aching all the week, and I've a
pain across my chest, and I keep shivering. I suppose I must have caught
cold. It'll be a grizzly nuisance if I can't play on Saturday!"

"You _must_ play!" urged Winona. "We've got to beat the Sixth or perish
in the attempt! You go home at once, and get some hot tea, and go to bed
afterwards if you don't feel better. You may stop in bed all to-morrow
if it'll do you good!"

"Thank you, Grannie! Perhaps I will go home now. I really am feeling
rather queer."

"She looks queer, too," said Bessie Kirk to Winona, as they stood
watching Joyce's retreating figure. "I thought she was going to faint a
while ago. It'll be a hideous nuisance if she has to be out of it."

"Our best bowler! It's unthinkable!" groaned Winona.

"It's hard luck, but I'm certain Joyce won't play on Saturday," said
Mary Payne.

The team was feeling rather down at the prospect.

"We may throw up the sponge if Joyce is off!" mourned Olave Parry.

"Shut up, you bluebottle!" snapped Winona, decidedly out of temper.
"Joyce may be absolutely well again by Saturday, and if she isn't
Marjorie Kemp must take her place. Do be sporting! You'll never win if
you make up your mind beforehand that you're going to lose!"

When Winona walked into _V.a._ on the following morning she looked
anxiously in the direction of Joyce's desk, but the familiar check dress
and amber pigtail were not to be seen. Little groups of girls were
standing in clusters, talking in apparent consternation.

"Well! Have you heard the news?" asked Garnet, stepping forward to meet
her friend.

"No. What's the damage? You're looking very down in the dumps!"

"Joyce Newton has developed small-pox!"

"Nonsense!" exploded Winona.

"It's perfectly true," said Garnet, with severe dignity in her voice.
"One only wishes for Joyce's sake that it wasn't! The news has only just
come. Helena Maitland knows about it. She lives next door, and saw the
doctor's car at the Newtons' gate this morning."

"I told you Joyce looked queer yesterday!" said Bessie Kirk.

"Suppose we all catch it!" shuddered Freda Long.

"Don't! It's too horrible!"

There was a feeling of utter consternation among the girls as the bad
news was discussed. They wondered what was going to happen.

"Miss Bishop is telephoning to the Medical Officer of Health,"
volunteered Olave Parry, who had been downstairs to seek fresh
information.

Just then Miss Huntley came into the room, though it