of a thick copse of
gorse-bushes approached the pool from the side that lay in the farmer's
field. By most careful scouting they found a spot on the bank where they
could see and hear without being seen.

Below them, seated on the rocks by the edge of the water, were
practically almost the whole of the Lower School. They cuddled close,
with their arms round each other, and to judge from their repressed
giggles they appeared to be enjoying themselves. Tootie Phillips, a
long-legged, excitable girl of thirteen, mounted upon a boulder, was
addressing them with much fervour. Ulyth and Lizzie missed the beginning
of her remarks, but when they came within earshot they realized that she
was in the midst of a vigorous harangue against the seniors.

"Are we to be trodden down just because we're a little younger than they
are?" urged Tootie. "Why should they lord it over us, I should like to
know? They were juniors themselves only a year or two ago. I tell you
the worm will turn."

"It's turned pretty considerably," guffawed Cissie Newall.

"It knows which side its bread's buttered," cackled Irene Scott.

"Buttered! You mean sugared, don't you?"

At this sally the whole party broke into a shout of laughter.

"Good for you, Ciss!"

"Sugared! Ra--ther!"

"Shut up, you sillies! Someone will hear us," commanded Tootie. "I was
saying before, we're not going to be sat upon, either by teachers or
monitresses or seniors. We'll take our own way."

"A sugary way," chirped Ethel Jephson.

The girls hinnied again. There was evidently something underlying the
joke.

"When perfectly ridiculous rules are made, that never ought to have been
made," continued Tootie, "then we've a right to take the law into our
own hands and do as we please."

"Our pocket money's our own," grumbled a discontented spirit from the
back.

"Of course it is, and we ought to be able to do what we like with it."

"And so are our brooches, if we want to----"

"Sh--sh!"

"Shut up, stupid!"

"Well, we all know."

"No need to blare it out, if we do."

"I wasn't blaring."

"Violet Robertson, remember your oath," commanded Tootie. "If you let a
word of--we know what--leak out, you're sent to Coventry for the rest of
the term. Yes. Not a single one of us will speak one single word to you.
Not even your own room-mates. So there!"

"Well, you needn't make such a precious fuss. I'm sure I wasn't letting
out secrets," retorted Violet sulkily. "But I th