not go on with four. The tickets were sold, the hall
rented, the contest had been advertised over the country! Who could
learn a recitation in a day? Miss Morrison was sent for. She said it
was impossible. A very clever pupil might learn the words, but not
the gestures, and "a piece" was nothing without gestures. Mrs. White
again exclaimed: "_What shall we do?_"

Mrs. Francis said: "We'll see what Camilla says."

Camilla came and listened attentively while the woes of the W. C. T.
U. were told her. It was with difficulty that she restrained an
exclamation of delight when she heard that they were short of
reciters. "Pearl Watson knows Maudie's selection," she said quietly,
"and recites it very well, indeed!'

"Impossible!" Miss Morrison exclaimed. "She has had no lessons."

"I think she watched you training Maudie," Camilla ventured.

"Only once," Miss Morrison replied, "and she can not possibly know
the gestures; but we will be glad to have any one fill in. People
will not expect her to do very well when she has had no training,"
she added charitably.

When Camilla returned to the kitchen she was smiling gently. "There's
a surprise coming to little Miss Morrison," she said.

* * *

That night the hall was full to the door, and people stood in the
aisles. Everybody loves a contest. Pearl and the other four
contestants sat in a front seat. The latter were beautifully dressed
in white net over silk, with shoes and stockings of white, and
numerous bows of ribbon.

By the draw that Miss Morrison made, Pearl came last on the
programme, and Miss Morrison kindly asked the chairman to explain
that Pearl had had no training whatever, and that she had only known
that she was going to recite that morning Miss Morrison wished to be
quite fair!

Camilla sat beside Pearl. She had dressed Pearl for the occasion, and
felt rather proud of her work as she sat beside Contestant No. 5.
Pearl's brown hair was parted and brushed smoothly back, and tied
with two new bright red ribbons--Camilla's gift. It did not occur to
Pearl that she was in the race for the medal. She was glad of a
chance to fill in and help the contest along.

John Watson, Mrs. Watson, and all the little Watsons were present,
and filled two side seats. Mr. Francis had heard something from
Camilla that caused him to send tickets to the whole Watson family,
and even come himself, which was an unprecedented event.

Lucy Bates was the first contestant, and made