ourself, and quite another to play it with half a dozen girls hanging
over the piano, and the rest of the audience sitting on their desks.
Ingred wisely did not venture on anything too classical, but tried a
bright "Spanish Ballade," and managed to get successfully to the end of
it without any breakdown. In the midst of the clapping that followed
came a loud rap-tap-tap at the door, which immediately opened to
admit--much to the astonishment of the Fifth--two of the prefects, and a
consignment of Sixth form girls.

"Whatever have we been and gone and done now?" murmured Verity.

"Is music taboo?" asked Ingred guiltily, slipping away from the piano.

The errand of the prefects, however, was evidently one of conciliation,
and not of reproof. They were smiling, and looking amiability itself.

"We thought, as you've got a piano in your room," began Lilias Ashby,
"that we might as well come and join you, if you don't mind. Janie's got
a book of songs with her."

"Oh, by all means, of course!" replied VA. politely and unanimously.
"We're just having a sort of concert, you know."

"Sure you don't mind?"

"Not a bit of it!"

"Right-o! Run and tell Janie then, Susie, and ask her to bring the
others."

An invasion from the Sixth was indeed an unwonted honor, which probably
nothing short of a piano would have accomplished. The hostesses,
somewhat overwhelmed, seated the distinguished guests to the best of
their ability in the rather limited accommodation, and hospitably passed
round their few remaining pieces of chocolate.

"We'll leave the door open, please," said Lispeth, "because I promised
Miss Burd not to let those intermediates get too outrageous, and I have
to listen out for them."

Janie Potter, with her book of songs, was pushed forward, and began to
entertain the company with popular selections of the day, to which they
chanted the choruses. She had a good clear voice, and the audience
joined with enthusiasm in the various ditties.

The clapping which followed was continued down the landing, and, through
the open door, peered the interested faces of most of the members of
VB. who had come to share the fun.

"May we butt in?" they asked hopefully.

"Not a square inch of room for you," answered Lispeth, "but you may
squat in the corridor outside if you like. Anybody who performs can join
the show, but that's all. I'll tell you when it's your turn. It's
VA. next. Now then," (turning to the hostesses), "who