Part 7 (1/2)
”It's quite as warm to-day as it sometimes is in summer,” agreed Wendy.
”I believe it's only 'sw.a.n.k' on Geraldine's part, because she's head prefect. I _shall_ paddle! Just because she said I mustn't. Come on, Wendy! Let's scoot into this hollow and enjoy ourselves. Geraldine makes me feel real bad when she bosses. I want to go and break all the rules I can.”
CHAPTER V
Diana Dares
If Diana--a modern Eve--hankered after the apples of new experiences, Wendy succ.u.mbed to her persuasions as readily as Adam. The little purling brook was attractive, mistresses and prefects were safely out of sight, and schoolmates, if they chanced to appear on the scene, might be bribed not to blab. In a twinkling laces were unfastened, and two stout pairs of boots stowed away among the stones, each with its stocking tucked inside; while two pairs of bare feet went splas.h.i.+ng joyously into the brook. It was fun paddling in the little pools and scrambling over the rocks, waving a foot occasionally into a foaming fall, and dancing out on to the gra.s.s when the water grew too cold to be endured any longer. They wandered for some distance up the hill-side, supremely happy, though taking care not to allow their exuberant spirits to overflow into song. So far not a soul seemed to have noticed them--they were enjoying the sweets of undiscovered crime. Suddenly through the clear autumnal air rang out the shrill, bubbling call of the regimental whistle with which Miss Todd was wont, on country walks, to collect her scattered flock. The two sinners jumped so uneasily that Wendy slipped from a stone and splashed into a pool, with rather disastrous consequences to her skirt.
”We'd best go back and find our boots,” she said, hurriedly wringing the water from the brown tweed.
They had not realized how far they had roamed up the stream, and the length of the way back surprised them. It is not an easy matter to hurry over slippery stones, though they made what speed they could, urged by another summons from the whistle.
”I think this was the place,” declared Diana, at last arriving at landmarks that seemed familiar. ”I left mine just over there.”
Both girls sought their hiding-places, but, to their utter dismay, the boots were missing. They searched about here, there, and everywhere, but not so much as the tab of a lace could be found. Meanwhile the whistle sounded impatient blasts.
”What _are_ we to do?” fl.u.s.tered Wendy. ”Toddlekins will be furious if we don't go; and yet how _can_ we go without our boots?”
”We must have mistaken the place,” gasped Diana. ”Perhaps it was farther down.”
”No, no! I'm certain it was just here.”
”Well, we're in a pretty fix, at any rate.”
”T-r-r-r-r-ee-ee!” came again from the fell side. To disobey the summons deliberately was open mutiny. An agitated voice on the bank called to them.
”Wendy and Diana, can't you hear the whistle? Come this instant!”
It was Stuart Hamilton, who stood beckoning violently.
”We've lost our boots,” wailed Wendy.
”Then come without them. Miss Todd has sent me to find you. Hurry up!”
It was a scratchy and painful performance to hurry through heather and over sharp stones to the spot where the school was a.s.sembled. Miss Todd stood staring at them as they approached, with her ”report yourself in my study” expression. They felt their bare legs and feet most embarra.s.singly conspicuous, and wished that fickle fas.h.i.+on had clothed them in longer skirts.
”What is the meaning of this?” asked the Princ.i.p.al, eyeing their uncovered extremities severely.
”We've--we've--lost our boots,” stammered Diana, speaking for both.
”And why were your boots taken off? You were aware of the rule, for I happen to know that you had just been reminded of it.” (Here Wendy fixed a reproachful gaze on Geraldine, who coloured slightly.) ”You've deliberately disobeyed orders, and you will be confined to 'bounds' for a fortnight. It's absolutely essential in our country rambles that discipline should be kept up, and any girl who breaks rules will stay at home next time. You deserve to walk back with bare feet, but Miss Beverley will give you your boots. Put them on at once!”
It was horrible to have to sit down upon the heather and pull on stockings and boots under the critical supervision of twenty-two pairs of eyes. Diana's lace broke, and Wendy's fingers seemed all thumbs. Miss Todd superintended till the last knot had been awkwardly tied, then she gave the signal for marching. Considerably crestfallen, the delinquents dropped towards the rear.
”Did Geraldine sneak?” whispered Wendy to Violet.
”No, it wasn't exactly her fault--it was Spot really. He routed out the boots, and began barking and worrying them, and Miss Beverley rushed up to see what he'd got--she thought he'd caught an otter or a water-rat.
When she saw it was boots--well----”