her notebook and took all our names. Oh, I'm just shaking in
my shoes! I didn't know whether I dared come back to school, or whether
I hadn't better trek straight off home."

"You'd have got into a worse pickle still if you'd done that."

"Perhaps I should. Anyhow, I'm quaking."

"Yes, it's 'Look out for squalls'!"

"Squalls? A tempest, you mean!"

"It will be a raging Tempest, certainly."

"Oh, goody! There's the bell, and I haven't changed my boots!"

"Did you see anything, though?" asked Dorothy, as they hurried
upstairs.

"Yes, I had a lovely view. The bridesmaids were sweet; their bouquets
were all of lilies of the valley: and as for Miss Russell--it makes me
want to be married myself! It was almost worth while being caught to see
it--but oh, dear! what will happen to us, I wonder? I'd give everything
I possess to have this afternoon over."

Full of uneasy forebodings, the delinquents took their places at their
desks. Dorothy looked round for Hope and Blanche. They slipped in at the
last moment, rather red and out of breath, and seemingly anxious to
avoid the enquiring eyes of the others.

Miss Carter, the science mistress, entered, and the hygiene lesson
began. Eight guilty souls in the class found it difficult to fix their
attention upon ventilation or food values. Dorothy's mind was in a
ferment. What was about to happen? She had not thought it any great
crime to go to see the wedding, but apparently such an action was viewed
far more seriously at head-quarters. In her speculation on the issue of
events, she gave such random answers that Miss Carter stared at her in
surprise.

"Did you misunderstand the question, or are you not attending, Dorothy
Greenfield?" she asked.

Dorothy made an effort to pull herself together and recall the forgotten
facts, but they were elusive, and she could only stare stupidly at the
teacher. Just at that moment the door opened, and Miss Tempest entered.
There was a perceptible shudder amongst those girls whose consciences
told them they were to blame. Addie Parker and Bertha Warren exchanged
glances, Joyce Hickson pretended to be absorbed in her notebook, while
Hope Lawson sat with her nose in the air, as if unconscious of any need
to disturb herself.

"Excuse me for interrupting the lesson, Miss Carter," began Miss
Tempest, "but there is a very important matter upon which I must speak
at once. Adeline Parker, Bertha Warren, Joyce Hickson, Annie Gray, and
Phyllis F