g me. I'll go out the other way. I've no particular
wish to be pounced upon."

"What's that in your hand?" asked Dona. "A looking-glass, I declare!
Well, Chrissie Lang, of all conceited people you really are the limit!
Did you bring it out to admire your beauty?"

"I want to try a new way of doing my hair, and there's no peace in the
dormitory."

"Can't you draw the curtains of your cubicle?"

"They'd peep round and laugh at me."

"Well, anyone would laugh at you more for bringing out a looking-glass
into the garden. I think you're the silliest idiot I've ever met!"

"Thanks for the compliment!"

Chrissie strolled away, whistling jauntily to herself, and picking a
gooseberry or two from the bushes as she passed. Dona frowned as she
watched her--it was a point of honour with the Back to the Land Girls
never to touch any of the fruit. By a heroic effort she refrained from
running after Chrissie and giving a further unvarnished opinion of her.
Instead, however, she walked back up the other path. She found Meg
Hutchinson and Gladys Butler sitting on the cucumber frame. It was in a
high part of the garden, and commanded a good view over the country.
Gladys had a pair of field-glasses, and with their aid could plainly
make out the German camp on the hill opposite. She was quite excited.

"I can see the barbed wire," she declared, "and the tents, and I believe
I can make out some things that look like figures. The focus of these
glasses isn't very good. I wish we had a telescope."

"If they've field-glasses I expect they can see the school," said Meg.

"Oh, but they wouldn't let them have any, you may be sure!"

"Are they kept very strictly?" asked Dona.

"Of course. They're under military discipline," explained Meg.

"Would you like to take a peep?" said Gladys, offering the glasses. "You
must screw this part round till it focuses right for your eyes. Can you
see now?"

"Yes, beautifully. What are they doing?"

"Just lounging about I expect. I believe they have to do a certain
amount of camp work, keep their tents tidy, and clean the pans and peel
potatoes and that kind of thing, and they may play games."

"It's a pity we can't set them to work on the land," said Meg.

"They do in some places. I'm afraid it couldn't be managed here. So near
the sea it would be far too easy for them to escape."

CHAPTER XXI

The Roll of Honour

Letters arrived at Brackenfield by an early post. They were inspecte