cilla. "The
station-master's wife would lend me a pair of scissors. She's sure to
have a pair. Almost everybody has."

"No, I wouldn't," said Frank.

There had been trouble enough in getting the sock on over the damp table
napkin. He had no wish to have it taken off again unnecessarily.

"All right," said Priscilla, "I won't if you'd rather not of course; but
it's the proper thing to do for a sprained ankle. Sylvia Courtney told
me so and she attended a course of Ambulance lectures last term and
learnt all about first aid on the battle-field. I wanted to go to those
lectures frightfully, but Aunt Juliet wouldn't let me. Rather rot I
thought it at the time, but I saw afterwards that she couldn't possibly
on account of her principles."

Frank, following Priscilla's rapid thought with difficulty, supposed
that Ambulance lectures, dealing necessarily with the human body, might
be considered by some people slightly unsuitable for young girls, and
that Aunt Juliet was a lady who set a high value on propriety. Priscilla
offered a different explanation.

"Christian Science," she said. "That's Aunt Juliet's latest. There's
always something. Can you sit on a car?"

"Oh yes," said Frank. "If I was once up I could sit well enough."

"Let you make your mind easy about getting up," said the station-master.
"We'll have you on the side of the car in two twos."

They hoisted him up, Priscilla giving advice and directions while they
did so. Then she took her bicycle from a porter who held it for her.

"The donkey-trap will bring your luggage," she said. "It will be all
right."

She turned to the coachman.

"Drive easy now, James," she said, "and mind you don't let the cob shy
when you come to the new drain that they're digging outside the court
house. There's nothing worse for a broken bone than a sudden jar. That's
another thing that was in the Ambulance lectures."

The car started. Priscilla rode alongside, keeping within speaking
distance of Frank.

"But my ankle's not broken," he said.

"It may be. Anyhow I expect a jar is just as bad for a sprain. Very
likely the lecturer said so and Sylvia Courtney forgot to tell me.
Pretty rotten luck this, for you, Cousin Frank, on account of the
fishing. You can't possibly fish and the river's in splendid order.
Father said so yesterday. But perhaps Aunt Juliet will be able to cure
you. She thinks she can cure anything."

"I shall be all right," said Frank, "when I can rest my