Angela looked from one to the other and shook her head mournfully. 'I
expect it was,' she said. 'It sounds exactly like it.'

'Oh, yes,' continued Jean, cheerfully. 'I _know_, because a cousin of
mine had something that was catching once, and she nearly lost her sight
through it, and she's had to wear spectacles ever since, and her eyes
are all red and shiny, and she looks a hideous sight. I expect that was
scarlet fever too.'

Angela shuddered, and quite closed her eyes that time. Her two comforters
looked at each other expressively.

'Poor Angela!' said Jean, stroking her forehead. 'It's awful hard lines
that you should be the one to catch it.'

'Oh, never mind about that,' answered the victim, meekly. 'I'm glad it's
me and not you.'

'Lots of people don't die, you know,' added Barbara, taking hold of her
hand and waggling it up and down in a way that was intended to express
sympathy.

'N--no,' said Angela, with some reluctance; 'but lots of people do.
Anyhow, I hope I shall be brave, whatever happens.' And she stifled a sigh.

'Of course you will,' said Jean, warmly. '_We_ know that!'

'If--if this should be the last time we are together before they separate
us,' continued Angela, opening her eyes again and looking up at them
appealingly, 'you _will_ remember, won't you, that----'

The door opened and put an abrupt stop to her pathetic last request. The
triumvirate, still clasping hands affectionately, looked round and met
the astonished gaze of the head-mistress.

'What's the matter with Angela?' she inquired briskly.

Angela closed her eyes again hastily. The other two prepared valiantly
to defend her position.

'She's got a headache and a sore throat, and she's feverish,' answered
Jean, glibly.

'She thinks she's got it,' added Babs, coming straight to the point.

They fully expected Miss Finlayson to do something startling to show her
concern at the approaching peril of Angela; but Miss Finlayson merely
smiled.

'Oh, so that's what she thinks, is it?' she observed. 'And may I ask if
that is why you have chosen this particular moment to hang over her more
closely than usual?'

The triumvirate loosed hands, and Miss Finlayson came and looked very
sharply at the unconscious features of the sufferer; then she suddenly
whipped a thermometer out of her pocket and into the open mouth before
her. Angela sat up in dismay, and tried to protest; but Miss Finlayson
smiled again and pressed her gently back