swimmer, and when I saw her
so far out in the bay I thought--But there! it's over now, and I won't
imagine horrible tragedies."

"It was a near shave for several of us," said Chatty soberly.

Honor took the whole affair with the utmost coolness; indeed, she
insisted upon treating it almost as a joke.

"One doesn't always have the luck of picking up a mermaid," she
declared. "I may find Father Neptune, or the Sirens, if I go a little
farther; or perhaps I might drag back the sea serpent, as a neat little
specimen for the school museum. If the trippers are often going to
provide us with such entertainment, we shall have very lively times at
bathing."

"All the same, I'm sure she's more upset about it than she pretends,"
said Lettice. "Her hands were trembling so much when she was dressing,
she could scarcely button her blouse. It's just like her, though; she'd
rather say something funny any time, than look serious."

Miss Young praised Honor highly for her "splendid bravery and presence
of mind", and Miss Maitland added warm words of commendation. As for
the Chaddites, they could scarcely make enough of her.

"No other house can show such a record," said Maisie enthusiastically.
"We've beaten St. Hilary's hollow!"

"And even the School House," added Chatty, "though their monitress once
stopped a runaway donkey on the shore."

"Paddy, we're proud of you!" said Lettice.

"Please don't say any more about it!" protested Honor. "I was only
enjoying myself. I feel a great deal prouder when I've finished a sum
in cube root, because I simply hate arithmetic. Swimming is as easy to
me as walking, and I'm sure you'd each have done the same if you
could."

Naturally, Honor was the heroine of the school, especially as the
affair got into the newspapers, and the Royal Humane Society wrote to
say that she would be presented with a medal in recognition of her
courage. The father and mother of the girl whose life she had saved
called with their daughter at the College, and begged to be allowed to
express their gratitude, so Honor was sent for by the head mistress.
She would have been glad to avoid what seemed to her an embarrassing
interview, but there was no escape.

"These people have come on purpose to see you," said Miss Maitland; "it
would be not only discourteous but unkind if you were to refuse to
speak to them."

Honor had not been in Miss Cavendish's study since the memorable
occasion when she had so injudiciousl