ooper, but you're not
far-seeing."

"You'll get caught yourself some time," said Millicent.

"True, O Queen! But I'll have somewhat in the shape of a run first,"
laughed Netta.

Gwen felt rather indignant as she began her map drawing. She hated
cheating, and it seemed very unjust that Netta and the others should
win credit for what was not fairly their own work.

"Winnie's not half sharp enough," she thought. "If it were Beatrice,
now, there isn't a girl in the room would dare to try any tricks."

Possibly even Winnie had her suspicions. She kept a watchful eye on
the Form, and made an occasional tour round the desks. Netta was
extremely cautious, but all the same her attention to her blotting
paper was rather conspicuous.

"Netta Goodwin, hand me your mapping book!"

Netta started in some confusion at the abrupt order, and dropped both
mapbook and blotting paper on to the floor. Gwen, equally startled,
moved her hand hastily and sent her book spinning after the other. It
was a complete accident, but one by which Netta did not hesitate to
profit. Under the shelter of the desk she rapidly substituted Gwen's
piece of blotting paper for her own, then passed up the book with an
air of sangfroid truly heroic in the eyes of Annie, Minna, and
Millicent. Miss Gascoyne examined the pages carefully, but finding
nothing incriminating, supposed she had been mistaken. Netta might be
the chief sinner of the Form, certainly, but she was not invariably at
fault.

"She thought I was as innocent as Mary's little lamb!" laughed that
damsel afterwards. "You were a trump, Gwen, to help me. It was a smart
notion of yours to drop your book too. You did it so promptly!" Then
putting her arm round Gwen's neck she whispered: "I helped you when
you were in a tight hole, and I'm glad to see you're going to stand by
me. I shall always count upon you in future."

So thus it happened that almost in spite of herself Gwen became
Netta's ally, pledged to support her on all occasions. She was afraid
to risk a quarrel lest Netta should press for the return of the ten
shillings she had lent. The debt felt a millstone round her neck, from
which there was no immediate chance of relief. Netta's particular
clique of friends, proving Gwen safe, included her in their special
set, a compromising arrangement which seemed nevertheless inevitable.
The girls did not really mean much harm, but they were silly and
flippant, and enjoyed evading rules simply