"What can we do to pay her out?"

"I know," said Effie. "Hush!"

She held up a warning hand and ran back to the coach-house door. The key
was on the outside, in the lock. She stood and listened for a moment,
then turned it and fled across the playground, followed by the rest of
the form. Instead of going home, however, they stayed in the cloak-room,
giggling over their achievement.

"If she's so fond of the handicraft room, she may stay there!"

"She shall just be kept in herself, to see what it feels like."

"_Won't_ she just be savage!"

"Serve her right!"

Vivien, having finished to her satisfaction the particular little bit
of carpentering upon which she had been engaged, put away her tools at
last, and turned to leave. She was very much surprised to find that she
could not open the door. She rattled the handle, thinking it had stuck.
Then she suddenly realized that it was locked, and that she was a
prisoner. She hammered till her knuckles were sore, and shouted, but
nobody came. It struck her that she was in an exceedingly awkward
position. The handicraft room was some little distance from the house.
It was improbable that Miss Kingsley, Miss Janet or the maids would hear
her. The window was nailed up, and would not open, so escape that way
was impossible. Had those wretched juniors locked her in on purpose, and
scooted off home? She stamped with wrath at the idea. Yet it seemed only
too probable. If so, would she have to spend the night here? The
prospect was appalling. She made a last despairing assault on the door.
To her immense relief a voice on the other side responded. It was a
deep, gruff, evidently feigned voice, and it said:

"Hullo, there!"

"Hullo! Let me out!" shouted Vivien.

"No, thanks! You're better where you are!"

"Let me out, I tell you!"

"Gently! Gently! Don't show temper!"

Vivien seized the handle again, and rattled lustily, but with no effect.
She thought she heard a noise like suppressed chuckling.

"_Will_ you unlock this door and let me out?"

"If we do, will you promise not to boss so hard again?"

"I shan't promise anything of the sort!"

"Right oh! Ta-ta!"

The little wretches surely were not going?

"Here! Come back!" Vivien shouted.

She was allowed a moment or two for reflection, then the gruff voice
again began to parley.

"Will you promise?"

"I shall do my duty as a monitress."

"But you won't _exceed_ it?"

"All right!" rather sulkily.

"Ho