here was a
gipsy smack about it that satisfied her unconventional instincts. It
seemed almost next door to campaigning.

"If I'd only been a boy, I'd have run away to the front long ago!" she
announced.

"Girls have their own chances in life as well as boys now," said
Hermie. "Wait till you've finished with school, then you must try to
find your niche in the world. There's plenty of pioneer work for women
to do yet. They haven't half exploited the colonies. Once we show
we're some good on the land, why shouldn't the Government start us in
co-operative farms out in New Zealand or Australia? It ought to be
done systematically. Everything's been so haphazard before. Imagine a
farm all run by girls educated at our best secondary and public
schools! It would be ideal. I'm yearning to try it."

Hermie's aspirations towards field labour and a colonial future had
been greatly spurred on lately by the advent of some lady labourers on
a farm near the Grange. For the last fortnight the milk had been
delivered, not by the usual uncouth boy, but by a charming member of
the feminine sex, attired in short smock, knickers and gaiters, and a
picturesque rush hat. Hermie had entered into conversation with her,
and learned that she was a clergyman's daughter, that she milked six
cows morning and evening, and went round with the cart delivering the
milk, and that she was further concerned with the care of poultry,
pigs, and calves. The glamour of her experiences made Hermie wish that
the Grange were full of pigs instead of pupils.

"I'd rather attend to a dozen nice little black Berkshires than act
monitress to those juniors!" she sighed. "There would really be more
satisfaction in it. And as for Raymonde Armitage and her set--give me
young calves any day!"

Miss Gibbs was extremely busy making preparations for the expedition.
The farmer undertook to provide tents for the party, and bags of hay
to sleep upon, but each member must bring her own pillow, blankets,
mug, knife, fork, spoon and plate, as well as her personal belongings.
These latter were whittled down to the smallest capacity, for there
would be little room to stow them away in the tents. Stout boots,
waterproofs, and hockey caps were taken, in case the weather might
change, the girls wearing their usual Panama school hats on fine days.
In order to prevent difficulty with the ordinary strawberry-pickers,
they were to be paid for their work according to the amount
accompli