will probably tell you I'm an utter
dunderhead."

"I shall quarrel with him if he does!" said Carmel decidedly.

The three girls went back to school on the following day, half regretful
to leave the Chase, but rather excited at the prospect of meeting their
companions. Now that Carmel had got over her first stage of
homesickness, she liked Chilcombe and had made many friends there. She
intended to enjoy the autumn term to the best of her ability. She had
brought the materials for pursuing several pet hobbies, and she settled
all her numerous possessions into her small bedroom with much
satisfaction. She kept the door into the Blue Grotto open, so that she
might talk during the process. Gowan, also busy unpacking, kept firing
off pieces of information, Bertha flitted in and out like a butterfly,
and girls from other dormitories paid occasional visits.

Phillida, who was a prime favorite, presently came in, and installing
herself on the end of Dulcie's bed, so that she could address the
occupants of both bedrooms, began to draw plans.

"I've got an idea!" she announced. "It's a jolly good one, too, so you
needn't smile. It's a good thing somebody does have ideas in this place,
or you'd all go to sleep! Well, it's this. I really can't stand the
swank of those girls in the Gold bedroom. They seem to imagine the
school belongs to them. They're not very much older than we are, indeed
Nona is actually six weeks younger than Lilias, and yet they give
themselves the airs of all creation. Just now Laurette said to me: 'Get
out of my way, child!' Child, indeed! I'm fifteen, and tall for my age!
I vote that we start a secret society, just among our own set, to resist
them."

"Jolly!" agreed Dulcie. "A little wholesome taking down is just what
they need. Laurette's the limit sometimes. Whom shall we ask to join?"

"Well, all of you here, and myself, and Noreen, and Prissie, and Edith.
That would make nine."

"Quite enough too," said Gowan. "A secret society's much greater fun if
it's small. Things are apt to leak out when you have too many members. I
take it we want to play an occasional rag on the Gold bedroom? Very
well, the fewer in it the better."

"What shall we call our society?" asked Dulcie.

"'The Anti-Swelled Headers' would about suit," suggested Lilias.

"No, no! That sounds as if we were afraid of getting swelled head
ourselves--at least anybody might take it that way."

"There's a big secret society in Sic