A week later, Rosemary, trailing clouds of glory in the family estimation, departed for the classic precincts of the College of Music, and Lorraine, left behind, shook off the atmosphere of detachment which always pervades¹ an exodus², and focused her full mind and energies upon The Gables. It was no light thing to be chosen as head girl. Miss Kingsley, in that private talk in the study, had urged the responsibility as well as the honour of the office. Lorraine did not mean to disappoint her if she could help it. She set to work at once to wrestle³ with the problem of an autumn programme for the school. In virtue⁴ of her office she was president of all the various existing guilds⁶ and societies, and had the power to enlarge, curtail⁷, or reorganize at her discretion⁸. Although in a sense she was supreme⁹ referee¹⁰, she had no desire to ride rough-shod over the general wishes, so, as a preliminary to any proposed changes, she called a monitresses' meeting.  
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.
 
"Rather stiff for a school of forty girls!" nodded Dorothy sagely²⁸.
 
"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."
 
"What's the 'Jack Tar Club', please?" asked Claudia, looking up from her crochet¹⁴.
 
[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."
 
"What about my fretwork basket for Rosemary?" demanded Monica, rather nettled⁵⁵.
 
"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."
 
"We'll come now," said Lorraine, running to fetch hat and coat. "You're a mascot⁶¹, Mervyn!"
 
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.