siness it was to overlook her pupils'
correspondence, was in a particular hurry, as it happened, and
inclined for once to scamp her duties.

"What's this, Raymonde?" she asked perfunctorily. "A fountain pen, did
you say? For the exams. I suppose your mother has sent it. There are
two letters for Aveline and one for Morvyth. You may take them to
them, and tell Daphne I want to speak to her."

Raymonde did not stop for further interrogation. She beat as speedy a
retreat as possible, delivered the message and the letters, and
finished unpacking her parcel. Her Form mates, more inquisitive than
Miss Gibbs, gathered round her and began to catechize.

"What have you got there?"

"Did it come by the post?"

"Why, it's a fountain pen, isn't it?"

"Who sent it to you?"

"Did you buy it, then?"

"It looks a jolly nice one!"

"Is it full, or empty?"

"Don't talk all at once, children!" commanded Raymonde loftily. "I'll
answer your questions in proper order, so just behave yourselves!

"1. It is a fountain pen, as anybody with half an eye could see!

"2. It came by the post.

"3. Nobody sent it to me.

"4. I bought it.

"5. It is a jolly nice one.

"6. I have reason to believe it is empty. I'm going to fill it out of
Fauvette's bottle."

"Cheek!" returned Fauvette, allowing her friend to help herself to the
Swan ink, however. "What puzzles me, is how you managed to buy it."

"Your little head, Baby, is easily puzzled," smiled Raymonde
serenely. "It's meant to wear fluffy curls, and not to engage itself
in abstruse problems. I don't advise you to worry yourself over this,
unless you can turn it to some account. If the Hornet should ask you
for an original example, you might begin: 'Let A represent a fountain
pen, and B my schoolmate, C standing for an unknown quantity----'"

Fauvette, at this point, placed her hand over her chum's mouth.

"Stop it!" she begged beseechingly. "If I get any of those wretched A
B and C questions I'll collapse, and disgrace the Form. I've many weak
points, but mathematics are absolutely my weakest of all. If you
frighten me any more, I shan't have the courage to walk into the exam.
room. Do I look presentable? Are my hands clean? And is my hair
decent?"

"You look so much more than presentable that anybody but a hardened
brute of an examiner would be bowled over by you utterly and
entirely."

"I'm sure he hasn't any feelings, so it's no use trying to work upon
them," said F