Part 27 (2/2)
Though they might not be certain of sharing in the pleasure of navigating the lake, there was at least an element of antic.i.p.ation in the matter. It was just possible that some fine day Miss Todd might say to one of them: ”Put on your jersey and you may go for a row”. They felt it was one of those sporting chances that sometimes turn up in a life.
They hung about the boat-house wistfully when Mr. Appleton from Glenbury did his task of overhauling, and if he went away for a few minutes they took advantage of his absence to scramble in and sit inside the boat and imagine how delightful it would feel to be really on the water. They began to practise boat-songs, just to be ready for any emergency, and would sit on the landing-place singing ”Row, brothers, row!” or ”My barque is on the sh.o.r.e”.
It was very exciting when repairs got to the painting stage, especially when Diana did not notice, and took a leap inside, with equal disaster to Mr. Appleton's nice coat of paint and her own serge skirt. Great was the day when the _Peveril_ at last was dry, and Mr. Appleton launched her himself on the lake, and took Miss Todd, Miss Beverley, and Miss Chadwick for a trial trip. The school, watching enviously from the bank, decided that nothing but a steamer, or a small fleet of rowboats could satisfy its demands. They considered rowing ought to be a part of every girl's education.
As Diana had prophesied, the intermediates came in for no luck. Miss Chadwick and her a.s.sistants, with the four gardening students, monopolized the _Peveril_. They took Miss Todd, Miss Beverley, and Miss Hampson out for airings on the lake; occasionally a senior was invited, and once the four youngest girls in the school were given a brief treat.
All the rest had just to look on and long. Diana, indeed, extorted a sort of half promise from Adeline that some time, when it was convenient, and if she was not too busy, and if n.o.body else wanted the boat, she would let her realize her ambition, but so far this promise had remained an empty one, a vague invitation that meant nothing. Diana, catching Adeline in the garden one afternoon, made a desperate effort to obtain its fulfilment.
[Ill.u.s.tration: DIANA CALLED AND SHOUTED TO THEM. THEY TOOK NO NOTICE]
”Just for ten minutes,” she pleaded.
”I'm so busy,” evaded Adeline. ”I've got seedlings to plant out, and really haven't time to take people on the lake. What a bother you are, Diana!”
”You said you would some time.”
”Well, so I will; but the time isn't to-day. I've other things to do.”
”May I help you to plant the seedlings?”
”No indeed! They need very delicate handling, and I'm responsible to Miss Chadwick for them. Why don't you go and help Miss Carr?”
With a decidedly snubbed feeling Diana strolled away, not to help Miss Carr, for it was recreation hour, and she felt at liberty to employ her leisure as she liked, but to find Wendy or some other congenial spirit.
Wendy, Sadie, and Vi, however, had gone to the village with Miss Ormrod, and Tattie, Jess, Magsie, and Peggy occupied the tennis-court. Diana was the only one of the intermediates left out. She felt exceedingly aggrieved. She stood for a while watching the set; but looking on at tennis is never very amusing, so she wended her solitary way into the house to fetch a book. Down the corridor bustled Miss Hampson in a hurry.
”Diana! I was just wanting somebody, and you'll do. Will you go and tell Adeline that Miss Todd wishes to speak to her as soon as she's finished in the greenhouse?”
Miss Hampson, with her arms full of exercise books to correct, disappeared into the senior room, and Diana departed on her errand.
Adeline was not in the greenhouse. She had not even begun to transplant the seedlings, though the pots and the soil were ready. Diana waited a few minutes to see if she would come, then went in quest of her. Bobbing briskly down the shrubbery path were two heads, a dark one with hair in a cla.s.sic knot, and a fair one with a pig-tail. They could just be distinguished above the line of the laurels. Diana put her hands to her mouth and called:
”Ad--el--ine!”
The heads turned for a moment to look, then scuttled on with the utmost rapidity. Diana, following, caught a glimpse of two figures whisking past the boat-house to the landing-place. She stopped dead.
”So it's Hilary Adeline's taking with her. And they're going in the boat. Well, of all mean things this is the limit! Adeline hadn't time to take people on the lake, and wanted to plant seedlings. That's why she was so anxious to send me off to help Miss Carr. If she won't listen when I call to her _I_'m not going to bother to give her Miss Hampson's message. I don't suppose Miss Todd wants her about anything important.
I'm fed up!”
A very disconsolate and indignant Diana once more walked up the garden; the green-eyed monster was sitting on her back and digging in his disagreeable talons pretty deeply; he was anything but a bright companion. She wandered aimlessly round the orchard, and finally came across Miss Carr and Loveday carrying out food to the chickens. They were chatting as she met them, and the words drifted to her between the apple-trees.
”So Mr. Appleton said it really wasn't safe at all, and Miss Todd had better let n.o.body take her out till he could come up. He'd try to come this evening, but he wasn't sure if he'd manage it because--why, Diana, what's the matter?”
”Is it the boat you're talking about?” demanded a breathless, excited little figure.
”Yes--but why? Diana! What is it? Di--an--a!”
Loveday spoke to the winds, for already her room-mate was half-way down the orchard. Diana's feet were trying to keep pace with her whirling brain. The boat was unsafe! That, no doubt, was the message that Miss Todd had intended for Adeline. If she had not already started it might be possible to stop her, or at any rate to call her back. She raced along the shrubbery and down the bank to the landing-place. But Adeline and Hilary had wasted no time, and were already quite a considerable way out on the lake. Diana called and shouted to them. They turned their heads to look, evidently laughed, and took no notice. It was plain that they thought Diana wished them to return and take her for a row, and that they had no intention of any such philanthropic course of action.
On the landing-place Diana raged. If the _Peveril_ were really unsafe every stroke of the oar was taking Adeline and Hilary into greater danger. How could she possibly make them understand? The more she called, the more they would row away.
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