er found us out, did she? What about that
prize?"

"There isn't going to be a prize, and you certainly wouldn't have
deserved it! Look here, you'd better wangle yourselves off before it
gets about who you are. _I_ should get into a row, not you!"

"Would the Prioress kick up rough?"

"She'd probably think I'd planned the whole business, and encouraged you
to come."

"Even if we apologized?"

"She wouldn't accept an apology. If you want me to have any tennis next
week, you had better clear out."

"Just a round with you first, and Franklin can take your friend, or vice
versa if you prefer it!"

"You impudent boy! Certainly not. I daren't risk it. Look, Miss Strong
is bringing out the lamp, and putting it on the sun-dial, and I believe
Miss Perry is going to take a flashlight photo presently. If you want to
disgrace me for ever----"

"We'll go!" sighed a mournful voice. "Though it's Adam and Eve turned
out of Paradise. I say, Franklin, they don't want us, after all our
trouble! We'd better be getting on, I suppose. Our deepest respects to
the Prioress. She's given us a delightful evening, if she only knew it.
We'd like to come again some time. Ta-ta!"

CHAPTER XXI

The Abbey Recital

Now that Ingred had at last made friends with Bess, she found they had
innumerable subjects of interest in common. They were both keen tennis
players, dabbled a little in art, pursued Nature study, liked acting,
when they had any opportunity of showing their talents in that line, and
were enthusiastic over music. Bess was making as good progress on the
violin as Ingred on the piano, so there seemed great possibilities of
playing together. Sometimes when Bess brought her instrument to school
for her lesson, she and Ingred would try over a few pieces, and other
girls who chanced to be near would collect and act audience.

"I vote we get up a musical society next year," suggested Ingred. "It's
impossible this term--we've too much on our hands already--but if the
societies are rearranged in September, we'll agitate to let music take a
much bigger place than it has done so far."

"Yes, that would be glorious!" agreed Bess, with visions of a school
choir, and even a school orchestra, dancing before her eyes. "Signor
Chianti is leaving Grovebury, so if we have a new violin master next
term, I hope it will be somebody who's enthusiastic and able and willing
to organize things."

"That's the point, of course. Dr. Linton is ve