close by the window, so as to catch the advantage
of the fading light. Her profile, rather stern in its outline, did not
look particularly encouraging, and Gipsy sighed, knowing that her
request would probably be met by a prompt refusal. What was she to do?
It was a question of braving either Miss Lindsay's or Miss Poppleton's
wrath--perhaps both. 'Twixt two fires she hesitated, then an idea
occurred to her. If she could get out of the room and return to her
place without the governess discovering her absence, all would be well.
Miss Lindsay seemed absorbed in her book, and as long as her pupils kept
quietly at work she took no particular notice of them. As before stated,
she was seated close to the window, while the girls were placed round a
long table, the end of which, nearest to the open door, was unoccupied.
Gipsy hastily scribbled on a scrap of paper: "I'm going to do a
bolt--don't give me away!" and, with her finger on her lips for silence,
showed it to her two neighbours, Lennie and Hetty. Then very quietly and
cautiously she dropped from the form, and began to creep underneath the
table in the direction of the open door. Lennie and Hetty, after a
glance at the paper, comprehended her scheme, and moved nearer together,
lest her absence should be betrayed by a telltale gap. Some of the other
girls of course noticed the occurrence, but, being loyal to Gipsy, they
held their tongues and made no sign. As gently as a mouse she crept
under the whole length of the table, chuckling inwardly at the fun of
the adventure.

I do not believe anyone in the school except Gipsy would have thought
of such a rash and risky experiment; but she had not yet entirely
forgotten her old Colonial habits, and every now and then, despite Miss
Poppleton's discipline, her wild spirits would crop up and assert
themselves in very questionable ways. Miss Lindsay read calmly on, quite
oblivious of the fact that one of her pupils was crawling through the
doorway on all-fours, and that the greater proportion of the rest were
consciously aiding and abetting such a scandalous proceeding. Once she
had gained the passage in safety, Gipsy sprang to her feet and ran with
all speed to the linen room. As she expected, the light was still on, so
she switched it off with supreme satisfaction, congratulating herself
heartily that Miss Poppleton had not been before her. It was only the
work of a minute, and she hoped she could regain her place at the table
i