Pauline! It was hard luck on her."

"Yes, it couldn't have been particularly nice. I didn't altogether
appreciate learning myself, with a row of horrid Hilaryites sitting on
the diving-board and jeering at my best efforts. However, 'those bright
days are o'er', and now 'I hear the ocean roar', as the poem says."

Each Chaddite was required to carry her own bathing costume and towel,
and to wait in the quadrangle for Vivian Holmes, who was to escort the
party down to the cove. Miss Young was already on duty, superintending
a batch of Aldwythites, who were to have the first half-hour in the
water, and who must vacate the dressing-hut before the second
contingent arrived.

"I wonder if there'll be any trippers to-day," said Lettice Talbot,
winding her towel artistically round her hat, and letting the ends fall
like a pugaree. "Sometimes excursionists from Dunscar walk along the
beach, and insist upon stopping to look at us."

"Are they allowed?" asked Honor.

"We can't help it. The beach is common property, and though the College
got permission to put up a wooden shanty, it has no power to prevent
anybody who likes from coming past. Some people are the greatest
nuisance. They bring cakes and bags of shrimps, and sit down on the
rocks to eat them while they watch us."

"What cheek!"

"Yes; we glower at them in as withering a manner as we can, but they
don't seem to mind in the least. I suppose they think we're part of the
seaside amusements, like the niggers, or the pierrots."

"Fortunately, that doesn't happen often," said Ruth Latimer. "We've
only been really annoyed once or twice; Lettice loves to exaggerate.
The cove is about the quietest spot on the whole shore. Here's Vivian;
it must be time to set off."

Honor was in her liveliest spirits as they walked along the cliffs. She
was overflowing with Irish blarney and nonsense, asking absurd riddles
and making bad puns, and sending the other girls into such fits of
laughter that Vivian called them to order.

"Don't be so horribly noisy!" she said. "Honor Fitzgerald, I wish you
were more sensible."

"I'm very contrite," replied Honor cheerfully. "You see, I've never
been taught to be serious-minded. I'm quite ready to learn, though, if
you'll set me someone to copy. Would this be better?" and she put on an
expression of such lugubrious gloom that the rest could not suppress
their mirth.

Vivian did not seem to appreciate equally the humour of the situation.