uted generously towards the afternoon's entertainment, and as the
girls sat about upon the grass, and were waited upon by the "Rose
Maidens," no one had need to sigh in vain for "something nice." The
choice of good things was quite bewildering, and little Hilary Jervis
was reported to have reverted twice over from coffee to lemonade, and to
have eaten an ice-cream and a ham sandwich in alternate bites. She was
blissfully happy, however, and so was everyone else, and when at last
Mistress June returned to her Barque, and the singers started the first
notes of "Good Night," two hundred voices took up the strain with a
strength and precision which made the unrehearsed effect one of the most
striking in the programme.

And so ended "Revels"--the happiest day which many of the students were
to know for long weeks to come.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

DRAWING NEAR.

A week after "Revels" had taken place the very remembrance seemed to
have floated away to an immeasurable distance, and only wonder remained
that any interest could have been felt on so trivial a subject. From
morning to night, and from night till morning, the same incessant grind
went on, for of what rest was sleep when it opened the door for fresh
torture, as, for instance, when a Cambridge Examiner condescended to the
unfair expedient of kidnapping a candidate's wardrobe, leaving her to
decide between the alternative of staying at home or attending the
examination room attired in a _robe de nuit_? On other occasions it
appeared that by some unaccountable freak of memory one had forgotten
about the examinations until the very hour had arrived, and was running,
running--trying to overtake a train that would _not_ stop, not though
one leapt rivers and scaled mountain heights in the vain attempt to
attract attention! It was really more restful to lie awake and study
textbooks by the morning light, which came so early in these summer
days; or so thought Rhoda, as she sat up in bed and bent her aching head
over her task. Her head was always aching nowadays, while occasionally
there came a sharp, stabbing pain in the eyes, which seemed to say that
they, too, were inclined to rebel. It was tiresome, but she had no time
to attend to them now. It was not likely that she was going to draw
back because of a little pain and physical weakness.

She never complained, but amidst all the bustle of preparation the
teachers kept a keen eye on their pupils, and Rhoda found