speech calculated to impress her readers. She had
taken special pains with this number of the Magazine. The chapter of her
serial story was longer and more exciting than ever; under the heading
of "Our Library Shelf" she had reviewed several books; she had written a
leading article on the tennis and cricket prospects for the forthcoming
season; and by ceaseless urging had kept her contributors, who were apt
to slack off, up to the mark in respect of literary matter. Fiona
Campbell had been persuaded to illustrate Norah Bell's storyette;
Blanche Russell had sent an account of a winter holiday ski-ing in
Norway; the Exchange and Mart had been fuller than ever of offers of
silkworms, garden plants, and miscellaneous possessions; and Gipsy had
appended a catalogue of the Museum, with an appeal for more donations of
specimens.

"Our journal now seems a going concern, and a well-established feature
of the Lower School; it is earnestly to be hoped that everyone will make
a supreme effort to ensure its success, and that more members will take
their share in swelling its pages. Criticisms and suggestions are freely
invited, and will be discussed at the General Meeting to be held next
Friday, 21 March, at 4 p.m., in the dressing-room."

So wrote Gipsy, and thought no more about the matter. This portion of
her editorial address, however, was seized upon by several of the girls,
and led to results which she had certainly not expected.

"Wants criticisms, does she?" said Maude Helm. "Well, I'll guarantee
she'll get them for once."

"And suggestions too!" giggled Gladys Merriman. "She's had it her own
way too long. The fuss people made about her at the bazaar was absurd."

"You weren't even asked to sing at the cafe chantant, Gladys!" commented
Alice O'Connor.

"There's been far too much of this favouritism lately. It's time
somebody took the thing up, and others had their fair turn. I was
speaking to Leonora about it, and she quite agreed with me."

"Yes; Poppie gave a strong hint she'd like Leonora pushed to the front
rather than Gipsy."

"Poppie barely tolerates Gipsy."

"I agree with you there. She'd rejoice to see her shelved."

"Well, look here, we've no time to stand gossiping. If anything's to be
done, we'd best go and canvass among the kids."

It was exactly at this crisis that Meg Gordon returned to school. She
had been absent since the week before Christmas, when her brother had
developed measles. She herself