ss_ to their pupils and to explain the part such pupils would have
in the production. Also the training of those who had speeches or songs
began. Of course, the preliminary training for the dance steps was left
to the physical culture teachers on Friday afternoon.

Agnes and her fellow culprits had to sit and listen to it all, knowing
full well that they could have no part in the performance.

"But just think!" Myra Stetson said, as they came out of school on
Thursday. "Just think! Trix Severn is going to be Innocent Delight, that
awfully nice girl who appears in every act. Think of it! She showed me
the part Professor Ware gave her. Think of it--_Innocent Delight_!"

"Oh! oh! oh!" gasped the chorus of unhappy basket ball players.

"And she is every bit as guilty as we are," added Eva Larry.

"Hush!" commanded Agnes. "Somebody'll hear you."

"What if?"

"We don't want Trix to say that we dragged her into our trouble when she
was lucky enough to escape."

"And I'd just like to know how she did escape," murmured Myra.

"I think Mr. Marks is just as mean!" exclaimed Mary Breeze. "Miss
Lederer said I had a good chance to be Bright Thoughts--she would have
picked me for that part. And now I can't be in the play at all!"

"Goodness, no! We can't even 'carry out the dead,' as my brother calls
it," said another girl. "The door is entirely shut to us."

"We all ought to have had a bright thought and have stayed out of that
farmer's field," growled Eva. "Mean old hunks!"

"Who?" cried Agnes.

"That Buckham man."

"No, he isn't!" said the Corner House girl, stoutly. "He's a fine old
man. I've talked with him."

"Oh, Agnes!" cried Myra. "Did you see him and try to beg off for us?"

"No. I didn't do that. I didn't see that that would help us. Mr. Marks
has punished us, not Mr. Bob Buckham."

"I bet she did," said Mary Breeze, unkindly. "At least, I bet she tried
to beg off for herself."

"Now, Mary, you know you don't believe any such thing," Eva said. "We
know what kind of girl Agnes Kenway is. She would not do such a thing.
If she asked, it would be for us all."

"No," said Agnes, shortly. "I did not do that. I just told Mr. Buckham
how sorry I was for taking the berries."

"Oh! What did he say, Aggie?" asked another girl.

"He forgave me. He was real nice about it," Agnes confessed.

"But he told on us. Otherwise we wouldn't be in this pickle," Mary
Breeze said. "I don't call that nice."

Agnes had it