on't notice it any more than I do."

The conversation was interrupted at this point by Freda Martin and
Blanche Nicholls, two of the prefects, who came past arm in arm.

"What are you four doing here?" asked Freda briskly. "Why aren't you
playing tennis with the others?"

"There isn't room," replied Phoebe. "The Fifth Form girls have got up
a tournament, and they'll keep the courts all the afternoon."

"Can't you have a round at croquet, instead?"

"We don't feel inclined."

"Basket ball, then?" suggested Blanche.

Dora leaned back against the stone shaft of the sundial, and yawned
luxuriously.

"No, we're simply enjoying doing nothing," she confessed.

"You lazy little wretches, you ought to be ashamed of yourselves! Get up
and take some exercise! Look here! if you care to run in and ask for
your exeats, you can come with us for a stroll to Chetbourne. There are
two of you apiece for us, so it will be just right to make 'threesomes';
only, quick's the word, and don't forget to bring your gloves!"

The members of the Lower School were not allowed outside the grounds of
the Grange without a teacher, except in very special circumstances; but
the Sixth Form girls had the right of taking walks within certain
bounds, if they went three together, and might occasionally extend the
privilege to some of the younger ones, on the understanding that they
were considered responsible for the latter. Each was only authorized,
however, to give two such invitations in the course of a term, so that
the lucky chance could fall to the lot of but a favoured few. In any
case, no girl might pass through the gate without an exeat or special
order from the head mistress, who always entered in a book the names of
those who thus had leave of absence.

Phoebe, Aldred, Dora and Myfanwy sprang up with an absolute howl of
joy. They had never anticipated such a piece of good fortune. The
prospect of an outing was delightful, and they rushed at once into the
house to secure the necessary permits from Miss Drummond, getting ready
and returning with such record speed that the two prefects could not
complain of being kept waiting. It was a beautiful afternoon in the
middle of October, so warm and fine that it seemed more like the height
of summer than autumn. Dahlias and hollyhocks were still in full bloom
in the garden, the trees had scarcely begun to change colour, and,
though the swallows had left, an industrious sparrow, mistaking the
sea