was annoying to Ardiune,
Valentine, and Fauvette to hear constant allusions to people they had
not met, and to thrilling experiences in which they had not
participated. They sulked or flew out as the occasion might be.

"I believe you're just making up half the things to stuff us!" sneered
Ardiune.

"Indeed we're not!" flared Morvyth. "Every word we've told you is
gospel truth, as you'd have found out if you'd come and done your bit
for your country!"

"D'you mean to call me a slacker?"

"Certainly not, but it's no use ostriching about things. You either
went and picked strawberries, or you didn't"

"You know I wasn't allowed to go! You mean wretch!"

"I know nothing at all about it."

"Well, I've told you a dozen times."

"I really can't listen, child, to all the things you tell me!"

"Then I shan't take the trouble to speak to you again!"

With Ardiune and Morvyth on terms of distant iciness, Valentine and
Katherine constantly sparring over trifles, Fauvette preserving an
attitude of martyred dignity, and Aveline, out of sheer perversity,
striking up a friendship with Maudie Heywood, matters were not very
brisk in the Fifth.

"I'm getting just about fed up with you all!" said Raymonde
irritably. "I never saw such a set! How can we have any fun, when
everybody's grousing with everyone else? For goodness' sake, buck up!
I've a blossomy idea in my head! Yes, I have, honest!"

Signs of interest manifested themselves on the faces of her
companions. Raymonde's ideas were always worth listening to. Aveline
stopped yawning, Morvyth desisted from kicking her geography book
round the floor, and Fauvette snapped the clasp of her bracelet, and
sat bolt upright.

"We're hanging upon your words, if you'll condescend to explain, O
Queen!" she vouchsafed.

Raymonde bowed, with heels together and hands back, like the star of a
pierrot troupe.

"Don't mensh! Glad to do my bit!" she replied. "Well, my notion's
this. It's the Bumble's birthday on Friday!"

"As if every girl in the school didn't know that!" chafed Ardiune
impatiently. "Haven't we all given our shillings towards her present
ages ago? Really, Ray, what more chestnuts are you going to bring
forth?"

"Don't be in such a hurry, my good child! I haven't finished yet. I
should have thought you could have trusted your grannie by this time.
My remark, though no doubt stale, was only one of those preliminary
announcements with which a chairman always has to