had better turn him out," was all she said. "Phyllis
Tressider, you seem to know a good deal about him--you can do it."

Phyllis cast a resentful glance at Gerry. Whenever Phyllis or Dorothy
got into trouble with the head girl, they appeared to put it all down
to Gerry's account, however unreasonably. There was nothing to be done
in the present instance, however, but to obey the order, and Phyllis,
leaving her place in the ranks, laid her hand rather roughly on Bruno's
collar.

"Come along!" she said impatiently, attempting to drag the dog to his
feet.

Bruno resisted her efforts to move him, and gave an ominous growl and
snap which caused Phyllis to remove her hand from his collar with
alacrity.

"I don't know what's the matter with him, Muriel, but he looks as
though he was going to bite!" she exclaimed.

The head girl came over to her side.

"Nonsense!" she said. "Bruno bite? Why, he's the best-tempered dog I
ever came across!" and she held out her hand coaxingly to the big black
fellow.

But Bruno resisted all her blandishments, retreating farther into his
corner, and at last Muriel thought it wiser to let him alone.

"Oh, well, perhaps he'd better stay," she said. "He seems very
bad-tempered and unlike himself to-day. He won't be much in the way if
he stays where he is now. Everybody will have to take care not to
tread on him while marching round, that's all. Now, are you ready?
Right turn! Lower Fifth, lead off in single file. Go!"

After some ten minutes or so of marching and arm and body exercises,
Muriel ordered the girls to stand aside while the various apparatus
were made ready. This was the time for which the girls were longing.
Soon they were divided into four sections and sent to different parts
of the room to practise on the apparatus under the supervision of the
four prefects. The giant's stride was perhaps the most popular. This
was a form of gymnastics in which the whole school delighted, and many
envious glances were cast at the Lower Fifth, to which, as the most
senior form in the Middle School, the giant's stride had fallen first
of all.

"Come on, Gerry, here's a rope for you!" called Muriel to the new girl.
Muriel had undertaken to direct the operations on the stride. But
Gerry hung back.

"Please, Muriel, need I? I can't do it, really I can't. Miss Caton
always lets me off it."

"Nonsense! Come along at once!" said Muriel impatiently. "I'll help
you for the fi