f its members. Her own
form-mates were all considerably younger than herself. At first they had
teased her shamelessly, but since the Christmas holidays, recognizing
that she was gaining a more established position in the school, they
had begun to treat her more mercifully. Some of them were really rather
jolly children, and though twelve seems young to fourteen, the poor
Cuckoo was still a lonely enough bird to welcome any crumbs of
friendship thrown in her way.

At the present moment Winnie Fowler and Hattie Goodwin were clinging to
her arms, one on either side. Their motives, I fear, were a trifle
mixed. They found Rona amusing and liked her company, but also they were
tired and found if they dragged a little she would pull them along
without remonstrance.

"My shoes are ever so wet," boasted Winnie. "I plumped down deep in the
lane, and the water went right through the laces at the top. It
squelches as I walk. I feel like a soldier in the trenches."

"I've torn my coat in three places," said Hattie, not to be outdone. "It
will be a nice little piece of work for Mrs. Johnson to mend it."

"Glad they don't make us mend our own coats here," grunted Winnie.

"Miss Bowes would be ashamed to see me in it if I did," Hattie chuckled,
"but I've knitted a whole sock since Christmas, and turned the heel too.
Cuckoo, aren't you tired?"

"Not a scrap," replied Rona, who was stumping along sturdily in spite of
her encumbrances.

"Well, I am. I wish it wasn't three miles back."

"It's not more than two as the crow flies."

"But we're not crows, and we can't fly, and there are no aeroplanes to
give us a lift. We've got to tramp, tramp, tramp along the hard high
road. I begin to sympathize with Tommies on the march."

"Why need we stick to the high road?" said Rona, pausing suddenly. "If
we struck across country we'd save a mile or more. Look, The Woodlands
is over there, and if we made a beeline for it we'd cut off all that
enormous round by Cefn Mawr. Who's game to try?"

"Oh, I am, if we can dodge Teddie!"

"Likewise this child," added Winnie.

"Oh, we'll dodge Teddie right enough! It will be good scouting
practice," chuckled Rona. "Sit down on that stone and tie your shoelace,
and we'll wait for you while the others go on; then we'll bolt through
that gate and over the wall into the next field."

The idea that it was scouting practice lent a vestige of sanction to the
proceeding. Winnie took the hint, and adjust