avoid that," said Mildred Roper.
"She's so shy and retiring, she doesn't like to be made a public
character."

The day following the sports was hopelessly wet. Lindsay and Cicely were
awakened in the morning by the drip, drip of the rain on the ivy
outside, and the splashing of water as it fell from the spout into the
butt underneath. It was an absolutely drenching downpour, coming from a
leaden sky that showed no prospect of clearing.

The weather had been so glorious during their stay at the Manor that
they felt aggrieved at the change. It was particularly annoying, because
Irene's uncle and aunt had invited all the girls to walk over to
Linforth that afternoon, promising to show them the church, and to
regale them with cherries afterwards in the Vicarage orchard.

"Wet at seven, fine at eleven!" said the sanguine Cicely.

"Not to-day, I'm afraid," replied Lindsay. "The glass was dropping last
night. It's set in for a deluge."

The whole school seemed slightly depressed in spirits in consequence of
the rain. No doubt it was a reaction from the excitement of the
afternoon before. All their favourite occupations lay outside, and it
was so long since they had been weather-bound that they seemed scarcely
able to amuse themselves in the house. Everybody lounged about idly
during afternoon recreation, looking dismally out of the windows at the
lawns, where the markings of the tennis courts were being rapidly washed
away.

"It's no use staring at the puddles," said Lindsay. "We can't possibly
go to Linforth. It's just a piece of abominably bad luck. Everything's
horrid!"

Lessons had not been a success that morning. Perhaps Miss Frazer also
felt the influence of the gloomy day. Her pupils, at any rate, had been
unusually stupid and inattentive; Lindsay, in particular, had merited a
sharp scolding, and was dejected in consequence.

"We must do something," said Cicely. "I vote we hunt up the rest of our
class, and go upstairs and have a really good game of hide-and-seek."

As anything seemed better than sitting still, the other girls agreed
readily to come and play.

"Two can hide and four can look," said Marjorie. "Only, we'll keep on
this landing."

The old Manor offered a splendid field for the purpose; it was so full
of cupboards and crannies and odd nooks that it was quite hard to find
anybody. The dull day improved the fun, for twilight reigned in most of
the passages, and rendered many hairbreadth escapes