agonal to cut
off his approach to the wished-for retreat. But now he caught sight of
the two tall avengers bearing down upon him, and the school in full cry
behind. He made a desperate spurt and reached the gate; it was half
open, and as he rushed through he slammed it behind him with a hoarse
shout of defiance. But much Peggy cared for gates! She was over in an
instant, and at his heels again. And realising this, the rascal suddenly
changed his tactics. He stopped short, and, turning on Peggy a
villainous face, bade her with an oath, "Come on, and see what she would
get for it!"

The words had not left his lips, when a ludicrous change came over the
man's face. He uttered a wild yell, and fell headlong, almost at Peggy's
feet. When Peggy saw this, she knew what to do; and when Grace and
Gertrude came flying up a moment after, they found her sitting quietly
on the rascal's head, and telling Colney Hatch to go for the police.

Colney had been watching the evolutions of a new and extremely
interesting spider. The spider had made her web in the hedge beside the
road; and Colney, as soon as morning recitations were over, had hastened
thither, and sat down under the hedge to watch, undisturbed by thoughts
of dinner or of any other known thing. So watching, it came to pass that
she heard the sound of rushing feet so close that it actually did
disturb her; and looked up to see an extremely ill-looking fellow in
full flight, hotly pursued by Peggy Montfort. When he turned to bay, it
was within a foot of the spot where Colney sat under the hedge; and
without more ado Colney stretched out her long, lean hand, and, grabbing
the fellow by the ankles, "tripped up his heels, and he fell on his
nose."

Presently up came the school, panting and breathless; with them Miss
Cortlandt, who had been saying to herself that if she ever let herself
get out of practice in running again she would know the reason why.
Finally, up came William the chore-man from one direction (for Miss
Russell had gone straight to the kitchen and given the alarm there), and
the next-door neighbour from the other; whereupon Constable Peggy got up
from her uneasy seat, and handed over her prize to the tender mercies of
his own sex.

"Git up, ye varmint!" said William, stirring the prostrate figure with
his foot. "Git up, and say what ye've got to say for yerself."

The man got up, bewildered, and shaking his head as if he expected it to
come off.

"She 'most