and it's so atrociously badly painted
that it's obviously the work of some village artist. She's in for a
big disappointment some day, poor woman! I hadn't the heart to squash
her, when she seemed so proud of it--especially as she was still a
little huffy that we hadn't consumed her black-currant tarts!"

Though physically they were rather weary, the girls were sorry when
their week's strawberry picking came to an end. It was found that when
their canteen bills had been paid, and railway fares subtracted, they
had each earned on an average a little over five shillings; some who
were quicker pickers exceeding that amount, and others falling below.
They decided to pool the general proceeds, and present the sum
cleared--L4, 16_s_. 8_d_.--to the Hospital for Disabled Soldiers as
their "bit" towards their country. They went back to school feeling
highly patriotic, and burning to boast of their experiences to those
slackers who had chosen the parental roof for their holidays.

"I'd have loved it!" protested Fauvette, "but I really did have a very
nice time at home. My cousin was back on leave. He's in the Flying
Corps, and he's six feet three in his stockings--and--well--I've got
his photo upstairs, if you'd like to look at it."

"Oh, we're all accustomed to gipsies and poachers now, and don't think
anything of airmen!" returned Morvyth nonchalantly (she was apt to sit
on Fauvette). "You should see my snapshots of the strawberry
pickers!"

"And mine!" broke in Cynthia Greene. "By the by, I wrote my name and
school address on a card, and packed it inside one of my strawberry
baskets. I put on it: 'Will the finder kindly write to a blue-eyed,
fair-haired girl who feels lonely?'"

"Cynthia, you didn't!" exploded the others.

"I did--crystal! Why shouldn't I? Lonely soldiers beg for letters, and
it's as lonely at school as in barracks any day, at least I find it
so!"

"Suppose somebody takes you at your word and sends an answer?"

"I heartily and sincerely hope somebody will. It would be absolutely
topping!"

CHAPTER XIV

Concerns Cynthia

"Look here!" said Hermie to Raymonde two days later, when the latter
was helping the monitress to put away the wood-carving tools; "what's
the matter with Cynthia Greene? She's behaving in the most idiotic
fashion--goes mincing about the school, and sighing, and even mopping
her eyes when she thinks anybody's looking at her. What's she posing
about now?"

"She says she