on so about 'dear George'."

"And there was I with my corked moustache acting a regular old bean of a
doctor."

"And I dropped all my h's as Mrs. Jones!"

"If we'd only known!"

"It's a good thing you didn't," remarked Betty with a delighted chuckle.
"You played up no end, and of course with Miss Pratt in the room the
girls were absolutely in fits. Calla's hysterical still. They thought
you were doing it on purpose."

"Oh, we wouldn't have _dared_! I expect Miss Pratt thinks it the most
fearful cheek. I wonder if she'll be down on us for it?"

"Oh, Jemima! We're always getting into hot water somehow."

Nell Dawson arrived at that moment with a message that if the performers
had changed their costumes Miss Pratt would like a word with them.

"You see!" said Lesbia dolefully, bracing her nerves for the rebuke
which, as chief offender, would probably descend most heavily upon her
own head.

They were quite mistaken, however, about Miss Pratt's attitude. She
highly commended the little performance.

"As an impromptu business it was really very good," she conceded. "It's
shown me what you're capable of, and I'm certainly going to put all four
of you in my 'Company'."

"We--we didn't know you were listening," faltered Lesbia apologetically.

"So I supposed" (a flicker of a smile crossed her face); "it's always
best to live your part and forget your audience. Come to me to-morrow
before nine and I'll give you your books. I hadn't fixed up the cast of
_The Duchess's Dilemma_."

Four delighted girls scuttled off to the cloakroom, almost overwhelmed
by the suddenness of their good fortune.

"She should!" exclaimed Aldora.

"It's too topping for words," yodelled Cissie.

"Shouldn't have thought Miss Pratt capable of being so sporting,"
rejoiced Marion.

"She's a griffin sometimes but she's a mascot to-day, bless her,"
murmured Lesbia. "I wonder, if after all, she rather _liked_ the idea of
school mistresses having hearts? If she ever stays away from school with
a bad cold or any other excuse I shall think she's taken the tip."

CHAPTER IX

Girls of VA

The Easter term wended its way along with many ups and downs for Lesbia.
Her struggles with the unruly juniors constituted a genuine trial, but
there were compensations in what Marion called "the by-products of the
school", by which she meant the Dramatic Society and the various
activities on the afternoons devoted to "self-expression". Lesbia had