The seven girls who, with herself, made up the Sixth Form, assembled in the class-room after school, interested and, on the whole, ready for [36]business. Audrey, to be sure, was giggling11 as usual. Patsie was pulling an absurd face of mock dignity, but Nellie and Claire were pleased with their new importance. Vivien, rather sulky, though submitting perforce to play second fiddle12, had patched up a temporary truce13 with Dorothy, and the pair settled side by side. Claudia, the fresh addition to the form, strolled in late and sat crocheting15 while the others talked. Lorraine, her lap full of minutes books, bristled16 with ideas.
Lily Anderson, the former head girl, had been energetic and enterprising to an extent that was really worthy17 of a wider sphere. Her standard had soared so high that the school had been quite unable to live up to it. In her excess of zeal18 she had founded too many societies, and with such strict and arduous19 rules that they would have tried the spirit of a candidate for initiation20 into some mystic Brotherhood21. Urged on by her enthusiasm, the members had made a desperate first spurt22, and then had slacked lamentably23. The records of their brief successes and subsequent fallings-off were chronicled in certain marbled-cover exercise-books. Lorraine, fresh from a perusal24 of these annals, began the meeting with a drastic suggestion.
"As things stand at present," she said, "the school seems over-weighted with societies. This is an exact list of them: 'The Research Society', 'The Poker-work Guild5', 'The Debating Society', 'The Sketching25 Club', 'The Stamp Collectors' union', 'The Post Card Guild', 'The Home [37]Reading Circle', 'The Jack26 Tar27 Club', 'The Entertainments Guild', 'The Musical union', 'The Hockey Club', 'The Cricket Club', 'The Tennis Club', 'The Badminton Club', 'The Basket-ball Club', 'The Natural History League', 'The Elocution Guild', 'The Needlecraft Society', and 'The Home Arts Guild'."
"Nineteen in all!" commented Patsie, who had been checking off the items on her fingers.
"There are far too many to keep up properly," urged Lorraine. "Every hobby we've ever had has been turned into a society. If we'd had no lessons to do, we could scarcely have managed them all, but when they must come out of our spare time it gets quite a tax. I think we mustn't be quite so ambitious this year. Suppose we let some of them drop, and concentrate on just a few."
"I'm your man!" agreed Patsie. "I always thought such heaps of societies were a grizzly29 nuisance. It got the limit when two or three girls couldn't even compare post cards without being turned into a guild. Those kids in the Second Form actually had a society for collecting stumps30 of lead pencil, and used to steal them shamelessly from any boxes that were left about in the gym. The 'guild habit' has grown into a perfect mania31 with the school."
"Best whittle32 them down," said Vivien, who had herself suffered at the hands of the too enthusiastic Lily Anderson.
[38]"Which do you propose to shelve and which to keep?" asked Dorothy.
Lorraine opened the biggest and fattest exercise book.
"This is 'The Gables Guild'," she explained, "a sort of foundation society that includes all the others as branches. Miss Kingsley is the patron, and she has written on the first page:
'A union FOR SELF-CULTURE AND
PHILANTHROPY
Motto:—Being and Doing'."
"Oh, goodness! What does that mean? I'm a duffer at long words," protested Audrey. "Can't you put it into English?"
"Well, it means we've got to do something for ourselves and something for other people too."
"That's simpler."
"We've plenty to choose from out of nineteen branches," said Nellie.
"Don't you think it would hit the mark if we had a Games Club to include hockey, cricket, and tennis, an Entertainments Club to get up plays and concerts, and a Nature Study union that could absorb the Research Society and the Natural History League both together. These would be for ourselves. Then for the 'Philanthropy' side, we could keep on the Jack Tar Club, and let the Needlework Society and the Home Arts Guild send anything they make to that."
[39]"It's to give Christmas presents to the sailors and their wives and children. We packed off a huge big box to Portsmouth last year. Lily Anderson and Lottie Watson and Helen Stanley made some gorgeous things, and revelled33 in doing them."
"And the rest of us toiled34 and groaned35 and grumbled36, and ended by borrowing and begging from our long-suffering relations," twinkled Patsie. "Don't think you'll keep that crochet edging for yourself, Dame37 Claudia! It'll be commandeered to go round a tray-cloth for a Mrs. Jack Tar!"
"I shall probably never finish enough of it even to edge a d'oyley," admitted Claudia calmly.
"Look here, this is side-tracking!" said Lorraine, rapping her pencil on the desk. "Please to remember that this is a Committee Meeting, and you must speak to the Chair. Won't anybody make a proposition?"
"I propose that we have what you've just suggested, then: a 'Games Club', an 'Entertainments Club', a 'Nature Study union' and the 'Jack Tar Club'," said Dorothy.
"And quite enough, too," murmured Patsie.
"I'll second it!" declared Nellie.
"I'd like to add an amendment38," said Lorraine. "I want to suggest that we have a School Social every month, where we can show specimens39 and drawings and photos."
Vivien pulled a face of discouragement.
"We've got enough on," she urged. "Leave us our Saturdays."
[40]"We needn't have them on Saturdays. They could be from four to five on Wednesdays. I think it's just what is wanted at The Gables. Day girls never get an opportunity of meeting and comparing notes, and having fun together like girls do at boarding schools. It would be a sort of party every time."
"I think it sounds ripping!" said Claire. "Stick it in with the proposition, as far as I'm concerned."
"Hands up for the amendment, then!"
Five hands went up promptly41, two doubtfully, and Vivien's hands remained on her lap—not that she really objected very much to the idea of "Socials", but she was not disposed to give in too readily to all her cousin's suggestions. The feeling that she herself ought to have occupied the presidential chair still rankled42.
Carried by a majority, however, the new scheme became law, and the committee, with an eye on the clock, and tea-time looming43 near, hurriedly settled minor44 details, appointed Wednesday fortnight for the first "Social", subject to the approval of "the powers that be"; and, having triumphantly45 concluded their business, stamped downstairs with more noise than was absolutely consistent with the dignity of monitresses—but then, the juniors had gone home, and were not there to hear.
Lorraine, highly satisfied with the results of the meeting, was determined46 to make the first "Social" a success. She had always felt strongly that there was not a sufficient bond of union among the girls at The Gables. She remembered her own days as [41]a junior, when the seniors had seemed distant and unapproachable beings, whose doings were a mystery.
"I used to long to see their collections and drawings and things," she ruminated47, "but, if I ever tried to butt48 in, I got a jolly good snub for my pains. It's going to be different now. Those youngsters shall have a chance. They can't learn unless we show them how. I don't call it sporting for the Sixth to do good work and hide it under a bushel. We'll have a nice jinky little exhibition, and encourage everybody to try and make it a bigger one next time. It'll spur the juniors on to see some of our attempts. I'll put the screw on Vivien to bring her butterflies, though I know she hates moving the cases."
Miss Kingsley heartily49 approved of the idea of the social gathering50, and smoothed the way for its adoption51 by allowing school to be suspended at half-past three instead of four o'clock on those special Wednesday afternoons. She promised to provide tables in the gymnasium for the display of specimens, and to do anything else in her power to help matters forward.
"It will give you a splendid opportunity for getting to know the younger girls," she assured Lorraine. "I'm very glad you thought of it."
Determined to make the first exhibition as representative as possible, its enthusiastic originator divided it into sections, and put up notices inviting52 contributions of all sorts from all quarters. At home she held a review of her own possible [42]exhibits and Monica's, and shook her head over them.
"I don't call ourselves a really clever family!" she acknowledged. "We plod53 along in our own way, but we don't blaze out into leather work or ribbon embroidery54 or hand-made lace."
"Mervyn made the best half of it, and it was crooked56 at that," returned Lorraine frankly57. "I shouldn't have cared to show it as a specimen40 of Forrester handicraft. I don't think any of our efforts are much of a credit to us. I vote you and I go in for Natural History instead. Let's make a collection of all the ferns in the neighbourhood. Dorothy's bringing pressed flowers, and Vivien her butterflies, but I haven't heard of anybody taking up the ferns. We'll rummage58 round on Saturday afternoon, and get all the kinds we can, and plant them in that tin dish that's under the greenhouse shelf."
"Is it to be your collection or mine?" asked Monica doubtfully.
"Don't be nasty! We'll each have one if you like. You may have the tin for yours, and I'll use that big photographic developing dish for mine. Will that content you, you spoilt baby?"
"Right oh!" conceded Monica magnanimously. "But if I do any more fretwork before the exhibition, I'm going to show it. It'll be as nice as Jill's or Greta's, you bet!"
Having decided60 upon a representative collection [43]of ferns as their pièce de résistance for the social gathering, the next and most important step was to get the specimens. Armed with baskets and trowels, Lorraine and Monica made several expeditions into the country lanes, and came home burdened with spoils. To identify their treasures was a harder task. Lorraine pored over the illustrations in Sowerby's British Ferns, and got horribly mixed between Lastrea dilatata and Athyrium Felix-fœmina.
"I know I shall put all the names wrong," she declared, "but I'll make a shot at them, anyway."
"If you want ferns," said Mervyn, who came whistling into the breakfast-room where the girls were sitting, "I know a place where there are just heaps and heaps of them—all sorts and kinds. They're top-hole!"
"Oh! Where?" exclaimed Lorraine and Monica in an excited duet.
"Down the railway cutting. They're all growing round the mouth of the tunnel. I've seen them lots of times, but I never took any notice of them before. If you like, I'll show you. There'll be just time before it gets dark."
She had never thought of the railway cutting, for it was quite in the town, and seemed a most unlikely place in which to go botanizing. They walked down through the narrow streets by the harbour, then up the steep road past the chapel62 and above the station, till they came to the high [44]palings that overlooked the line. Below them lay the entrance to the tunnel, and growing in the crevices63 of the stone wall on either side of the archway was a crop of ferns luxuriant enough amply to justify64 Mervyn's enthusiastic description.
"How absolutely topping!" exclaimed Lorraine, scaling the palings with scant65 consideration for her skirt and less for her fingers. "Shall I help you, Cuckoo? Look out for splinters!"
But Monica's long legs already dangled66 on the far side, and she dropped successfully if painfully into a clump67 of thistles, and followed her brother down the bank.
There was no doubt about the excellence68 of the ferns, but they had one disadvantage; like most botanical specimens of any value, the best and finest grew out of reach. There was nothing for it but to climb the wall. They had all three mounted up some distance, and were busily pulling at roots, when a stern voice suddenly sounded in their ears.
"What are you doing up there? Get down at once!"
Lorraine was so startled that she lost her footing, and descended69 with more speed than elegance70, tumbling indeed almost into the arms of their indignant questioner. He eyed her suspiciously, and turned to Mervyn and Monica, who had come down with greater caution.
"Now you three've got to give an account of yourselves," he proclaimed. "I'm a special constable71, and I want to know what you're doing on the railway line at the mouth of a tunnel."
[45]"We were doing no harm," answered Mervyn, "only getting a few ferns."
"Oh, I dare say! And what else? This is a military area, and trespassing72 on the railway line, and especially loitering in the vicinity of a tunnel, comes under the heading of an offence against the realm. I shall have to report it. Give me your names and addresses."
The three young Forresters looked at one another in dismay.
"This is absurd!" burst out Lorraine. "We came to get a few ferns, that's all. They're wild, and surely taking a root or two isn't an offence against the realm?"
"You've been found in a forbidden area in a military zone," returned the special constable pompously73. "I'm stationed here to guard the tunnel, and I shall report you. If you don't give me your names and addresses, I shall have to arrest you."
Very unwillingly74 the Forresters complied, and watched the incriminating details being jotted75 down in an official notebook.
"Our father is a town councillor," ventured Lorraine, hoping for vicarious favour.
"That makes it so much the worse, for you ought to know better," was the uncompromising reply. "Take yourselves off at once, and mind you never come trespassing here again!"
Crestfallen76, but trying to preserve the family dignity, the Forresters beat a retreat. They scorned to run, and walked leisurely77 up the bank, while the special constable covered them with his eye. [46]Monica had an uneasy suspicion that they might also be covered with a revolver, and, though she would not for worlds have shown a qualm of fear before Mervyn, she was nevertheless considerably78 relieved when she found herself upon the safe side of the fence.
"Strafe the old chap and his jaw-wag!" exploded Mervyn. "A nice mess he's got us into with his fussy79 interference!"
"Do you think he'll really report us?" asked Lorraine anxiously.
Her spirits were down at zero. Her father was strict, and would be very angry with them for getting into trouble. A scene at home loomed80 large on the horizon. In imagination she saw the affair reported in the local newspaper. A nice position truly for the head girl at The Gables to begin the new term by covering herself with disgrace.
Mervyn strode along whistling with amused sang-froid, but inwardly absorbed in unpleasant contemplation. Monica clutched the fern basket half-defiantly.
Rounding a corner suddenly, they nearly collided with a thin little gentleman who was coming uphill at top speed.
"So sorry!" apologized Lorraine. "Why, it's Uncle Barton! Where are you going, Uncle?"
"On special constable duty, worse luck, for it's a damp evening, and I've a bad cold in the head," he replied. "But I've got to relieve somebody else."
[47]An inspiration struck Lorraine.
"Are you going to the railway cutting? Oh, Uncle! We've just had such a hullabaloo down there. Could you possibly help us out of it?"
Mr. Barton Forrester listened with a twinkle in his eye to his niece's graphic59 account of their adventure, and promised his moral support.
"It's Winston-Jones on duty there," he commented. "I know him, so I'll do my best to convince him that none of you are German spies or dangerous incendiaries. Cheer up! They won't hale you off to prison this time. I expect I can put matters straight, and you'll hear no more about it. But remember the railway is taboo81 for the future. We can't allow even botanists82 to be straying about near tunnels in a military zone."
"We won't so much as lean over the palings. Thanks most immensely, Uncle! You're an absolute angel!"
"I wish I had wings to waft83 me up the hill. I'm deficient84 in leg power to-night," coughed Mr. Barton Forrester. "No, I won't kiss you, Monica—you'd catch my cold. Good-bye, all three of you! I'll have a talk with Winston-Jones, and persuade him to wipe off that black score against your names."
"I always said Uncle Barton was a trump," murmured Monica, as the three sinners, vastly relieved, went on their way.
"He's an absolute sport," agreed Mervyn with enthusiasm.
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1
pervades
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| v.遍及，弥漫( pervade的第三人称单数 ) | |
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exodus
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| v.大批离去，成群外出 | |
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wrestle
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| vi.摔跤，角力；搏斗；全力对付 | |
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virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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guild
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| n.行会，同业公会，协会 | |
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guilds
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| 行会，同业公会，协会( guild的名词复数 ) | |
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curtail
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| vt.截短，缩短；削减 | |
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discretion
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| n.谨慎；随意处理 | |
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supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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referee
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| n.裁判员．仲裁人，代表人，鉴定人 | |
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giggling
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| v.咯咯地笑( giggle的现在分词 ) | |
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fiddle
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| n.小提琴；vi.拉提琴；不停拨弄，乱动 | |
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truce
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| n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束 | |
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crochet
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| n.钩针织物；v.用钩针编制 | |
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crocheting
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| v.用钩针编织( crochet的现在分词 )；钩编 | |
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bristled
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| adj. 直立的，多刺毛的 动词bristle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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zeal
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| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
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arduous
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| adj.艰苦的，费力的，陡峭的 | |
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initiation
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| n.开始 | |
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brotherhood
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| n.兄弟般的关系，手中情谊 | |
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spurt
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| v.喷出；突然进发；突然兴隆 | |
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lamentably
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| adv.哀伤地，拙劣地 | |
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perusal
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| n.细读，熟读；目测 | |
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sketching
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| n.草图 | |
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jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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tar
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| n.柏油，焦油；vt.涂或浇柏油/焦油于 | |
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sagely
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grizzly
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| adj.略为灰色的，呈灰色的；n.灰色大熊 | |
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stumps
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| （被砍下的树的）树桩( stump的名词复数 )； 残肢； （板球三柱门的）柱； 残余部分 | |
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mania
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| n.疯狂；躁狂症，狂热，癖好 | |
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whittle
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| v.削（木头），削减；n.屠刀 | |
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revelled
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| v.作乐( revel的过去式和过去分词 )；狂欢；着迷；陶醉 | |
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toiled
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| 长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的过去式和过去分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉 | |
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groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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grumbled
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| 抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
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dame
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| n.女士 | |
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amendment
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| n.改正，修正，改善，修正案 | |
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specimens
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| n.样品( specimen的名词复数 )；范例；（化验的）抽样；某种类型的人 | |
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specimen
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| n.样本，标本 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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rankled
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| v.（使）痛苦不已，（使）怨恨不已( rankle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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looming
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| n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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minor
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| adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修 | |
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triumphantly
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| ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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ruminated
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| v.沉思( ruminate的过去式和过去分词 )；反复考虑；反刍；倒嚼 | |
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butt
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| n.笑柄；烟蒂；枪托；臀部；v.用头撞或顶 | |
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heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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adoption
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| n.采用，采纳，通过；收养 | |
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inviting
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| adj.诱人的，引人注目的 | |
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53
plod
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| v.沉重缓慢地走，孜孜地工作 | |
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embroidery
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| n.绣花，刺绣；绣制品 | |
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nettled
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| v.拿荨麻打，拿荨麻刺（nettle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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56
crooked
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| adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的 | |
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frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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rummage
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| v./n.翻寻，仔细检查 | |
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graphic
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| adj.生动的，形象的，绘画的，文字的，图表的 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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mascot
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chapel
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| n.小教堂，殡仪馆 | |
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crevices
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| n.（尤指岩石的）裂缝，缺口( crevice的名词复数 ) | |
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justify
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| vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护 | |
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scant
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| adj.不充分的，不足的；v.减缩，限制，忽略 | |
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66
dangled
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| 悬吊着( dangle的过去式和过去分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口 | |
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67
clump
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| n.树丛，草丛；vi.用沉重的脚步行走 | |
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68
excellence
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| n.优秀，杰出，(pl.)优点，美德 | |
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69
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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70
elegance
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| n.优雅；优美，雅致；精致，巧妙 | |
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71
constable
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| n.(英国)警察，警官 | |
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72
trespassing
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| [法]非法入侵 | |
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73
pompously
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| adv.傲慢地，盛大壮观地；大模大样 | |
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unwillingly
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| adv.不情愿地 | |
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75
jotted
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| v.匆忙记下( jot的过去式和过去分词 )；草草记下，匆匆记下 | |
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76
crestfallen
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| adj. 挫败的，失望的，沮丧的 | |
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77
leisurely
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| adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的 | |
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78
considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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79
fussy
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| adj.为琐事担忧的，过分装饰的，爱挑剔的 | |
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loomed
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| v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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81
taboo
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| n.禁忌，禁止接近，禁止使用；adj.禁忌的；v.禁忌，禁制，禁止 | |
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82
botanists
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| n.植物学家，研究植物的人( botanist的名词复数 ) | |
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83
waft
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| v.飘浮，飘荡；n.一股；一阵微风；飘荡 | |
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84
deficient
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| adj.不足的，不充份的，有缺陷的 | |
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