off in early bloom,' it said, or +something of the sort." + +"Don't be so sentimental!" snapped Merle. + +"But come with us if you like. Yes, you too, Beata! But for goodness' +sake don't tell any one else or they'll all want to come, and if the +whole lot try to scoot, it will put a stopper on the thing. We'll wait +till the others are inside and then just slide off. Mum's the word, +though!" + +It was quite easy to loiter among the tombstones pretending to read the +inscriptions, but the moment Miss Mitchell and her audience had safely +passed through the porch and opened the big nail-studded door, the four +confederates turned and fled. + +Edith knew a short cut, and took them between rows of graves, regardless +of Sybil's protesting shudders, to a tiny stile that led down an alley to +the riverside. Here there was a tumbledown wharf, and an old ferryboat +which worked on a chain. Years ago a ferryman had had charge of it, but +there was so little traffic that it was no longer worth his while, so the +boat had been left for passengers to use as they liked. It was lying now +at the edge of the wharf. The girls, following Edith, stepped in, and +began to wind the boat across the river by pulling the chain. It was +rather an amusing means of progression, and they enjoyed their 'Dover- +Calais crossing,' as they called it. Arrived at the opposite bank, Edith +scrambled out. + +"Tie the boat up, somebody!" she called, and set off running over the +meadow to the hedge where the violets grew. + +Somebody is an exceedingly vague term, and generally means nobody. Merle +and Beata went scampering after Edith, and Sybil, who was last, flung the +boat chain hastily round a post and followed her friends. The violets +were lovely, sweet-scented and blue and modest and everything that +orthodox violets ought to be. + +The girls gathered delicious, fragrant little bunches, and felt that they +were scoring tremendously over those unfortunates who were receiving +information about architecture inside the church. + +"We mustn't stay too long!" sighed Edith. "It's a pity, but I'm afraid we +really ought to go now. They'll be looking for us if we don't." + +So they walked back across the meadow to the bank. Here a most unpleasant +surprise greeted them. The boat, into which they had meant to step and +ferry themselves back, had drifted into the middle of the river. + +"Good gracious! Didn't you tie it up?" exclaimed Edith, aghast. + +"Of course I did, but-well, I suppose I didn't tie it tight enough. I +never thought it would float away," confessed Sybil. + +The boat, though still working on the chain which spanned the river, was +quite inaccessible from either side. The girls were in an extremely +awkward position. Nobody knew where they had gone, and unless it occurred +to some of their party to come and seek them by the wharf, or unless some +chance passer-by happened to notice their plight, they might wait for a +long time without rescue. + +"What are we to do?" fumed Beata. "If we're not back at four the +'sardine-tin' will be waiting for me, and Mr. Vicary will be so cross! +The last time we were late he went and complained to Father and said he'd +have to charge us extra for wasting his time. There was an awful row, and +Violet scolded Romola and me, although it was really Tattie's fault." + +"Can we get to Durracombe on this side of the river?" suggested Sybil. + +Edith shook her head. + +"We could; but there isn't a bridge till you get to Parlingford, and +that's five miles round. I think we'd better stay here." + +"I could slay that wretched boat for playing us such a trick!" said +Merle. + +Meantime Miss Mitchell and the rest of the girls had finished their +survey of the various monuments, and, catching sight of the church clock, +realised how late it was, and that they must start back at once. Of +course the four truants were missed, and a hasty search was made for +them, in the chancel, and behind the organ, and outside among the +tombstones. + +"They're not anywhere here!" reported the scouts. + +"Then they must have walked on," said Miss Mitchell. "Beata knew she had +to be back by four o'clock. I expect we shall catch them up on the road. +Come along!" + +[Illustration: "WHY DIDN'T 'EE FASTEN UP THE CHAIN"] + +So the party set off at full speed, all unwitting that four disconsolate +maidens were marooned on the farther side of the river, waiting for some +faerie boat to ferry them across. For a long time no knight-errant +arrived for their relief, but at last, as chance would have it, an urchin +came down on to the wharf, with a string and a bent pin, intent on +fishing. He was at least a link with the outer world, and they yelled +hopefully to him across the water. He stopped and stared, then took to +his heels and ran, but whether in terror or to fetch help they were +uncertain. After what seemed a weary while, however, he returned, +escorted by his father, who evidently understood the situation, for he +shouted something which the girls could not catch, then went away. + +"Has he left us to our fate?" asked Merle indignantly. + +"Gone to get somebody else, perhaps!" ventured Edith more hopefully. + +She proved correct, for after another eternity of time an old man hobbled +on to the wharf, unlocked a boat-house, and slowly took out a punt, by +means of which he reached the ferry-boat, climbed in, and worked it +across the river to the farther bank. + +"Why didn't 'ee fasten up the chain?" he asked; but as he was almost +stone-deaf he did not understand either their excuses or professions of +gratitude, and simply motioned to them to enter. + +Arriving back on the wharf the girls, after subscribing a shilling +amongst them to reward their rescuer, hurried up to the churchyard, +where, of course, there was no sign of their party, then started as fast +as they could to walk along the high road. They had gone perhaps half a +mile when they heard a warning hoot behind them, and, looking round, what +should Merle see but the little Deemster car with Dr. Tremayne at the +driving-wheel. She shouted wildly and stopped him. + +"Oh, Uncle David! Are you going back to Durracombe? Could you possibly +take Beata at any rate! Her car will be waiting for her at school. We'd +be everlastingly grateful!" + +"I'll try and cram you all in if you like," smiled Dr. Tremayne. "Open +the dickey, Merle!" + +It was a decided squash. Edith and Sybil sat in front, and Merle and +Beata managed to get together into the little dickey seat behind, where +they each held one another in and clutched the hood for support. + +"I have to pay a visit, but I'll run you back first," said Uncle David, +setting off at a pace that made Merle and Beata cling for their lives as +they whisked round corners. They arrived at 'The Moorings' exactly as the +town-hall clock was chiming the quarter after four. Mr. Vicary, his face +a study of patience, was standing by the side of the 'sardine-tin,' which +was already packed for transit, and whose occupants set up a joyful +screech of welcome. + +"Of course, if Dr. Tremayne motored you back with Merle it's all right, +though you ought to have asked me first," said Miss Mitchell, to whom +Sybil gave a much edited explanation, omitting the ferry-boat incident +altogether, and suppressing the violets. + +So the four culprits, who had expected trouble, got off a great deal +better than they deserved. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +Fifth Form Justice + + +Easter was coming--Easter with its birds and flowers and hope of summer. +Already there were hints of plans for the holidays, though these had not +yet absolutely crystallised into shape. The mere mention of one of them +had been enough to send Merle dancing round the house, but, as she had +overheard by accident, and was strictly pledged not to reveal the secret +to Clive, for the present she restrained her ecstasies and kept her lips +sealed. + +Meantime there was plenty to be done at school. The term-end examinations +were due, and Miss Mitchell, who had been rather disappointed with +Christmas results, was urging everybody to make heroic efforts. Mavis and +Merle had missed much on account of the mumps, and when they attempted +some revision they were absolutely appalled at the amount that had to be +made up. They did their most creditable best, and toiled over text-books +till heads ached. On the evening before the first examination they were +sitting in Dr. Ramsay's study giving a farewell grind to several rather +rusty subjects, when Clive walked in. + +"Hello, kid! You're not allowed in here! We're working!" warned Merle. + +Her young cousin grinned. + +"I know! And you've got to stop it. I've been sent to tell you to shut +those books up at once!" + +"Did Mother say so?" + +"She did. She says you've done enough, and you'll only muddle yourselves +if you go on any longer." + +"We shan't pass!" sighed Mavis. + +"Yes, you will! Listen to the Oracle and he'll give you a tip or two. A +little bird told him, look up Keltic words in the English language, and +the life and works of William Cowper, and the products of Java and +Borneo!" + +Merle giggled. + +"How clever you are all of a sudden! What do you know about our exam +subjects?" + +Clive winked solemnly, first with one eye and then with another. + +"Perhaps I'm in communication with the occult!" he remarked. "Don't +people go to clairvoyants and crystal-gazers and astrologers when they +want to get tips about the future? I'm your wizard to-night." + +"All right. Tell us our fortunes." + +Clive reached over for the pack of Patience cards that Merle had left on +the table, and shuffled them elaborately. + +"The wizard is now ready to wizz. I may mention that my fee is only a +guinea. You mustn't laugh or it might break the spell. Will you please to +choose a card, look at it, and put it back in the pack." + +"O Fate! wangle me a decent fortune!" chuckled Merle, selecting at +random. It was the six of spades, and her cousin shook his head gravely. + +"That's a bad omen, but wait a bit! Stick it back in the pack and we'll +see where it comes. Oh, this is better now-a dark woman is going to bring +you trouble, but a fair man will come to the rescue and help you out. +You're going amongst a number of people, but the general result will be +fortunate. I see a number of diamonds, which means that prizes are in +store for you." + +"We don't have prizes at Easter! Is that all?" + +"All that the cards tell me, but I'll do a little crystal-gazing if you +like!" and Clive seized a glass paperweight, and, staring intently at it, +pretended to throw himself into a state of abstraction. + +"I see an examination-room!" he declared. "I see rows of desks, and girls +writing at them. There are lists of questions. I am peeping over their +shoulders, and they are puzzling about the products of Java and Borneo, +and the life and works of William Cowper, and the Keltic words in the +English language. You and Mavis are scribbling ahead for all you're +worth." + +"A very pretty picture, I'm sure! Can't you tell us some more?" + +"Alas! The crystal has grown milky." + +"And it's your bedtime!" said Mavis. "I expect you were on your way +upstairs when you came in here. Confess!" + +"There's no hurry. I'll stay and tell yours too if you like." + +"No, thanks. This will do for both of us. Is Mother in the drawing-room? +Come along, Merle, we won't work any more to-night." + +"Oh, I must just look up what was it?--the products of Java and Borneo, +and William Cowper, and Keltic words. There's luck in them! Just for five +minutes! Get off to bed, you kid, and leave me to work." + +Rather reluctantly Mavis fell in with her sister's humour and reopened +her text-books. + +"Clive's only fooling!" she remonstrated. + +"I know; and so am I! Here we are--Keltic words in use in the English +language. You can squint over my shoulder if you like." + +The five minutes lengthened out till Mrs. Ramsay came herself and put a +finish to the preparation. + +"It's silly to overdo it. You'll only have headaches to-morrow and be +able to remember nothing. Come along to the drawing-room and sing to +Father." + +"Yes, Mummie darling, I'm just strapping up my books. There, I'll leave +them here on the hall-table. I promise you I won't take them upstairs. +Hello! Here's my jersey! I was hunting for it everywhere after tea and +couldn't find it. It feels wet! How funny! Has anybody been out in it?" + +"Give it to Alice and ask her to put it by the kitchen fire to dry. +Father wants to hear that Devon folksong you're learning. It will do you +good to have a little music after such hard brain-work." + +Merle marched into school next morning joking about her fortune. She told +the girls what the oracle had said, and how she had ground up those +particular bits of information. + +"I'm sporting enough to give you the tip!" she laughed. + +"Clive was only making fun and ragging us!" qualified Mavis. "He's a +silly boy." + +There was no time for any more last looks, however. The bell was ringing +for call-over, and all books must be put away. In the Fifth form room a +clean sheet of blotting-paper was laid upon every desk, and the inkwells +had been newly filled. Miss Mitchell dealt round typewritten sheets of +questions, and the agony began. The English Language and Literature paper +was not nearly so bad as Mavis and Merle had expected, and curiously +enough there were questions both on William Cowper and on Keltic words. +It was such a coincidence that Merle could not help looking at Mavis and +smiling. They were both well prepared, and wrote away at full speed, +almost enjoying themselves, and worked steadily till Miss Mitchell said, +"Pens down." After eleven o'clock came the examination on the text-book +geography, which had this term--owing to Miss Pollard's influence +--supplemented the lantern lectures on that subject. When she saw the +first question, "Describe the products of Java and Borneo," Merle gave +such an audible chuckle that many eyes were cast in her direction, and +Miss Mitchell glared a warning. Again Mavis and Merle found themselves +well prepared, and scribbled continuously till the bell rang. + +"How did you get on?" said Merle to Muriel, as they walked downstairs +from their classroom. "I say! Wasn't it funny about my fortune? Why, we +had the exact questions! I never heard of anything so queer in my life!" + +"Very queer!" answered Muriel, with restraint in her voice. She was +looking at Iva, who shrugged her shoulders significantly. + +"Some people have all the luck!" remarked Sybil. + +"Well, it was lucky, for it was pure guessing of Clive's." + +"How did he know what exams you were going to have?" + +"Oh, he's heard us talking about them, of course." + +"I wish I had a cousin who could guess the questions beforehand." + +"We'd all get Honours on those lines." + +When Mavis and Merle returned to school after lunch, they each found a +little note laid upon their desks marked 'Urgent.' + + You are requested to attend a most important meeting + to be held in the boarders' sitting-room at the hostel + immediately after four. + +There was no signature, but the writing was Iva's. The Ramsays were much +mystified. As day-girls they had nothing to do with the hostel, and could +only go there by special invitation. When afternoon school was over they +asked some of the boarders the meaning of the missive. Nobody would +explain. + +"You'll find out when you get there," was Nesta's cryptic reply. + +Puzzled, and considerably distressed at a certain offensive attitude +exhibited by Sybil and others, Mavis and Merle walked across the garden +to the hostel. Iva had cleared all the younger girls out of the boarders' +sitting-room, and was waiting in company with Nesta, Muriel, Aubrey, +Edith, and Kitty. As soon as the Ramsays and Sybil came in, she closed +the door. + +"I've called a general meeting of the Fifth," she said, "because there's +something we all feel we ought to go into. Would you like to elect some +one into the chair?" + +"I beg to propose yourself," piped Aubrey. + +"And I beg to second," said Nesta. + +Iva settled herself and looked somewhat embarrassed, as if not knowing +quite how to begin. She fidgeted for a moment with her pencil, and +cleared her throat. + +"We're all here," she said at last, "except Fay and Beata, who couldn't +stay. What we've met for is to ask Mavis and Merle to explain how it was +they got to know some of the examination questions beforehand. It seems +to us queer, to say the least of it!" + +The Ramsays, overwhelmed with amazement at such a palpable insinuation, +turned wrathfully red. + +"Why, we've told you! Clive guessed!" gasped Merle. + +"Bunkum!" + +"How could he?" + +"Very convenient guessing, I'm sure!" + +"It's no use telling us such utter fibs!" + +"They're not fibs! How dare you say so!" flamed Merle. + +"It's the absolute truth!" endorsed Mavis. + +"Do you stick to that?" + +"Of course we do." + +"Then I shall have to call on Sybil to tell us something she saw +yesterday." + +Sybil, who was red, nervous, and even more uncomfortable than Iva, rose +from her seat to make her accusation. + +"I was in the garden yesterday after school, and I saw Merle come back, +hurry among the bushes, and climb in at the study window. I waited, and +presently she came out again and scooted off as if she didn't want to +meet anybody." + +"O--o--oh! You _didn't_ see me! I wasn't there! Was I, Mavis?" + +"Most certainly not. You were at home all the time. I can prove that!" + +"I think the thing proves itself!" said Iva. "First of all, you're seen +by a witness entering the study, where, no doubt, the exam papers were +spread out on the table, and then you come to school primed with the +questions. There isn't a shadow of doubt." + +"Wait a minute!" said Mavis, rising with a very white face. "To begin +with, you've got to prove that it was Merle. One witness isn't enough." + +"Catie and Peggie saw her down the drive. They told me so." + +"What time was it?" + +"About five o'clock." + +"She was practising at home then. I can bring witnesses to prove that. +Besides, if she had really seen the questions, do you think she'd have +been silly enough to tell them to you before the exam?" + +The girls looked puzzled at that, but Nesta murmured that Merle was silly +enough for anything. + +"As she's one of the monitresses, we thought we ought to give her a +chance to clear herself before we told Miss Mitchell," said Iva. + +"She _can_ clear herself and she will. It's not fair to condemn her +like this. You must give her time to bring her own witnesses. I ask you +all, is it like Merle to do such a thing?" + +"Well, no, it certainly isn't like either of you. That's what's surprised +us so much." + +"You feel you can't be sure of anybody," added Aubrey. + +The boarders' tea-gong, sounding at that moment, brought the meeting to +an unsatisfactory conclusion. The Ramsays hurried home, bubbling over +with indignation, to pour their woes into Mother's sympathetic ear, and +were highly put out to find the drawing-room full of callers, and to be +expected to hand tea-cups and make pleasant conversation instead of +retailing their grievances. They beat a retreat as soon as they possibly +could, and, for fear of being asked to play or sing for the benefit of +visitors, deemed it wise to escape into the garden. + +"We'll sit in the summer-house, only I must have my jersey," declared +Merle, catching up the garment in question from its peg in the hall, and +pulling it on. "I want some place where I can explode. This is just the +beastliest thing that's ever happened to me in all my life." + +"I can't understand it!" puzzled Mavis, with her forehead in wrinkles. + +Merle was stumping along the path with her hands in the pockets of her +jersey. + +"Why should they accuse _me_, of all people in the world, of +climbing in through the study window? Sybil must have been dreaming. +She's an idiot of a girl. She'd imagine anything from a ghost to a +burglar. What are we going to do about it? I wish to goodness they +_would_ tell Miss Mitchell! I'd rather she knew. I've a jolly good +mind to go and tell her myself. Then I should have first innings and +she'd hear our side of it. Hello! There's Clive." + +It was that lively young gentleman who came walking along the garden wall +and took a flying leap on to the path, just avoiding one of Tom's best +flower-beds. + +"There's a whole tribe of ladies in the drawing-room!" he volunteered. "I +carried my tea into the summer-house! You won't catch me 'doing the +polite' if I can help it. Rather not! Have you bunked too? I don't blame +you. You're looking down in the mouth, both of you! Exams gone wrong this +afternoon? Shall I tell your fortunes again?" + +"Your precious fortune has got us into a great deal of trouble," answered +Merle. "How did you manage to guess those questions? They were actually +in our papers!" + +Clive pulled his face into a variety of grimaces. + +"Ah! Wouldn't you just like to know!" he retorted. "Perhaps I keep a +familiar spirit, or perhaps I read things in the stars. I prophesy you'll +fail in all the rest of your exams! There!" + +"You young wretch!" cried Merle, chasing him down the path as he fled. +She took her hands from her pockets to catch hold of him, and as she did +so out flew a penknife on to the grass. Clive pounced upon it immediately +and picked it up. + +"I've been looking for this everywhere!" he declared. + +"How did it get inside my pocket?" asked Merle. + +"_I_ never put it there!" + +"Clive!" exclaimed Mavis, with a sudden flash of intuition. "Did you wear +Merle's jersey yesterday? I remember she found it wet. I verily believe +you dressed up in her clothes and went to school." + +For answer Clive burst into fits of laughter. + +"Oh, it was topping!" he hinnied. "I stuck on her skirt and jersey and +tam o' shanter and took in everybody. I walked down the street, and up +the drive to the school door, and prowled round the garden. There was a +window open, so in I went and found exam questions all over the table. I +thought I'd rag you about them!" + +"You atrocious imp! Look here! You don't know what a scrape you've got us +into. You'll just have to own up and get us out of it again, that's all!" + +Irresponsible Clive was full of thoughtless mischief, and it was a long +time before the girls could get him to see the serious side of his +escapade, and realise what an exceedingly grave charge had been brought +against their honour. In the end, by dint of scolding, entreaty, +coercion, and even bribery, they succeeded in persuading him to come +along with them to 'The Moorings,' where they asked for Miss Mitchell, +and told her the whole story. + +"I'm extremely glad to know," she said, looking hard at Clive. "The fact +is I was deceived myself. He's very like you, Merle! I happened to see +him climbing out of the window, and I certainly thought I recognised you. +I've felt upset all day about it. I couldn't understand your doing such a +thing." + +"Will you explain to the boarders, please! I hate them to think me a +sneak." + +"I'll make that all right." + +"And about those exam questions--Mavis and I wouldn't have dreamt of +looking them up beforehand, and I don't suppose we should have known +them. Wouldn't it be fairer just to cross them off in our papers and not +count them? We'd much rather you did." + +"Yes, it's the only thing to be done." + +Clive, much subdued, blurted out a kind of apology before he left, which +Miss Mitchell accepted with dignity. Perhaps she did not think it good +for him to forgive him too easily. His evil prophecies about the exams +were fortunately not fulfilled, for his cousins, though they did not +score brilliant successes, just managed to scrape through without any +failures. + +The Fifth form, when they heard the true facts of the story, repented +their hasty court of justice and made handsome amends. + +"It doesn't matter!" said Merle. "You were quite right if you thought +we'd been cheating. I should pull anybody else up myself, fast enough. It +must have been the acting we did at Christmas that put the idea into +Clive's idiotic young head. He was dressed up as a girl then, and rather +fancied himself. He really is the limit." + +"We shall always be a little uncertain now which is you and which is your +cousin!" laughed Iva. + +"Oh, he won't do it again! We've put him on his honour, and I don't think +he'd break his word." + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +The Kittiwake + + +The great Easter secret, which Merle had surprised and preserved with so +much difficulty, was out at last. Clive's father and mother were coming +to Devonshire for a holiday; they had taken rooms at a farm in Chagmouth, +and they had not only arranged for their own son to join them, but they +had also asked Mavis and Merle to be their visitors. The girls thought +that no invitation could have been more delightfully acceptable. They +adored Chagmouth, and the Saturdays they managed to spend there were +always red-letter days, so the prospect of three whole weeks in this El +Dorado sent their spirits up to fizzing-over point. + +"Bevis will be at Grimbal's Farm!" + +"And Tudor will be at home!" + +"The Castletons are expecting Morland and Claudia!" + +"And, of course, Fay will be there, and Tattie, and the Colvilles!" + +"Goody! What a lovely tribe of us to go out picnics!" + +"We'll have the time of our lives!" + +Burswood Farm, where Mr. and Mrs. Percy Tremayne had taken rooms, was on +the hillside above Chagmouth. It was a delightful spot, with that airy +feeling about it that comes from looking down upon your neighbours' +chimneys. + +"I wouldn't live in Chagmouth, not if you paid me hundreds a year!" +declared Mrs. Treasure, their landlady. "Once I'm up here, here I stay! +I've not been in the town for over six months. I go on Sundays to the +little chapel close by, and if I want shops we get out the gig and drive +into Kilvan or Durracombe. It isn't worth the climb back from Chagmouth. +I carried William up when he was a baby, and it nearly killed me. I set +him down in his cradle and I said: 'There, my boy! I don't go down to +Chagmouth again till you can walk back yourself!' And I didn't! He was +three years old before I went--even to the post office. How do I manage +about stamps? Why, the postman brings them for me and takes my letters. +The grocers' carts come round from Kilvan, and the butcher calls once a +week, and what can you want more? I say when I've got a nice place like +this to live in I'll stay here, and not worry myself with climbing up and +down hill." + +Though Mavis and Merle might not hold with Mrs. Treasure's depreciation +of Chagmouth, they thoroughly agreed with her eulogy of Burswood. There +was a view of the sea from the farm, and it had an old-fashioned garden +with beehives and hedges of fuchsia and blue veronica, and at the back +there was a small fir wood, with clumps of primroses and opening +bluebells. The girls christened it 'Elfland.' + +"You can almost see the fairies here," said Mavis. "Why is it that some +places feel so much more romantic than others?" + +"Because you're in the right mood, I suppose. This is almost as nice as +Blackthorn Bower." + +"Not quite. Nothing can ever come up to that! When Bevis gets The Warren +he's going to build up the Bower again." + +"Why doesn't he do it now? The Glyn Williams would let him if he wanted. +It's his property." + +"He wouldn't care to ask them; especially after what happened there +between him and Tudor." + +"They've forgotten that, surely!" + +"Well, I sympathise with Bevis. He doesn't care to interfere with +anything until The Warren is really his own. I think he feels they'd +laugh at the Bower, and so they would!" + +"It's not in their line, of course." + +However much we may love old and familiar scenes, there is always a +novelty in something new, and the bird's-eye aspect of Chagmouth was +attractive, especially to those whose young limbs did not mind the climb. +Mr. and Mrs. Percy Tremayne were most enthusiastic about their quarters. +They were charming people, and ready to fall in with the young folk's +plans and give them a thoroughly happy holiday. They had brought a motor- +bicycle and side-car, and took some excursions round the neighbourhood, +going over often to Durracombe to see Dr. and Mrs. Tremayne, glad to have +the opportunity of a private chat with them while their lively son was +safely picnicking with Mavis and Merle. Picnics were the established +order of the day. The girls declared that Society at Chagmouth this +Easter began with a big S. The Castletons were a host in themselves. They +were all at home, and all equally fascinating. Musical Mavis attached +herself to Claudia with a great admiration, and Merle found a devoted +knight in ten-year-old Madox, who clung to her with the persistency of a +chestnut burr, chiefly because she had the charity to answer his +perpetual questions. "The interrogation mark," as he was called by his +own family, was a typical Castleton, and most cherubic of countenance, +though his curls had been sheared in deference to school, spoiling him, +so his father declared, for artistic purposes. He was a mixture of +mischief and romance, and Merle, who accepted his temporary allegiance, +never quite knew whether his embraces were marks of genuine affection or +were designed for the chance of dropping pebbles down her back. + +Some delightful friends of the Castletons were also spending a holiday in +rooms at Chagmouth--Miss Lindsay, an artist, and Lorraine Forrester, a +chum of Claudia's, both of whom were sketching the quaint streets and the +quay and the harbour with the wildest enthusiasm. Morland had also taken +a sudden fancy for painting, and insisted upon going out with them daily, +producing some quite pretty little impressionistic pictures, with a touch +of his father's style about them. In Morland the family talent ran high +but never rose to genius. His touch on the piano was perfect. He +scribbled poems in private. His achievements, however, in either music, +art, or poetry were insufficient to justify taking one of them for a +vocation. + +"I'd rather make him a chimney-sweep!" declared Mr. Castleton eloquently. +"The public nowadays don't appreciate pictures! They'll look at them in +galleries, especially when the admission is free, but you can't get them +to buy. They hang their drawing-rooms with cheap prints instead of water- +colours, and go to the photographers instead of the portrait-painter. If +you can design something to advertise mustard or cocoa you may make a +little money, but not by pure art! It's as dead as the ancient Greeks. +This is a commercial age. Music's as bad. Your pianists are glad to take +posts to play at the cinemas! I wish Claudia success; but her training is +the business of the college, not mine, and _they'll_ have to bring +her out. I've nothing to do with it. No; Morland must realise he's living +in the twentieth century, and has to earn his bread and butter. Art +doesn't pay, and that's the fact! Have it as a hobby if you wish, but +don't depend upon it!" + +So Morland, who, like many young fellows of artistic calibre, had a +general affection for the muses but no very marked vocation for anything, +had been pitchforked into engineering, and was making quite tolerable +progress, and would possibly support himself later on, but always with +the feeling that life was commonplace and unromantic, and that a splendid +vision had been somewhere just round the corner, only unfortunately +missed. He allowed his artistic temperament to run loose during the +holidays. He would go up to Bella Vista and play for hours on the +Macleods' new grand piano, improvising beautiful airs, and sending Fay +into raptures. + +"Why don't you write them down right away?" she demanded. + +"What's the use? No one would publish them if I did. The publishers are +fed up with young composers wanting a hearing. I've made up my mind to be +just an amateur--nothing more." + +"I'm not sure," ventured Mrs. Macleod, "whether you won't have the best +of it. After all, 'amateur' means 'lover,' and the art and the music that +you pursue for pure pleasure will be more to you than what you might have +had to produce for the sake of bread and butter. Why must our standard in +these things always be the commercial one, 'does it pay?' The fact of +making it pay often degrades it. My theory is that a man can have his +business, and love his hobby just as he loves his wife, without turning +it into Ł s. d. Look at my husband! In his own office there isn't any one +in America knows more about motor fittings, but once outside the office +his heart and soul is in painting. I believe he's a happier man for doing +both!" + +"Do you really think so? It cheers me up! When I'm a full-blown engineer, +perhaps I'll make enough to buy a grand piano at any rate. That's one way +of looking at it. It's awfully kind of you to let me come here and thump +away on yours." + +"We enjoy having you, so use it whenever you like. It's always absolutely +at your disposal." + +Morland was not the only one of the party who was amusing his leisure +hours. Bevis also had hobbies. He had taken up photography, had turned an +attic at Grimbal's Farm into a dark room, and was trying many +experiments. Moreover, his lawyers had at last yielded to his urgent +entreaties and had allowed him to buy a small sailing yacht. She was not +a racing craft, or remarkably smart in any way, but she was his own, and +the joy of possession was supreme. He rechristened her The Kittiwake, +painting in her new name with much satisfaction, and he made trial trips +in her along the coast as far as Port Sennen. He was extremely anxious to +take Mavis and Merle and Clive with him, but that was strictly prohibited +by Mrs. Tremayne, who would not allow either her son or her visitors to +venture. + +"It's too big a risk, and I know what Clive is! Young Talland can swim +like a fish if he upsets his yacht, but _you_ can't!" + +"We can swim!" protested Merle. + +"A little, close by the shore, I daresay, but that's nothing if you're +plunged into deep water. I can't take the responsibility of letting you +go. Never mind! We'll make up a party one day and take a motor-boat with +a proper experienced boatman. Young Talland can join us then if he +likes." + +Mavis and Merle were disappointed almost to the point of tears. They had +duly admired _The Kittiwake_ in the harbour, and they simply longed +to go on board. It seemed so particularly tempting when they had such a +cordial invitation, and so aggravating to be obliged to decline. + +"Cousin Nora's very nervous," urged Mavis in extenuation. "She'd be +afraid of our being drowned if we went on a duck-pond." + +Bevis passed over the slur on his seamanship. + +"It's all right!" he answered quietly, but there was a certain set +obstinate look about his mouth which the girls knew well, and which meant +that he intended if possible to get his own way, though he said nothing +more at the time. + +[Illustration: HE KEPT THEM DAWDLING] + +It was perhaps as well for everybody's peace of mind that he should not +take Clive boating, for the boy was venturesome and mischievous, and +rather out of hand except when his father was by. He often made the +girls' hair almost stand on end by his pranks at the verge of the cliffs, +and was sometimes the cause of considerable bad language among the +sailors when he interfered with their nets or tar-pots down on the quay. +It was a relief to Mavis and Merle when Mr. Tremayne took him out in the +side-car, and they knew that for some hours at least they need not be +responsible for his behaviour. They were both fond of botany, and were +enthusiastically making collections of wild flowers to press for their +holiday task. Bevis was a good ally in this respect, and would often call +in at Burswood Farm with some uncommon specimen which he thought they had +not yet found for themselves. He had come on this errand one morning, and +was helping Mavis to screw up her pressing boards, when Mrs. Tremayne +happened to mention the scarcity of shells in the neighbourhood of +Chagmouth. + +"I've hardly found any!" she remarked. "And I'm so annoyed, because it +happens to be my particular hobby. I'm collecting them. I suppose the +coast is too rocky and they get broken. They're always very local +things." + +"There's just one place I know where you might find some," said Bevis. +"It's a particular patch of sand near Gurgan Point. I saw some beauties +there a while ago. I'll show you where it is with pleasure if you like." + +"Oh, thanks! That would be delightful," beamed Mrs. Tremayne. "The girls +and I could go to-day if you can take us. My husband and Clive are out +with the motor-bike, so it's a splendid opportunity." + +"Let me see! The tide should be just right this afternoon," agreed Bevis +cheerfully. "Mavis and Merle know the way to Gurgan Point. If they'll +take you there and down the path to the cove, I'll come round in the +yacht and meet you. Shall we say at three o'clock?" + +"That would be exactly nice time after lunch." + +"Very well, I'll be there." + +Bevis went back to Grimbal's Farm chuckling to himself, though he did not +betray the cause of his amusement to anybody. He hunted out a hamper and +packed it with cups and saucers, a methylated spirit-lamp, and other +picnic requisites. On his way to the quay he stopped at the +confectioner's and bought cakes and fancy biscuits. He placed these +comestibles inside the hamper, and stowed it away in the locker of _The +Kittiwake_. At two o'clock he was out of the harbour, and was off in +the direction of Gurgan Point. + +Mavis and Merle and Cousin Nora, bearing baskets in which to place +shells, had a pleasant walk along the cliffs, and descended the path to +the trysting-place. They found Bevis waiting for them in the cove. He had +moored _The Kittiwake_ to a buoy, and now led the way over the sands +to a sort of little peninsula that jutted out into the sea. Here he had +beached his dinghy. + +"This is the shell-bank. You'll find heaps of them here!" he said. + +Undoubtedly he had brought them to the right place. There were shells in +abundance, and of many different kinds, delicate pink ones, tiny cowries, +twisted wentletraps, scallops, screw-shells, and some like mother-of- +pearl. Mrs. Tremayne was in raptures, and went down on her knees to +gather them. There was such a tempting variety that it was difficult to +stop, and in the excitement of the quest the time simply fled. + +"I haven't brought my watch!" declared Mrs. Tremayne once. + +"Oh, it's quite early yet!" Bevis assured her. "I've lighted the spirit- +lamp, and I'm going to make you some tea." + +He had carried the hamper on to the sands, and was busy setting out his +cups and saucers in a sheltered place behind some rocks, 'to be out of +the wind,' as he carefully explained. When his kettle boiled he filled +the tea-pot, and summoned his guests. + +"You've chosen a snug spot!" said Mrs. Tremayne, walking along with her +eyes on the sands still looking for shells. + +And Merle, who was watching a white line of advancing waves, added: + +"Lovely and snug, only I hope we shan't get--" + +She meant to say 'surrounded,' but Bevis pulled such a fearful face at +her behind Cousin Nora's back that she stopped short and let him finish +the sentence. + +"We shan't get shells while we're having tea, of course! You can look for +some more afterwards if you haven't enough." + +"Oh, surely, we have heaps and heaps! And simply exquisite ones! These +tiny yellow babies are just perfect. I like them better than the big +grandfathers," exulted Mavis. + +Bevis made a polite but leisurely host. He insisted on boiling some more +water, which was not really wanted, but which took a long time, and he +spun out his own tea interminably. + +"It's so jolly here under the rocks!" he declared. "I like the _dolce +far niente_--makes one think of lotus-eaters and all the rest of it. +Shall I help you sort your shells? You could wash them in the tea-cups. +It's no use carrying home surplus sand. There's some water left in the +kettle." + +On one pretext or another he kept them dawdling under the rocks, till +Mrs. Tremayne at last rose up and declared they really must be starting +back for the cove. + +"We shall be having the tide coming in if we don't mind," she said. "Why! +Look!" + +She might well exclaim, for while they had been sitting with their backs +to the sea the water had all the while been lapping slowly in and had +changed their peninsula into an island. They were entirely surrounded, +and quite a wide channel lay between themselves and the shore. Mrs. +Tremayne looked much alarmed, but Bevis took the matter with the utmost +calm. + +"It's all right! I've the dinghy here, and I can row you to the yacht. +I'd land you in the cove if I could, but it really wouldn't be safe +because of the rocks. I'll sail you all back to Chagmouth and run you +into the harbour." + +There was evidently nothing else to be done, and though Cousin Nora might +not enjoy the prospect of yachting, she was obliged to accept Bevis's +offer. + +It was quite a pleasant little excursion from Gurgan Point to the +harbour; the sea was luckily calm, but there was sufficient breeze to +enable The Kittiwake to skim over the water like her sea-gull namesake. +The girls, who by this time had grasped the depths of their friend's +plot, enjoyed the situation immensely. They were actually having their +coveted sail in the very company of the dear lady who had so expressly +forbidden the jaunt, and all without the slightest friction or trouble. +Bevis, indeed, was posing as rescuer and accepting grateful thanks. + +"It's a lesson to us all to watch the tide and not sit talking with our +backs to the sea!" said Cousin Nora virtuously. + +"It is indeed!" answered Bevis, so gravely that Merle had to stuff her +handkerchief into her mouth to stifle her chortles of mirth. + +He brought them into the harbour, and helped them to land on the steps of +the jetty. + +"Wasn't I clever?" he whispered, as he handed Mavis her basket of shells. +"When I really make up my mind to get a thing, I get it!" + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +The Haunted Tree + + +There were so many jolly friends staying at Chagmouth at present that +they made a most delightful circle. Generally they all managed to meet +every day, and the usual trysting-place was The Haven, partly because it +was in so central a situation for everybody, but chiefly because the +kind-hearted, unconventional Castletons were ready at any and every time +to welcome visitors, and would allow friends to 'drop in' in true +Bohemian fashion, quite regardless of whatever happened to be taking +place in the household. From the studio, indeed, they were excluded while +Mr. Castleton was at his easel, but they were allowed to use it when he +was not working, and it proved admirable for either games, theatricals, +or dancing. With so many costumes in the cupboard it was easy to get up +charades, and they had much fun over acting. Perhaps the most successful +was a small performance of 'The Babes in the Wood,' given by the +Castleton children, with Perugia and Gabriel, lovely in Elizabethan +costume, as 'the babes' John and Jane; Madox and Constable as the two +villains 'Daggersdrawn' and 'Triggertight,' who abandoned them in the +wood; and Lilith as the beneficent fairy 'Dewdrop,' who found them and +whisked them away to bonny Elfland. The little Castletons had natural +dramatic instincts and were adepts at posing, so their play was really +very pretty. Madox, in especial, absolutely excelled himself as a robber +and came out tremendously. He bowed gallantly in response to the storm of +applause, and blew an airy kiss to Merle, who nearly collapsed with +mirth. She thought her ten-year-old admirer deserved something in return +for so graceful an attention, so she sent him a box of chocolates with a +few verses written on a sheet of paper and placed inside. + +TO DAGGERSDRAWN + + You're a very handsome fellow, + So gallant and so gay; + And I really blush to tell you, + But you've stole my heart away. + + When you took the part of Daggersdrawn, + My bosom swelled with pride + To hear your voice of thunder + And see your manly stride. + + You seized the nasty pistols up + Without a sign of fear, + And thrust and parried with your sword + Just like a Cavalier. + + As you've escaped the lonesome wood-- + For so the story ends-- + I send these chocs, with best regards, + And beg we may be friends. + +Merle had no doubt the chocolates would be appreciated, but she had not +expected to receive back a poetical effusion from her small knight. He +evidently, however, had some slight gift for minstrelsy, for one day +there was a tremendous rap on the front-door knocker at Burswood Farm, +then a sound of running footsteps, and inside the letter-box was a note +addressed to 'Miss Merle Ramsay,' in a rather wobbly and unformed hand. +At the top of the sheet of paper was painted a boat with brown sails on a +blue sea, and underneath was written: + + You ask me, dear, will I be thine? + How can you such a question ask + When, 'neath the robber's fearful mask, + I languish for thee, lady mine! + + Thou art the lady that I love; + Thou art the lady that I chose. + Oh, fly with me from friends and foes! + Oh, for the wings of a dove! + + O sail with me to a southern sea, + To where an isle is fair and warm, + And the sea around it bright and calm: + O Merle, will you come with me? + + But for the nasty pistols, miss, + I have one ready to shoot me dead! + For already my heart is heavy as lead + Unless you favour my wish! + +[Footnote: These verses were really composed by a little boy.] + + It's rather silly but it's the best I can rite. M C. + +In the privacy of the parlour Merle had a good laugh with Mavis over what +they termed her first love-letter. + +"'Oh, for the wings of a dove!'" quoted Merle. "It's so Biblical, isn't +it? He's a dear, all the same! I love him better even than Constable. +He's such a bright little chap. Don't tell Clive, or he'd tease Madox to +death about this. It must be an absolute secret. I can just picture the +child sitting writing it with his sticky little fingers!" + +"You mustn't let him know about 'Sweet William,' or there'll be a free +fight!" laughed Mavis. + +William was Mrs. Treasure's little boy, and also an ardent admirer of +Merle, who gave him chocolates when she met him in the garden or the +stackyard. In spite of his mother's injunctions to 'Behave and not +trouble the visitors,' he would hang about the passages to present Merle +with handfuls of ferns and flowers grabbed at random from the hedgerows +and of no botanical value whatever; or sometimes the parlour window would +be cautiously opened from the outside, a pair of bright eyes would +appear, and a small grubby hand would push in a bird's egg or some other +country trophy as an offering. It was William who told Merle about the +'headless horseman,' a phantom rider who was reported to gallop down the +road after dusk, and whom Chagmouth mothers found useful as a bogey to +frighten their children with. + +"He'll get you if you're out when it's dark!" said William, with round +awed eyes. + +"What would he do with you if he did?" asked Merle. + +But such a pitch of horror was beyond the limit of William's imagination, +and he could only reaffirm his original statement. + +Of course the girls and Clive were very excited to learn that a real live +ghost was supposed to haunt the neighbourhood. They discussed it at the +dinner-table over the jam-tart and cream. + +"We've certainly heard a sort of trotting sound when we've been in bed at +night," said Mavis, anxious to establish evidence. "We didn't think of +getting up to look out of the window, but I don't suppose we could have +seen on to the road if we had." + +"Yes; I remember people used to believe in the 'headless horseman,'" said +Mr. Tremayne, who had known Chagmouth very well as a boy. "There was a +demon dog, too, that ran down Tinkers' Lane, and an old lady who 'walked' +by the well." + +A delighted howl arose from the family at the mention of two more spooks. + +"O--o--h! Tell us about the demon dog!" implored Clive. + +"It had eyes as big as saucers, and they shone like fire. It used to +scuttle along the lane, and no one ever waited to see where it went, +though there used to be a hole in a bank where I was told it had once +disappeared." + +"Was it _really_ ever seen?" asked Merle. + +"I believe all these phantoms were clever devices of the smugglers in the +old days, when it was very desirable to have the roads quiet at night in +order to carry about contraband goods. It would be quite easy to fake a +demon dog. You take a black retriever, fasten two cardboard circles +smeared with phosphorus round his eyes, give him a kick, and send him +running down a dark road, and every one who met him would have hysterics. +As for the headless horseman, that's also a well-known smugglers' dodge +--false shoulders can be made and fixed on a level with the top of your +head, and covered with a cloak, so that the apparently headless man has +eyes in the middle of his chest, and can see to ride uncommonly well. It +was generally to somebody's interest to make up these ghosts and frighten +people." + +"You take all the romance out of it!" pouted Mavis. + +In spite of Mr. Tremayne's most reasonable explanations they clung to the +supernatural side of the stories. It was much more interesting to picture +the demon dog as the property of his Satanic Majesty, than to believe it +an ordinary black retriever with circles of phosphorus round its eyes. + +"I vote we go and try and see it for ourselves!" suggested Clive, waxing +bold one evening. The girls agreed, so just before bedtime they sallied +forth in the direction of Tinkers' Lane, a lonely stretch of road that +led from the hillside towards the sea. They were all three feeling half +valiant and half scared, and each had brought some species of protection. +Mavis carried a prayer-book and a little ivory cross, Merle grasped a +poker, and Clive was armed with the hatchet from the wood-pile. So long +as they were on the uplands and could see the stars they marched along +tolerably bravely, but presently Tinkers' Lane turned downhill, and, like +most of its kind in Devon, ran between high fern-grown banks, on the tops +of which grew trees whose boughs almost met overhead and made an archway. +To plunge down here was like taking a dip into Dante's 'Inferno,' it +looked so particularly dark and gloomy, and such a suitable place for +anything ghostly. + +"I wish we'd brought a lantern with us!" murmured Mavis. + +"Then we shouldn't see any spooks!" declared Merle. "Come along! Let's go +as far as the old gate at any rate. I dare you both to come! Who's +afraid?" + +Clive certainly was not going to show the white feather, and Mavis, +though rather nervy, preferred to venture forward with the others than to +remain by herself, so it ended in their all going on, arm-in-arm. They +had worked themselves to such a pitch of excitement that the whole +atmosphere seemed charged with the supernatural. There were mysterious +groanings and rustlings in the hedge, and the long branches of the trees +moaned as they swayed. It was so dark they were almost groping their way, +and could barely see the banks on either side. Suddenly, through a rift +in the trees came a faint gleam of starlight, and oh! horror of horrors! +What was that black dog-like object running rapidly towards them up the +lane? Mavis, whose over-sensitive nerves were strung up to the last +point, yelled with terror, and clung screaming to Merle, who gave a +shriek of agony herself as the phantom approached and leaped at them. + +"Whatever's the matter?" cried a voice, and a figure came hurrying +forward and flashed an electric torch upon the scene. + +In the circle of light thus formed the girls saw nothing more alarming +than Bevis and his spaniel Fan, who was jumping up affectionately at +Merle and licking her hands. They drew long breaths and then laughed. + +"They thought you were Old Nick himself and his demon dog!" vouchsafed +Clive, very brave now the alarm was over. + +"What are you all doing down Tinkers' Lane so late as this?" asked Bevis. + +"We came out to see spooks!" + +"You won't find anything worse than Fan and myself! Better let us take +you home." + +"Oh, I wish you would," said Mavis, accepting the escort with alacrity. +"I don't think I like this dark place. I'm rather scared still. I don't +wonder people see bogeys here. If you'd been riding, Bevis, I should +certainly have taken you for the headless horseman. He rides here, +doesn't he?" + +"I'll tackle him for you if we meet him, never fear!" laughed Bevis. +"I'll tell him it isn't respectable to go about without a head, and he +must put it on again at once! All the same, though" (more gravely), "I +think, if I were you, I wouldn't come down this lane in the dark all by +yourselves." + +"We certainly shan't!" + +"It's a good thing I didn't use the hatchet on poor Fan," said Clive, +forbearing to mention that he had been huddling in the hedge, much too +paralysed to take such violent measures. + +"Bless her! She's an angel dog--not a demon!" murmured Merle, fondling +the silky ears that pressed close to her dress. "But you gave your auntie +rather a scare, darling! Another time you mustn't bounce upon her in the +dark! You must be a good girlie, and remember!" + +The adventurous trio were not at all sorry to be taken safely to their +own gateway by Bevis, but all the same they felt a little disappointed +that they had no real peep at phantom forms in the lane. The girls did +not intend to tell their experience to William, but Clive let it out, so +they had to give him the full account. He looked at them with awe-struck +admiration. + +"Suppose it had really been the ghost and it had got you!" he ventured. + +William took the supernatural side of life seriously. It was no laughing +matter to him. On the very next day he came to Merle with important news. + +"There's something queer in the wood above the house. I was up there with +Connie, and we both heard it!" + +Of course Merle had to go and investigate. William escorted her at once +to the spot. There was a large elm just at the edge of the wood, and +certainly it was emitting very strange sounds. At intervals a curious +clicking whirr came from among the branches. Mr. and Mrs. Treasure, who +had also been informed of the mysterious noises, had hurried up from the +farm with little Connie. They stood staring upwards in much perplexity. + +"Could it be a bird?" suggested Merle. + +"That's no bird! It's something beyond that!" said Mr. Treasure solemnly. + +"Oh! Is it an omen? My mother's been ill the last fortnight!" exclaimed +Mrs. Treasure in much distress. + +"Maybe it's a warning of some kind or another!" opined the postman, who +had been passing and had joined the party. + +Whatever might occasion the noises, they continued with great regularity. +The postman, continuing his round, spread news of the strange happening, +and soon quite a number of people came into the wood to listen for +themselves. No one was in the least able to account for the sounds, and +the general opinion was that the tree was haunted. Superstition ran rife, +and most of the neighbours considered it must be a portent. Poor Mrs. +Treasure began to be quite sure it had some intimate connection with her +mother's illness. Several girls were weeping hysterically, and one of +them asked if the end of the world was coming. Meantime, more and more +people kept crowding into the wood, and the idea spread that some +disaster was imminent. + +"My John's out with the trawler!" wailed one woman. "I wish I'd not let +him go! As like as not he'll be wrecked!" + +"You never know!" agreed a friend. + +Old Grandfather Treasure, who had hobbled up from the stackyard, quoted +texts from Scripture and began to improve the occasion. His daughter-in- +law, with Connie clasped in her arms, sobbed convulsively. + +Into the midst of all this excitement suddenly strode Bevis. + +"I heard about it down on the quay," he said. "I came up at once. I'll +soon show you what it is!" + +He was buckling climbing-irons on to his legs while he spoke, and with +the aid of these he rapidly mounted the elm tree to where the boughs +forked, put his hand into a hollow, and drew out a wooden box, which he +brought down with him. + +"It's nothing at all ghostly," he explained. "The fact is I'm fearfully +keen on photographing birds, and I've just got a cinema camera. There's a +sparrow-hawk's nest in the next tree, and I want to take pictures of it; +only I knew the clicking of the cinema business would scare them away +probably for hours, so I made a little mechanical contrivance that would +go on clicking and let them get used to the noise, so that they'd take no +notice when I really went to work. You can look at it if you want to." + +It was such a simple explanation that those among the neighbours who had +most loudly expressed superstitious fears looked rather foolish, and the +crowd began to melt away. + +"Why didn't you tell us about it, Bevis?" asked Merle in private. + +"Well, Soeurette, the fact is the birds are so shy that the fewer people +who go and watch them the better for the success of a photograph. I'm +afraid this will have sent them off altogether. Annoying, isn't it? Can't +be helped, though, now. It's a good dodge all the same, and I shall try +it again in some other tree when I can find a nest I want to take. Better +luck next time, I hope!" + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +Leave-takings + + +The precious delightful holidays at Chagmouth seemed to be flying only +too fast. All the various young people were busy with their several +hobbies, but they liked to meet and compare notes about them, and took a +keen interest in one another's achievements. Bevis's bird-photography, +and especially his cinema camera, was highly appreciated, particularly by +the younger members of the party, who persistently tried to track him and +follow him, greatly to his embarrassment, for their presence frightened +the birds away and defeated the very object for which he had gone out. +Mavis had struck up a friendship with Miss Lindsay and Lorraine +Forrester, and often went to see them at the studio which they had +temporarily hired. Lorraine's principal branch of art was sculpture, and +she was modelling a bust of Morland, who came readily for sittings, +though he had refused point-blank to act model for his father. + +The two were on terms of what Lorraine called "sensible friendship," +which Mavis suspected might mean a good deal more some day, if Morland +stopped merely drifting and put his shoulder in dead earnest to the wheel +of life. Lorraine was much the stronger character of the two, and could +generally wind up Morland's ambition while he was with her, though it +often came down again with a run as soon as her influence was removed. +Whether or no her feelings went deeper than she would at present allow, +she was a loyal chum to him, and almost the only person who could really +persuade him to work. To Claudia also Lorraine was a splendid friend. The +girls lived together at a Students' Hostel in London, and shared all +their jaunts and pleasures. Claudia held a scholarship at a college of +music, and was training for grand opera. With her talent and lovely face +she had good prospects before her, but the Castleton strain was strong in +her, as also in Morland, and it needed Lorraine's insistent urging to +make her realise that it does not do only to dream your ideals, that you +must toil at them with strong hands and earth-stained fingers, and that +on this physical plane no success can ever be achieved without hard work. + +"They'll both of them absolutely have to be towed through life!" thought +Mavis. "I could shake the whole family sometimes. Beata's the most +practical, but the others might have strayed out of a poetry book! Of +course they're all perfectly charming and romantic, but you want to frame +them and glaze them and hang them in exhibitions, not set them to do +ordinary every-day things. They don't fit somehow into the twentieth +century. Lorraine stirs them up like yeast. She'll be the making of +Morland if she elects to take on so big a job." + +The Ramsay girls were very much attracted by the Macleods. They liked Fay +and her father and mother, whose experience of the world and sensible +views appealed to them. They often went to Bella Vista and enjoyed a +chat, or sat looking at American art magazines, while Morland, who could +not keep away from the grand piano, sat improvising memories of Debussy +or compositions of his own. Mrs. Macleod was one of those delightful +women who can appreciate other people's daughters as well as their own. +Her adoration for Fay did not hinder her from genuinely admiring Mavis +and Merle and Romola, and the other young friends who flocked to her +hospitable house. She had a nice word for them all, and was so +sympathetic that they always wanted to tell her of their little +achievements. It was a most congenial atmosphere. + +"She's such a _dear_!" commented Mavis. "Now when Fay and I went out +painting together, she praised my sketch, although it was a daub compared +with Fay's! Once I was silly enough to show one of my efforts to Mrs. +Earnshaw; she put on her pince-nez, and looked at it most critically, and +said,' Oh, you must see _Opal's_ work! She's done some really +_beautiful_ paintings at Brackenfield! They know how to teach +there!' I felt so squashed!" + +"Mrs. Earnshaw is the limit!" agreed Merle. "The last time I went to tea +there-when you had a cold and couldn't go-she asked me to play the piano. +I'd brought my music, but I didn't like to seem too anxious, so I said +I'd rather not. 'Oh, never mind then!' she said, 'you play something, +darling!' (to Opal). And then she whispered proudly to me, 'Opal plays +magnificently since she's been to Brackenfield!' I wanted to sing out +'Cock-a-doodle-doo!' only I remembered my manners. Then a friend came in, +and she introduced us. 'This is Miss Ramsay,' she said casually, 'and +this (with immense pride) is our daughter Opal!' I felt inclined to +quote, 'Look on this picture and on that!' It was so evident which of us +he was expected to take notice of! I simply wasn't to be in it at all!" + +"Opal's more decent, though, since she's been at Brackenfield." + +"There was room for improvement. I shall never like her, not if I know +her to all eternity." + +The glorious three weeks at Chagmouth were over at last, and there would +be no more picnics on the beach, or walks down primrose-decked lanes, or +rambles on the cliffs, or merry parties at The Haven or Bella Vista, or +expeditions in search of flowers or shells. The girls were almost weeping +when it came to saying good-bye to Burswood Farm, and to Mr. and Mrs. +Treasure, and William and little Connie, and Ethel the small servant +(brought up from the village to wait on the visitors), and Charlie, the +boy who helped to milk the cows and weed the fields. Mavis and Merle had +been very busy concocting one of their wonderful rhyming effusions, and +wrote it in the Visitors' Book, much to the delight of their landlady, +who appreciated such souvenirs. + + Who welcomed us to Burswood Farm + Amid the heart of Devon's charm, + With skies so blue and seas so calm? + 'Twas Mrs. Treasure. + + Who was it chopped our logs of wood + To make our fires so bright and good, + And brought from Durracombe our food? + 'Twas Mr. Treasure. + + Who brought our luggage to the door + And then went back to fetch some more, + And showed us cows and pigs galore? + 'Twas Charlie. + + Who made our boots and shoes to shine, + And brought us plates wherewith to dine, + And boiled our breakfast eggs by nine? + 'Twas Ethel. + + Who was it gave us ferns so green + From hedges that we'd often seen, + And called the holiday a dream? + 'Twas William. + + Who was it down the passage ran + And shouted, 'Kiss me if you can!' + And hid her face when we began? + 'Twas Connie. + + Who was it left with many a sigh, + As to the farm we said good-bye, + And wanted sheets wherein to cry? + We all! + +The very best of things, however, must come some time to an end; schools +were reopening, college terms recommencing, Mr. Tremayne's duties claimed +him in London, and, most prosaic of all, another batch of visitors was +expected at Burswood, so that they could no longer have the rooms. After +tremendous leave-takings the jolly party separated, Dr. Ramsay fetching +Mavis and Merle in the car, while Mr. and Mrs. Tremayne took Clive home +with them, for he was to try another term at his preparatory school. It +seemed quite quiet at Bridge House without their lively young cousin, +though in some ways his absence was rather a relief. After his many +escapades at Chagmouth the girls felt that discipline under a headmaster +would be very wholesome for him. They themselves were busy with the work +of the coming term, and not sorry to be free from his continual +interruption of their preparation time. There were other things besides +lessons. They meant to take up tennis very seriously, and practise both +on the school courts and at home. Miss Mitchell was a tennis enthusiast +and also Miss Barnes. + +"If we can only persuade Miss Hopkins and Mademoiselle to do their duty +we could have a match 'Mistresses versus Girls,'" sighed Merle. "It would +be something new at 'The Moorings,' and such an excitement for every +one." + +"I wish they would!" + +"If I were a boarder I'd simply _make_ them! What they want is +somebody to keep them up to it. Day-girls are really very much hampered. +They haven't half a chance when they go home from school at four o'clock. +I really sometimes think I'd like to be a boarder, just for the fun of +it." + +It is not very often we get what we want, but on this occasion Fortune +waved a fairy wand and gave Merle the luck she coveted. It happened that +the cook at Bridge House developed a sore throat, and Dr. Ramsay, having +his suspicions, had the drains examined and found them to be in an +exceedingly wrong condition. It was necessary to take them up at once, +and as the process would probably be unpleasant, Mrs. Ramsay arranged for +the girls to stay at 'The Moorings' until everything was once more in +good sanitary condition. + +"You can't be too careful where young people are concerned," was her +motto. "Mavis is so marvellously well now that we don't want to run any +risks, and Merle, too, strong though she is, will be better out of the +way of drains. We elders can take our chance." + +To be temporarily transformed into boarders was a novel experience for +the girls. To Merle it meant an opportunity for making a much more +intimate acquaintance with her idol Miss Mitchell, with whom she would +now be at close quarters. To sit at the same table with her for meals +seemed an unspeakable privilege. Merle was at the age for enthusiastic +hero-worship, and in her eyes the popular mistress almost wore a halo. +That she bestowed no particular tokens of favour made the devotion none +the less, because it gave an added incentive for trying to win at least a +glance or a smile. + +Though Merle's schoolgirl affections centred in Miss Mitchell, whose +modern, up-to-date, twentieth-century methods and opinions entirely +appealed to her, Mavis was glad to see something more of Miss Pollard and +Miss Fanny. She had loved 'The Moorings' best as it was a year ago, a +little 'homey' school, where the classes had been like working with a +private governess. She immensely admired the two sweet, grey-haired +sisters, with their refined, cultured atmosphere and beautiful, +courteous, dignified manner. They seemed the epitome of the nineteenth +century, and marked a different era, a something very precious that was +rapidly passing away. If flowers are the symbols of our personalities she +would have set them down as rosemary and lavender. They had withdrawn +almost entirely from teaching, so that the day-girls now saw little of +them, but in the hostel they still reigned supreme, and kept to their old +custom of amusing the youngest boarders for half an hour before bedtime. +The elder ones, owing to the large amount of preparation required under +the new regime, could very rarely find time now to come and join this +pleasant circle, which met in quite an informal manner in Miss Pollard's +room. To Mavis it was a bigger attraction even than tennis, and she would +give up her turn at the courts, or would hurry over her home-work, in +order to creep in among the juniors for that cosy half-hour. + +"Have you written down any more Devonshire folk-tales?" she asked once. +"I do so love your stories of the neighbourhood. It makes the pixies seem +almost real when you tell about them!" + +"They seemed real to the old people from whom I heard them years ago, and +who had learnt them from their grandfathers and great-grandfathers. I +loved them when I was a child. Yes; they're written in my little +manuscript book. I put them carefully down for fear I might forget them. +Read you one? If the others would like it! We haven't had a fairy tale +for quite a long time, have we, Doreen?" + +As the younger children plumped for a story, Miss Pollard fetched her +manuscript volume, and hunted for something they had not yet heard. She +was a most excellent reader, having that charm of voice and vividness of +expression which makes a narrative live before its hearers. It was as if +some electric cord linked her with those who listened, and restless +little fidgets would sit quite quietly for as long as she chose to go on. +The tale which she selected to-night was: + +GINNIFER'S DOWRY + +In the days when good King Arthur ruled all the west country from Exeter +to Land's End, a maiden named Ginnifer lived with her father in a little, +round, stone hut on the top of Dartmoor. They were poor, but she was a +good girl, and she could spin, and weave baskets, and do many things +about the house. One day a young hunter knocked at the door and asked for +hospitality, and as there was much game to be had in the neighbourhood he +remained for many weeks as a guest of the cottage, going out every day +fishing or fowling, and sharing his captures with his hosts. No doubt +Ginnifer's blue eyes and gentle glances were the main attraction, and in +a short time indeed the young folk became attached to one another. It was +only when Ginnifer's father at length questioned the youth, that he +confessed to being the son of the great lord of the neighbourhood, who +lived in the big Castle beside the river beyond the moor. This was sad +news for Ginnifer, for in those days a young noble might not wed with a +poor girl, and must marry a bride who could bring a rich dowry with her +of jewels and ornaments and silver money. So she quietly told her +sweetheart to go back to his father, and learn to forget her; and he went +away very sadly, vowing he would get permission to return and marry her, +or else he would never wed anyone. When he was gone, Ginnifer went out +over the moor among the heather, where she might fight her grief alone, +with only the birds and the flowers to see her weep. She lay on the short +moorland grass among the sweet bog-myrtle and asphodel, until the sun was +setting in a red ball over the hillside. Then, all of a sudden, she heard +a rustling and a whispering like countless leaves blown by an autumn +wind. + +"Who is this?" said a voice. "Who dares to lie in our pixie ring?" + +"It's a mortal! A mortal!" cried another. + +Ginnifer raised her head. All the moor was alive with tiny pixies, whose +green garments were like moving fronds of fern. They crowded eagerly +round her. + +"It's Ginnifer!" they said. "Ginnifer who lives in the stone hut on the +moor! Ginnifer who tended the plover with the broken wing, and watered +the harebells that were withering in the burning sun, and who treads so +lightly that the birds don't trouble to fly away from her. We know her +kindness and her gentle heart, for the 'good folk' watch over the +children of the earth, and, unseen, we have followed her through all her +simple life. Pretty Ginnifer, tell us your trouble. The pixies cannot +bear to see you weep." + +They stroked her hair with their tiny fingers, they bathed her eyes with +dewdrops and wiped them with the petals of a wild rose. At first Ginnifer +was frightened, but the little folk were so kind that she took courage +and told them her trouble. They began to dance and jump about with +delight, and clapped their little hands. + +"Is that all?" they shouted. "Would he wed you if you were a great lady? +Tell us what dowry his father would expect his bride to bring?" + +"Silks and jewels!" sobbed poor Ginnifer, "and rich embroidered dresses, +and trinkets of gold, and caskets of silver money! And I have nothing at +all!" + +The pixies laughed lustily, throwing up their wee green caps into the air +and catching them again for sheer joy. + +"Ginnifer dear! We'll find you your dowry! Quick! Let us set to work! We +must finish our task before daybreak." + +By this time the moon had risen and had flooded the moor with light. Like +a flight of busy buzzing bees the little people went flitting up and +down. They pulled the gossamer from the gorse bushes and wove it into the +finest silk; they caught the great brown moths and sheared their soft fur +and spun it on the daintiest little spinning-wheels in the world; and +with skilful touches they wove together the harebells and the wild rose +petals into the most wonderful of embroidered gowns. The tears which +Ginnifer had shed in her sorrow lay shining among the grass, and gathered +up by magic fingers they turned into pearls and diamonds fit for a queen. +The gorse flowers became golden ornaments, and the little smooth pebbles +in the brook changed into pieces of silver money. + +The pixies dressed Ginnifer in the softest of the gossamer silk robes, +they clasped the golden bracelets round her arms and twisted diamonds +into her hair. + +"Now she is a fairy princess," they said. "There is none lovelier in all +Elfland. We must build her a palace worthy of her!" + +Hither and thither they ran, gathering up the dewdrops, and piling them +one above the other till the most wonderful Castle rose up on the +hillside: as clear as glass, it shone with all the colours of the +rainbow, and here they stored the silks and the beautiful ornaments and +the caskets of silver money. + +Next morning Ginnifer's lover came riding back to tell her that his +father forbade the match, but that he meant to marry her whether or no. +And lo and behold! he found her at the door of a pixie palace, and +directly he set foot inside it, it sank through the ground and carried +them both with it into Elfland. And there they have lived ever since, as +happy as the pixies themselves, though no one on earth saw them any more. +But sometimes when the late sickle moon shines over the moor, travellers +who have lost their way have been set in the right path by a lovely lady +in gauzy green garments, who sprang up, as it seemed, from nowhere, and +vanished away again into the mist, and to this day the children, hunting +for bilberries on the hillside, call the shining dewdrops 'Ginnifer's +tears.'" + +"Have you ever seen any pixies yourself, Miss Pollard?" asked Doreen +eagerly. + +"No; but I've seen the dewdrops shining just like diamonds, and I've seen +the mist make wonderful pixie castles in the moonlight. We can live in a +fairy world of our own if we look at the right things. It depends on your +eyes. Those people who keep their childhood have the pixies all round +them." + +"You have!" said Mavis, as Miss Pollard rose to say good-night to her +circle of listeners. "You're like Peter Pan, and never grow old!" + +"I had such a happy childhood! And it seemed so much the best part of +life that I've always been reluctant to let the glamour go. Children +ought to be brought up on fairy tales! They're incipient poetry, and +should be woven into the web of our lives as a beautiful border, before +all the dark prose part follows. If the shuttle only weaves matter-of- +fact threads it spoils the pattern!" + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +The Tadpole Club + + +It was quite interesting to be a boarder at 'The Moorings,' though it had +its more sober side, particularly for Merle. Her trouble lay in the fact +that though she was a school officer from 9 A.M. to 4 P.M., out of those +hours her authority was non-existent. Iva and Nesta were hostel +monitresses, and they had quite plainly and firmly given her to +understand that they did not expect any interference. They were perfectly +within their rights, and Merle knew it, but she chafed nevertheless. The +fact was that Iva and Nesta, accustomed to the old traditions of 'The +Moorings,' when there were only about a dozen boarders, were quite unable +to cope with the new order of things, and girls who had been to other +schools took decided advantage of their slackness. Merle, whose motto was +'once a monitress always a monitress,' could not see why she might +reprove Norma Bradley in the playground, but must allow that damsel +ostentatiously to do exactly the same act in the recreation room under +her very nose. + +"It's so bad for the kids!" she raged. "They know Iva and Nesta are weak +and just pretend not to notice, so as to have no fuss. I'm sure Miss +Mitchell can't know all that goes on or she'd make some different +arrangement. You feel in another element when you get into the hostel. +It's 'do as you like and don't bother me so long as you don't go too far +and aren't found out.' It might be all very well in the old days last +year, but it's wrecking the show now. I wouldn't have believed it if I +didn't see it with my own eyes." + +The chief offenders were three Third form girls, Norma Bradley, Biddy +Adams, and Daisy Donovan, who, with those former firebrands Winnie +Osborne and Joyce Colman, had formed a kind of Cabal, whose object seemed +to be to find out how far rules might be evaded. + +"They've more time than we have, and they simply 'rag' about and 'play +the giddy goat'!" complained Merle to her sister. + +"They don't seem to have enough to do with their spare time," commented +Mavis. "It's all very well to say they must have absolute recreation, but +both they and the babies turn it into a sort of bear-garden. You were +rather a terror yourself when you were that age! I remember Mother used +to quote, 'Satan finds some mischief still for idle hands'." + +"Was I? And now I'm a monitress!" + +"It makes all the difference when you're in authority, and have some +stake in the school." + +This chance remark set Merle thinking, and she thought to some purpose. +Her natural disposition was always to obtain results by blunt, matter-of- +fact methods. In school her policy was, 'Come along with you now, I'm not +going to have any nonsense!' Backed by her position, her strong +personality, and her prowess at games it succeeded. But here in the +hostel, if she wished to effect any improvements, she must go about it +another way. The old fable of the wind and the sun would apply, school +breezes would be useless, and she must switch on the love-radiator and +try smiling. + +"I believe I _was_ rather a terror at twelve," she acknowledged to +herself. "It's such a tiresome age; you're no longer a pet lamb, and yet +you're not a senior. You get all the snubs and none of the kisses. I used +to long to do a little bossing on my own, instead of trailing like a +comet's tail after the big girls. What those kids want is a properly +organised club. They'd work the steam off in that. I've a very good mind +to draw up a scheme, show it to Miss Mitchell, and ask her if I may start +it among the juniors. If I have her leave, then Iva and Nesta can't call +it interfering." + +It took Merle a little trouble to evolve her idea, but with a remembrance +of Girl Guiding she decided on forming a company corresponding to the +Brownies, the objects of which should be to train its members to win +various school honours. It was to have its own officers, and its own +committees, and to concentrate upon cricket practice, badminton, and net- +ball, as well as First Aid, knot-tying, and signalling. + +Feeling rather nervous and a little uncertain whether she would meet with +approval or a rebuff, she carried her scheme to Miss Mitchell's study. +The mistress listened quite composedly and thought for a moment or two. + +"You may try it, Merle, if you can persuade the children to join," she +said at length. "You have my full sanction, and you may tell them so. +We'll see how it succeeds." + +It was something to have leave from headquarters. Merle hurried away and +lost no time in collecting the junior boarders, who came to her meeting +out of sheer curiosity to see what she could possibly want with them. For +once blunt plain-spoken Merle was silver-tongued, and advocated her club +with all the ingenuity of which she was capable. + +"A school is no good if it depends entirely on its elder girls," she said +artfully. "In a year or two they'll have left, and it's the middle forms +who'll be at the top. If those middle forms will only begin and train +themselves _now_, they'll be champions by the time they reach the +Sixth, and there'd be some sense in making fixtures for tennis and +cricket. It generally takes a school years before it begins to win +matches. Why? Because it must train its champions, of course. You" +(nodding at the Cabal) "are the sort who ought to win cups and shields +for 'The Moorings' in another four years or so. And it's your business to +teach the younger ones. I saw Doreen and Elsbeth playing cricket with +Joyce to-day in a way that absolutely made me shudder. She should show +them how to hold their bats, and never allow leg-before-wicket even with +the veriest kid. It's no use letting them start bad habits, is it? My +suggestion is that you form yourselves into a club; let the elder ones be +officers, and give efficiency badges for certain things. You've so much +more time than we seniors have, that you ought to get on like a house on +fire. You'd be laying the foundations of some very good work later on. I +should call you the 'Pioneers,' because you'd be starting on a new +venture to spread the fame of 'The Moorings.' What d'you think about it?" + +The idea decidedly appealed to the juniors. It was far more flattering to +be told they were the coming strength of the school than that they were +nuisances and in the way of the older girls. Moreover, the notion of +being officers was attractive to such temperaments as Winnie's, Biddy's, +and Daisy's. They thought they should rather enjoy training the younger +ones, and giving their opinions at committee meetings. It was so dull +simply to form audiences while the seniors did the talking. + +"I vote we do!" said Winnie, looking at the rest of the Cabal, who nodded +approvingly in reply. + +"Very well. You must organise your own committees, but I think every now +and then there should be an inspection to show how you're getting on. You +can choose any one you like for your commissioner. A teacher if you +want." + +"Might as well have you as anybody!" murmured Winnie. + +"You can decide that later. What I advise you to do is to hold a +committee among yourselves, write down your officers and your rules and +everything, and then set to work." + +The plan answered admirably, from the mere fact that it gave the restless +juniors something definite to do in their recreation time. Instead of +tearing aimlessly about and getting into mischief, they suddenly became +the most busy little mortals, and absolutely bristled with importance. +Their committees were conducted with as much solemnity as the meetings of +Cabinet ministers to decide the fate of a nation. They had taken the +burden of the future success of the school upon their youthful shoulders, +and it gave them huge satisfaction to think that so much depended upon +them. They practised cricket quite diligently, and made even the youngest +observe the rules, and they bandaged one another's arms and legs in +well-meant efforts at ambulance work. Their ambition soared as high as a +debating society, where they evidently allowed full freedom of speech on +popular topics, for Mavis, by mistake getting hold of one of their secret +notices, found the subject for discussion was: "_Monnitresses. Are they +a Neccessary Evil?_" + +She showed it to Merle with much amusement. + +"I should suggest, 'Need Spelling copy the Dictionary?' for their next +debate!" she laughed. "I wish I could creep in, Merle, and hear them +slanging you four. I expect they'll give you some hard hits. How +priceless they are!" + +With the exception of Mavis the elder girls were not entirely in sympathy +with the new movement. They considered the Pioneers exhibited signs of +swollen head, and nicknamed their society the 'Tadpole Club,' declaring +its members to be still in that elementary stage of their development. +They made very merry at their expense, and poked fun at Merle for having +evolved the idea. + +"Have you arranged for the Queen to come down and inspect them?" asked +Nesta sarcastically. "No one but royalty is good enough! By the time +they've worked their way up into the Sixth the school will be so reformed +it'll be a pattern for all England. I think we seniors had better retire +gracefully now and have done with it. We don't seem of much account +according to their notions. One of them actually had the impudence to +criticise my bowling yesterday!" + +"Yes; and the little beggar was right too!" put in Iva. "You'll have to +buck up over cricket, old sport! It never was your strong point, you +know!" + +"Well, I'm not going to be corrected by a kid of eleven at any rate!" +fumed Nesta. + +Though the seniors might be scornful, indignant, or otherwise hostile +towards the Tadpole Club, it certainly had the effect of increasing their +own efforts and making them keep up their standards. A craze came over +the school for physical fitness and efficiency, and the most persistent +shirkers were forced by public opinion into exerting themselves. Miss +Mitchell said little, but her hazel eyes saw everything that was going +on. Her manner towards Merle, which had been rather off-hand, gradually +softened, and though she showed her no special favour, she gave her, on +one occasion, a word of praise. + +"You've shown me that you possess certain powers of organisation, and +that you know how to use your influence," she remarked. + +And Merle, to whom Miss Mitchell's good opinion seemed almost the most +important thing in the world, went about as if she were treading on air, +and repeated the precious sentence to herself as proudly as if it were a +patent of nobility. + +"She wouldn't notice me when I used to bring her flowers!" thought Merle. +"It's only when I've done something for the school that she really cares. +Some day, perhaps, I'll make her like me for myself!" + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +The Fourth of July + + +Mavis and Merle went home to Bridge House feeling as if they had had a +peep at the inner life of 'The Moorings.' They had seen fresh aspects of +Miss Pollard and Miss Fanny, and though Merle could not honestly assure +herself that she knew Miss Mitchell any better than before, she had at +least the remembrance of a few words of approval. + +"I'm afraid she's one of those people whom you never do get to know very +well!" ruminated Merle. "You go a little way, but never any further. We +see the school side of her, and a quite jolly-all-round-to-everybody +holiday afternoon side. I wonder what she's like to her private friends, +and at home?" + +Miss Mitchell, however, was not at all disposed to make a confidante of +any of her pupils, particularly of a girl who was not yet sixteen, and +much preferred to preserve business-like relations and confine her +conversation to school topics, than to give any details of her private +life. She made it quite manifest that whoever wished to please her must +do so on general and not individual grounds, so Merle accepted the +inevitable, and worked very hard in class and at preparation, making a +sudden burst of progress in her lessons that astonished herself even more +than everybody else. It meant a certain amount of heroism to stick +steadily to her books on glorious summer evenings, when even her own +family tempted her to play tennis or go out in the car. Most of the other +members of the Fifth form showed a marked slacking off in their homework, +particularly the day-girls, whose preparation was not regulated. The +Castletons, who had another wee baby brother at home, declared they found +so much to do on their return that it was impossible to spend long over +their lessons. + +"Violet's not very strong, and she's often just about done in when we get +back," explained Beata to Mavis. "Romola and I take the baby and put the +kids to bed, so as to give her a rest. I can't tell that to Miss Mitchell +as an excuse for not having touched my Latin, but it's the truth. What +else can I do? We've only one maid, and she's busy in the kitchen. +Somebody has to look after the children!" + +And Mavis, who adored the new Castleton baby, and would have flung +lessons to the winds to nurse it, cordially agreed with her. + +Another girl whose work suffered in summer, though for a different +reason, was Fay. Her father was better in health, but he still needed +somebody to interest him and keep him amused, and found no more lively +companion than his own daughter. He had taught her to row, and wanted her +to go out boating with him now the evenings were so long and light. + +"Never mind your prep! It's more important to help to get Father well!" +Mrs. Macleod would say. "He looks forward so much to this rowing, and the +exercise is good for him. We want a companionable daughter, not a +Minerva, and you may tell Miss Mitchell so with my compliments if she +grumbles. If we can't have any of your society when you get home, you +might as well be away at boarding-school. I bargained with Miss Pollard +that you weren't to be overworked." + +Fay was clever, and a hasty run through her books usually served to make +her pass muster in class. She was a jolly and amusing girl, and was +generally the life and soul of the 'sardine' party. She was great chums +with the Castletons, though she sparred occasionally with Tattie Carew or +with Nan Colville. The latter gave general offence because she always +insisted upon taking up more than her fair share of room in the crowded +car. She would wear her satchel, and let its knobby corners press against +her expostulating neighbour, or she would spread out her elbows instead +of keeping them by her side. One day Nan, after a scrimmage on the way to +school, begged a lift back from Babbie. + +"But we don't go down the hill to Chagmouth," objected Babbie, who had +received instructions from her mother to allow the 'sardines' to use +their own car, and not to offer to motor any of them. "We turn off at the +cross-roads to go to The Warren." + +"I know. But you always start first, and you could leave me at the +cross-roads, and the others would pick me up as they passed. Be a sport, +Babbie!" + +"All right. You can come if you like." + +Now it happened that Fay overheard Nan telling Lizzie that she would wait +at the cross-roads, and further witnessed the magnificent start in the +Glyn Williams' car. + +"Too good for us to-day, are you?" she murmured. "Then I think you may +just do without us altogether! I've got a brain throb! It'll serve you +right, Miss Nan Colville!" + +Fay went privately to Mr. Vicary and asked him if he would mind driving +them home that afternoon by Brendon, which was a slightly different route +from their ordinary one. + +"I want to call for a parcel there," she explained. + +"As it happens, I have an errand I can do there too," agreed Mr. Vicary. +"It won't take above five minutes or so longer, I daresay." + +"That's all right then. By the by, Miss Colville won't be with us to-day. +Miss Williams is motoring her home." + +"Yes; I saw them set off." + +Fay took care that Lizzie Colville sat at the back of the car that +afternoon and not in front with Mr. Vicary. She stifled her objections +when they turned off in the direction of Brendon. + +"I tell you Mr. Vicary has to go on an errand and so have I, so just shut +up! Nan? If she chooses to wait at the cross-roads it's her own fault. +She should have come with us." + +The 'sardine-tin' entered Chagmouth that afternoon from the direction of +Brendon, and Nan, after sitting a long time by the roadside expecting its +appearance, gave it up and walked the rest of the way home, very annoyed +at the trick that had been played her. + +"You shouldn't have let them, Lizzie!" she scolded. + +"How could I help it? Fay wouldn't let me speak, and Mr. Vicary just flew +on to Brendon. Why didn't Babbie take you into Chagmouth?" + +"She never even suggested it. I don't know which is the meaner, she or +Fay!" grumbled Nan. + +On the Fourth of July, Fay went to school determined to have what she +termed 'a real good time,' and to celebrate appropriately the great +anniversary of American independence. She armed herself with her national +flag and a box of sugared popcorns, a delicacy which was unknown at +Durracombe shops, and had been specially sent for from London. As she +passed these round generously, the 'sardines' fell in with her mood and +vowed to stand by her at school, and help to celebrate the honour and +glory of the Stars and Stripes. + +"I didn't make much fuss of my own birthday, but I'm wrought up over +this!" declared Fay. "It's a shame there isn't a public holiday. I'd like +to fire a cannon. Couldn't get any crackers at those wretched shops in +Chagmouth either." + +"D'you want crackers?" + +"Rather!" + +"They had a lot of fireworks last November at Hodges' in Durracombe. +Perhaps they'd have some left." + +"Oh, good bizz! We'll stop in the High Street and see, before we go into +school." + +They were in excellent time, so they called a halt at Hodges' shop and +dismissed the car. The assistant, after searching in various drawers and +boxes, produced a small supply of surplus fireworks, which Fay eagerly +purchased, being also provident enough to remember to buy a box of +matches. She pranced into school in the highest of spirits, flaunting her +flag, and stuck it in a conspicuous place in the classroom, where Miss +Mitchell eyed it indeed with some astonishment, but offered no +remonstrance. At eleven o'clock interval the fun began. Fay and her +confederates retired to a secluded part of the garden and began to let +off squibs and crackers, the sound therefrom drawing an interested and +excited little crowd, who hopped about squealing at the explosions, and +were immensely thrilled at the audacity of such a performance on school +premises. + +"They're great!" + +"Hold me down, or I'll fly off in sparks!" + +"Fay, you are the limit!" + +"It's a brainy notion!" + +"Wow! Don't set me on fire!" + +"Goody! Here's Miss Fanny coming!" + +It was a decidedly wrathful Miss Fanny who descended upon them, and +promptly confiscated the few fireworks that were left. + +"Most dangerous!" she remarked indignantly. "You might easily, some of +you, have been burnt. Really, Fay, I'm surprised. A girl in the Fifth +form ought to know better. Go back all of you at once. And don't let such +a thing ever happen again!" + +The confederates had been lucky enough to have almost finished their +display before Miss Fanny appeared on the scene, so they bore the loss of +the last three squibs with equanimity. + +"If Miss Fanny had only been an American she'd have helped to let them +off herself instead of interfering!" protested Fay. "I haven't worked my +spirits off yet, so I warn you! We'll do something mad after dinner." + +"What?" + +"I haven't quite fixed it up yet, but I'll tell you later on." + +The girls from Chagmouth dined daily with the boarders in the hostel, and +were on very good terms with most of them. Fay could therefore be +tolerably sure of a certain amount of support in any scheme she chose to +evolve. She thought things over during the French class, a process of +mental abstraction which brought the wrath of Mademoiselle on to her +head, for she answered at random and made some really idiotic mistakes, +at which the other girls giggled. + +"You didn't shine this morning, old sport!" whispered Beata when the +class was over. "I believe Mademoiselle thought you were ragging her!" + +"I wasn't doing anything of the sort. Can't you all realise it's the +Fourth of July?" + +"You've mentioned that once or twice before!" + +"Well, I'll mention it again. Of course I focus my mind on America, not +on France! You can't expect me to go jabbering French when I think of the +times my friends will be having to-day on the other side of the Atlantic. +I've had rather a brain throb though. We'll dress up after dinner in +anything we can borrow, and have a parade on the tennis lawn, with prizes +for best costumes." + +"Who's to give the prizes?" + +"_I_ will. I'll ask Maude to buy me some packets of candy when she +goes home, and bring them to school this afternoon. They'll do all +right." + +Fay was discreet enough not to mention her project to Iva or Nesta, in +case, being hostel monitresses, they might have felt bound to offer +conscientious objections. Members of the Fourth and Third forms, however, +jumped at the idea of an impromptu fancy-dress parade, and the moment +they were released from the dining-room they tore off to array +themselves. It was already a quarter to two, and school would begin again +at 2.30, so there was no time to be lost if the thing was to be done at +all. + +"I give every one a quarter of an hour to dress!" declared Fay. "You've +got to be on the lawn when the clock strikes two. Anybody who's late will +be disqualified from the competition." + +"Who's to judge?" asked Kitty. + +"Votes, of course! Don't stand asking questions. Hurry up, if you're +going to be in it!" + +[Illustration: THE FOURTH OF JULY PARADE] + +A quarter of an hour is very scant time in which to robe in fancy +costume, but most of the girls had decided during dinner what they meant +to be. Romola flew to the kitchen and borrowed an apron from the cook, +tied a duster round her head, seized up a pail and a carpet-sweeper, and +came as 'Domestic Service.' Beata commandeered the boarders' bath-towels +and appeared as an Arab, in robe and turban. Peggie, with her dormitory +eider-down for a train, was a court lady. Catie draped a scarf over her +hair and shoulders and, holding a bedroom jug aloft on her head, posed as +Rebecca at the well. Nan and Tattie, wrapt in identical blankets, were +Tweedledum and Tweedledee. Winnie, with a painted moustache and a +dressing-gown, was a Turk. Nita slipped on a night-dress and clutched a +bedroom candlestick; Joyce rolled an enormous brown-paper cigar which she +pretended to be puffing. But perhaps the best of all was Fay herself as +the American eagle. She borrowed two mackintoshes and fastened them to +her shoulders, securing the other ends to blackboard pointers which she +held in each hand. By extending her arms at full width she gave the +impression of wings and flapped wildly round the lawn, the illusion being +furthered by a brown-paper head-dress with a long twist to resemble a +beak. + +When the day-girls returned after dinner they were electrified to find +this extraordinary assemblage parading upon the lawn. By this time both +monitresses and mistresses had caught glimpses from the window and came +hurrying out to see what was happening. Fortunately Miss Mitchell, who +arrived first on the scene, took it in what the girls called 'a +thoroughly sporting fashion.' She laughed, and congratulated the wearers +upon the excellence of their hasty costumes. + +"We must have another parade some day, when we've more time to prepare +for it," she said. "Perhaps I'll come in costume myself then. The +American eagle is simply immense! I give Fay my vote for first prize! +Hands up all who agree!" + +"But _I'm_ giving the prize, so I can't take it myself!" protested +Fay. + +"That doesn't matter at all if you've won it. I think Tweedledum and +Tweedledee should divide the second." + +"Best divide the candy all round," said Fay, receiving the packets from +Maude, and sharing them among the competitors. "Thanks awfully, Miss +Mitchell, for coming to look at us. I couldn't let the Fourth of July go +by without taking some notice of it! It wouldn't have been loyal to +America, would it?" + +"You've certainly stood up for the honour of the Stars and Stripes!" +laughed Miss Mitchell. "Now suppose you all go and take these things off +again as fast as you can. My watch is exactly right, and the bell will +ring in another five minutes." + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +Love-in-a-Mist + + +The next event of any special importance in the Ramsays' world was +Mavis's birthday. She was seventeen now, and was so much taller and +stronger since she had come to live in Devonshire that her mother +declared their old friends in the north would hardly know her. She was +still more fragile-looking than Merle, but her attacks of bronchitis were +luckily things of the past, and she was rapidly outgrowing all her former +delicacy. Many things which had been prohibited before were allowed her +now, and her father's present was a new bicycle and the permission to +ride it. Her mother gave her a sketching easel and Merle a camp-stool, +for painting was at present her favourite hobby, and Uncle David and Aunt +Nellie were lavish in books and music. From Bevis arrived a wooden box +containing a kittiwake, which he had stuffed himself, with wings +outspread. There was a hook in its back so that it could be suspended by +a piece of thread from the ceiling to look as if it were flying. In its +beak Bevis had placed a note. + +"I didn't shoot it," he explained. "I know you hate to think of any one +killing them. I found it dead on the shore, so thought you might just as +well have it stuffed." + +"I'm so glad it wasn't shot on purpose, poor dear thing!" said tender- +hearted Mavis. "Aren't its feathers soft and lovely? I shall hang it to +the beam in our bedroom, and it will always seem like a little bit of +Chagmouth when we wake in the mornings. It looks just exactly as if it +were alive. How clever of Bevis to stuff it so well." + +At 'The Moorings' the matter of most vital interest was the arrival of a +large wooden hut, which Miss Pollard had bought from the Government, and +which was erected in a corner of the garden close to the house. Now that +numbers had increased so much in the school extra accommodation was +urgently needed, and the new building would serve for a gymnasium, and as +a room for lectures and meetings. The great matter for speculation was +whether it would be finished in time for term-end festivities. Miss +Pollard, urged on by Miss Mitchell, contemplated inviting parents and +friends to a formal Speech Day, an affair upon which she had never +ventured before. Unless the hut was ready it would be impossible to +accommodate so many people, so she hurried on the work and hoped for the +best. It was a great amusement to her pupils to watch the various parts +being fitted together, and to see the corrugated iron roof fastened on. +They rejoiced immensely when at last a flag floated from the top. + +"Mr. Perkins says he can undertake to have all perfectly ready by the +25th. I can send out my invitations now!" purred Miss Pollard. + +Before Speech Day, however, must come the inevitable examinations. +Everybody felt they were much more wearing in July than at Christmas or +Easter, owing to the heat, and also to the fact that they covered the +work of the whole school year, and not merely that of a single term. +Mavis did her utmost but had to struggle with bad headaches, and realised +that she had not done herself justice. Merle slogged away grimly, with +ink-stained fingers and her hair tied tightly back because of the heat. +She had never really taken so much pains over an examination before, and +had never found herself so well prepared. Quite to her surprise her +brains felt clear and collected, and her mental car seemed to whizz along +so fast it quite exceeded the speed limit. No other girl in the form +wrote so many sheets as she did or answered such a large proportion of +the questions. At the end of the week, tired, nervy, and decidedly cross, +she nevertheless felt some satisfaction over the papers she had sent in. +Every one in the Fifth had little doubt about the results, and public +opinion was justified, for Merle came out top in almost every subject, +gaining an average of 91 per cent on the whole exam. She had expected to +do well, but was quite staggered at this success, for Muriel, Iva, and +Nesta, her usual rivals, were left far and away behind. They were +sporting enough to give her their congratulations. + +"It means first prize, old thing! Won't we give you a clap as you march +on to the platform!" said Iva. + +Miss Pollard was determined to do this, her first Speech Day, in style; +the chair was to be taken by a local magnate, and the prizes distributed +by a real live professor from Oxford, who was spending his vacation in +the neighbourhood. There was a tremendous business moving forms and +chairs into the newly-erected hut, and decorating the platform with pots +of plants and ferns. All the pupils were dressed in white and wore their +best hair ribbons. Mavis was feeling sad and sentimental, for it was her +last term. She was to leave 'The Moorings' and concentrate her energies +on music, and on lessons in painting from Mr. Castleton, which would suit +her far better than the strenuous work of the Sixth form. To the girls, +and especially the younger ones, this first public function at school was +not altogether unmixed bliss. They were obliged to sit as quiet as rows +of little angels, packed tightly together on forms without backs, and to +listen to interminable speeches about subjects which they only half +understood, the main points of which seemed to be, however, that Miss +Pollard and Miss Fanny and Miss Mitchell and all the teachers and all the +pupils were much to be congratulated, and everybody must remember that +'Rome was not built in a day.' + +"Nor the hut either!" whispered Winnie to her chum, applying the proverb +too literally. "I wish they'd seen it before the roof was on!" + +"'How the creatures talk!'" quoted Joyce, from _Alice in +Wonderland_. "I'm bored to tears!" + +The prize-giving part was more interesting. As the names were called, +each winner in turn walked up to the platform, received her book, bowed +more or less gracefully, and retired. The applause was a welcome relief +to the rank and file, who were tired of sitting at such exemplary +attention. It was over at last, and the visitors went to be shown round +the school and to be regaled with tea in the dining-room. Professor +Hartley, in cap and gown, had crossed the garden to the hostel, and the +pupils, some of them suffering from pins and needles, were free to +disperse. It was the breaking-up for the day-girls, and to-morrow morning +the boarders would be sent home. + +"Just a word with you, Merle!" said Miss Mitchell, calling the latter +into the study by herself. "I want to tell you that I'm pleased with your +work. You've made an effort and shown me what you can do. Next term we +shall have a Sixth form, and Miss Pollard agrees with me that it will be +advisable to appoint a head girl. That position will fall to you, not +only because you're top in the exams, but because we think you have +fitted yourself to take it. A head girl is no use unless she can lead; +I've been watching you all the year, and you've shown me lately that you +understand what is expected. The school is still in an elementary stage, +but it has improved immensely, and next year I trust you to do your very +best for it." + +"Oh, thank you, Miss Mitchell!" gasped Merle, almost too overwhelmed for +words. + +To be thus chosen out and selected by her idol was a most happy ending to +the term, and offered golden opportunities in the coming September. It +meant more to her even than her prize. She went at once to tell the good +news to her sister. + +"I don't like to cackle too loudly, because of Muriel and Nesta," said +Mavis. "But I am proud of you! It's been worth the grind, hasn't it?" + +"Rather! Though I'm yearning for the holidays. Shall we go to Chagmouth +on Saturday?" + +"Oh, yes! Bevis breaks up to-morrow, and I expect he'll be at Grimbal's +Farm by then. It's his last term at school as well as mine. I wonder how +he feels about leaving? I promised, too, to call and see the Castletons." + +When the girls reached home, there was a letter on the table for Mavis in +Clive's handwriting. They heard from the boy every now and then, though +he was not a particularly good correspondent. This epistle, which had +apparently been penned on Sunday, was mostly a summary of cricket and +anticipations of his holidays. It ended: + +Your affec'ate coz, CLIVE. + +_P.S._--Meant to send you this snap before. Isn't it priceless? + +The sting of a scorpion is in its tail. Mavis stooped down and picked up +the little photo which had fallen from the envelope on to the floor. +Clive had used his Brownie camera at Chagmouth and had promised to post +them the results, but had forgotten. This solitary print represented +Bevis--there was no mistaking Bevis--but Mavis bent over it with puzzled +eyes, for clasped tightly in his arms with her head laid upon his +shoulder was a girl. Merle, who snatched the photo away to look at it, +decided her identity at once. + +"Why, it's Romola! That's the artistic blue dress that Violet made for +her!" + +"So it is! Where's her plait, though?" + +"Hidden behind her, I suppose. I say! They're coming it rather strong, +aren't they?" + +"Yes. I shouldn't have thought that of Bevis!" + +"No more should I!" (Merle was looking annoyed.) "I'd no idea he could be +so silly. I shall rag him about this, you bet!" + +"I wouldn't!" (Mavis's voice was very quiet.) "Romola is so pretty! +Perhaps he _likes_ her!" + +"Well, it's the first I've seen of it. He's a sly-boots if he does. +Somehow it doesn't seem to fit in with Bevis. I'm cross with him. When +did Clive take this amazing snap? I wonder he didn't send it on to us +before. I think it's not worth keeping, if you ask me!" and Merle, +tearing the photo into bits, tossed it into the waste-paper basket. + +"Bevis is _our_ friend--not the Castletons'!" she added, stumping +away most decidedly cross, "and if he's going in for rubbish like this +with Romola, he shan't call _me_ Soeurette again! He needn't think +it. I'll _not_ be a sister to Romola! I declare I won't! The sneak!" + +But these latter sentiments were muttered to herself, and she took good +care that Mavis should not overhear them. + +On Saturday morning Merle had a bilious headache, took some breakfast in +bed, and announced that she should spend the day lying in the garden. +Mavis also began to make excuses for not going to Chagmouth, but Dr. +Tremayne pinched her cheek, declared she looked pale, and that the drive +would do her good. + +"I can't be left without either of my nice little companions!" he +complained. "I've got used to having you with me. Besides, Bevis is +coming back to-day!" + +"I daresay we shall see him next week some time," remarked Mavis +demurely. "There's no violent hurry about it." + +"Why, no; only--" + +"Nonsense, Mavis! Go with your uncle!" broke in Mrs. Ramsay. "This is the +first time I ever remember you wanting to stay away from your beloved +Chagmouth. What's the matter with you to-day? Don't be silly! Put on your +hat and do as you're wanted. I think these exams have thoroughly tired +out both of you. You'll feel better after a little air in the car." + +Mother's decisions were always final, so Mavis raised no more objections, +particularly as Uncle David was looking the least trifle hurt, and he was +such a dear that she wouldn't disappoint him for worlds. He had several +visits to pay that morning at houses on the way, so it was later than +usual when they arrived at Grimbal's Farm. Fortunately there were few +patients waiting, and when these were disposed of, Mrs. Penruddock +brought in lunch. + +"Bevis not come yet?" inquired Uncle David as he lifted the dish-cover. + +"No, indeed, Doctor, and I'm anxious about him! His yacht's been at Port +Sennen, having some repairs done, and he arranged to go there straight +from school early this morning, and sail her round to Chagmouth." + +"Well! The lad can handle a yacht all right." + +"It isn't that! Bevis knows as much about sailing as most folks. But +there's a nasty sea fog come on, and just as it happens the clapper is +gone out of the bell by St. Morval's Head. Bevis is always a terrible one +for hugging the coast, and I'm afraid if he doesn't hear the bell he +won't quite know where he is in the fog, and he may be on the rocks +before he knows they're there. I'd have told him it was gone, but there +was no time. I only got his letter this morning. Who'd have expected a +fog like this either?" + +Mrs. Penruddock's apple face looked quite miserable, but sounds of +thumping at the back door drew her away from the parlour, and stopped any +further confidences. Mavis ate her lunch thoughtfully. + +"Is a fog worse on the sea than on land?" she asked at last. + +"It is, if you can't tell where you're going. Who's been fooling with the +bell at St. Morval's, I wonder? If the clapper has fallen out, they +should have had it put in again at once. But that's just the way with +them. It's nobody's business, and everybody puts it on to somebody else +until there's an accident. I've no patience with them!" + +When the meal was over, Mavis went out to take a peep at the sea, or +rather where the sea ought to be, for there was nothing to look at but a +white wall of mist, long wreaths of which were blowing inland and +trailing like ghosts into the town. She came hurrying back very quickly +to Grimbal's Farm, and sought the kitchen. + +"Mrs. Penruddock, please, may I borrow your big dinner-bell?" she asked. + +"Why, yes, my dear! But whatever do you want that for?" + +"I'm going to take it to St. Morval's Head and ring it!" + +"Bless you! Not a bad idea either! There'd be no harm done anyhow. I'd go +with you if I'd the time. Mind your way along that slippery cliff. Pity +your sister's not here to-day!" + +"I shall be all right, thanks! The fog isn't so bad on land. It's quite +easy to see where one's going." + +Grasping the big brass dinner-bell, Mavis set forth, and going by a path +above the farm, got out on to the cliffs. She knew the way very well, for +she had often been before, and had not the slightest fear of getting +lost, even if the mist should grow thicker. She walked briskly along, the +track in front of her looking quite plain for several yards, though the +sea below was completely hidden. She recognised many familiar points en +route, the bank where the spleenwort grew, the ruined shed, a supposed +relic of smuggling days, the barbed-wire fence, the group of elder trees, +and the blackberry bank. When she came to the slanting gorse bushes which +overhung the path, she knew she had reached the beginning of St. Morval's +Head, and that she must be just about over the spot where the buoy was +floating with its clapperless bell. + +"It's the story of the Inchcape rock all over again," she muttered, and +sitting down on the bracken she began ringing. + +It was monotonous work and tiring too. It made her arm ache, and she had +to use her left hand for a while instead. She went on persistently, +however, for who knew what little yacht might be venturing near the +treacherous rocks below. It was an extraordinarily lonely feeling to be +there on the cliff by herself, with the white mist round her, as if she +were in the midst of the clouds. She would have been chilly only the +exercise kept her warm. She was obliged to rest every now and then, but +not for long. She did not mean to give in for some time yet. She kept +repeating over and over to herself: + + 'The worthy Abbot of Aberbrothock + Had placed that bell on the Inchcape rock. + On a buoy in the storm it floated and swung, + And over the waves its warning rung.' + +The occupation grew so monotonous that she began to feel as if she had +been on the cliff for weeks. After what seemed an absolute slice out of +eternity, there came a "Hello!" on the path behind her. She stopped +ringing and jumped to her feet. + +"Bevis! It's never you!" + +"Mavis! Did you do all this for me? You trump!" + +"Did you hear my bell, then, on the sea?" + +"Of course I did, and it gave me my right reckoning. I hardly knew where +I was. I might have been on the rocks without. Mrs. Penruddock told me +about it, and I came at once to fetch you back." + +"I wonder you didn't go to tell Romola you were safe!" + +"Romola! Why on earth should I tell Romola?" + +Mavis did not reply all at once. + +"Only because I thought you seemed particularly interested in her!" she +said at last. + +Bevis looked frankly puzzled, then his face cleared and he drew a small +photo from his pocket. + +"Did Clive send you one of these?" + +"He did!" + +"Well, don't you know who the girl is? Can't you see it's Clive? Clive, +dressed up in Romola's togs! Those are hardly Romola's boots, are they? +We nearly died with laughing over it. He looked too killing for words. It +was Madox who took the snap with Clive's camera." + +Mavis, examining the photo by the light of these explanations, had little +difficulty in recognising her boy cousin. Bevis was roaring with laughter +at the joke, then he suddenly grew serious. + +"Mavis!" he said in dead earnest. "You never thought I'd go making such a +silly ass of myself with little Romola? That's not in my line at all!" + +It was Mavis who did the blushing. + +"Look here! We may as well have this out between us. If there's ever to +be a mistress at The Warren--and I hope there will some day--I know whom +I'd choose! Why, it's Mavis, the one who was good to me when I'd hardly a +friend in the world or a name to call myself by, who didn't despise me +for being a nobody, and wasn't ashamed to walk with me through the +village, and who's kept me off more rocks than she's any idea of, besides +what she's done for me to-day! If I asked her some day to think it over, +do you fancy she might answer 'yes'?" + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, MONITRESS MERLE *** + +This file should be named 7820-8.txt or 7820-8.zip + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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