ch it contained. They selected a
piece of rough, hair-brown serge; then, fetching their work-baskets,
they retired to a remote part of the garden, where they were not likely
to be disturbed. If Mrs. Wilson had imagined they were about to engage
in some fine and delicate needlework, she was much mistaken. They
confined themselves to cutting and snipping, and to a few big, cobbling
stitches that would have caused her to exclaim in righteous horror.

At the end of half an hour all was finished, and Lindsay proudly held up
the result of their labours. It really was not a bad imitation of a rat.
It had a nice round, plump body, four squat legs, a pointed nose, and a
long, thin tail.

"We can't make whiskers," said Lindsay, "but that doesn't matter in the
least. They wouldn't notice them. What a good thing it's light until so
late now! They'll be able to see it perfectly well."

"We couldn't manage if the bed weren't a four-poster," said Cicely,
chuckling in anticipation of the fun to come.

Beryl Austen and Effie Hargreaves slept in a room almost opposite to
Lindsay's and Cicely's. Before eight o'clock arrived the two latter
contrived to make an excuse to go upstairs, and hastily completed their
preparations. The arrangements were ingenious. They fastened their rat
very lightly by two pieces of thin sewing cotton to the middle of the
piece of tapestry that formed the roof of the great four-post bed. To
the cotton was attached a long strand of string, which passed through
the curtains and out at the door (conveniently near the bed), the end
being hidden under the mat on the landing.

"You'll see, when we jerk the string, the cotton will break, then down
will plump the rat right on to their chests," said Lindsay, justly proud
of her inventive powers. "Poke the box under the valance, Cicely, quick!
I thought I heard someone coming."

The cardboard box contained a bobbin, to which a second string was tied,
and concealed in the same manner as the first.

"I don't believe they'll suspect anything," said Cicely. "Won't it be
lovely to give them a scare!"

At bedtime the conspirators retired innocently as usual, having wished
Beryl and Effie good night in the passage.

"I nearly said I hoped nothing would disturb them," laughed Lindsay,
"but I thought it would be wiser not. How long must we leave them to go
to sleep?"

"About half an hour, I should think. Let us get up as soon as we hear
the clock in the picture gallery