originally intended, and while she was thus employed her girls
spread themselves out in quest of flowers. It is always amazing when you
start rambling in company with others how quickly you can find yourself
alone. By the time Ingred had gathered a fragrant, sweet-smelling bunch
and looked round for somebody to admire it, her schoolmates were gone.
She hunted about for them, and noticed Verity's green jersey and Kitty's
brown tam-o'-shanter in the wood above. Surely they must all be up there
together.

She was just going to follow, when a qualm of conscience seized her. She
had not delivered Miss Strong's message to Bess, and it would perhaps be
as well to ascertain that the latter had not strayed unwarned into the
danger zone.

"It's not at all likely," Ingred kept repeating to herself, as she
walked briskly along the meadow to the fence. "I'm really only going on
a wild goose chase."

Likely or unlikely, it was the very thing which had happened. The
cowslips on the other side of the railings were larger and finer, and
Bess, having no fear of horses, had climbed over and wandered some way
down the field. Only about twenty yards from her the lanky foal was
gambolling round its mother, a big draught mare, cropping the grass
innocently enough at present, and apparently not perceiving trespassers.

If Bess could retreat quietly and unnoticed from the field all might be
well. Ingred did not dare to call for fear of attracting the mare's
attention. If Bess would only turn round she might wave to her. But Bess
kept her back to the fence and had no idea of danger. There was only one
course open to Ingred. She slipped over the railings and went along the
meadow to warn her schoolfellow. In a few quiet words she explained the
situation.

"Don't run," she whispered. "Let us walk back and perhaps it will take
no notice of us."

The girls went as softly as possible, looking over their shoulders every
now and then to see that all was safe. Of bulls they had a wholesome
terror, but they had had no previous experience of a savage horse.

They were about fifteen yards from the railings, when the mare, which
hitherto had been feeding quietly, raised her head and lumbered round.
She saw strangers in her territory; her primeval instinct was to protect
her foal, and she came tearing across the field with wild eyes and lip
turned back from gleaming teeth. The girls fled for their lives. It was
a question of which could reach the rai