here'll be plenty of things on
Wednesday, and it's so slow to-day, there's nothing to do but hang
about till teatime. I say, I have an idea!" And she stooped down and
whispered something in Linda's ear.

"Oh no, Hazel, we daren't!" cried Linda, her eyes wide with delighted
horror; "you don't really mean it?"

"Of course I do."

"Mean what?" asked Nina, full of curiosity.

"I don't think I'll let you know. It's a secret."

"Yes, do. I'll never tell. Truly and honestly I won't."

"Well, why shouldn't we slip out of the side door, and run down the
road to that little shop at the corner of Valley Lane; we could buy
some chestnuts there, and perhaps some fireworks as well. I have
sixpence here in my pocket."

"Oh, we should be caught!"

"No, we shouldn't. If we manage well, nobody will see us, and it won't
take ten minutes. There's plenty of time before tea. Who'll come?"

No one spoke. The adventure was so serious that each girl felt rather
doubtful about undertaking it, and shook her head.

"Well, you are a set of cowards," said Hazel. "I wish Connie Camden
wasn't having her music lesson; she'd go in a second. Linda, you
might."

"Don't, Linda," pleaded Sylvia. "It really isn't worth it. I shan't."

"Linda isn't bound to ask your leave," said Hazel sharply. "She can do
as she likes, I suppose. Come, Linda. It would be such a joke!"

"I'm sure Marian wouldn't let me go," said Gwennie, "or go herself
either. She's at her practising now."

"All right! I don't want either of you, nor Jessie Ellis. But, Nina,
you like a little fun, I know. Come with Linda and me."

"I didn't say I would," faltered Linda.

"Yes, you will, and Nina too. We three are the only ones in the class
with an ounce of courage."

Nina hesitated a moment and was lost. She was very easily led, and it
flattered her so much to have Hazel Prestbury actually begging for her
company that she had not the strength of character to refuse. Linda
looked first at one of her friends and then at the other; they were
almost equally balanced in her affections, but on this occasion Hazel,
the elder, the more important, and the more persuasive, slightly
turned the scale.

"I don't know whether I'll really go," she said; "but I'll come as far
as the gate, and watch you start. There can't be much harm in that."

"Miss Coleman said we mustn't go into the garden to-day. It's
raining," volunteered Gwennie.

"Oh, bother! We don't mind the rain. By the way