it would be a joke!" she said.

Honor was in one of her self-willed moods that evening, ready to dare
or do anything. In her heart of hearts she was offended because Janie
should have walked on with Adeline and Miss Maitland, and left her
behind. She was of a jealous temperament, and had enjoyed keeping her
friend as her own private and particular property. It seemed quite a
new state of affairs for Janie to be conversing in so animated a manner
with anybody but herself, and the change was the reverse of pleasant.

"They're so interested in their talk, they've completely forgotten me!"
she thought. "Very well; so much the better! They won't notice what
we're doing. I'm not going to keep all these silly regulations. One
might be in the nursery, to have to ask leave for such an absurd little
thing as buying a pennyworth of sweets."

The two girls ran as fast as they could along the lane, Honor looking
reckless and rather stubborn, and Lettice decidedly guilty. It was
certainly a most deliberate act of disobedience, and one that, if they
were caught, would involve them in very disagreeable consequences. The
discipline at Chessington was so perfect that it was seldom any pupil
ever dreamt of even questioning a mistress's orders; and Lettice, in
her two years at St. Chad's, had never done such a naughty thing
before. She felt almost frightened at her own daring, but very excited,
and ready to follow Honor to the end of the adventure. They hurried
into the little shop and made their purchases as quickly as possible,
though the old woman who served them did not understand the meaning of
the word "haste", and weighed out butterdrops and caramels with
exasperating deliberation. The pair stood by almost dancing with
impatience, and when the packets were at last ready, snatched them up
and rushed off with all speed.

"This way!" cried Honor, turning sharply to the left through an open
gate. "I noticed the path particularly when we were on the hill above,
and this is a short cut back to the road."

"It looks as if we were going into an orchard," objected Lettice.

"No; I'm sure I'm right. We shall get out through those apple trees at
the top of the bank."

The pathway, however, merely seemed to lead to a field, and ended at a
gate that was securely fastened by a piece of wire.

"I believe there's a stile across there," panted Honor, hot and out of
breath with running. "Don't bother to undo that wire! We'll climb over.
Here