ntured Aldora.

"Why, of course, they'll give a trophy to the whole form."

"Ripping!"

"We haven't got it yet, though."

"The Sixth will have an innings!"

"And we're not the only school in the town, either."

"Never mind, we can but try."

"And we'll have a jolly good try, too!"

"You bet we will."

With such a goal to work for it became a point of honour with each
individual member of VA to make some adequate contribution to the scrap
album. In order that its contents should not be indiscriminately
miscellaneous they appointed a committee of selection, and only admitted
what was considered entirely worthy. It really gave them a great deal of
interest and amusement. Armed with cameras they went out in little
parties and took photographs of numerous old buildings, mediaeval
carvings, or antique objects, such as the town stocks or the ancient
pillory. On the whole, owners of property were indulgent, and though a
few jibbed at first at admitting a crew of lively schoolgirls into
private premises, they relented when the object of the visit was
explained to them. Some born collectors in VA turned over the contents
of the stalls in the Kingfield Market to find old prints of the city,
grandfathers and grandmothers were appealed to and asked to ransack
their memories for forgotten legends, and their drawers for sketches or
newspaper cuttings. The amount of material forthcoming was really quite
considerable. The most unlikely girls would often produce quite choice
specimens.

It was decided--in committee--that the album should be made of large
sheets of brown paper, and that its back should be of dull-green
cardboard, painted with a floral design, and the words "Scrap Album, VA,
Kingfield High School" in artistic lettering. By general vote the
construction of the cover fell to Lesbia. She was the only one in the
form who had much initiative in art matters. Nobody else in fact dared
to venture upon it. She accepted the honour, inwardly jubilant, but with
an outer display of due diffidence.

"Oh, I don't think I can!" she objected.

"Rubbish! Don't be affected," snapped Calla.

"It's got to be done, so you'd best fire away and get a move on with
it."

"Anybody who could do the lotus pattern on the wall could do a
book-back!" declared Carrie.

"Be sporting, Lesbia," urged Kathleen.

"It's all very well for you to talk, but you forget the _time_ it will
take me. I've my prep to do, the same as the rest of you