ack them off."

"I wonder if they ever get into trouble and the Empress reprimands them
in private," surmised Chrissie.

"Oh, that's likely enough, but of course we don't hear about it."

"Miss Gordon and Miss Hulton had a quarrel last year," said Sylvia.

"Yes, and Miss Hulton left. Everybody said she was obliged to go because
Mrs. Morrison took Miss Gordon's part."

That evening an unprecedented and extraordinary thing happened.
Brackenfield College stood in a dip of the hills not very far away from
the sea. As at most coast places, the rules in the neighbourhood of
Whitecliffe were exceedingly strict. Not the least little chink of a
light must be visible after dusk, and blinds and curtains were drawn
most carefully over the windows. Being on the west coast, they had so
far been immune from air raids, but in war-time nobody knew from what
quarter danger might come, or whether a stray Zeppelin might some night
float overhead, or a cruiser begin shelling the town. On the whole, the
College was considered as safe a place as any in England, and parents
had not scrupled to send their daughters back to school there. On this
particular evening one of the housemaids had been into Whitecliffe, and,
instead of returning by the high road and up the drive, took a short cut
by the side lane and the kitchen garden. To her amazement, she noticed
that in one of the windows of the Observatory a bright light was
shining. It was on the side away from the high road, but facing the sea,
and could probably be discerned at a great distance. She hurried indoors
and informed Mrs. Morrison, who at once visited the Observatory, and
found there a lighted bicycle lamp, which had been placed on the window
sill.

So sinister an incident was a matter for immediate enquiry. The
Principal was horror-stricken. Girls, teachers, and servants were
questioned, but nobody admitted anything. The lamp, indeed, proved to be
one which Miss Duckworth had missed from her bicycle several days
before. It was known that she had been lamenting its loss. Whether the
light had been put as a signal or as a practical joke it was impossible
to say, but if it had been noticed by a special constable it would have
placed Brackenfield in danger of an exceedingly heavy fine.

Everybody was extremely indignant. It was felt that such an unpleasant
episode cast a reflection upon the school. It was naturally the one
subject of conversation.

"Have we a spy in our midst?"