ternally as a memory of this ripping day up
old Vesuvius."

CHAPTER XII

Tar and Feathers

After the decided triumph of their Anglo-American tableau at the
carnival, the Camellia Buds held up their heads against their rivals,
the Starry Circle. There was hot competition between the two sororities,
each continually trying to "go one better" than the other. If the Stars
held a surreptitious candy party, the Buds, at the risk of detection by
Rachel or some other prefect, gave a dormitory stunt, throwing out hints
afterwards of the fun they had enjoyed. Both societies produced
manuscript magazines, which were read in strict privacy at their
meetings, and contained pointed allusions to their enemies' failings. No
old-fashioned Whigs and Tories could have preserved a keener feud, the
division between them waxing so serious that sometimes they could hardly
sit peaceably side by side in class.

"It's all Mabel," declared Jess. "Of course we had two sororities before
she came, but we weren't at daggers drawn like this. Mabel has spoiled
Bertha, and those two lead everything--the rest are simply sheep."

"Humph! Pretty black sheep I should call them," snorted Peachy.
"They're siding with one another now to break rules. I don't mean candy
parties or just fun of that kind, but sneaking things: they're cheating
abominably over their exercises, and cribbing each other's translations
wholesale. I found them at it yesterday and told them what I thought
about them. Some of them ought to know better. Rosamonde and Monica
aren't really that sort."

"They're bear-led by Bertha and Mabel. I lay all the blame on them. It
would be a good thing for the Stars if that precious pair could be
caught tripping and taught a lesson."

"I dare say it would but it's not an easy business," said Peachy
gloomily. "Mabel Hughes is an extremely slippery young person, and she
generally manages to keep out of open trouble. I don't suppose any of
the teachers, or even the prefects, have the least idea what she's
really like."

"And we can't go sneaking and tell them, so we must try and engineer the
matter for ourselves."

It was undoubtedly true that with the advent of Mabel Hughes a new and
unpleasant element had crept into the Transition. Such an influence is
often very subtle. Girls who a term ago would not have condescended to
any form of cheating, accepted a lower standard of honor, and tried to
excuse themselves on the ground that they