letely up. I shall
probably say that Oliver Cromwell was born at Marsh Cinquefoil, and
that Charles the First belonged to the family of Ranunculaceae. Paddy,
you look rather glum! What's the matter? Don't you like botany? Or are
you longing for your native wilds in Kerry? Is that a surreptitious
tear trickling down your cheek?"

"Surreptitious rubbish!" laughed Honor. "I wasn't thinking of anything
so romantic. I was looking at that little white village below us, and
wondering if it can boast of possessing a shop."

"Then I can satisfy you on that point. It does--a very small shop,
where they sell tea, and red herrings, and tinned provisions."

"Do they sell peppermint humbugs, or raspberry drops?"

"I dare say. I believe I remember some big bottles in the window."

"Then let us go and buy some. I haven't had any sweets since I came to
St. Chad's. I'm simply yearning for butter-scotch or chocolates!"

"Don't talk of them! So am I! There's only one slight drawback, and
that is, that we're not allowed!"

"Why not?"

"How can I say why? It's one of the rules: 'No girl to enter any shop,
or make purchases, without special permission from her house-mistress'."

"Then run on and ask Miss Maitland if we may. She's in a particularly
good temper tonight, so she'll probably say 'yes'. I have some pennies
in my pocket."

"All right. One can but try!" replied Lettice, and hurrying after the
teacher, who was a little distance in front, she made her request.

She came back to Honor shaking her head gloomily.

"As I thought!" she announced. "Miss Maitland says 'No'. We're not to
pass the shop at all; we're to keep to the upper road that skirts above
the village."

"How disgusting!" grumbled Honor. "It would only have taken a minute
longer. I'm sure there's no need to be in such a tremendous hurry.
Lettice! Suppose we were to dash down this lane, we could go to the
village and catch the others up at the crossroads. I can see the path
quite plainly from here. We couldn't possibly miss it, and we could run
all the way."

"Whew! But how about breaking rules?"

"Bother rules! Miss Maitland shouldn't make so many, and then they'd be
better kept. It is ridiculous if girls of our age mayn't walk five
yards by themselves. We're not infants in arms!"

Lettice hesitated, glanced to see if anyone in front was looking, or
whether anybody was close behind, then yielded to the voice of the
temptress.

"It's horribly risky, but