ligious in church. I'd never do that, you know! Would
I, now? She said I had 'an irreverent mind'. I don't believe she'll ever
_quite_ forgive me. And oh, Hilary has been so nasty! Thank goodness,
dancing evening's done with! I've only Monday and Tuesday nights to go
through now, then the whole wretched week will be over. I suppose I'm to
be allowed to wear my Sunday clothes to-morrow? If I mayn't, I'll sham
ill and stop in bed. I won't go to church in my brown coat and tammy,
and have Mr. Fleming and everybody staring at me. I just _couldn't_! I'd
die!"

"It's all right about that--don't you worry! I asked Miss Hampson, and
she said: 'Certainly, Sunday clothes'. I'll speak to Hilary, and try to
get her to leave you alone. As for those kids, just leave them to me;
I'll tackle them, and tell them what I think of the way they behaved
to-night--the young wretches! I fancy I'll make them squirm!"

"You mascot! Miss Todd says I've been utterly and entirely spoilt. Do
_you_ think I have?"

Loveday took the piquant little face between her two hands and looked a
moment into the upturned grey eyes.

"Yes," she decided. "You're undoubtedly a spoilt darling--but you're a
darling all the same," she added softly under her breath.

CHAPTER XIII

Crusoe Island

When the days grew a little finer, and it was possible to venture out of
doors without being almost drowned, Miss Chadwick began to put the
"Principles of Agriculture" into practical application. All through the
winter she and her assistants--Miss Carr and Miss Ormrod--had worked in
all weathers looking after the poultry, the pony, and the new
greenhouse, but it was only at rare intervals that it had been possible
for the school to turn out and do digging in the garden. The "Land
Classes" had, however, been studying the scientific side of the matter.
They had analysed soils, estimated the rainfall, and examined the
germination of seeds; they understood such mysterious terms as bacteria,
protozoa, cotyledons, trenching and ridging, cross-fertilization and
spermatozoids, and had some elementary acquaintance with the theory of
the rotation of crops. They felt like full-fledged farmers when Miss
Chadwick wrote on the black-board such questions as:--

"How far apart should different kinds of orchard trees be planted to
ensure enough sunlight?"

"Explain a method of testing seeds."

"What effect has transplanting on a seedling?"

"Describe the difference in stru