chool tacked instead towards the
sheltered bank of the stream, and with one accord broke into Scotch
songs. Geraldine, in a full contralto, was singing "Green grow the
rashes, O". Betty Blane's chirpy voice proclaimed "I'm ower young to
marry yet",--a self-evident proposition, as she was only thirteen.
Stuart and Loveday were crooning "Flowers of the Forest" as a kind of
soprano dirge, which was drowned by a chorus of juniors roaring "Auld
Lang Syne".

"We twa hae paidled i' the burn
Frae mornin' sun till dine",

chanted Diana after them. "And that's just what I want to do. I've never
had a chance yet to 'paidle' in a British burn."

"You won't to-day, then," said Geraldine, who chanced to overhear, and
stopped her singing to interpolate a remark. "Shoes and stockings aren't
allowed off, except in the summer term."

"Green grow the rashes, O!
Green grow the rashes, O!
The sweetest hours that e'er I spent
Were spent among the lassies, O!"

Diana stood frowning as Geraldine passed along, carolling at the pitch
of her voice.

"What nonsense!" she growled. "Who made such a silly old rule? I'm not
going to keep it."

"It's quite as warm to-day as it sometimes is in summer," agreed Wendy.

"I believe it's only 'swank' on Geraldine's part, because she's head
prefect. I _shall_ paddle! Just because she said I mustn't. Come on,
Wendy! Let's scoot into this hollow and enjoy ourselves. Geraldine makes
me feel real bad when she bosses. I want to go and break all the rules I
can."

CHAPTER V

Diana Dares

If Diana--a modern Eve--hankered after the apples of new experiences,
Wendy succumbed to her persuasions as readily as Adam. The little
purling brook was attractive, mistresses and prefects were safely out of
sight, and schoolmates, if they chanced to appear on the scene, might be
bribed not to blab. In a twinkling laces were unfastened, and two stout
pairs of boots stowed away among the stones, each with its stocking
tucked inside; while two pairs of bare feet went splashing joyously into
the brook. It was fun paddling in the little pools and scrambling over
the rocks, waving a foot occasionally into a foaming fall, and dancing
out on to the grass when the water grew too cold to be endured any
longer. They wandered for some distance up the hill-side, supremely
happy, though taking care not to allow their exuberant spirits to
overflow into song. So far not a soul seemed to have noticed them