t Vivien, but dared not utter a
protest. Their wrath, overflowed, however, at the earliest opportunity
for conversation.

"Sneak!"

"Tell-tale-tit!"

"Mean thing!"

"And we've actually got to report ourselves to her at four o'clock."

"It's the limit!"

Though the juniors might rage, the established tradition of The Gables
compelled them to comply with the monitress's orders. They grumbled, but
obeyed. Directly afternoon school was over, ten sullen and sulky girls
presented themselves at the door of the handicraft room. This was
situated at the opposite end of the playground, and was, in fact, the
old coach-house converted into a sort of joiner's shop. The school, in
relays, learned wood-carving here, and carpentry, and clay modelling,
and any other crafts which made too much mess inside the form rooms or
the gymnasium.

Vivien was busy at the bench, planing a piece of wood. She greeted the
victims grimly.

"If you can't remember to behave yourselves in school, you'll have to
have something to remind you," she remarked. "You may all sit down
there. Have you brought your poetry books? Very well, turn to page
sixteen and learn the first three verses of Lochinvar. You'll stay here
till you know them."

As a matter of fact, Vivien was entirely exceeding her authority. Miss
Kingsley had never given the monitresses leave to keep girls in, or give
them punishment lessons. Such privileges belonged to mistresses only.
The form, however, was not aware of this, and supposed that she had
received instructions from head-quarters. They took their places like
martyrs, and opened their poetry books, outwardly submissive, but with
black rebellion raging in their hearts.

Vivien, going on with her carpentering, kept a strict eye upon them, and
said "Hush!" if any one attempted to con her task even in a whisper. She
heard each child recite her verses separately, and would not let any of
them go till all had said their portions perfectly. By the time they had
completely finished it was a quarter to five.

"You may trot home now if you like," allowed the monitress. "And just
let this be a lesson to you for the future. Go in order and close the
door after you."

The martyrs made a decent exit, but once outside they stood and pulled
faces at the closed door.

"She's an absolute beast!"

"It's abominable!"

"To keep us all this time!"

"And learning hateful poetry!"

"And we hadn't done anything to deserve it, either!"