close to her, both looking very
determined, and ready to tackle any number of gipsy thieves. The
astonishment was mutual.

"What are you doing here, girls?" asked Miss Gibbs sharply, the
schoolmistress in her rising to the surface.

"Only trying to guard the larder!" faltered Raymonde.

"That's just what we're doing," explained Miss Hoyle.

At that moment the matron put in an appearance. She also had been on
the qui vive in defence of her stores, and hearing voices, was sure
she had trapped the thieves. She had already passed on the alarm, and
in a few moments, acting on a preconcerted signal, Mr. Cox and several
of the farm hands burst upon the scene, ready to knock down and secure
intruders. Explanations naturally followed. It seemed that nearly
everyone in the camp had private and separately arranged watch
parties, each unconscious of the others' vigilance, and that all had
mistaken their neighbours for burglars. No one quite knew at first
whether to be annoyed or amused, but in the end humour won, and a
general laugh ensued. As nobody felt disposed to spend the whole night
on sentry duty, the matter was settled by Miss Corley and Miss Hoyle
proposing to bring their beds and sleep in the marquee for the
future.

"I wake easily, so I should hear the very faintest footstep, I'm
sure," said Miss Hoyle. "I'm going to keep a revolver under my pillow,
too, and I hope you'll spread that information all over the gardens,
and add that I'm accustomed to use it, and would as soon shoot a man
as look at him."

Whether through fear of Miss Hoyle's bloodthirsty intentions, or with
a shrewd suspicion that Mr. Cox was on the watch, the marauders did
not repeat their midnight visit, and left the camp in peace. Miss
Hoyle seemed almost disappointed. Being a journalist, she had perhaps
hoped to make copy of the adventure, and write a sparkling column for
her newspaper. The Grange girls decided that it was not the revolver,
but the dread of Miss Gibbs which had scared away the gipsies.

"They've seen her in the fields, you know, and I should think one look
would be enough," said Morvyth. "She has a 'Come here, my good man,
and let me argue the matter out with you' expression on her face this
last day or two that should daunt the most foolhardy. If she caught a
burglar she'd certainly sit him down and rub social reform and
political economy into him before she let him go!"

CHAPTER XI

Canteen Assistants

The many a