uld she
do? All sorts of desperate schemes came running through her mind, and
she gave each its due consideration.

"If I were a girl in a magazine story," she thought, "I suppose I'd
disguise myself as a pierrette and go and sing on the promenade at
Stedburgh. I dare say I'd get heaps of pennies. But--oh! I wonder if
girls ever really do such things out of books? Father'd rather I owed
pounds than went singing for pennies. He stopped the Sunday School
children going round on Christmas Eve, but then they went into the
public-houses, and of course I shouldn't. No, I couldn't risk it, and
besides, I'd be too shy to sing, and somebody would be sure to find
out. Shall I ask Dick to lend me half a sovereign? He would in a
minute. No! I've not sunk to sponging on my boy friends, at any rate.
I'd rather do a day's charing than that. A good idea! Why shouldn't I
turn charwoman? If Beatrice would let me clean out the schools every
Saturday, instead of Mrs. Cass, and pay me the money, I'd work off the
bill in time. I wonder if I dare suggest it?"

The breakfast bell ringing loudly and clamorously at that moment put
an end to Gwen's meditations, and she went indoors, but she was much
preoccupied during the meal, so that she never noticed how Giles was
peppering her piece of bread and butter till she incautiously took a
bite and choked.

"You hateful boy! You're always up to some monkey tricks!" she
exclaimed indignantly.

"'For she can thoroughly enjoy
The pepper when she pleases!'"

jeered Giles, adroitly dodging the smack she designed for him.

And the rest of the family laughed--yes, laughed, in a most heartless
and inconsiderate manner.

"Your wits were wool-gathering, Gwen!" said Winnie, quoting a local
proverb. "Stumps did it so deliberately and openly that anybody could
have caught him who wasn't absolutely dreaming. We were all watching
to see if you'd notice."

"The absent-minded beggar!" piped Basil.

"I think you're all very horrid and unkind!" complained the victim,
still sneezing.

"Don't be grumpy, Gwen!"

"You must learn to take a joke, childie!" said Father, pushing back
his chair and going away to his study.

Father so generally stood up for her that Gwen felt aggrieved. She had
always flattered herself upon her capacity for accepting "ragging"
with equanimity, but this, she considered, was beyond a joke.

"It might have got into my eyes and blinded me," she declared with
plaintive digni