as it flew past him. It was neatly done, and the
audience applauded vigorously, while Hurly-Burly gave the command to
stop practice, and the stranger restored her property to the confused
and unhappy Angela. Then Babs recognised him. It was the Doctor who
had come out in this surprisingly new light; and even Kit, with whom she
immediately exchanged glances, was looking down at him approvingly.

'Did you see Dr. Hurst?' whispered Babs to Jean afterwards, as they filed
out of the gymnasium again.

'Of course I did, directly I got in,' answered Jean. 'Couldn't think who
it was looking so glum and thundery! Wonder why he came to a show like
this? He doesn't look as though he went in for gymnastics, does he?'

'I don't know,' said Babs, trying to be fair even to the beast who had not
shown himself worthy to be a prince. 'It was very smart the way he caught
that club. Perhaps he is good at gym, though he can't take a joke.'

Angela required so much consolation from them both on account of her
blunder, that they forgot all about the doctor, and spent most of their
time, while Charlotte's section was displaying on the horizontal ladder,
in assuring her, with more or less confidence in their tones, that when
it came to the rings no one could hope to compete with her. Then Charlotte
Bigley returned at the head of her section, trying unsuccessfully to
look as if nothing had happened; and Mary Wells proudly informed all
those who cared to hear, that if anybody thought she was going to do
the rings as well as Charlotte had just done the ladder, she was much
mistaken!

'Oh, you shut up!' rejoined Babs. 'You haven't seen Angela yet.'

'Or Jean!' echoed Angela, faithfully.

The third voice for once was wanting. Jean Murray stood waiting for the
signal to advance; and her determined, almost dogged look was blotting out
every other expression on her thin, clever face.

Babs understood, and sprang forward to her place at Jean's side.

'It's all right, Jean,' she said earnestly. 'I must try my very hardest,
because Finny made us all promise; but--but I do want you to win, all the
same.'

'Oh, stop it, Babe,' Jean threw back at her, in a tone that startled and
hurt her; and the child shrank into herself again, and had a hard fight
to keep back the tears that rushed into her eyes for the first time in
many weeks.

Their persistent encouragement of Angela made her go through the first
exercise on the rings successfully. It was a