fixtures when I see you
at Christmas, so until then--Good-bye.

"With love from your affectionate cousin,

"Nora Clifford."

CHAPTER VIII

An Unpleasant Experience

The girls filed out from the hockey ground as speedily as possible.
There was a train due from Grovebury in about a quarter of an hour. They
walked to the station in groups, discussing details of the match as they
went. Ingred, Beatrice, and Verity happened to be blocked at the exit by
the Clintonian team, and were obliged to wait some minutes before they
could pass, and when at last they were through the gate, all their own
schoolfellows were disappearing up the road.

"We needn't run after them--I believe we've plenty of time," said
Verity. "We can almost see the station from here. I say, aren't you
fearfully hungry? I'm literally starving. Let's find a confectioner's
and each buy a bun before we go."

Both Beatrice and Ingred felt that they required fortifying before they
started for home, so they dived into the nearest pastry-cook's and
demanded buns. They were eating them rather hastily, when Linda Slater
entered the shop in company with a gentleman, evidently her father. She
hailed her class-mates, and at once began to talk over the match and
rejoice at the school victory.

"Who says we're no good at games now? This has sent up our credit ten
per cent! I'm proud of the Coll.!"

"Blossom was A1," exulted Verity.

"And Janie was simply ripping. Dad thought no end of her. Didn't you,
Dad?"

"Well, I'm glad we made something of a record," admitted Ingred.

"I say," declared Beatrice, hastily finishing her bun, "if that clock's
right, we must bolt for our train."

"As a matter of fact, it's one minute slow," exclaimed Linda, consulting
her watch. "You'll have to sprint."

"Aren't _you_ coming?"

"No, we have our car here. It's outside."

"Those girls will hardly catch their train," remarked Mr. Slater to
Linda, as the three went to the pay desk to settle for their buns.
"Couldn't we stow them into the car, and take them along with us?"

"Oh, no, Dad!" frowned Linda. "There really isn't room. You promised
you'd call at Brantbury and bring Gerald and Eustace back for the
afternoon. We couldn't cram them all in the car!"

"There isn't time for them to get the train."

"Oh, yes! You don't know how they can run!"

Quite unaware of the kindly offer which had been rejected on their
behalf, Beatrice, Verity, and Ing