lly new even yet, Marjorie
Anderson. There, don't get raggy; I'll tell you. On the last evening of
every term the whole school meets in the big hall--just the girls,
without any of the teachers. The prefects sit on the platform, and the
head girl reads a kind of report about all that's happened during the
term--the games and that sort of thing, and what she and the prefects
have noticed, and what the Societies have done, and news of old girls,
and all the rest of it. Then anybody who likes can make comments, or
suggestions for next term, or air grievances. It's a kind of School
Council meeting, and things are often put to the vote. It gets quite
exciting. We don't have supper till 8.30, so as to give us plenty of
time. We all eat an extra big tea, so as to carry us on."

"I'm glad you warned me," laughed Marjorie. "Do they bring in more
bread-and-butter?"

"Yes, loads more, and potted meat, and honey and jam. We have a good
tuck-out, and then only cocoa and buns later on. It's not formal supper.
You see, we've packed our white dresses, and can't change this evening.
We've only our serges left here. The meeting's rather a stunt. We have a
jinky time as a rule."

By five o'clock every girl in the school had assembled in the big hall.
Though no mistresses were present, the proceedings were nevertheless
perfectly orderly, and good discipline prevailed. On the platform sat
the prefects, the chair being taken by Winifrede Mason, the head girl.
Winifrede was a striking personality at Brackenfield, and filled her
post with dignity. She was eighteen and a half, tall, and finely built,
with brown eyes and smooth, dark hair. She had a firm, clever face, and
a quiet, authoritative manner that carried weight in the school, and
crushed any symptoms of incipient turbulence amongst Juniors. Many of
the girls would almost rather have got into trouble with Mrs. Morrison
than incur the displeasure of Winifrede, and a word of praise from her
lips was esteemed a high favour. She did not believe in what she termed
"making herself too cheap", and did not encourage the prefects to mix at
all freely with Intermediates or Juniors, so that to most of the girls
she seemed on a kind of pedestal--a member of the school, indeed, and
yet raised above the others. She was just, however, and on the whole a
great favourite, for, though she kept her dignity, she never lost touch
with the school, and always voiced the general sentiments. She stood up
now