CHAPTER XXVII.

The school walk-Mrs. Toogood's order to Theodora-What had become of the club rules?—Greenway Common--Theodora's useless opposition—The girls persist in going to Upton-Alarming warning from Mrs. Toogood.

VERYBODY knows the way in. which, at boarding-schools, the girls walk out in pairs, usually the most intimate friends falling together by mutual consent, and thus finding another opportunity of indulging in those never-ending confidences in which girls delight. Generally, on these occasions, Miss Terry wound up the double file accompanied by some select companion, her choice for the day; chosen as an especial favour, but usually submitted to by the victim with a great many grimaces behind Miss Terry's back. Theodora Astley would lead the van, accompanied by one of the smaller children. Formerly Florence Leigh had been in the habit of walking with her; but now all this was changed. Florence and Isabel were walking companions; and Theodora would take little Bertha Lloyd, who had always continued

her firm little friend, and who was never tired of hearing her talk of Edith and Alice, Willy, Georgy, and the baby.

Now it happened, on a very hot day this summer, that Miss Terry did not feel very well, or at least she was indisposed for walking, and excused herself to Mrs. Toogood. This latter lady seemed to think it a pity so fine a day should be lost; and summoning Theodora to her sitting-room, she, in the presence of Miss Terry, mentioned that lady's indisposition, Miss Terry enforcing the idea by immediately placing her handkerchief to her forehead and giving forth a groan.

'I know I can trust you, Miss Astley,' observed Mrs. Toogood, to enforce my wishes upon the young ladies. I only wish to remind you under no circumstances whatever to leave your charge.'

Miss Terry gave a sniff, indicative of the fact that she, under the same circumstances, would not be at all disposed to trust Theodora; but Mrs. Toogood merely glanced at her, and Theodora took no notice whatever, but keeping her attention fixed upon Mrs. Toogood, she answered

'I will endeavour to do so, ma'am. I promise you, in any case, I will not leave the young ladies.'

She could not help wondering why Mrs. Toogood had even dreamt of her leaving the girls under her charge; but she supposed rightly that it was through some suggestion on the part of Miss Terry that such an idea had occurred to their superior.

The School Walk.

215

There was something comical in a girl of Theodora's age being sent out in charge of other girls as old and some of them bigger than herself; it was like what we sometimes see a baby of four or five carrying a fat baby of two, who flows over on all sides of its nurse, and seems larger than the child who carries it. Perhaps some such idea occurred to Mrs. Toogood, for she said

'You had best go across Greenway Common and nowhere else, Miss Astley. It seems a pity to lose so lovely a day as it is; and I am sure the young ladies will comport themselves with decorum.'

Theodora left Mrs. Toogood's presence with the sound of Miss Terry's purring approval of that lady's sentiments in her ears; and, upon entering the schoolroom, she announced

'Miss Terry has a headache, or some other ache, and cannot go out walking; and Mrs. Toogood says, I am to go in her place; so, will you please all get ready?'

'There's a new head teacher!' exclaimed Sarah Hawkhurst. I shouldn't wonder if she were to take Terry's place altogether, after a bit. So she's to take care of us innocent chickens out walking! I say, Howard, isn't that fun ?'

And Sarah Hawkhurst made to Theodora a deep mocking curtsey, which was followed up by every girl almost in the schoolroom.

Florence Leigh, however, declared her intention of remaining at home. Such a choice was allowed to girls as old as herself; and Theodora hoped that Isabel

Howard might follow her example, and remain with her new friend; but Isabel showed no such inclination. She skipped off to her room to prepare for walking, saying first, Hawkhurst, you and I will walk together.'

The rule of the club, like many other of its rules, against calling the girls by their surnames, had fallen almost into oblivion; and Florence Leigh, although the habit still jarred as much as ever upon her sense of what was refined and ladylike, was too much a coward to protest openly against the practice; and even in private her objections were now so faint that no one hesitated, not even her friend Isabel Howard, in breaking the club rules in her presence. The paper upon which they had been so carefully written, with so much form. and appearance of business, had even been displaced from the wall where it had been hung, and Theodora came across it one day thrown aside in one of the general lockers of the schoolroom. She could not help hanging it up in its old place, where it remained for the school hours as a silent reproach to Florence Leigh, whom Theodora suspected as the culprit who eventually removed and destroyed it, for Theodora never saw it again.

The procession of girls, headed by Isabel Howard and Sarah Hawkhurst, and wound up by Theodora and a little one, left Prospect House in a very orderly way; for Mrs. Toogood was watching their departure from the drawing-room window.

'Across Greenway Common,' Theodora had said, as the girls passed her two and two.

Disobedience of Orders.

217

Isabel Howard looked back and laughed impudently, and said, 'Very well, ma'am; thank you, ma'am,' and then she and Sarah Hawkhurst had whispered and giggled together; so that Theodora had an uncomfortable feeling at starting.

Before coming to Greenway Common, there were cross roads, one of which led straight into the neighbouring town, which was about a mile from Prospect House, and was called Upton. Theodora had almost forgotten the whispering and giggling of the elder girls by the time they arrived at these cross roads; and she was quite unprepared for a sudden stop on the part of Isabel Howard and her companion, and the declaration—

'We are going into the town. We shan't have such an opportunity again. It is of no use your saying anything, Astley, for you are nobody; you are only an under scrub, and we shall none of us obey you.'

Theodora walked to where Isabel stood.

'Miss Howard,' said she, 'it is not I whom you have to attend to; but, remember, I am in Miss Terry's place, and Mrs. Toogood has ordered me to go across Greenway Common, and nowhere else. I beg of you to obey her orders.'

'You may obey her orders, if you are so particular. You can walk across Greenway Common all by yourself for the rest of the afternoon; but we shall do as we please, which is to go into the town,' and Isabel shouted with laughter.

Her shout was rudely echoed by Sarah Hawkhurst and