hink it's just what is wanted at The Gables. Day girls
never get an opportunity of meeting and comparing notes, and having fun
together like girls do at boarding schools. It would be a sort of party
every time."

"I think it sounds ripping!" said Claire. "Stick it in with the
proposition, as far as I'm concerned."

"Hands up for the amendment, then!"

Five hands went up promptly, two doubtfully, and Vivien's hands remained
on her lap--not that she really objected very much to the idea of
"Socials", but she was not disposed to give in too readily to all her
cousin's suggestions. The feeling that she herself ought to have
occupied the presidential chair still rankled.

Carried by a majority, however, the new scheme became law, and the
committee, with an eye on the clock, and tea-time looming near,
hurriedly settled minor details, appointed Wednesday fortnight for the
first "Social", subject to the approval of "the powers that be"; and,
having triumphantly concluded their business, stamped downstairs with
more noise than was absolutely consistent with the dignity of
monitresses--but then, the juniors had gone home, and were not there to
hear.

Lorraine, highly satisfied with the results of the meeting, was
determined to make the first "Social" a success. She had always felt
strongly that there was not a sufficient bond of union among the girls
at The Gables. She remembered her own days as a junior, when the seniors
had seemed distant and unapproachable beings, whose doings were a
mystery.

"I used to long to see their collections and drawings and things," she
ruminated, "but, if I ever tried to butt in, I got a jolly good snub for
my pains. It's going to be different now. Those youngsters shall have a
chance. They can't learn unless we show them how. I don't call it
sporting for the Sixth to do good work and hide it under a bushel. We'll
have a nice jinky little exhibition, and encourage everybody to try and
make it a bigger one next time. It'll spur the juniors on to see some of
our attempts. I'll put the screw on Vivien to bring her butterflies,
though I know she hates moving the cases."

Miss Kingsley heartily approved of the idea of the social gathering, and
smoothed the way for its adoption by allowing school to be suspended at
half-past three instead of four o'clock on those special Wednesday
afternoons. She promised to provide tables in the gymnasium for the
display of specimens, and to do anything else in