clapping and a lusty cheer. When the blaze
had somewhat subsided, the tub of potatoes was carried out, and each
girl was allowed to place one in the hot ashes, together with several
chestnuts, which could be roasting while they ate the toffee and
parkin.

"You wouldn't think of eating sweet things just before you had
potatoes at any other time," said Linda, "but everything tastes so
delicious when it's from the bonfire."

Mr. Cameron was getting ready to let off the more important fireworks,
which had been kept till the end, and the girls arranged themselves in
a half-circle to look at the golden rain, the Catherine wheels, and
the rockets which were to finish the festivities. He had prepared a
surprise for them by writing "Heathercliffe House" in gunpowder on the
ground, which, when it was set alight, stood out in letters of flame,
and had a fine effect. "I always said Heathercliffe House ought to set
the world on fire," he laughed, "and we've done it to-night."

As Linda stood watching the last rocket tearing across the sky, she
put her arm round Sylvia's shoulder. "I shouldn't have been here at
all this evening except for you," she whispered. "It was lovely of you
to go to Miss Kaye. She was so nice about it when I said I was sorry.
I don't think I shall ever be frightened of her again."

"Three cheers for Miss Kaye!" called Mr. Cameron. "Those who feel they
have had a jolly time may join me, and those who don't had better go
to bed. Hip! Hip! Hooray!"

And among all the laughing, clapping girls there were none who
responded more heartily than Linda and Sylvia.

CHAPTER X

Sylvia's Birthday

Nina Forster was obliged to remain in bed for several days, but Hazel
Prestbury came into school on the following morning, rather red about
the eyes, and a little sulky. She was sorry, not so much for her
fault, as for being found out, and she blamed herself for her own
stupidity.

"I might have known some tiresome person would see us out of a
window," she thought. "Miss Kaye always manages to get to hear
everything."

She felt that the other girls disapproved of her. Marian spoke her
mind freely on the subject, and even gentle Gwennie did not appear too
anxious to sit next to her. Linda avoided her as much as possible,
keeping strictly to Sylvia's company, and, though Connie Camden, who
never thought about anything, was as friendly as ever, it did not
quite make up for the general coldness of the rest. The