also remain at the foot of all your classes
during the next fortnight. Go! I am greatly displeased with you, Miss
Blake;" and as the lady-principal waved her hand in token of dismissal,
she frowned angrily, and looked both mortified and indignant.

Winnie required no second bidding. She drew her slight figure up to
its full height, made her exit with all the dignity of an offended
queen, entered the now deserted dressing-room, and seizing her books,
hurried from the school, and was soon running rapidly down the busy
street.

"Hallo, Win! what's the row? One would think you had stolen the
giant's seven-league boots," cried a voice from behind. "Did ever I
see a girl dashing along at such a rate!" And turning round, Winnie
saw before her a tall, strapping boy, whose honest, freckled face,
illumined by a broad, friendly grin, shone brightly on her from under a
shock of fiery red hair.

"I'll bet I know without your telling me," he continued, coming to her
side and removing his heavy load of books from one shoulder to the
other. "Been quarrelling with the lovely Ada, eh?" and he glanced
kindly at the little figure by his side.

Winnie laughed slightly. "You're about right, Dick," she replied.
"There has been a cat-and-dog fight; only this time the cat's velvety
paws scratched the poor little dog and wounded it sorely."

"Ah! you went at it tooth and nail, I suppose," Dick said
philosophically; "pity you girls can't indulge in a regular stand-up
fight." And the wild boy began to brandish his arms about as if he
would thoroughly enjoy commencing there and then.

The quick flush of temper was over now, and the girl's eyes gleamed
mischievously as she replied, "I've a weapon of my own, Dick, fully as
powerful as yours. I'll use my tongue;" and the audacious little minx
smiled saucily into her brother's honest face.

A hearty roar greeted her words, and Dick almost choked before he
managed to say, "Go it, Win; I'll back you up. Commend me to a woman's
tongue!" And the boy, unable to control his risible faculties, burst
into a hearty laugh, which died away in a chuckle of genuine merriment.

Richard Blake, or Dick (the name by which he was generally called) was
Winnie's favourite brother, and she almost idolized the big, kindly
fellow, on whom the other members of the family showered ridicule and
contempt. He was a bluff, outspoken lad, with a brave, true heart as
tender and pitiful as a woman's; but, lackin