'll be bound, and us too! Your teacher's half
crazed after you, poor thing! She'll be main glad to see you back, she
will that!"

It was indeed with a feeling of intense relief and thankfulness that
Miss Lincoln welcomed the missing pair as the boat drew up on the beach
at Moorcliffe. The hours of their absence had been a time of such
anxiety and suspense as she had not experienced before with any of her
pupils. One look at her face showed them what she had suffered on their
behalf.

"Thank God you are safe!" she cried, as she took them in her arms and
kissed them.

All the school had returned to The Priory, only Miss Harper remaining
with Miss Lincoln; and as the last train had left, the latter made
arrangements to spend the night at the hotel. The girls were cold and
wet, and much in need of food and rest; so they were only too thankful
to be put to bed at once, instead of starting on a railway journey. The
headmistress would allow very little talk that night about what had
happened, reserving what she had to say for a future occasion; and
Muriel, who knew there was a painful explanation in store for her, was
not sorry that it should be deferred.

"I shall be in dreadful trouble to-morrow," she said to Patty as they
lay in bed, "and I deserve it, I know. I'm going to make a clean breast
of everything, the Caesar translation and several other things, and then
perhaps I shall feel better, and make a fresh start. I haven't said
'Thank you' to you, Patty, because I really don't know how; but you've
been an absolute trump, and I shall tell Miss Lincoln so. I shan't ever
forget it. Good-night!"

CHAPTER XV

Speech Day

A night's rest did much to restore the two girls after their terrible
experience on the rocks. By next morning, though Muriel's foot still
hurt her when she walked, they were both well enough to return to
school, where, as you may imagine, they had many things to relate to
their companions, who were brimming over with eagerness to hear a full
and detailed account of the whole adventure. Muriel had a long interview
with Miss Lincoln in the library, from which she emerged with red eyes,
and, escaping from her friends, retired to her bedroom, and, drawing the
curtains of her cubicle, spent the afternoon alone. She was strangely
softened and subdued; she said little when Vera, Kitty, and Maud
stammered out their apologies for deserting her on the shore, and
appeared so preoccupied and thoughtful