E. E. OHLSON
 
 Ex Libris 
 C. K. 0DEN
 
 AT BRIGHTON 
 
 E. E. OHLSON 
 
 Illustrated by 
 A. McWHOR 
 
 THOMAS NELSON AND SONS, LTD. 
 
 London, Edinburgh, Paris, Melbourne 
 
 Toronto, and New "York
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 I. PIPPA EXPLAINS 5 
 
 II. THE PRIVATE VIEW 27 
 
 III. THE ARRIVAL AT BRIGHTON .... 44 
 
 IV. THE FIRST DAY 62 
 
 V. LIFE AT SCHOOL 79 
 
 VI. UNCLE PHILIP'S TREAT 96 
 
 VII. THE CONCERT PARTY 115 
 
 VIII. THE HALF-TERM HOLIDAY . . . .131 
 
 IX. ADVENTURE AT DIEPPE 153 
 
 X. THE END OF THE HOLIDAY . . . .170 
 
 XI. As You LIKE IT 190 
 
 XII. Miss LAVENDER'S BIRTHDAY AND END OF 
 
 TERM 209 
 
 iij 
 
 1824737
 
 w/ilbn 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 PIPPA EXPLAINS 
 
 MY name is Philippa after Uncle Philip ; 
 as snuffy and disagreeable an old gentle- 
 man as I ever met and they call me Pippa, for 
 short. It sounds rather like the nasty parts of
 
 6 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 an orange, but Father says it was the name of 
 a girl in a poem written by a person called 
 Browning, in the far, dim ages when Victoria 
 was Queen. 
 
 I am not very old myself, being a thought 
 under fourteen, but then I'm a Girl Guide, and 
 very intelligent, even for a Guide. Oh, and I 
 may as well say at the beginning that this is a 
 human document. I am writing it in tears and 
 blood so to speak and I shall lock it up in 
 my desk, where the family will find it after my 
 death. Then they'll be sorry. They'll wish 
 they had been nicer to me while I was yet 
 alive. 
 
 For, in the time before I went to school, they 
 were not nice to me and that's the truth. All 
 my efforts to please were unavailing. I did my 
 good Guide deed every day for the benefit of 
 other people, and what was the result ? 
 Did my parents smile on me and reward me ? 
 Did my brothers and sisters vie with each other 
 in praise of my devotion ? They did not. 
 They merely remarked, when they discovered 
 what I had done for them, " Really, that child 
 ought to be sent to school. She is growing 
 unbearable." 
 
 I remember the time when I thought to give
 
 PIPPA EXPLAINS 7 
 
 them all a treat for breakfast, and got up early 
 to make an omelette. You might have thought 
 I had got up early to commit a murder. Cook 
 was not a bit polite to me when she got down 
 and found out what I had been doing. I won't 
 say the kitchen didn't get in a mess, but then, 
 everybody knows that eggs are messy things. 
 I meant them to go into the basin as I cracked 
 them, of course, and in what way could it 
 be said to be my fault when they all jumped 
 away from me and spread themselves on the 
 floor? 
 
 I persevered until there wasn't an egg left, 
 and any one with really nice feelings would have 
 taken the will for the deed. But not my family 
 oh, no ! I will not sully my pen by writing 
 down their remarks. 
 
 Then there was the time Aunt Florence came 
 to stay, and I exerted myself to give her a good 
 time. No one else seemed to mind if she enjoyed 
 herself or not. I simply exhausted myself on 
 her behalf, fetching and carrying, and matching 
 her wool. Well, it didn't really match, but I 
 thought it was near enough. Auntie seemed 
 vexed about it, so I offered to go to the theatre 
 with her that afternoon. She refused this well- 
 meant proposal, and made the usual silly remark
 
 8 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 about wondering why my parents didn't send me 
 
 to school. 
 
 " They can't afford it," I told her. 
 
 " Oh, if that's all . . ." began Auntie, and 
 her hand strayed towards her pocket. 
 
 " Don't think of it," I said hastily. ' They 
 wouldn't think of parting with me. I'm the 
 apple of their eye." 
 
 Aunt Florence looked so surprised at this that 
 I was offended. But only for the time, because 
 I'm a very sweet-tempered girl and love every- 
 body. 
 
 " I must try and do a good turn to Aunt 
 Florrie," I thought. Very soon an oppor- 
 tunity came. Running downstairs, bright and 
 early, next morning, I noticed Auntie's shoes 
 standing outside her door. They were the 
 brown ones she had been walking in the day 
 before, and needed cleaning. At once I 
 carried them down to the scullery, which was 
 empty. 
 
 " I'll do her shoes for her, poor old dear," I 
 said to myself, as I reached down the blacking- 
 pot and put a large dollop of blacking on a shoe. 
 Of course, it was thoughtless of me. I ought 
 to have remembered to use the brown paste. 
 But I think my good intentions might have been
 
 PIPPA EXPLAINS 9 
 
 taken into account when they talked about it 
 afterwards. 
 
 " Hallo ! Pippa h|en passing again," said 
 Father, when they told him. 
 
 He said that, among other things, a little 
 later, when I tried to give him a pleasant sur- 
 prise by washing out all his pipes. I made 
 them look beautifully clean, and any man with 
 a grateful nature would have thanked me. My 
 father did not thank me. He used language 
 which shocked me. I do think that elderly 
 people ought to be more careful about what 
 they say before the young. 
 
 But, of all my good deeds, the best and the 
 most unselfish was when I tried to give the 
 whole family a lift by getting Muriel married 
 to a millionaire. 
 
 Muriel is my eldest sister. I have heard her 
 called pretty, but I never saw any beauty in 
 her myself. And she is quite old or, rather, 
 middle-aged twenty-two on her next birth- 
 day. I was beginning to be afraid that she 
 would never go off, when Mr. Ephraim Woolley 
 appeared on the scene. 
 
 Yes, I know there was Charlie as well. 
 There always had been Charlie ever since I 
 could remember. Charlie was devoted to
 
 io PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 Muriel, and I suspected that she liked him 
 too. He was good-looking and not more than 
 twenty-five, but as poor as a church mouse. 
 Just painted pictures that nobody bought, and 
 wanted to be engaged to Muriel. 
 
 I happened to be on the window-seat, behind 
 the curtains in the library, when he was talking 
 to Daddy about it. Daddy took a very sensible 
 view of the matter. 
 
 " No, my dear boy," he said, quite kindly, " I 
 can't give you my little girl just yet, while your 
 prospects are so uncertain. But don't be dis- 
 couraged. Work away, and if your picture gets 
 into the Academy in the spring, and is sold, then 
 I'll begin to think about the engagement." 
 
 ' That's all I ask, sir," said Charlie, beam- 
 ing at Father. And he went on talking about 
 Muriel in a way that made me feel sick called 
 her his Inspiration and his Star, and things of 
 that kind. Daddy put up with him very 
 patiently, but I was glad when they both went 
 out and I could leave the window-seat with 
 impunity. 
 
 I went back to the schoolroom quite meekly, 
 thinking over the course of events, and Miss 
 Brentwood seized me and made me write out 
 two irregular French verbs for being late for
 
 PIPPA EXPLAINS ii 
 
 lessons. Miss Brentwood was my governess, 
 poor thing. Once I did her a good turn but 
 that's another story. 
 
 The next day mother had an afternoon party, 
 and I went in with Miss Brentwood, and made 
 myself as agreeable and helpful as she would 
 let me. She was rather stuffy, and wanted me 
 to sit still and only speak when I was spoken to, 
 but I didn't see the fun of that. Besides, I was 
 rather behindhand with my good deeds. So I 
 edged away from Miss Brentwood when she 
 was talking to somebody else, and went round 
 with a plate of cake. Nobody took any, but I 
 ate several slices myself, and it was quite good. 
 
 " And whose little maid are you ? " asked a 
 stout old gentleman in goggles, when I offered 
 him the cake. 
 
 " Nobody's," I answered, as well as I could 
 with my mouth full. " Whose little boy are 
 you ? " 
 
 He laughed in a spluttery sort of way, and 
 tried to pinch my cheek, but I was too quick 
 for him, and retreated to the table to finish the 
 cake. At that moment Mummie came smiling 
 up, looking as if she couldn't help being pleasant 
 if she tried. 
 
 " I must introduce you to my youngest
 
 12 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 daughter, Mr. Woolley," she said. " Philippa, 
 darling, come here and shake hands." 
 
 Instantly I stopped eating, and shook hands 
 with the old gentleman in my best society manner. 
 I even let him pat my head. 
 
 " Fond of cake ? " he inquired benevolently. 
 
 " Not particularly," I answered. " I prefer 
 chocolates, but it's so seldom that any one gives 
 me any, that I have to put up with what I can 
 get." ' 
 
 He grinned. " I'll send you some," he 
 promised. " A large box, addressed to you." 
 
 " Oh, thank you. Be sure you put Philippa on 
 it, or else Muriel will get it, and she and Nita 
 would eat them all. They're horribly greedy." 
 
 " Well, shall I send them some too ? " 
 
 " Don't," I begged. " It would be a pity to 
 skimp mine. They're too old for such things. 
 Will the chocolates come to-morrow ? " 
 
 " Certainly." 
 
 " You're not a Boy Scout, are you ? " I asked. 
 " Because, if you were, the chocs would do for 
 your good deed, and that would be off your mind 
 for the day." 
 
 " I don't understand what you are talking 
 about," he said. " What, exactly, is a Boy 
 Scout ? "
 
 " And whose little maid are you ? " 
 
 " Oh, just the same as a Girl Guide, only a 
 boy, of course, so it's much jollier." 
 
 " Well, well, I'm afraid I'm too old now, but 
 I'll send the bon-bons to-morrow." 
 
 I sighed. " You must be rich," I said. 
 
 13
 
 i 4 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 Just then Muriel came up, and he left off 
 talking to me and seemed to forget me completely. 
 I took a plate of sugary biscuits, and went round 
 with it. Result, same as with the cake. 
 
 I was beginning to feel sickish by the time 
 every one had gone, and Mummie and the girls 
 drew up round the fire to discuss their guests. 
 I did not want to go upstairs to the schoolroom, 
 so I sat down on the other side of the screen, 
 and listened languidly. 
 
 " Not a bad gathering on the whole," said 
 Mummie. And Nita yawned, and said she was 
 thankful it was over. 
 
 " I'm sure I hope they all enjoyed them- 
 selves," went on Mummie. " I did try to talk 
 to every one. You might have been a little 
 more gracious to Mr. Woolley, Muriel." 
 
 " Why might I ? " asked Muriel. 
 
 ' Well, you know, he's very rich " 
 
 " Oh, yes, I've heard of his wealth. Charlie 
 says he's a millionaire." 
 
 " Poor old Charlie. He'll never be a million- 
 aire/' observed Nita. 
 
 ' Well, I should hope not," said Muriel, and 
 shut her mouth with a snap. 
 
 It occurred to me that the greedies downstairs 
 might not have eaten quite all the ices, so I stole
 
 PIPPA EXPLAINS 15 
 
 out of the room and went to see. But I was 
 too late ; not one was left. 
 
 I went to find Miss Brentwood in a thoughtful 
 frame of mind, for I felt something ought to be 
 done, and that I was the person to do it. Fortunes 
 were lying at our feet, but I knew that I was the 
 only one of this family who would trouble to pick 
 them up. A little encouragement would secure 
 Mr. Woolley for Muriel, and, but for Charlie, 
 she might have married him. Endless vistas 
 of boxes of chocolates loomed before me. What 
 could I do ? 
 
 At last a bright idea dawned in my mind. 
 Suppose I married Charlie myself, to keep him 
 out of harm's way ? It was a great sacrifice on 
 my part, for I had not the least desire to marry 
 anybody ; and, of course, I was rather young for 
 matrimony. But a dauntless and resolute Girl 
 Guide will stick at nothing for the benefit of other 
 people ; and I resolved to tackle Charlie at once. 
 
 An opportunity came that very evening, when 
 Mummie and the girls had gone to a concert 
 and I was supposed to be doing my homework 
 in the schoolroom. I say " supposed," for my 
 thoughts were wandering far afield and my 
 brain was busy concocting schemes on behalf 
 of an unworthy set of relatives.
 
 16 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 The front door bell rang, and, hanging over 
 the staircase to see who it was, I heard Janet, 
 our housemaid, tell Charlie that no one was at 
 home. I flew down the stairs and rushed at 
 Charlie and dragged him in. 
 
 " I'm at home," I said, " and you're just the 
 person I wanted to see. Come in at once. I've 
 something most important to tell you." 
 
 I got him into the dining-room and shut the 
 door. 
 
 " Now then, you imp of sin, what's the 
 matter ? " he said. " Be quick, for I've got an 
 engagement." 
 
 " Not yet, but you will have in a minute," I 
 answered, calmly ignoring his disgraceful mode 
 of addressing me. " Listen to me, Charlie ; 
 I know that you want to marry into this 
 family " 
 
 " Oh, you know that, do you ? " he said 
 sneeringly. " And, pray, who told you ? " 
 
 "I'm the most intelligent Guide in the 
 Company, and don't require telling. How 
 should you like to marry an intelligent Guide, 
 Charlie ? " 
 
 " I should hate it," he said rudely. 
 
 But, for the sake of others, I was prepared to 
 pass over his insolence. 
 
 (4,361)
 
 PIPPA EXPLAINS 17 
 
 " It can't matter much to you, Charlie, 
 whether you marry me or Muriel " 
 
 " What ? " he shouted, without waiting for 
 me to finish. 
 
 " Don't get excited," I begged. " It would 
 be a very great honour for you to wed one who is 
 the head of her Company, and though I haven't 
 the smallest inclination towards marriage, and 
 I don't suppose they would even let me be 
 engaged yet, still, for the sake of the rest of 
 them ..." and I looked him steadily in the 
 face. 
 
 Charlie returned my stare in amazed silence. 
 I thought that he was overcome with joy at the 
 prospect before him, but, after a minute, he 
 doubled up in an armchair and yelled with 
 laughter. It is hard to have your strenuous 
 efforts on behalf of humanity laughed at. 
 
 " In what way," gurgled Charlie helplessly, 
 when he was able to speak, " in what way, I 
 should like to know, would your scheme benefit 
 your family ? " 
 
 " It would enable Muriel to marry Mr. 
 Woolley in peace and comfort. You told me 
 yourself, Charlie, that he was a millionaire." 
 
 Charlie got out of the armchair and straight- 
 ened himself. 
 
 (4,361) 2
 
 i8 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 " Now, look here, little one, you toddle up- 
 stairs to bed, and try to mind your own business. 
 Good-night," he said. 
 
 But I wanted to be sure of my position. " Am 
 I to consider myself engaged, Charlie ? ' 
 wanted to know. 
 
 " No," said he, and went out, and slammed 
 the door. 
 
 I thought he didn't seem quite pleased, but I 
 had done my best for all parties, and went to 
 sleep with a conscience at rest. 
 
 I was down in the hall when the postman 
 knocked next morning, for I thought Mr. 
 Woolley's chocolates might come by post. But 
 they didn't. A special messenger brought them 
 later in the morning a lovely large box of 
 melting beauties, addressed to me. I took them 
 up to my room and, as I ate them slowly, I 
 meditated schemes which should make the 
 generous donor my brother-in-law. 
 
 I remembered that Father had said that he 
 would give his consent to Muriel's engagement 
 to Charlie if his picture was accepted and sold ; 
 and I could not help hoping that the Academy 
 would send the thing back or, anyhow, that 
 nobody would buy it. 
 
 " That would be a calamity," said I, as I
 
 / thought that he was overcome with joy. 
 
 crunched a delicious almond. " I must do what 
 I can to prevent it." 
 
 I did not eat all the chocolates, because there 
 were so many of them, but Mummie remarked 
 at lunch on my want of appetite. 
 
 ' You look quite ill, Pippa, dear," she said 
 anxiously. 
 
 19
 
 20 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 I felt quite ill, but squelched down my agony, 
 as every valiant Girl Guide would in similar 
 circumstances, and gave a sickly smile. 
 
 " I am not up to the mark, Mummie," I said. 
 " Need I do any lessons this afternoon ? " 
 
 " Oh, no, darling. Ask Miss Brentwood to 
 give you a holiday." 
 
 I thanked her meekly, and sat silent while 
 the others talked about what they were going 
 to do that afternoon. 
 
 " And we mustn't forget Charlie," said 
 Mummie. " I promised to look in at the 
 studio this afternoon, and see the great picture 
 before it goes to the framer's." 
 
 I pricked up my ears and wished that I felt 
 more active. 
 
 " I'll come with you, Mummie," said Muriel 
 with a blush that made her look silly. " The 
 picture is perfectly beautiful ; it will make him 
 famous. Shall you come, Nita ? " 
 
 " I'll see about it." 
 
 " I think," I said faintly, " that I shall be 
 quite well by four o'clock." 
 
 ' Why, do you want to see the picture ? " 
 said Mother, laughing. "I did not know that 
 you cared for Art, Pippa." 
 
 But she did not say that I was not to go.
 
 PIPPA EXPLAINS 21 
 
 So, at half-past three, as I felt considerably 
 better, I thought I would get dressed and see if 
 they would take me. But as I opened the 
 wardrobe and dragged out my best coat and 
 skirt, a sudden impulse seized me to cast it on 
 the ground and get into my Guide's uniform. 
 I felt, somehow, that that would be more appro- 
 priate, for, though I could not think what I had 
 better do, I had no doubt that the time had come 
 for me to act. 
 
 I found that Mummie and the girls had 
 started without me, but I was rather glad of 
 that, for they make a fuss about the uniform. 
 They say they don't like to be seen out with it, 
 and very often send me to change it. They 
 cannot understand the finer feelings of a 
 Guide. 
 
 I determined to go on to the studio by myself. 
 I knew well enough where it was, for I had often 
 been there before, and I thought that if a good 
 many people were present I could easily skulk 
 about without attracting notice. 
 
 I arrived breathless, having run all the way, 
 and bounded up the stairs. I peeped in at the 
 open door. It was as I had imagined. The 
 room was crowded with people, who were all 
 talking together and making a great noise. I
 
 22 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 could not see my own family, but Mr. Woolley 
 was there, chatting with Charlie up in a 
 corner. 
 
 A group of people stood by a large picture 
 stuck up in the centre of the room. " Isn't it 
 sweet ? " said one silly woman to another equally 
 silly. " And exactly like dear Muriel." 
 
 I stole a glance at the picture, and saw that 
 she was quite wrong. The girl in the picture 
 was sweetly pretty, and I mentioned before that 
 Muriel was rather plain. 
 
 I fixed my gaze on Charlie and Mr. Woolley. 
 They seemed quite friendly, but, of course, I 
 knew that they were deadly rivals, and their 
 hearts must have been filled with thoughts of 
 cold poison and moonlight stabs. However, 
 I thought I would like to know what they were 
 talking about, so I crept between the easels and 
 curtains and screens until I was near enough to 
 hear their conversation. 
 
 " It's a splendid picture," Mr. Woolley was 
 saying. " I intend to buy it, if I've money 
 enough, and you must name your own price." 
 
 I gasped in dismay. Here was a pretty kettle 
 of fish. Charlie was blushing, and stammering, 
 and mumbling like a fool ; and there was the 
 deadly rival patting him on the back and telling
 
 PIPPA EXPLAINS 23 
 
 him that he was the " coming man." I nearly 
 fainted, but the uniform I wore kept me together, 
 as it always did when I had pulled the belt rather 
 tight. 
 
 Mr. Woolley must be saved from the conse- 
 quences of his generosity. Naturally he could 
 not know that in buying the picture he was 
 simply throwing Muriel into Charlie's arms. 
 He should be prevented from doing such a 
 thing. But how ? 
 
 At this moment the strong clasp-knife that 
 Girl Guides always carry in case of emergency 
 wriggled out of my pocket and fell on the floor. 
 I picked it up with exultation, for now I knew 
 how the situation was to be saved. Then I hid 
 myself in a dark secluded corner, and bided my 
 time. 
 
 Crowds came and went, and other crowds 
 came in, but Mother and the girls did not 
 appear. Mr. Woolley was the last to go, and 
 Charlie went with him downstairs. Before he 
 went, he lifted the picture from the easel, and 
 stood it on the ground with its face to the wall. 
 The room was beginning to grow dark. Only 
 the flickering flames of the fire lighted it up in 
 an uncanny way. 
 
 When I was alone I opened my trusty blade
 
 24 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 and crawled to the picture with its face to the 
 wall. Without waiting to turn it round, I 
 thrust the knife through the canvas, and slit it 
 from top to bottom. Guide knifes are very 
 sharp, and I was having a pleasant time slash- 
 ing about in all directions, when a noise on the 
 stairs outside stayed my hand. I jumped up to 
 confront Charlie, who was ushering in my 
 mother and sisters. 
 
 There was quite a tableau as I faced them in 
 my good Guide uniform, strong and deter- 
 mined. 
 
 " Pippa," cried Mother in amazement, " what 
 is the meaning of this ? " 
 
 " I've done my duty," I said firmly. " I 
 didn't mean to be caught, certainly, but as 
 you've come in when you're not wanted, I will 
 not hide from you that the picture that would 
 prevent Muriel from becoming a millionairess 
 is now no more." 
 
 " What ? " they all shouted, and Charlie 
 rushed to a canvas and picked it up and put it 
 on an easel, and there was his old picture, as 
 good as ever. 
 
 Then he lifted up the canvas I had slashed 
 and held it out, and it was nothing but just a 
 new canvas with no paint on it at all. I had
 
 A noise on the stairs stayed my hand. 
 
 made a mistake in the uncertain light and the 
 agitation. I was so disappointed at my failure 
 that I broke down and wept bitter tears. 
 
 " I did want to bring a millionaire into the 
 family," I sobbed, " and now everything's 
 spoilt." 
 
 " Don't cry, Pippa," said Charlie. " Noth- 
 
 25
 
 26 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 ing's spoilt but a canvas, and you can save up 
 your pocket money and buy me another." 
 
 " After this," said Mother darkly, " she shall 
 go to school." 
 
 I draw a veil over the scene that took place 
 when we were home again. Nobody seemed to 
 realize that I had acted entirely in the interests 
 of other people. They did not listen to explana- 
 tions. 
 
 Miss Brentwood was leaving, as she was going 
 to be married, and Mother and Aunt Florence 
 said they would look out for a school where the 
 discipline was good, and where I could go next 
 term. 
 
 The Royal Academy, which must be com- 
 posed of senseless blocks, accepted Charlie's 
 picture, and he and Muriel became engaged. 
 Mr. Woolley did not seem to mind. Life is 
 sometimes rather hard on a conscientious 
 Guide.
 
 CHAPTER II 
 
 THE PRIVATE VIEW 
 
 IT was two days after Easter that Mother said 
 to me very seriously, " You know, Pippa, 
 you're getting a big girl now." 
 
 I wondered what this meant, and pricked up 
 my ears for the next sentence. 
 
 " And I shouldn't like my little girl to grow 
 up ignorant of everything a lady ought to know," 
 went on mother. 
 
 This was awful. I knew perfectly well that 
 I was completely ignorant of everything a lady 
 ought to know. I wasn't even sure what a lady 
 was. So I said nothing. 
 
 Mummie's tone changed to coaxing. " And 
 you love the sea, don't you, darling ? " 
 
 This was something I could answer, and I 
 said, " Of course." 
 
 " It will be such fun running down to the 
 beach and having a swim every morning, and I 
 do so want you to be happy " 
 
 " Mummie," I said, " you may as well speak 
 
 27
 
 28 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 out and say plainly what you mean. Have you 
 bought me an ocean ? " 
 
 " Well, Daddy and I have decided that you 
 shall have a year or two at Brighton, and go to 
 Blackthorne House," said Mummie with a gulp. 
 " Of course, it's very expensive, but Aunt 
 Florence has been most kind in helping us." 
 
 " I knew it," I interposed. " Kind, indeed ? 
 Perfidious hag ! " 
 
 " Pippa ! " 
 
 " So she is. And after all I've done for her. 
 I suppose Blackthorne House is a school ? " 
 
 " But such a nice school," said Mother, trying 
 to gloss things over. " You'll love it. And 
 there are forty girls : all such darlings." 
 
 " As nice as me ? " 
 
 " Much nicer. And you'll learn grammar, 
 and hockey, and cricket, and tennis " 
 
 " Any Guides ? " 
 
 " I don't know. But you'll soon find out, 
 and I'm sure Miss Lavender will let you play at 
 anything you like." 
 
 " Guiding isn't play ; it's high and holy." 
 
 " So it is, dear one. And you'll promise me 
 to be a good girl and not get into mischief, or 
 play pranks, or do anything to upset poor Miss 
 Lavender."
 
 THE PRIVATE VIEW 29 
 
 " It depends on what does upset her," I said, 
 for, of course, I couldn't make promises in the 
 dark. " Some people are upset so easily. But 
 she's got a sweet name." 
 
 " Hasn't she ? " said Mummie eagerly. 
 " And she's a sweet creature. You'll love her 
 directly you see her. And there's a younger 
 sister, Miss Doreen." 
 
 " How old ? " 
 
 " Oh, quite young. But you mustn't ask 
 ladies their age, Pippa." 
 
 " Why not ? " 
 
 " They don't like it, and it makes them tell 
 untruths. Try and be polite and think of other 
 people's feelings." 
 
 That's all very well, but when have other 
 people thought of my feelings, I should like to 
 know ? 
 
 Mother got out some photographs of Black- 
 thorne House, and the garden, and playing 
 fields, and the sea with some of the girls in it. 
 It did look rather jolly, I must say, and, though 
 it was not the life I should have chosen for 
 myself, I resolved to make the best of it. 
 
 The next day Mummie took me to the Army 
 and Navy Stores and bought me quantities of 
 things I really did not want. But she said they
 
 30 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 were all on the list of school requisites and I 
 must take them with me. 
 
 " But I shall never wear that rotten old 
 mackintosh," I remonstrated. " Why, I like 
 getting wet." 
 
 " The mackintosh is very important. You 
 wouldn't be admitted without it, and all the 
 girls have to carry one on their arm when they 
 go walking, in case it should rain." 
 
 " Poor brutes ! How putrid for them. We 
 must get that little regulation altered with all 
 speed." 
 
 " Now, Pippa, you know you promised." 
 
 "Have you thought about the tuck box, 
 Mummie ? " 
 
 " No, darling, not yet." 
 ' Well, let's turn our attention to it now," I 
 urged, for I had caught sight of some perfectly 
 scrumptious tins of lobster ; and I don't think 
 Mummie need have shown so niggardly a spirit 
 when she gave the order for them, and some 
 pots of jam and anchovy paste, and a few other 
 things that would keep. 
 
 " But you must eat a very little at a time, 
 Pippa," she said, " and only when Miss Lavender 
 says you may." 
 
 " Oh, of course. I'll get a signed order for
 
 THE PRIVATE VIEW 31 
 
 every mouthful. A pound of those mixed 
 chocolates wouldn't come amiss, Mummie 
 dear ; and if you think they'd be a bit stale by 
 the beginning of term, we could overcome that 
 difficulty." 
 
 Mummie bought the chocolates, and they 
 were not a bit stale by the beginning of term. 
 I arranged that they should not be. 
 
 Those were gorgeous holidays, for, after the 
 storm blew over, every one tried to be nice and 
 kind to me. Even the servants said they would 
 miss me. And Uncle Philip, when he came to 
 dinner one evening, offered to run down to 
 Brighton and take me out to tea. 
 
 " Miss Lavender and I were great friends 
 years ago," he said cheerfully. 
 
 I thought less of Miss Lavender when I heard 
 that. Could the two have been lovers in the 
 dim past ages ? But when I looked at Uncle 
 Philip I realized that, with a face like that, no 
 woman could ever have loved him, even in his 
 prime. 
 
 Muriel and Nita kept giving me little presents, 
 such as needle-books and pencil-cases and 
 music-tidies. And once my brother Jack took 
 me to a matinee ; but he said afterwards that 
 it was for the last time, and he thought I could
 
 32 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 not be quite right in my head. I had, of course, 
 behaved perfectly. He could not know that 
 when I went to the rescue of an old gentleman 
 in the stalls, who was having a fit, I was doing 
 my good Guide deed. They said afterwards 
 that the old gentleman wasn't having a fit, but 
 it looked like it, and how was I to know ? 
 
 " Let's see," said Charlie, one day late in 
 April, "when do you start for your Academy, 
 Pippa ? " 
 
 " First of May," I told him. 
 
 ; 'Then you'll just get in the Private View, 
 and if you're good you shall go, though you've 
 not yet paid for the canvas." 
 
 " It would show better taste on your part, 
 Charles, not to allude to the past," I said, 
 frowning at him. 
 
 He laughed, and said the Private View would 
 be on my last Saturday, and I should go to the 
 Academy with Muriel and Nita, if Mummie 
 would let me. 
 
 " For you're not really a bad little kid, Pippa," 
 he said in his condescending way. " But get 
 the good deed over before you start." 
 
 " I don't know that I care about going. Will 
 there be ices ? " 
 
 " No ; pictures."
 
 " 
 
 THE PRIVATE VIEW 33 
 
 Oh ! And nothing to eat at all ? " 
 
 " Of course ; we may have tea." 
 
 " If I can rely on that, I'll think about it," I 
 said with dignity. 
 
 It isn't much fun trailing round at the back 
 of Muriel and Charlie. They never see any- 
 body but one another, and as for Nita, she 
 simply melts away with the first acquaintance 
 she meets. 
 
 On that last Saturday in April I spent the 
 morning in superintending the packing of my 
 box for Brighton. It seemed foolish to take 
 such enormous numbers of shoes, and only 
 three tins of sardines, but Mummie insisted ; 
 and though I removed the mackintosh twice 
 when she wasn't looking, she always found it 
 and put it back. 
 
 We got all that finished by lunch time, and 
 then they dressed me up for the Private View. 
 I should naturally have gone in my uniform, 
 but there was such an outcry when I suggested 
 it, for the sake of peace I put on the silly buff 
 frock and coat that they make me wear when 
 they take me out. 
 
 Well, we started in a taxi. Charlie fetched 
 us. Mummie and Daddy were going to blow 
 in later, and Mummie thought I had better wait 
 
 (4,381)
 
 34 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 and go with them ; but Daddy said No, if 
 Charlie wanted to take me he could cope with 
 me. I don't think my family always follow the 
 good Guide rule of universal kindness. I spend 
 half my life in forgiving them. 
 
 I had been to the Royal Academy many 
 times before, and it was not a bit changed. 
 The counter where you bought your catalogue, 
 and the counter where you left your umbrella 
 (if you had one), and the turnstile where you 
 showed your pass or, on ordinary days, paid 
 your eighteenpence, were all just as usual. 
 
 We could not see much of the pictures, for 
 the rooms were full of people who hid them 
 from sight. I suppose most of them were the 
 anxious artists and their female aunts and 
 mothers. It was as flabby a crowd as ever I 
 saw, including an archbishop and two or three 
 bishops. They all wore their gaiters and things, 
 and nobody seemed to mind, while my good 
 uniform had to hang in the wardrobe at home 
 or lie on the floor, as the case might be. It 
 did seem horribly unfair. 
 
 We found Charlie's picture, and squeezed 
 through the unmannerly mob that blocked it 
 out. Muriel blushed with pleasure when she 
 saw it, for she never believed me when I told
 
 THE PRIVATE VIEW 35 
 
 her the person represented wasn't in the least 
 like her. There was a red blob in the corner, 
 and standing in the front was its proud pur- 
 chaser, gloating on its charms. 
 
 " Well, I am glad to see you, Mr. Woolley, 
 dear," I said, wringing his hand. He did not 
 seem to know me until he saw I was with Charlie 
 and Muriel, and then he smiled. 
 
 " Oh, it's little Philippa. I remember now. 
 We have met before/' 
 
 ' Yes, and I often think of the lovely choco- 
 lates you sent me. I did enjoy them." 
 
 But he did not pay much attention, although 
 I trusted that a hint would be sufficient. 
 
 " Good show," he said to Charlie. " And 
 very jolly for you to be hung on the line." 
 
 I didn't agree with him, for the pictures hung 
 over the heads of the mob were the only ones 
 that had a chance of being looked at. And 
 you couldn't tell by just looking at them what 
 some of them were supposed to represent, and 
 they would have looked quite as well upside 
 down. There was one that I took to be a 
 picture of mermaids gathering eggs and lash- 
 ing their tails. On reference to the catalogue 
 it turned out to be Gladys, Doris, and Phyllis, 
 daughters of Albert Jones, Esquire, eating nuts.
 
 36 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 I turned round to express my disgust, and 
 found that Charlie and Muriel had slipped away, 
 which was just like them. I tried to find Nita, 
 but, of course, she had vanished. I was feeling 
 so lonely that I was on the point of asking the 
 archbishop how much he paid for his gaiters 
 and what exactly he wore underneath, when I 
 caught sight of Mr. Woolley again and made for 
 him at once. 
 
 " May I come round with you until Mummie 
 comes ? " I asked him politely. " It's so lonely 
 all by myself. They made me come, and now 
 they've deserted me." 
 
 " Poor wee lassie," said Mr. Woolley. 
 " Shall I hold its hand ? " 
 
 " No, you shan't. Tell me, are you really 
 very rich ? " 
 
 " It depends," said Mr. Woolley with caution, 
 " on what you call rich. Do you want to borrow 
 a trifle ? " 
 
 " I might want to, but they'd never let me. 
 Did you know I was going to school on 
 Monday ? " 
 
 " Dear me ! How frightfully jolly. They 
 will miss you." 
 
 ' Yes, won't they ? Every day I do little 
 deeds to help and please them."
 
 THE PRIVATE VIEW 37 
 
 " I'm sure you do. Do they seem helped 
 and pleased ? " 
 
 11 If you knew much of my family you 
 wouldn't ask such a silly question. They 
 pleased with anything I do for them ! You 
 ought to hear what they say to me sometimes, 
 when I've been particularly helpful." 
 
 " I can imagine it. You'll like being at school, 
 won't you ? ' : 
 
 " Humph ! I expect it'll be ups-and-downsy. 
 I've got a new swimming dress, but I'm only to 
 have a shilling a week for pocket money." 
 
 " Well, that will be plenty, won't it ? Why, 
 you'll never be able to spend such an income." 
 
 " It will not be nearly enough. I shan't even 
 try to make it do. Just think of the price of 
 things. You can't buy much with a shilling." 
 
 " No ? But, then, you won't want many 
 extras in an establishment where all essentials 
 are provided." 
 
 " I can't tell how things will be until I get 
 there, of course. But I'm dreadfully afraid 
 there won't be enough to eat." 
 
 " I don't think you need worry about that. 
 It's the one aim of the modern girls' school to 
 fatten the boarders. I've got a cousin myself 
 with a waist a yard round."
 
 38 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 "She must be a deformity," I said scorn- 
 fully. 
 
 " Not at all. She's a very pretty girl. Now 
 shall we go " 
 
 " Not yet," I said quickly. " I don't want 
 to find the others. It's not nearly tea-time. 
 Are you fond of archbishops ? " 
 
 " Not particularly. Why ? " 
 
 " There's one over there gaiters and all. 
 Look at the nice-looking lady with him. He 
 seems to be taking her towards the refreshment 
 room, doesn't he ? " 
 
 " But you said it wasn't tea-time," he ob- 
 jected. 
 
 " It's not quite. But an ice is always 
 acceptable. A very understanding man, that 
 archbishop. I wish I knew him." 
 
 " In the matter of an ice, I'm as good as an 
 archbishop," said Mr. Woolley. 
 
 " Dear man," I cried, seizing his hand, " let's 
 follow the gaiters." 
 
 But the gaiters waddled off in another direc- 
 tion after all, and we went down the stairs by 
 ourselves. 
 
 The first thing I saw in the vault-like gloom 
 below was Nita sitting at a table with a young 
 man. They had strawberry ices in front of
 
 THE PRIVATE VIEW 39 
 
 them, but they were talking so earnestly that 
 the ices were fast melting and running to waste. 
 
 I was just about to rush forward and ask who 
 the young man was, and if I might eat the ices 
 as they didn't want them, when Nita caught sight 
 of me, and deliberately turned her back on her 
 faithful little sister, pretending not to know her. 
 I was so hurt that I should have thrown my 
 catalogue at her if Mr. Woolley had not grasped 
 me firmly by the elbow and towed me into the 
 next room by main force. 
 
 " Now then," he said, " strawberry, or 
 vanilla, or mixed ? " 
 
 " Oh, mixed, please. Did you see Nita ? 
 Sitting in the next room with a person ? Did 
 you know him ? " 
 
 " Oh, I know him well enough. Good fellow, 
 too." 
 
 ' You seem to think everybody a good 
 fellow," said I, taking the extreme top off 
 the vanilla side. " Why, you saw points in 
 Charlie." 
 
 " Rather," said he. " I like Charlie." 
 
 " How good you are. Not many men love 
 their deadly rivals." 
 
 " Deadly rival ? What nonsense ! I can't 
 paint a bit."
 
 40 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 " Oh, I wasn't thinking of painting. There 
 are other things more important. Well, that's 
 done." And I worked the spoon round and 
 round the empty glass. 
 
 " Could you eat another ? " asked Mr. 
 Woolley. 
 
 " I could," I replied. 
 
 When we went back we found that Nita and 
 her friend had disappeared, leaving their ices 
 behind, running all over the place. A waitress 
 was just clearing away the remains, and I could 
 have wept over the waste of good food. 
 
 In Room III. we found Mummie, and, with 
 more haste than politeness, Mr. Woolley took 
 me to her and left me there. He said he must 
 run away as he had an engagement; but I 
 didn't believe him. 
 
 " Are you enjoying yourself, darling ? " asked 
 Mummie. 
 
 " I've had two ices," I said, " but they're over 
 now. And I've seen an archbishop, but that was 
 quite a small pleasure." 
 
 ' Well now, let's come and look at the 
 pictures." 
 
 I went round with Mummie, but the crowd 
 was denser than ever, and we did not see any 
 pictures. But we met a great many people we
 
 / was so hurt, I should have thrown my catalogue at her. 
 
 had to stop and talk to. One lady said that 
 her dear little niece, Norah Britton, was at 
 Blackthorne House, and she hoped we should
 
 42 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 be great friends. I felt sure we shouldn't be if 
 the dear little niece was anything like her aunt, 
 but I only cast down my eyes and breathed 
 feebly. 
 
 When we came across Charlie and Muriel 
 they were going to have tea, so I said nothing 
 more about the ices, and they let me choose my 
 own cakes. 
 
 " I wonder where Nita is," said Mother. 
 
 "I've seen her," I remarked, " but I can't tell 
 you where she is. I wouldn't if I could." 
 
 " What does the child mean ? " cried Mother, 
 laughing. 
 
 " Ah ! " I said darkly. " Pass the pastries, 
 please." 
 
 When we got home, and I was taking off my 
 things in my room, the door opened, and Nita 
 came in. She held a horrid little pencil-box in 
 her hand. 
 
 " I've bought you a small present, Pippa, 
 dear," she said coaxingly. " A nice box to keep 
 your pencils in." 
 
 ' You've given me five already," I said 
 gloomily. " This is the sixth. Am I to use 
 them all at once, or one at a time ? " 
 
 Of course, I saw through her. She meant me 
 to understand that I was not to mention the
 
 THE PRIVATE VIEW 43 
 
 young man and the wasted ices ; but I was not 
 going to oblige her for a sixpenny pencil-box. 
 
 " Nita," I said firmly, " have you such a thing 
 about you as half a crown ? " 
 
 " Of course not. How should I get half a 
 crown ? " 
 
 ' Then it's a pity you deliberately wasted a 
 good shilling ice." 
 
 At that Nita got rather red, and in the end 
 she reluctantly disgorged the half-crown. It 
 will come in handy later on. 
 
 On the afternoon of the following Monday I 
 started for Brighton.
 
 CHAPTER III 
 
 THE ARRIVAL AT BRIGHTON 
 
 T PUT my head out of the window as the train 
 A ran into the station. 
 
 "Where's the sea?" I said to Mother, who 
 was with me. 
 
 " Oh, not near the station," she said. 
 
 I was disappointed. The prospect was dreary. 
 A dirty old station, as ugly as Liverpool Street ; 
 a crowd of ugly people getting in the way ; no 
 sign of anything but squalor. 
 
 " Let's go back," I said to Mother. And she 
 replied, " Certainly not." 
 
 We got into a taxi, and my luggage was put 
 on the top. We drove off down a steep street, 
 full of shops that all looked horrid, and we as 
 nearly as possible ran over two people who got 
 in the way. Then we bore off to the right, and 
 saw a great many more shops. Passing along 
 the top of a road that slanted downwards, I saw 
 the sea at last. There it lay, at the end of the
 
 THE ARRIVAL AT BRIGHTON 45 
 
 road, sparkling and beaming, as blue as heaven. 
 My spirits rose. 
 
 " At least that's not squalid," I said to 
 Mother. 
 
 We began to go through roads with houses in 
 them, such as people live in ; and at last we drew 
 up in front of two large gates, on which was a 
 board with painted letters. The letters spelt : 
 " Blackthorne House School," so I knew that 
 we had arrived. 
 
 I ought to have felt nervous and trembled at 
 the unknown destiny that was lying before me. 
 But I didn't. Mummie seemed agitated, but 
 I begged her to be calm, for, as I justly said, if 
 we didn't like it we wouldn't stop. 
 
 The gates were opened by some one behind 
 them. The taxi pounded up the gravel path 
 and stopped in front of a flight of stone steps, 
 with large stone vases on each side of them ; 
 in the vases were flowers and ferns. 
 
 We got out. The driver rang the bell, and 
 the door was opened by a parlourmaid with 
 streamers. She showed us into a long room at 
 the back of the house, with a conservatory at 
 one end, and French doors leading to the garden. 
 
 A lady in grey silk, who was sitting reading 
 by one of the windows, got up and shook hands
 
 46 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 warmly with Mother, and said she was so glad 
 to see us. 
 
 " And this is little Philippa," she said, and 
 tried to kiss me. However, I dodged her, for 
 I am not one of the kissing sort. It's a habit 
 that is not encouraged by the Guides. 
 
 " We call her Pippa, for short," explained 
 Mummie, " and I do hope that she will be a 
 good girl and give you no trouble." 
 
 " I'm sure she will be a credit to the school," 
 said Miss Lavender, and she had such a nice 
 voice that I took a look at her. There was a sus- 
 picion of a twinkle in her blue eyes that warmed 
 my heart towards her ; and she shimmered as 
 she moved, for her grey silk shone like silver, 
 and her hair was like silver too, and her face was 
 like her name, so that I thought it was no 
 wonder if Uncle Philip had been moved to like 
 her when he was young. 
 
 The door opened, and another lady came in. 
 
 " My sister, Miss Doreen Lavender," said 
 Miss Lavender, and we shook hands with Miss 
 Doreen, who was not in the least like her sister. 
 She was ever so much younger, to begin with, 
 and her brown hair was bobbed, and she wore 
 quite a short skirt, and was generally skittish. 
 But I did not take to her much.
 
 THE ARRIVAL AT BRIGHTON 47 
 
 "Would you show Pippa her room, please, 
 Doreen ? " said Miss Lavender. " She will 
 like to see where she is going to sleep." 
 
 " You come too, Mummie," I urged. But 
 Mummie said she wanted to talk to Miss 
 Lavender and would follow presently. So I 
 went after Miss Doreen's back, and made a 
 grimace at it, which relieved my feelings very 
 much. 
 
 We crossed the hall, and saw one or two girls 
 flitting about. Then up two flights of stairs I 
 followed my guide, until she paused outside a 
 door on a large landing and turned the handle. 
 
 " Is any one here, and may we come in ? " 
 she asked brightly. 
 
 There were two people there an old woman, 
 who seemed to be unpacking a box, and a fattish 
 girl. But I did not waste time on them, for I 
 flew to the open window, and shouted : 
 
 " The sea ! The sea ! " 
 
 There was a beautiful view of it beyond the 
 sloping garden. A sort of park spread out on 
 one hand, and a short street led down to the 
 shore. I was so excited that I waved my hand- 
 kerchief and said, " Hooray ! " 
 
 " Are you cheering the sea ? " asked Miss 
 Doreen, laughing.
 
 48 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 " I am," I told her. " I love the sea." 
 
 " Well now, here is somebody else you must 
 love," said Miss Doreen, pushing the fattish 
 girl towards me. " This is Hilda Cheesman ; 
 and, Hilda, this is Pippa, who will share this 
 room with you, now Dorothy has gone." 
 
 Hilda shook hands flabbily, and did not seem 
 much interested in me, as she had to keep her 
 eyes on the things the old woman was hauling 
 out of her trunk. I glanced round the room. 
 It was small, but big enough for two beds, two 
 washstands, a wardrobe, and a dressing-table. 
 
 " The younger girls are in the large dormi- 
 tories," went on Miss Doreen. " But our 
 bigger girls always have rooms to themselves, 
 as far as possible." 
 
 I thought it was hardly having a room to myself 
 if I had to share it with fat Hilda, and I was just 
 about to say so when it occurred to me that I 
 might as well give Hilda a trial, and see how I 
 liked her, before taking steps to get rid of her. 
 
 Hilda had a round face with blue eyes, and 
 very unfashionable hair. Instead of a neat 
 shingle, it grew long and thick, and was plaited 
 into a pigtail tied with a ribbon bow. It was an 
 enormously thick pigtail, of a bright yellow 
 colour.
 
 There was a beautiful view beyond the sloping garden. 
 
 * They're just bringing up your trunk, 
 Pippa," said Miss Doreen, " and Susan shall 
 unpack it for you when she has finished Hilda's. 
 Now, when you hear the bell, Hilda dear, bring 
 Pippa down to the drawing-room, and you shall 
 both have tea there to-day." 
 
 She pranced out of the room in a sprightly 
 manner, and Susan rose from her knees and 
 went after her, saying as she went, " Don't you 
 
 (4.3S1) 49
 
 50 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 touch anything, Miss Hilda, dear, till I come 
 back." 
 
 " Rather not," said Hilda, diving into a corner 
 of the box and drawing forth a brown shoe, 
 which had a lump of toffee concealed in the 
 toe. 
 
 " Have some," she offered, handing it to me. 
 I took a bite, and then Hilda took a bite, and we 
 sat down together on the window-sill to chew 
 the succulent morsels. I opened the conver- 
 sation. 
 
 " How old are you ? " I asked. 
 
 " Going on for fifteen," she answered. 
 
 " Oh, then, you're older than me. Are you 
 a Guide ? " 
 
 " What's that ? " said Hilda. 
 
 I was shocked. Such ignorance was appal- 
 ling. 
 
 " Aren't there any Girl Guides in Brighton ? " 
 I asked with scorn. 
 
 " Oh, I think there are, but I never heard of 
 them," said Hilda. 
 
 " Rotten old place. I wish I'd stopped in 
 London." 
 
 " Oh, don't say that. You can introduce the 
 Guides here, if you want them." 
 
 So I could. Here was my life-work before
 
 THE ARRIVAL AT BRIGHTON 51 
 
 me, and I took another bite at Hilda's toffee in 
 a more cheerful frame of mind. 
 
 " Did you have Guides at your last school ? " 
 she inquired. 
 
 " I've never been to school before, but Mother 
 let me join a Company our Vicar's sister got up, 
 to match her brother's Scouts. My energy and 
 enthusiasm soon raised me from the ranks." 
 
 Hilda gazed at me in admiration, and we 
 finished the toffee. 
 
 " Each Guide performs one good and un- 
 selfish deed every day," I went on. "I've 
 simply loaded my ungrateful family with bene- 
 fits, but I've never had much encouragement 
 or sympathy from them. Are you clever ? " 
 
 " No," said Hilda, " I'm a complete duffer 
 at Maths." 
 
 " Who cares about Maths ? Can't you do 
 anything else ? " 
 
 " Only one thing." 
 
 " What's that ? " 
 
 " Sing. I've got a voice. I'm going to be 
 trained to be a prima donna when I leave 
 school." 
 
 " You're kidding." 
 
 " I'm not. Wait till you hear me." 
 
 " 'Spect I shall wait a good while."
 
 52 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 " You won't. I'll sing in the hymn to- 
 morrow morning at prayers, and you'll hear. 
 I generally save my voice at such times, but I'll 
 let it go for once." 
 
 "Thanks, awfully," said I sarcastically. At 
 that moment a bell rang, and we ran down- 
 stairs. 
 
 " A drawing-room tea is an empty honour," 
 said Hilda sorrowfully, as she turned the handle. 
 I soon saw what she meant when a plate of 
 wafery bread and butter was passed to me, 
 and then a finger of cake, and nothing else. I 
 had to fix my thoughts intently on the lobster 
 and biscuits in my box upstairs to keep up my 
 spirits at all. 
 
 After tea, Mummie went away. I didn't like 
 it at all when her taxi turned out of the gate, and 
 I was left alone in a strange world. I waved 
 farewell with a heavy heart, and turned back 
 into the hall hoping that my Guidehood was not 
 disgraced by any teariness about my eyes. 
 
 " But I suppose I must make the best of it," 
 I said with a deep sigh. 
 
 " The best of what ? " asked Miss Lavender, 
 who was standing near. 
 
 " Oh, the school, and the girls, and the 
 teachers, and the rest of it."
 
 THE ARRIVAL AT BRIGHTON 53 
 
 " Don't despair," said she. " Remember 
 your own song, Pippa * God's in His Heaven ; 
 All's right with the world.' You must get 
 Hilda to sing it to you." 
 
 I stole a glance at her. She really was a 
 sweet-looking thing, but it was too much to hope 
 that she was a fair representative of the rest of 
 the staff. 
 
 " There'll be plenty of things to put up with 
 at school," said Miss Lavender. 
 
 " I know," I said gloomily ; " but then there 
 are, everywhere. You ought to see what I 
 put up with at home, where no one appreciates 
 me, and everybody thinks I'm young." 
 
 " What a shame ! Never mind, Pippa. You 
 and I will be elderly together, if you like." 
 
 " Thank you. I shall be glad of a sensible 
 friend. Hilda seems rather a mug." 
 
 " Not a bit," said Miss Lavender. " She's 
 quite a darling. Wait till you know her." 
 
 " I will," I agreed. " Can I go upstairs and 
 unpack ? " 
 
 " You can go up and help Susan in a few 
 minutes, if you like. Come into the school- 
 room now, and be introduced to the girls." 
 
 I followed her into a large room, with pictures 
 on the walls and flowers on the mantelpiece,
 
 54 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 and no sign of a map. I hate maps. An im- 
 mense concourse of girls of all ages were rush- 
 ing about and screaming like maniacs. 
 
 " Are they all mad ? " I asked. 
 
 " You're not used to school life when lessons 
 are not going on, or you would know that this is 
 quite an ordinary recreation," said Miss Laven- 
 der. 
 
 She rang a little bell. " Be quiet, girls, for 
 a minute," she called out, " and come and 
 speak to your new friend." 
 
 Several came and shook hands. Some of 
 them seemed almost grown-up, and some quite 
 kids, but the greater number were apparently 
 middle-aged from twelve to fourteen. 
 
 " Is Hilda here ? " I said, glancing round. 
 
 " She's probably putting things straight in 
 her room. Would you like to go to her ? " 
 
 " I certainly would. This bear-garden is not 
 to my mind." 
 
 " Come, come, Pippa. You'll soon get used 
 to it, and make more noise than any of them. 
 Miss Lambert," turning to a bald-looking 
 lady in eyeglasses " I expect Pippa will be 
 in your form, as she is about the age for it. 
 But you must give her a little examination in 
 the morning, and find out what she can do."
 
 THE ARRIVAL AT BRIGHTON 55 
 
 " I hope the examination will be short, for 
 there's very little I can do," I said modestly. 
 I had no wish to deceive. 
 
 Miss Lambert eyed me sternly. " Don't you 
 wish to get on ? " she inquired. 
 
 " Well," I said, " I don't really mind much, 
 but, naturally, I shall do my best. A little know- 
 ledge may come in useful some time. Probably 
 when I'm married . . ." 
 
 Miss Lambert's expression of horror froze my 
 speech. 
 
 " What is the child talking about ? " she 
 cried, with elevated eyebrows. 
 
 I tried patiently to explain. " I might have 
 been engaged by now, if Charlie had listened to 
 
 me." 
 
 " Who is Charlie ? " asked Miss Lambert. 
 
 I refrained from begging her to mind her own 
 business, and politely enlightened her. 
 
 " He's my brother-in-law or he will be when 
 he has married my sister Muriel. I offered to 
 marry him to save her, but he had the bad taste 
 to decline me." 
 
 " I'm sure I don't wonder," said Miss 
 Lambert rudely. 
 
 But Miss Lavender was laughing heartily. 
 " You are an original, Pippa," she said. " But
 
 56 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 I do hope you will settle down and try to keep 
 the Rules. Now you may run up to your room 
 for half an hour, if you like." 
 
 I went thankfully. Miss Lavender was all 
 very well, but I did not know how I was going 
 to stand the Lambert person, who was sure to 
 be shocked by the simplest action. I could only 
 hope that the morning's examination would 
 prove that I was not up to her class, or else far 
 beyond it. 
 
 " Oh, here you are at last," said Hilda, as I 
 went in. "What ages you have been. Be 
 quick ; Susan wants the key of your box." 
 
 I was just about to respond, " Then she can't 
 have it," when I thought better of it, took off 
 the ribbon round my neck with the key attached 
 to it, and handed it humbly to Susan. I was 
 thankful to see that she was pressed for time 
 and was disposing of my property without 
 giving much attention to details. Several card- 
 board boxes I took quickly from her, remarking 
 that I would put them straight in the drawer, 
 as I should not be needing any clean collars or 
 handkerchiefs for several days. When all the 
 things were out, Susan dragged the trunk from 
 the room. 
 
 "You hang up your frocks on those pegs,
 
 THE ARRIVAL AT BRIGHTON 57 
 
 Miss Pippa," she said cheerfully, as she van- 
 ished. 
 
 " I shut the door carefully behind her, and 
 kicked the garments on the floor out of my way. 
 
 " Shall we open the lobster or the salmon, 
 Hilda ? " I asked. 
 
 " Oh, the lobster, I think," she answered. 
 " And I've got a jam-roll that will go with it 
 nicely." 
 
 It was fortunate that I had remembered to 
 bring a tin-opener and a teaspoon. Hilda used 
 her toothbrush, and we had the tin between us 
 on the window-sill. The jam in the jam-roll 
 was greengage. 
 
 Outside, the sun was setting over the sea, and 
 the sky was aflame in pink and gold. 
 
 " Perhaps it won't be so bad, after all," I said 
 hopefully. 
 
 " What won't ? " asked Hilda, sucking the 
 toothbrush. 
 
 " Oh, school, and all that. You tell me 
 how long have you been here ? " 
 
 " This is my fourth term." 
 
 " Golly ! I don't suppose I can stick it for 
 four terms." 
 
 " I don't suppose they'll stick you," said Hilda 
 candidly. " You're a holy terror, aren't you ? "
 
 58 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 I was offended. " Pass the tin," I said 
 loftily. 
 
 " It's empty," said Hilda, examining it. 
 " What are we going to do with it ? " 
 
 " Chuck it out of the window," I sug- 
 gested. 
 
 " Gracious, no. You'd bring a fine hornets' 
 nest about our ears. I'll put it in a drawer 
 until we go for a walk, and then I'll take it with 
 us and dispose of it. Well, I feel all the better 
 for that little refreshment, don't you ? " 
 
 " I'm not sure. Jam-rolls are bilious things." 
 
 " So are lobsters. Have you got many 
 more ? " 
 
 " A few. Don't let's talk about them. Are 
 any of the girls nice ? " 
 
 " Most of them are horrid, and some are 
 snobs." 
 
 " Why ? " 
 
 " Because they've got titles in their family, 
 and it gives them swelled head. Selma Pratt's 
 father is a Member of Parliament. He's a 
 Socialist." 
 
 " Well, she can't be proud of him" I said. 
 
 " She is," said Hilda ; " eaten up with pride. 
 But, then, she's barmy. How do you like Miss 
 Lavender ? "
 
 We had a tin between us. 
 
 " She seems all right, but you never can tell. 
 How old is Miss Doreen ? " 
 
 Hilda gave a cackling laugh. 
 
 " I've heard her tell people she's thirty, but 
 that's her professional age, and Doreen's her 
 
 59
 
 60 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 professional name. She was christened Fanny 
 forty-five years ago." 
 
 " However do you know that ? " 
 
 " All the girls say so," said Hilda. 
 
 So I suppose it's true. 
 
 We sat talking until the last vestige of sunset 
 had faded out of the sky and the room was 
 growing dark. 
 
 " Come on," said Hilda, getting up. " We'd 
 better be downstairs when the bell rings." 
 
 " I don't know that I want to go down," I 
 said faintly. 
 
 "Nonsense. You must squelch down your 
 agony. I thought you were overdoing it with 
 that lobster." 
 
 " It was my lobster," I was beginning, when 
 the bell rang loudly, and Hilda pulled me, 
 blinking, down the stairs. 
 
 In the long, large schoolroom the girls were 
 standing in rows, and Hilda and I slipped 
 quietly in at the back. Some one gave me a 
 hymn book, but I never felt less like singing 
 in my life. 
 
 After prayers, of which I have only a con- 
 fused recollection, we all trooped into the 
 dining-room, and scrambled for seats round two 
 long tables, which each held twenty girls, and
 
 THE ARRIVAL AT BRIGHTON 61 
 
 a mistress at either end. The supper seemed 
 only too plentiful, and I stared at it with half- 
 closed eyes. A plate was dabbed down in front 
 of me, with tapioca pudding and stewed prunes 
 on it. 
 
 ' Take it away," I said feebly. 
 
 " Why, aren't you hungry ? " said a red- 
 haired girl on my right. 
 
 I couldn't speak. 
 
 " Poor thing," said the red-haired girl kindly. 
 " It's your first night, and I expect you're home- 
 sick." 
 
 " You're partly right," I murmured. If she 
 had said " tinned-lobster-sick " she would have 
 been nearer the mark. 
 
 Miss Doreen was at the head of our table, 
 and I was fourth from her. She must have 
 noticed how green I was looking, for she bent 
 across and whispered to me, " If you don't feel 
 very well, Pippa, and would like to run up to bed, 
 you may go." 
 
 I pushed back my chair, and fled. Just in 
 time. 
 
 When Hilda came up at nine o'clock, I was in 
 bed and nearly asleep. 
 
 And so ended the first day at school.
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 
 THE FIRST DAY 
 
 ALOUD gong, with a brazen voice, woke 
 me at seven the next morning. I opened 
 my eyes and stretched out lazily, to see if I felt 
 quite well. I did. 
 
 " Hilda," I called, " are you awake ? " 
 
 She did not answer, and a faint snore from 
 her bed told me that she was still asleep. 
 
 " She must have an iron constitution to sleep 
 through all that noise," I thought, as the gong 
 went on pounding, and thumping, and lashing 
 itself into a fury. 
 
 " Hilda," I shouted, " if you don't hear that, 
 you must be dead." 
 
 She half opened one eye, and shut it again. 
 " Don't get agitated," she murmured. " They 
 do it every morning. You'll soon get used to 
 
 it." 
 
 " Aren't you going to get up ? " 
 
 " No. I'm tired. You wash first." 
 
 I acted on this suggestion, and was ready to
 
 THE FIRST DAY 63 
 
 go downstairs before Hilda slowly thrust her 
 legs out of bed. 
 
 " Do we never have baths ? " I asked. 
 
 " Oh, yes, two a week. You must study the 
 Bath Time Table in the corridor if you want to 
 find out when your turn comes. Don't go down 
 without me." 
 
 " I'm not going to. Think I'll have a biscuit 
 while I'm waiting." 
 
 " You would get into a row," said Hilda, 
 tearing at the tangles in her thick hair, " if they 
 knew you were keeping provisions up here. It's 
 quite against the rules." 
 
 " I daresay it is," I agreed, as I sat on the 
 window-sill and munched. " I'm sure, if I 
 kept a school, I shouldn't allow eating in the 
 bedrooms. Most unwholesome, besides en- 
 couraging mice." 
 
 Hilda opened her eyes at me. " Why do you 
 do it then ? " she asked. 
 
 I shook my head and sighed. " Depravity of 
 human nature," I told her. 
 
 She had barely fastened her dress when the 
 gong began again, and we ran downstairs. 
 Girls were pouring down from every side, and I 
 wondered how soon I should get to know them 
 all.
 
 64 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 " There should be half an hour's prep before 
 breakfast, but there won't be any to-day, as it's 
 the first morning, and they haven't had time to 
 deal out their beastly homework," Hilda in- 
 formed me. 
 
 I was thankful for that, and we turned into 
 the long room, where Hilda left me, to speak to 
 her older friends. One or two girls came up to 
 me and seemed inclined to be friendly. 
 
 One plain, shingled person, with a flat nose, 
 appeared to take a fancy to me at first, until I 
 asked her to account for the nose. 
 
 " Were you born with it, or did it sink down 
 later in life ? " I inquired with interest. 
 
 But she was as squiffy as possible, and said I 
 was a rude thing and she'd never speak to me 
 again. 
 
 " I shan't mind that," I said. " It isn't as if 
 you were worth knowing." 
 
 " You've no idea who I am." 
 
 " Don't want to." 
 
 " My father's a Member of Parliament. He 
 makes the laws that you have to obey." 
 
 " Fancy that now ! My great-grandfather's 
 a Duke and lives in a castle with a moat." 
 
 " I don't believe that." 
 
 " Nobody asked you to ..." I was pro-
 
 THE FIRST DAY 65 
 
 ceeding to give further details of the life of my 
 exalted but entirely mythical relative, when 
 Miss Lambert came bustling in. 
 
 " Oh, good-morning, Philippa," she said to 
 me. " Come into my classroom presently, 
 and you can work your papers there." 
 
 I said I would, and relapsed into gloom, for 
 I had entirely forgotten everything I ever knew, 
 and felt they would make me begin all over again 
 with the infants in the lowest form. 
 
 At eight o'clock a bell rang ; the girls ranged 
 themselves in rows, as they had done the night 
 before, and Miss Lavender came in with the rest 
 of the staff. 
 
 I felt so homesick that, if I had not been a 
 Guide, I should have burst into tears on the spot. 
 Three whole months to be got through before 
 there was any hope of release ! I did not think 
 I could bear it. I wanted Mummie so much 
 that it hurt. I wanted the old schoolroom at 
 home, where I could hatch my schemes for good 
 deeds before carrying them into effect. I should 
 even have welcomed the sight of Nita or any 
 one connected with the dear dim past. 
 
 I suppose a tear or two did stray into my eyes, 
 and my thoughts were far away, when some- 
 thing happened. The girls must have been 
 
 (4,361) 5
 
 66 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 singing the hymn, played by one of the music 
 mistresses on a piano in the corner. I was 
 paying no attention to their bleating and bray- 
 ing, when suddenly a sound arose that was not 
 like anything I had ever heard before. I held 
 my breath to listen. 
 
 " Far, far away, like bells at evening 
 pealing " 
 
 It was Hilda singing. And, as she sang, the 
 bleating and braying of the girls round her died 
 away, melted into the sweetness of her lovely 
 voice. High, and true, and pure, and sweet 
 beyond all expressing, it rose, and rose, and 
 filled the room, and rilled the world. 
 
 I forgot that I was homesick. I forgot that 
 I was in a strange place and wanted my break- 
 fast. I forgot Miss Lambert and her detested 
 class, and the examination that was looming 
 before me. I only remembered the angels' song, 
 and Hilda, with her blue eyes raised, singing 
 for all she was worth. She seemed no longer 
 a plain, fattish schoolgirl with a sandy pigtail. 
 She was one of the mysterious forces of the 
 world, with power to move it. 
 
 The tears were running down my cheeks in 
 good earnest before she had finished, and I
 
 THE FIRST DAY 67 
 
 didn't care. When the last notes had died away 
 I woke up and wiped my eyes. I seemed to 
 have been dreaming, but I caught Hilda's arm 
 as we were all trooping in to breakfast, and 
 said: 
 
 " You were quite right. You will be a 
 prima donna. You have the most beautiful 
 voice in the world." 
 
 " Yes, haven't I ? " said Hilda complacently. 
 
 " Well, you needn't be cocky about it, any- 
 how. It's no doing of yours. It was made in 
 you, and you can't help it." 
 
 " I sang this morning to let you know I could, 
 but you won't hear me again for ages, so make 
 the most of it." 
 
 I was very hungry, and glad to get a large 
 plateful of porridge, followed by cold bacon, 
 bread and butter, and marmalade. The bread 
 was cut in doorsteps and very little butter was 
 scraped on. I should not have touched it at 
 home, but I ate ten doorsteps with alacrity, 
 and should have started on the eleventh if one 
 of the girls had not been told to say Grace, and 
 the meal came to an end. 
 
 Then we went for a walk, two and two, along 
 the front, with Miss Lambert and another 
 trotting at the back and keeping up with diffi-
 
 68 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 culty. I found that it was a point of honour 
 with the girls to walk as fast as they could when 
 they were out in the crocodile. The mistresses 
 were always ordering us to go more slowly, but 
 we never took any notice of them. 
 
 Each girl carried her mackintosh, neatly 
 folded over her left arm. I had intended to 
 rebel against this unnecessary foolery, but Hilda 
 begged me not to. 
 
 " You can't think how useful those macks can 
 be," she said. ' Why, you wouldn't guess that 
 at this minute I'm carrying out to its long home 
 the lobster tin that we emptied yesterday." 
 
 " What are you going to do with it ? " I asked 
 with curiosity. 
 
 " All along the Parade," Hilda told me, " are 
 small receptacles for refuse, provided by a 
 thoughtful Mayor and Corporation, who simply 
 dote on keeping things tidy. I'm giving the 
 lobster tin into their keeping." 
 
 And she managed so cleverly that I really 
 never saw what she had done until she had 
 done it. 
 
 It was a lovely morning, and I longed for a 
 swim, but Hilda said that swimming wouldn't 
 begin for several days, as some new tents 
 ordered from the stores had not yet arrived.
 
 / really never saw what she 
 had done. 
 
 So we just lounged along the front in the 
 direction of Hove, and then we trailed back to 
 the West Pier, the entrance to which was 
 placarded with bills of an exciting nature, 
 which Miss Lambert wouldn't let us stop to 
 read. We quickened our pace, and made her 
 run till she was scarlet in the face. 
 
 Then, the half-hour being up, we wended 
 back to Blackthorne House, and scattered to
 
 70 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 the various classrooms. I found my way to 
 Miss Lambert's class, which I was told was the 
 Upper Fourth. It was not very large, there 
 being only nine girls in it, and they were all 
 due next term in the Fifth. 
 
 I sat down at a desk at the back of the room, 
 and ranged two of Nita's pencil-boxes in front 
 of me, with a substantial ruler, an offering of 
 Muriel's. Miss Lambert dealt out to me some 
 sheets of foolscap, and papers with typewritten 
 questions on Grammar, Geography, History, 
 Scripture, and Arithmetic. 
 
 I was never any good at arithmetic, so I 
 tackled that first, and got some surprising results. 
 There were the usual silly problems about the 
 ages of a father and son, and the number of 
 times a bicycle wheel would have to turn to get 
 round the world, and so forth. In my answers, 
 the son came out as 4975 years old when his 
 father was born and that obviously couldn't be. 
 Nor could any bicycle compass the globe in five 
 revolutions. But I stated the answers very 
 clearly, and underlined everything, so I hoped 
 the examiner would like it. 
 
 Then I tried the Scripture paper, which 
 began: " Who was Zerubbabel ? " There was 
 a thing to ask an innocent child. I felt sure
 
 THE FIRST DAY 71 
 
 that a person with a name like that was no better 
 than he should be. And yet, on reflection, I 
 concluded that he must have done something 
 great, or they wouldn't ask questions about him. 
 So I wrote a wordy reply, in which I said that he 
 was a very celebrated man in his time, but that his 
 time was now so remote that many of his deeds 
 both good and bad were lost in the mists 
 of antiquity. I exercised a good deal of ingen- 
 uity in the replies I gave to the questions, for I 
 have a fervid imagination and much literary 
 ability. I've heard Mother say so to her 
 friends. 
 
 The time went quickly till the bell went for 
 Break at eleven, and I followed the crowd into 
 the fresh air. Two maids brought out plates 
 of thick bread and butter, and we ate it in the 
 garden, which was sweet with the smell of wall- 
 flowers. 
 
 " Hilda," I cried, rushing at her, " do you 
 know who Zerubbabel was ? " 
 
 Hilda wrinkled her brows. 
 
 " Some relation of Ezra," she said, " or 
 Nehemiah. We did him last term, But he's 
 been a mummy for centuries, so why worry ? " 
 
 " Oh, I'm not worrying about him, but about 
 myself. I'm afraid, when they read my papers,
 
 72 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 they'll think that I can only learn with the seven- 
 year-olds." 
 
 " They won't read your papers," Hilda 
 assured me. " They've only given you them 
 for form's sake and in accordance with custom. 
 They meant you to be in the Upper Fourth 
 from the beginning." 
 
 After that I finished the exams regardless ot 
 consequences, and I think Hilda was right, and 
 no one really looked at the papers I sent in, for 
 I wrote the most outrageous things, and no 
 notice was taken. I was consigned to the 
 Upper Fourth and given a desk in that room. 
 
 Morning school was over at half-past twelve, 
 and then we had the time to ourselves until one 
 o'clock. This was not as pleasant as it might 
 have been, because there was a foolish rule 
 forbidding the girls to go to their bedrooms 
 during the day, except for ten minutes before 
 tea, when they changed their school attire for 
 " evening " wear. 
 
 Dinner was at one o'clock, and there was hot 
 mutton, with greens and things, and jam pud- 
 ding. I ate more than was really necessary to 
 keep me alive, and refused an offer to make a 
 four at tennis afterwards, as I wanted to write 
 to Mummie. But even this good deed was
 
 THE FIRST DAY 73 
 
 frustrated by the authorities, for I was told that 
 Friday was the day for writing home, and we 
 were not allowed to write at any other time. It 
 was also the blackest of crimes to post a letter 
 for oneself. 
 
 I sighed wearily, and flung myself under a 
 tree on the lawn, with a story-book I had found 
 on a shelf. It would be much simpler if they 
 said plainly the few things we might do, and then 
 we should know where we were. I was getting 
 drowsy under the sycamore, when a girl came 
 up and seated herself on the ground beside me. 
 
 " Now then," I said to her, " I was here first. 
 You go away." 
 
 The girl she had black shiny hair and wicked 
 little eyes stared at me and did not move. 
 
 " Who taught you manners ? " she asked. 
 
 " No one," I replied. 
 
 " So I should think," said she. 
 
 " I don't like you," said I. 
 
 " Why not ? " 
 
 " Your hair's too black, and your eyes too 
 close together." 
 
 " Well, of all the rude creatures ! I'm much 
 admired wherever I go, and I'm an heiress." 
 
 "So'm I," I said promptly. "The Begum 
 of Cawnpore left me a gold mine and a cellar-
 
 74 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 ful of rubies. When I come of age I shall be 
 the most wealthy woman in England. Already, 
 princes are clamouring for my hand." 
 
 " Some people," said my companion calmly, 
 " are born liars. What's your name ? " 
 
 " Pippa. What's yours ? " 
 
 " Silly name, Pippa. Mine is Isabel Duncan 
 Fortescue." 
 
 Then her manner suddenly changed. 
 " Come," she said, " let's be friends. I think 
 you look such a lark, and I've got a large iced 
 cake in my box. Do you like eating ? " 
 
 " Of course. Have you cut the cake yet ? " 
 
 " No, but I'm going to do it to-night. When 
 the house is quiet I'll creep into your room with 
 it, if you like, and we'll go shares." 
 
 " You'll get caught, and there'll be a row. 
 Besides, Hilda might not want you messing 
 about." 
 
 " I don't care about Hilda. She's no friend 
 of mine. Stuck up toad." 
 
 " I think she's splendid," I said warmly. 
 " And there she is." 
 
 I jumped up, and, brushing Miss Fortescue 
 aside, rushed at Hilda and put my arm through 
 hers. 
 
 " Hilda," I said, " let's run away."
 
 " Who taught you mawntrs ? 
 
 1 Where to ? " 
 
 " Oh, anywhere, to get away from the girls. 
 I've just been talking to a thing called Isabel 
 Fortescue." 
 
 "Then you shouldn't," she said. "You'll 
 never get into a good set if you start keeping 
 low company." 
 
 " Is Isabel low company ? " 
 
 " Certainly. She's always trying to get a 
 friend, but no one can stick her." 
 
 75
 
 76 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 " Poor brute. Where does she sleep ? " 
 
 " In a room with four cubicles. The girls 
 in the other three won't speak to her." 
 
 " Why won't they ?" 
 
 " They say her father's a Jew and keeps a 
 pawnshop." 
 
 " What's that to do with her ? She says 
 she's an heiress." 
 
 " That's because of her Jewishness and his 
 pawnshop." 
 
 " Well, anyhow," I said, " it's a shame to 
 blame her for what she can't help. And I 
 daresay it isn't true." 
 
 " Very likely not. Who cares ? Oh, there's 
 the tiresome bell. I do hate afternoon lessons." 
 
 We sauntered in and took our places. Then 
 Mademoiselle came to give us a French lesson. I 
 hoped she wouldn't notice me, for I was feeling 
 dull and sleepy, but she spied me in a minute. 
 
 " Bon jour, mademoiselle," she said briskly. 
 " Vous parlez Fran$ais ? " 
 
 " Oui, tres bien," I answered, making the 
 best of it. 
 
 She did seem pleased, and jabbered a quantity 
 of her language at me, while I cocked an intelli- 
 gent eye and said " Oui " at intervals. Then we 
 began to read from a very tedious work called
 
 THE FIRST DAY 77 
 
 Lazare Hoche. I went to sleep with my head 
 on my desk, and though Hilda was very kind 
 and kept kicking me, it was no use, for what 
 with the sun, and the late jam pudding, and the 
 strong salt air from the open windows, I could 
 no more keep my eyes open than I could fly. 
 
 When it came to my turn to translate Lazare 
 I simply emitted a snore. Mademoiselle was 
 shrill with horror and rage, and sent me out of 
 the room. I retired gratefully, and finished my 
 nap in a corner of the hall. Here Miss Doreen 
 found me presently and woke me up. 
 
 " Why are you not in class ? " she asked 
 suspiciously. 
 
 " Mademoiselle sent me out," I told her. 
 
 " I'm sorry," she said. " And the first day, 
 too. Whatever were you doing ? " 
 
 " That's just it. I wasn't doing anything," 
 I explained sleepily. " Lazare Hoche soothed 
 me off, and when my turn came I was in a 
 profound slumber." 
 
 " Well, if that's all," said Miss Doreen, " I 
 will come back with you and ask Mademoiselle 
 to overlook the lapse for once." 
 
 " Don't," I pleaded. " Don't send me back. 
 It's so comfy here in this nice cool hall, and I'm 
 still sleepy."
 
 78 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 " Well, I hope it won't happen every after- 
 noon," said Miss Doreen doubtfully. ' You'd 
 better catch Mademoiselle as she comes out of 
 class, and apologise." 
 
 I shut up my eyes, murmuring " I'll grovel," 
 and Miss Doreen faded away. 
 
 I had a very refreshing time, and when 
 Mademoiselle came into the hall, later, I went 
 to her and said, " Mademoiselle, je suis fachee." 
 
 She instantly let loose a torrent of her uncouth 
 speech, but as I did not understand a word she 
 said, I did not know if I was forgiven or not. 
 
 " Merci beaucoup," I said politely, when she 
 seemed to have finished, and without waiting to 
 hear any more, I rushed away, and tumbled into 
 the arms of the red-haired girl with the kind 
 heart.
 
 CHAPTER V 
 
 LIFE AT SCHOOL 
 
 SHE was the girl who sat next me at table 
 and had asked if I was homesick on the 
 first night. Her hair was very red, and her eyes 
 light green, but she had a pleasant smile. 
 
 " What's your name ? " she asked. 
 
 I told her. 
 
 " Well, Pippa, and how do you like school ? " 
 she went on. 
 
 " The food seems good," I answered 
 guardedly. 
 
 She burst out laughing. 
 
 " And that's important," I added sternly. 
 " You're not in the Upper Fourth ? " 
 
 " Of course not. I'm in the Sixth. Why, 
 I'm nearly eighteen, and I am leaving at the end 
 of the term." 
 
 " Lucky you ! I'm only fourteen, and years 
 of the treadmill stretch before me." 
 
 " They'll go like a flash, and you'll be awfully 
 sorry when the time comes to leave." 
 
 79
 
 8o PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 " M-m-m," I said, without conviction. " Do 
 you think Miss Lavender will let me establish 
 a company of Girl Guides in the school ? " 
 
 " No, I don't think so ; but you can ask 
 her." 
 
 " If she won't," I said, " I shall run away." 
 
 " Well, then, I shouldn't think you are much 
 of a Guide. Now we have ten minutes to go to 
 our rooms and get ready for tea." 
 
 " You haven't mentioned your name," I 
 reminded her. 
 
 " Oh, haven't I ? It's Margaret Campion, 
 familiarly called Meta." 
 
 " One minute, Meta," I cried, as she was 
 turning away. " Do you happen to know a 
 baby child of the name of Norah Britton ? " 
 
 She laughed heartily, though I hadn't said 
 anything amusing. 
 
 " Baby child, indeed ? " she cried. " She's 
 two months older than I am, and getting on for 
 six feet high." 
 
 " Lor ! I thought, from the way her aunt 
 spoke of her, that she was a prattler of two. 
 Do show her to me." 
 
 "That's her coming downstairs at this 
 moment. Hi, Norah. Stop a sec. This child 
 thought you were a prattler of two."
 
 LIFE AT SCHOOL 81 
 
 A very dignified and grown-up young person, 
 with a smooth dark head and long lashes, shook 
 hands as if she did not care to know me. 
 
 " I suppose you're Pippa," she remarked. 
 " My aunt has mentioned you to me." 
 
 * Yes ? She mentioned you to me, too," I 
 retorted, " but I was so surrounded with million- 
 aires and archbishops at the moment that I did 
 not take much notice." 
 
 This time she did not condescend to look at 
 me, but all she said was, " My aunt told me you 
 were a nice little thing, and I was to be kind to 
 you." 
 
 " And are you going to be ? " I inquired. 
 
 " No, I'm not," she answered. " Good after- 
 noon." 
 
 She moved away, like Pygmalion coming to 
 life or was it the other one ? and Meta's 
 squeals of merriment rang through the hall. 
 
 I went up to my room and began to overhaul 
 my wardrobe. 
 
 " What's the correct wear ? " I asked Hilda, 
 who was hastily replaiting her hair. 
 
 " Anything white, that will do for tennis in 
 the evening." 
 
 " Don't we have any lessons to do ? " 
 
 " Oh, no. Schools of this class don't make 
 
 (4,361) 6
 
 82 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 a great feature of silent study. We generally 
 have half an hour's prep in the afternoons, and 
 another half-hour before breakfast, and that's 
 all." 
 
 " Good business. I was never created for 
 silent study. I must try to do some good Guide 
 deeds in the long evenings." 
 
 " You'll get into mischief, I've no doubt. 
 Are you good at tennis ? " 
 
 " I've not had much practice, but I daresay 
 I shall be a champion by the end of the term." 
 
 Then the tea bell rang. More doorsteps 
 were ranged along the table, flanked by dishes 
 of plum jam and plates of plain cake, slightly 
 spotted with currants. 
 
 After tea we went into the playing field, 
 where there were two tennis courts and a cricket 
 pitch. I consented to make up a set, with 
 Hilda for partner, and I soon found that I 
 was the worst player of the four. That was be- 
 cause I had seldom played at home. Muriel and 
 Nita went to a club, but they never would take 
 me when they could help it. I served nothing 
 but faults, and nearly wept at the repeated bad 
 strokes. But Hilda played so well that in the 
 end we won the set, though only by a single 
 game.
 
 LIFE AT SCHOOL 83 
 
 I set my teeth, and resolved to practise hard. 
 I was not going to be beaten by a simple thing 
 like that. I got a good-natured small girl, who 
 was very active, to have a single with me after- 
 wards, and I am glad to say that I really improved 
 by the time we went in. 
 
 Supper was at half-past seven, and from eight 
 to nine there was a terrible experience. The 
 elder girls (all over thirteen or so) assembled in 
 the drawing-room and assumed society manners. 
 The teachers came too, except the lucky ones 
 who were having their evening off. Between 
 intervals of polite conversation different girls 
 were called on to play or sing. 
 
 " Can you play to us, Pippa ? " asked Miss 
 Lavender. 
 
 " No, thank you," I answered quickly. " I 
 mean, I am afraid I don't play well enough." 
 
 " Well, what can you do ? " 
 
 " Nothing ..." I was beginning, and then 
 hesitated, for an idea occurred to me. 
 
 " I can recite a little," I admitted. 
 
 " Capital ! We shall enjoy that. Stand over 
 there, and begin." 
 
 I stood over there and began, but they didn't 
 enjoy it. For they thought I was never going to 
 end. I recited " Horatius " from the first line to
 
 84 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 the last, and refused to take any notice of the 
 sighs of ennui so freely displayed by my audience. 
 
 " Lars Porsena of Clusium," I began, with 
 great firmness. I saw the girls look at each 
 other and yawn. I am sure that every one 
 hoped I should quickly forget what came next, 
 but my memory is good, and they were disap- 
 pointed. I had learned all the Lays of Ancient 
 Rome with Miss Brentwood, and I now reaped 
 the benefit of my industry. 
 
 I went on and on with much enjoyment, and 
 held the stage for the best part of half an hour. 
 When I came to " false Sextus, who wrought the 
 deed of shame," I felt sure, from the expression 
 on the girls' faces, that they thought I was 
 referring to myself. Miss Lavender closed her 
 pretty eyes, and did not open them until I reluc- 
 tantly arrived at the " brave days of old " in the 
 last line. Then she opened them and smiled 
 at me. 
 
 " What a memory you have," she said. 
 * Thank you, very much." 
 
 The girls sat in stony silence, and no one else 
 thanked me. 
 
 " I know them all," I said. " Shall I give 
 ' The Battle of Lake Regillus ' now ? " 
 
 " Not to-night. It's getting so late," said
 
 I recited " Horatius." 
 
 Miss Lavender hastily. " Keep it for another 
 time." 
 
 As we were going up to bed, later, I said to 
 Hilda, " The time will never come when I 
 shall be asked to recite again." 
 
 " I'm certain it won't," Hilda agreed. 
 " Every one has had more than enough of 
 you for the rest of the term."
 
 86 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 I was just settling off to sleep when I remem- 
 bered the girl who had offered to cut her cake 
 that night at my bedside. The light was out, 
 and I was getting drowsy. Hilda seemed to be 
 asleep, for she did not answer when I spoke to 
 her. Presently I dropped off myself, and was 
 in my night's slumber when I was awakened by 
 a sharp prod through the bedclothes. 
 
 " Sh-sh ! " hissed a voice in my ear. "I've 
 got here at last." 
 
 " Then go away again. How dare you dis- 
 turb me at this time of night ? Breaking rules, 
 and everything. I wonder you're not ashamed 
 of yourself." 
 
 " Don't be silly. Look here." 
 
 She hoisted something, round and white and 
 heavy, on to the bed, and brandished a knife. 
 ' Would you like to cut it ? " she whispered. 
 
 I said I should, for, now that I was wide- 
 awake, I realized that I could do with something 
 to eat. Besides, I like cutting cakes. So I 
 sawed away at the hard sugar, and cut nothing 
 but the sheet. 
 
 " If we had a little more light I could see 
 what I am doing," I said. 
 
 Isabel struck a match, and held it till it burned 
 out and scorched her fingers. She let it drop
 
 Isabel struck a match. 
 
 on the bed, and a circular brown patch appeared 
 on the white counterpane. 
 
 " Now, see what you've done," I said crossly. 
 
 " I didn't ; it was you," replied Isabel. 
 
 "Liar!" I said. "Temptress! Light an- 
 other match." 
 
 At this point Hilda sat up in bed and asked 
 if burglars had got in. 
 
 87
 
 88 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 " It's all right," I assured her. "I'm just 
 engaged on a good deed." 
 
 " What are you doing ? " 
 
 " Feeding the hungry," I answered. ' There, 
 I've done it at last. Shall I cut a bit for Hilda ? " 
 
 " Oh, she won't eat it. She's too virtuous," 
 sneered Isabel. 
 
 " No, I certainly won't," cried Hilda, now thor- 
 oughly awake. " Is that you, Isabel Fortescue ? 
 Just wait till I get out of bed. I'll soon make 
 an end of jyow." 
 
 She jumped up, rushed at Isabel, seized her 
 by the shoulders, and shook her till her teeth 
 rattled. Isabel screamed as loudly as she 
 dared. 
 
 " Now, take your beastly food to your beastly 
 bed," cried Hilda, forgetting to speak like a 
 lady. 
 
 I took no part in the scrimmage, for I was 
 engaged in tucking away under my pillow the 
 wedge of cake I had secured. At that moment 
 there was a distinct sound down below the 
 opening and shutting of the front door. 
 
 " Some one coming up," I warned the other 
 two. ' You'd better skedaddle to your own 
 quarters, Isabel." 
 
 Hilda stopped shaking her and looked out.
 
 LIFE AT SCHOOL 89 
 
 " There's a light coming up the stairs," she 
 said. " I'm afraid she'll be cotched, and a good 
 thing too." 
 
 The next moment the ascending light revealed 
 itself as a candle in the hand of Miss Doreen. 
 She saw, as she passed, that our door was not 
 latched, and paused to shut it, but, looking in to 
 see if all was right, she spied Isabel with her 
 cake clasped to her pyjama jacket, waiting to 
 sneak out of the room. Miss Doreen entered 
 and put down the candle. 
 
 " What's all this ? " she inquired, and switched 
 on the electric light in order to see better. Then 
 we noticed that she was in evening dress, and 
 was flushed and shining as if she had just come 
 from a dance. Somehow she did not look at 
 that moment as though she could be very 
 severe. 
 
 " It's Isabel Fortescue," said Hilda, " bring- 
 ing her eatables into our immaculate bedroom, 
 breaking the rules, and encouraging the mice." 
 
 " Sneak ! " said Isabel under her breath. 
 " Tell-tale tit ! " 
 
 " Eatables ? " said Miss Doreen, in a dazed, 
 happy sort of way. " In the bedrooms, too ? 
 Dear me, dear me, how could you do it ? You 
 you naughty girls."
 
 90 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 " It's Isabel's cake," remarked Hilda, getting 
 back into bed. 
 
 " Give it to me," said Miss Doreen. And 
 she took the cake away from the dismayed 
 Isabel. " I'm afraid this is confiscated. It 
 shall be given to the poor, and, Isabel, write out 
 a hundred lines of Virgil in your spare time to- 
 morrow, and bring it to me before supper. Now, 
 go back to bed at once. Good-night, girls." 
 
 We said good-night humbly and thankfully. 
 The affair was going off better than could have 
 been hoped, and Miss Doreen had evidently 
 not noticed that the cake was not intact. She 
 turned off the light and, taking up her candle ? 
 went glittering out of the room. The cakeless 
 Isabel crept back to her cubicle, and I got from 
 under my pillow the large slice I had fortunately 
 secured, and munched it in peace and content- 
 ment as I went off to sleep. 
 
 " I fear there will be crumbs in the bed to- 
 morrow," I thought. " But, never mind, we 
 must cope with our troubles as they come." 
 
 Then I called out to Hilda, " Did you notice 
 how uncommonly smart Miss Doreen was ? 
 Something's up with her. It's not like her to 
 have patched up an affair like this with a little 
 Virgil."
 
 LIFE AT SCHOOL 91 
 
 " It was your fault as much as Isabel's," 
 murmured Hilda sleepily, " so you'd better help 
 her write her lines." 
 
 " I'm sure I shan't, then," I said. " ' Let 
 well alone ' is my motto. And, anyhow, I 
 look upon my good deed for to-morrow as 
 already done." 
 
 " I should like to know what that is ? " 
 
 * Why, nourishing the poor, of course. And 
 with rich cake, too. Which makes it doubly 
 precious." 
 
 " It wasn't your cake." 
 
 ' Well, but for me the poor wouldn't have 
 got any, so I can take the credit of the whole 
 thing. Do you think Miss Doreen's in love ? 
 She looked as mawkish as Muriel used to when 
 she was expecting Charlie. But, of course, a 
 person who was christened Fanny forty-five 
 years ago couldn't be." 
 
 " It was only the girls who said that, and girls 
 are seldom to be relied on. Now, I'm going to 
 sleep." 
 
 And she went to sleep. 
 
 But next day Miss Doreen still seemed a little 
 queer what the French call distraite and she 
 would have forgotten Isabel's imposition if I 
 hadn't reminded her of it. I was very kind to
 
 92 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 Isabel, too, and lent her my Virgil when she 
 couldn't find hers. And I begged her to think, 
 besides, what a famous feast she had provided 
 for the poor. But that was too much. Isabel 
 screwed up her courage and sought out Miss 
 Doreen after the afternoon class. I followed, 
 to hear what she was going to say. 
 
 " Oh, please, Miss Doreen . . ." she began. 
 
 Miss Doreen turned benignant eyes on her. 
 
 " Well, Isabel, come to beg a boon ? " 
 
 " Oh, yes, please. I'm getting on with the 
 imposition." 
 
 " So Pippa told me, some time ago." 
 
 " And, please, if you have not already given 
 my cake to the poor, mayn't we have it for 
 tea ? " 
 
 For a second Miss Doreen looked puzzled. 
 I verily believe she had clean forgotten all about 
 both the cake and the poor. Then she remem- 
 bered, and actually laughed. 
 
 " Of course you shall have it for tea, if you 
 want it," she promised. " I don't recollect 
 where I put it, but certainly it hasn't yet found 
 its way to either poor or rich." 
 
 And, sure enough, when we went in to tea, 
 there was Isabel's cake, beautifully cut into small 
 pieces, all among the doorsteps. We could not
 
 LIFE AT SCHOOL 93 
 
 understand Miss Doreen. Two days ago some 
 of us would have been on bread and water, and 
 now a confiscated cake passed happily round. 
 
 All sorts of rumours about Miss Doreen soon 
 got about. A young man was observed by some 
 of us (myself among the number) to call rather 
 frequently, and sometimes to stay to dinner. 
 Before a week was over, Miss Lavender herself 
 told some of the Sixth that her sister was engaged 
 to Dr. Major, and would be married in a year. 
 
 " It's a shame," I said, when I heard the news. 
 " She's no business to get married before her 
 elder sister. Poor Miss Lavender ! I must see 
 what I can do for her." 
 
 " You can't do anything," said Hilda. 
 
 " I'm not so sure. There's Uncle Philip- 
 very ugly and stupid, certainly, but better than 
 nobody." 
 
 I gave a good deal of earnest thought to the 
 matter. 
 
 The days were now delightfully warm and 
 sunny. The sea and the sky sparkled together, 
 and the swimming began. We went down to 
 the beach after morning school, and dinner time 
 was changed to half-past one, so that we might 
 have a good hour. Half a dozen small white 
 tents, with B. H. S. in dark blue letters, were put
 
 94 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 up, and swimming lessons were given to those 
 who needed them. I was a good swimmer, 
 but some of the girls were duffers at it, and not 
 a few were too cowardly to try to learn. 
 
 * You'll never get a medal for saving life at 
 sea," I said to Isabel Fortescue, as she stood 
 shivering on the shingle. 
 
 " Don't want one," she answered. 
 
 Blackthorne House was certainly not a school 
 where the girls were overworked. But I found it 
 so difficult to remember, and to keep all the rules 
 at the same moment that I made an arrangement 
 with myself to keep them one at a time. This 
 really answered the purpose, for I calculated 
 that by the half-term I should have kept them 
 all, and the last half of the term I could keep the 
 whole caboodle over again. Hilda seemed a 
 little doubtful when I explained the system 
 to her. 
 
 " But while you're keeping one, you're break- 
 ing all the others," she argued. 
 
 " You may be, of course," I agreed. " But, 
 again, you may not. You simply let the others 
 go, and concentrate on the one you are keeping. 
 Take that silly regulation about no food in the 
 bedrooms, for instance. Well, now we can keep 
 that until after Saturday, for there's not a crumb
 
 LIFE AT SCHOOL 95 
 
 left, and I've spent my meagre shilling long 
 ago. How hard life is ! " 
 
 I posted a letter to Uncle Philip that very day. 
 Of course, it was not Friday, but then I was 
 not keeping that rule at the time. I wrote a 
 very nice and affectionate note, describing my 
 new life. 
 
 " But the worst of it all, dear Uncle," I said, 
 " is, that I am cut off from my beloved family, 
 who are rather niggardly in their allowance. 
 A shilling a week is not very much, is it, dear 
 Uncle ? Couldn't you come down to Brighton 
 and see me ? You did promise, you know. 
 And it would be such a joy to dear Miss Lavender 
 to meet again one of the friends of her youth. 
 Her younger sister, Doreen, has basely gone and 
 got engaged. It seems a shame, when Miss 
 Lavender is so much older and better looking, 
 doesn't it ? My good Guide instincts prompt 
 me to act in the matter. Do come next Saturday, 
 and then you can take me out to tea, if you can 
 afford it. Your loving niece Pippa."
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 
 UNCLE PHILIP'S TREAT 
 
 NO answer came from Uncle Philip, and I 
 did not know whether to expect him or not. 
 
 Saturday turned out a hot blue day, and we 
 spent most of the morning on the beach. After 
 dinner we were allowed to choose whether we 
 would go for a country walk or play tennis in 
 the field. Needless to say, I chose the tennis, 
 and so did Hilda ; but it was really too hot to 
 play much, and we soon abandoned the attempt. 
 I fetched a book from the library, and made for 
 my favourite seat in the garden, where, I sus- 
 pect, I dropped asleep. 
 
 I was awakened by Rosa the parlourmaid 
 touching my shoulder. 
 
 " Miss Lavender says, will you please go to 
 the drawing-room, Miss Pippa. There's a 
 visitor for you." 
 
 I opened my eyes and was wide awake in a 
 second. 
 
 " Good old Uncle Philip ! " I cried, and raced 
 past Rosa to the house.
 
 UNCLE PHILIP'S TREAT 97 
 
 I burst into the drawing-room, forgetting to 
 knock as I was in such a hurry. There, sure 
 enough, sitting very upright in an easy chair in 
 the window, sat Uncle Philip in his best grey 
 coat, and a pair of grey suede gloves resting on 
 his knee. Opposite him sat Miss Lavender, 
 smiling and sweet. I flew at Uncle, knocked 
 down his gloves, and flung my arms round his 
 neck. He looked disgusted, and shook me 
 off. 
 
 " That'll do," he snapped. " I didn't come 
 down here to be throttled. I do hope, Miss 
 Lavender, that my niece is not giving you an 
 undue amount of trouble." 
 
 " Oh, well, we're rubbing along," said Miss 
 Lavender lightly. 
 
 " She always was high-spirited and head- 
 strong," went on Uncle Philip, taking no notice 
 of my presence, " and her Aunt Florence per- 
 suaded my sister-in-law to send her to school. 
 Don't make faces at me like that, Pippa. If 
 Miss Lavender will be good enough to give 
 permission, and you could get your hands a 
 little cleaner, perhaps I will take you out for an 
 hour." 
 
 I thought it better to dissemble my feelings 
 and do the meek stunt. 
 
 (4,301) 7
 
 98 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 " Very well, Uncle dear," I said. " And may 
 Hilda come too ? " 
 
 " Who's Hilda ? " 
 
 " Hilda Cheesman. My great chum." 
 
 " I don't mind," he said. " She can come 
 if you like." 
 
 " We can walk one on each side of you," 
 I said demurely, and went away to find 
 Hilda. 
 
 She was just about to make up a set with Meta 
 and Norah and somebody else when I dragged 
 her away, saying that Miss Lavender wanted 
 her ; and they had to put up with Isabel 
 Fortescue, who can no more play tennis than 
 she can swim. 
 
 " Whatever does Miss Lavender want me 
 for ? " Hilda inquired. 
 
 " She doesn't," I answered. " It's Uncle 
 Philip. At least, he doesn't want you particu- 
 larly, but he's going to take me out to tea, 
 and he said you might come too. Where shall 
 we go ? " 
 
 Hilda considered. 
 
 " I think the cream buns are largest at the 
 ' Mikado,' " she decided. 
 
 ' Then that settles it. I suppose we'd better 
 put on hats and gloves. Uncle said I was to wash
 
 UNCLE PHILIP'S TREAT 99 
 
 my hands, but it won't be necessary if I cover 
 them in a ladylike way." 
 
 We presented ourselves in the drawing-room, 
 and Uncle Philip got up and shook hands with 
 Hilda, and said he had met her father. She 
 smiled at him in her fat-headed way, and he 
 seemed rather taken with her. 
 
 * Well, come along, children," he said, 
 collecting his gloves. " Good afternoon, Miss 
 Lavender, and thank you for your gracious 
 permission. I'll take care of the young people, 
 and return them as soon as possible." 
 
 "I'm sure you will," she said gravely. 
 
 We walked gracefully to the Front, Uncle 
 Philip between us. No one spoke. 
 
 ' That's the wrong way, Uncle," I said as 
 he was turning off to the lawns. 
 
 ' Way to where ? " he asked gruffly. 
 ' Well, I understood that you were taking us 
 out to tea," I said. " Of course, we don't want 
 you to unless you feel you really can afford the 
 expense." 
 
 " Well, I can but be ruined," he said. " Do 
 you know a good tea-shop ? " 
 
 ' We do, and it's the other way." 
 
 We all turned and marched in the other 
 direction. A good many people stared at us,
 
 ioo PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 but I expect that was because Uncle looked so 
 silly, striding along in suede gloves, with Hilda 
 on his left and me on his right. 
 
 " I hope it isn't far," he said. 
 
 " Just a little way along, and a very exciting 
 place. You go downstairs and walk along a 
 narrow dark corridor, with a horrid gramophone 
 always playing, and you come out on the beach, 
 quite close to the sea." 
 
 " You know it well, I suppose ? " 
 
 "No, dear Uncle," I said sadly. "It's 
 beyond my limited means. The cream buns are 
 sixpence each. My entire income would only 
 buy two a week." 
 
 He grunted, and seemed to wish he hadn't 
 come, but Hilda and I led him firmly into the 
 shop, and down the stairs, and along the corridor 
 past the gramophone. There, at the end, the 
 wide open windows gave an entrancing view of 
 the sea and the beach, and I flew towards them 
 and enthusiastically seated myself on the window- 
 sill. 
 
 Uncle and Hilda sat down decorously at a 
 small table, and a waitress, evidently impressed 
 with the suede gloves, bustled up. Uncle removed 
 his hat and said " Tea." I thought it time to 
 scramble down and take part in the conversation.
 
 UNCLE PHILIP'S TREAT 101 
 
 " And things to eat, Uncle dear," I reminded 
 him. 
 
 " Oh, yes, bread and butter," he said to the 
 waitress. 
 
 She moved off, but I started up and caught 
 her apron string. 
 
 " Come back," I cried. " He's made a 
 mistake. No bread and butter. Cream buns." 
 She looked at Uncle, who was taking off his 
 gloves. He nodded at her. 
 
 " Anything," he said. 
 
 So she returned carrying a dishful of the 
 luscious things, piled on one another, with the 
 cream bulging out of their insides. 
 
 " You do realize that they're sixpence each, 
 don't you, Uncle dear ? " my conscience com- 
 pelled me to ask. But I impaled one on a fork 
 and transferred it to my plate as rapidly as 
 possible in case he realized the expense as 
 beyond his means and sent for penny buns 
 instead. 
 
 " So long as I am not expected to eat any, I 
 don't care what they cost," said Uncle. " Now, 
 Miss Hilda, suppose you pour out the tea." 
 
 Hilda poured out in a dignified and matronly 
 sort of way, and seemed sorry to find that 
 Uncle took neither milk nor sugar. He did
 
 102 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 not enjoy himself at all, poor man, and ate noth- 
 ing, but looked at us and the diminishing pile 
 of cream buns as if he wondered how we did it. 
 
 I was half-way through my third when a party 
 of six surged in and took possession of two 
 tables. The two men sat at one by themselves, 
 and the four women at the other. They were 
 a funny looking crew, and I thought I heard 
 Uncle mutter under his breath the word 
 " Germans," with a qualifying adjective in 
 front. I hope I did not hear that adjective 
 aright. 
 
 The elderly man had thick black bristles 
 sticking up straight in the middle of his other- 
 wise bald flat head, and he was quite the ugliest 
 person I had ever seen. But he evidently had 
 a good heart, for he persuaded his female 
 relations to eat quantities of rich pastries. 
 The three younger ones helped themselves 
 liberally, but they only let the old lady have a 
 plain scone. I thought it rough on her, until 
 I saw that they were all feeding her with their 
 teaspoons from their own cream buns. They 
 would take a mouthful themselves, and then 
 spoon a quantity into the old lady's mouth, and 
 she sucked it all in with much enjoyment. 
 
 I was so interested in watching them that I
 
 / caught her apron string. 
 
 left uneaten the last part of my third cream bun, 
 and, indeed, the sight before me took away my 
 appetite. 
 
 " I don't think I can eat any more, Uncle 
 dear," I said faintly. 
 
 103
 
 104 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 " I was thinking myself that you'd had 
 enough," he remarked rather brutally. " Shall 
 we go ? " 
 
 " Not back to school yet," I pleaded. " I've 
 never been on the pier. Let's go on the pier, 
 Uncle." 
 
 " Come on, then," he said, and beckoned to 
 the waitress, who made out the bill which was 
 enormous and blushed with pleasure when 
 he gave her a shilling for herself ; though, as I 
 whispered to him, twopence would have been 
 enough. 
 
 The German family were still shovelling their 
 pastries into the open mouth of the old lady 
 when I took my final look at them. Why they 
 didn't buy her one for herself I could not 
 imagine, but they probably thought they were 
 economising, and that, with Reparations and 
 the rest of it hanging over them, they must save 
 somewhere. 
 
 We reached the open air and dodged through 
 the motors on to the Parade. It was the Palace 
 Pier I was anxious to visit, for I had often read, 
 in large letters across a pavilion in its midst, the 
 entrancing words " Palace of Fun," and naturally 
 I wanted to see what it was like. We steered 
 Uncle past the turnstile, and I pointed out to
 
 UNCLE PHILIP'S TREAT 105 
 
 him the blueness of the sea, and the colours of 
 the sunset that we were going to have presently. 
 He did not seem in the least impressed, and 
 suggested sitting down and having a cigar. 
 
 " Hilda and I do not smoke," I said. " But 
 you light up, Uncle dear, and we'll stroll round 
 by ourselves." 
 
 " Well, don't go far," he said ; " and come 
 back in five minutes." 
 
 " Certainly," we promised, and left him 
 puffing away. 
 
 We made for the Palace of Fun, the entrance 
 to which was fortunately free. We did not, 
 however, care much for it. It consisted of 
 stalls round the sides like a charity bazaar, and 
 you had three shies a penny, and won a prize 
 if you hit the mark. A good many people were 
 there, but no one had any money for the com- 
 petitions, and the stall-holders seemed weary 
 with doing nothing. 
 
 " Poor sort of fun," I said as we strolled on. 
 " Let's put a penny into an automatic machine 
 and see the figures work." 
 
 Hilda chose The Execution, and her penny 
 went in with such a plop that it attracted the 
 attention of about fifty people of all ages, who 
 crowded round to enjoy the sight. The prison
 
 io6 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 gates opened, and the bell tolled, but then some- 
 thing went wrong with the works, and the con- 
 demned man stuck long before he reached the 
 scaffold. 
 
 " What a sell," said Hilda. " If only I could 
 get my penny back ! " 
 
 She tried, and the good-natured crowd who 
 had been disappointed of their show tried too. 
 But all in vain the executioner's fell task re- 
 mained incomplete. 
 
 " Cheat ! " said Hilda bitterly, and moved 
 on. 
 
 " I'll try this," I said, stopping before the 
 Tyrolese Lover, and this time we really did get 
 good value for my penny. The musician 
 played beneath his lady's window, and we 
 actually heard the music ; the window opened 
 and a beauteous maid looked forth ; the window 
 closed, but the musician played on ; then it 
 opened again, to disclose a hideous hag with 
 a thick stick. The musician stopped, the 
 window banged down, and all was as before. 
 
 The crowd applauded, and regarded me as a 
 public benefactor. I bowed to them graciously, 
 and then Hilda and I went back to Uncle. 
 
 "I'm afraid we've left you alone rather long," 
 I said politely as we sat down beside him.
 
 / bowed to them graciously. 
 
 " No," he said, " it didn't seem long." 
 " The Palace of Fun is a delusion," I told 
 him, " and very sordid. Hilda was cheated 
 disgracefully. She put a penny in The Execu- 
 tion, and the wretched thing wouldn't work. 
 So she has lost her penny, poor girl. I am 
 sorry for her." 
 
 " So am I," said Uncle. 
 
 107
 
 io8 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 " Oh, never mind," put in Hilda. " It wasn't 
 quite my last." 
 
 " No," I said sadly. " Last but one." 
 
 Uncle grinned. " Now, I'm sure you young 
 ladies will want to be getting on with your 
 lessons," he said. " How about going back to 
 school ? It's a good walk, and I've got a train 
 to catch." 
 
 " That's the worst of being poor," I sighed. 
 " You have to go by train. Now, if you were 
 Mr. Woolley, you could motor at any hour. 
 I think I should like to send a little note to Mr. 
 Woolley. What is his address, Uncle dear ? " 
 
 " Never you mind," said Uncle, getting up. 
 " Shall I give them your love at home ? " 
 
 " They wouldn't value it," I said. " But 
 you can tell Muriel and Nita that I've lost nearly 
 all the pencil-boxes. I should like to see Mr. 
 Woolley. He was such a friend to me." 
 
 " I daresay," said Uncle calmly. " Now, if 
 we can find a florist's, we might buy some roses 
 for you to take back to Miss Lavender." 
 
 " Say it with flowers ! " I cried, delighted. 
 " Oh, Uncle dear, don't you think Miss Lavender 
 a charming woman ? " 
 
 " I don't know that I've thought about it." 
 
 " Not lately, perhaps, but when you were
 
 UNCLE PHILIP'S TREAT 109 
 
 young. And now you've seen her again 
 although so late in life doesn't your heart 
 bound more quickly ? " 
 
 Uncle Philip gave such a loud guffaw that 
 the policeman at the corner looked at him with 
 suspicion. 
 
 " You'll be taken up if you're not careful," 
 I said to him, " and that won't be very pleasant 
 for me, in a place where I'm known and 
 respected. Here's a flower shop." 
 
 We went in, and Uncle, still chuckling in his 
 senile way, bought a lovely bunch of roses and 
 sweet peas, and had it carefully packed in white 
 paper. He carried it himself until we got to 
 Blackthorne House, and then he thrust it into 
 my hands. 
 
 " My compliments to Miss Lavender," he 
 said. 
 
 " But surely you are coming in to give them 
 to her yourself," I said. 
 
 " I am not," he answered. " Trains wait 
 for no man. Now do try to be a good girl, 
 Pippa. I'm sure Miss Hilda is always good. 
 And look here, girls, here's a little present for 
 each of you to remember me by." 
 
 He dived into his pocket, found a case, and 
 extracted from it two pound treasury notes.
 
 no PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 He gave one to each of us. We thanked him 
 effusively. 
 
 " Don't waste it, or spend it all on cream 
 buns," he admonished us. 
 
 ' We'll make a good use of it," I promised. 
 ' What a blessing money is." 
 
 We stood at the gate while I kissed him and 
 he shook hands with Hilda. Then he strode 
 quickly away and we went in. 
 
 " Hilda," I said, " the possession of so much 
 money is a sacred trust. We must get as much 
 good out of it as possible. I have an idea how 
 it can be spent with profit and advantage." 
 
 " What's the idea ? " 
 
 " Well, I'll tell you later. I must first medi- 
 tate on my plan." 
 
 We found Miss Lavender in the drawing-room 
 with some of the girls. I presented the bou- 
 quet, and said that Uncle Philip had sent it 
 with his undying affection and many apologies 
 for not giving it in person. The girls crowded 
 round to listen. Miss Lavender buried her face 
 in the roses to hide her blushes, but when she 
 emerged she only seemed amused. 
 
 ' What was the actual wording of the 
 message, Pippa ? " she asked. 
 
 " Compliments," I growled sulkily.
 
 UNCLE PHILIP'S TREAT in 
 
 " Ah, that's more like it ! What beauties ! " 
 She caressed the flowers in a hopeful fashion. 
 
 " But we must read between the lines," I 
 said, brightening up. I did not venture further, 
 but I noticed that the roses were put carefully 
 in vases and stood on Miss Lavender's table for 
 some days. Of course, I don't know what 
 eventually became of them, but I felt that I 
 had done my best for all parties. 
 
 I found the lessons at Blackthorne House 
 easy and amusing, though I continued to be a 
 duffer at arithmetic and algebra. But my 
 English essays and compositions were always 
 highly marked, and I really began to make prog- 
 ress with French. Indeed, it was Mademoiselle 
 who partly gave me an idea of a good way to 
 spend Uncle Philip's pound, and a bill I had 
 read on the pier supplied the rest of the idea. 
 But at present I had only meditated on it in 
 silence. 
 
 I noticed that the chief characteristic of the 
 whole staff of teachers a feature they all had 
 in common was brightness. It would have 
 made the sun wink to see Miss Lambert prance 
 briskly into the Upper Fourth, grin at the girls, 
 seize a lump of chalk, and take her place in front 
 of the blackboard.
 
 ii2 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 " Now, we'll find out how much we remember 
 of our last lesson," she always began. 
 
 Nobody remembered anything which would 
 have darkened the horizon of any one not paid 
 to be bright. But Miss Lambert scintillated, 
 and would herself go through the points of the 
 last lesson while we sat in wooden-headed 
 silence. 
 
 She taught history and literature, and it was 
 rather an effort to listen to her. I usually 
 fidgeted, unless I felt sleepy and had a quiet 
 doze. The last part of the lesson consisted of 
 the dictation of notes, which we were supposed 
 to commit to memory. I should have done so 
 if I had not always had so many other things 
 to do. 
 
 My tennis was coming on finely, and I hoped 
 that the captain would let me play in the end- 
 of-term matches. But there was a good deal of 
 selfishness and jealousy in the Sixth, I was sorry 
 to see, and I felt that unless I did something to 
 attract their attention I ran a risk of being 
 overlooked. 
 
 Every Wednesday afternoon was a half- 
 holiday, and the girls were sent out on fine 
 days for a walk, with a young governess or 
 a pupil-teacher at the head of each division.
 
 UNCLE PHILIP'S TREAT 113 
 
 It was then that I missed my Guiding so much. 
 If only we had had a Company in the school, 
 what a much jollier time we might have had. 
 
 One favourite way of spending Wednesday 
 afternoon was to stalk along the front until we 
 came to the shelter of Madeira Walk, and there 
 break up the crocodile and run races and play 
 games. Quiet people, settled in the Walk for 
 the afternoon with their novels and knitting, 
 always scuttled off when they saw us coming. 
 We were glad for them to go. I always hate to 
 annoy the aged and infirm. 
 
 My good Guide instinct once made offer to 
 hold a skein of silk for an old lady, who was 
 knitting a necktie on the second terrace, while 
 the Upper Fourth and part of the Fifth were 
 having a hopping race. She was trying to wind 
 it by herself, and getting into difficulties. 
 
 " I'd love to help you I would really," I 
 said. 
 
 She thanked me doubtfully and slipped the 
 silk over my hands. Of course, it had not been 
 wound properly in the first place, or it never 
 could have got into such an unholy mess as it 
 did. I had no sooner touched it than a thousand 
 knots and tangles i appeared. The old lady 
 pulled one way and I tugged the other, and, in 
 
 (4,361)
 
 ii4 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 the end, the whole skein was hopelessly ruined. 
 Nothing on earth would ever straighten it out, 
 and the elderly one jerked it away from me 
 and called me a clumsy little girl. I was 
 naturally hurt, and said " Good-afternoon " 
 rather coldly. 
 
 It was on one of these Wednesday afternoons 
 that Hilda and I had a great adventure, and for 
 a short time we loomed large in the public eye.
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 
 THE CONCERT PARTY 
 
 IT was when I had been at school for about 
 six weeks that we found ourselves on a 
 certain Wednesday afternoon in Madeira Walk 
 as usual. There were about a dozen of us 
 altogether, and Doris Graham (a pupil-teacher) 
 was responsible for our good behaviour. 
 
 It was a broiling hot day, and the sea was like 
 blue oil. Doris was sleepy and languid, and 
 sank down thankfully on the first seat she came 
 to. 
 
 " Now, do keep quiet, girls," she begged. 
 " It's too warm to play games." 
 
 " So it is, Doris dear," I agreed ; " and Hilda 
 and I will just stroll along by ourselves very 
 slowly indeed." 
 
 " Don't go beyond the end of the terrace, 
 then," said Doris, opening a book. 
 
 " Certainly not. Just there and back. Come 
 on, Hilda." 
 
 We sauntered away from the rest of the party, 
 who all settled down to various amusements. 
 
 115
 
 n6 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 " I've not done my good deed yet to-day, 
 Hilda," I said when we were well out of sight 
 and sound of the others. 
 
 " Then I should give it a miss for once," was 
 Hilda's unworthy advice. 
 
 " I can't do that. Let's prowl along until 
 we come to something." 
 
 We prowled along until we came to Tom Bow- 
 ling's Entertainment on the beach. We stood 
 on the Parade and looked down at the smart 
 little platform and the rows of empty chairs. 
 The Entertainment was just beginning, and 
 one old woman in the sixpenny seats and two 
 boys (who looked as if they had got in without 
 paying) in the threepenny were all the audi- 
 ence. 
 
 Of course, there were a good many people on 
 the Parade with us, leaning over the railings 
 and looking down, enjoying a free show in the 
 meanest manner. Whenever the collector 
 came among them with his alms bag, they moved 
 away to another spot until he had gone. No 
 one passed the turnstile down below, and the 
 girl in the pay-box had apparently gone to sleep. 
 
 The pianist was thumping out the accompani- 
 ment to a chorus, and the entire company 
 five strong were singing a lusty invitation to
 
 THE CONCERT PARTY 117 
 
 the public to roll along, with dance and song, 
 tra la, tra la la. One more boy climbed over 
 the barrier and sat down. The sixpenny old 
 lady got up and shook herself, and I could see 
 by her manner that she would not have stopped 
 a minute longer if she could have got her six- 
 pence back. I did feel sorry for the Enter- 
 tainers. 
 
 " Poor dears ! It is a shame," I said to 
 Hilda. " How are they all to pay for a night's 
 lodging with one sixpence and an empty alms 
 bag ? " 
 
 " Not empty," said Hilda. "I've seen five 
 people put in a penny." 
 
 " What's fivepence ? Now let me think. 
 What can I do to help them ? " 
 
 " Nothing. You can't sing." 
 
 " No, but you can," I cried in a burst of in- 
 spiration. " The very thing. Hilda, I've done 
 many good deeds in my life, but never one like 
 this." 
 
 " Like what ? " 
 
 In great excitement I seized Hilda's arm and 
 dragged her down the steps to the beach. We 
 rushed up to the turnstile, and the girl there 
 opened her eyes and asked if we would have 
 sixpenny or threepenny seats.
 
 n8 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 " Neither. We're helping in the show. You 
 wait a minute and listen," I cried breathlessly. 
 " And for goodness' sake don't go to sleep 
 again, for you'll have work enough in a minute." 
 
 The girl looked bewildered, as well she 
 might, but she let us pass through the entrance 
 and make our way to the platform. The first 
 chorus was over, and the singers were trooping 
 off the stage, while the three boys in the three- 
 penny seats shouted " Ancore." I took a flying 
 leap on to the stage, and caught up with the tail 
 of the company. He began to bluster, and 
 ordered me off the platform. 
 
 " Not so fast," I said. "I'm here from pure 
 compassion. Are you Mr. Tom Bowling ? " 
 
 " No, I'm not," he said crossly. 
 
 1 Then go and find that sheer hulk, and tell 
 him a friend wants to speak to him." 
 
 He seemed surprised, but made off quickly, 
 and I followed him through the wings and over 
 the side of the platform into a little recess 
 roofed with canvas. 
 
 " Mr. Bowling," said my conductor, " this 
 young lady wants to speak to you." 
 
 An enormously fat man, dressed like all the 
 others in red and white, came forward. 
 
 " What is it ? " he said. " Be quick."
 
 Be reasonable," I adjured him. 
 
 " There's a girl round the corner with the voice 
 of an angel," I told him breathlessly. " Just let 
 her sing, and hundreds will rush in to hear her." 
 
 " Nonsense," he said. * You run away, my 
 little girl. I haven't time to play with you 
 now." 
 
 " Be reasonable," I adjured him. " Let me 
 conduct this entertainment for five minutes 
 and your coffers will be overflowing. We can't 
 
 119
 
 120 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 do any harm, for there's only the old lady to 
 mind, and I will sacrifice half my week's allow- 
 ance and return her sixpence if she doesn't like 
 it." 
 
 He looked at me earnestly, and I suppose he 
 thought of the rows of empty chairs outside. 
 ' You can have three minutes," he said. 
 
 " Hooray ! " I cried. " You'll never regret 
 it, Thomas. Is that a drum ? Lend it to me, 
 will you ? Now pass over that drumstick, 
 Tommy dear." 
 
 With the drum in my arms I bounded on to 
 that stage, and I beat that drum until Brighton 
 resounded, and the Downs all round sent back 
 an echo. Then I stopped and made a speech. 
 
 " Ladies and gentlemen," I shouted to the old 
 lady and the three boys, and the crowd on the 
 Parade, " and all you mean skinflints up there-, 
 trying to get something for nothing, listen to 
 me, and come down from on high and pay your 
 sixpences like men, and especially like women. 
 The most wonderful performance ever known 
 in human experience is about to begin. Come 
 up here, Hilda. I'll mind your hat." 
 
 The crowd of listeners on the Parade certainly 
 grew larger ; several people came down to the 
 beach, and two girls paid for threepenny seats.
 
 THE CONCERT PARTY 121 
 
 " That's a very good beginning," I screamed 
 encouragingly. " Roll up in your thousands, 
 there's dears." 
 
 An elderly man passed through the turnstile 
 to a sixpenny seat. I got Hilda fixed to the 
 front of the platform, twitched her hat from her 
 head, and said to the pianist, who was still at the 
 piano, " Begin." 
 
 " What shall I play ? " she asked. 
 
 " Anything does," I told her. " Just listen 
 to Hilda, and vamp a little every now and 
 then. But she always sings in tune, so an 
 occasional chord will be enough. Now for it, 
 Hilda." 
 
 I leaned against the piano, the pianist struck 
 a few feeble notes, and Hilda apparently smiled 
 at the audience, for she got a round of applause, 
 and several people with broad grins on their 
 faces planked down their money. 
 
 Hilda has a very large but somewhat old- 
 fashioned repertoire. Most of her songs had 
 been cribbed from the portfolios of her mother 
 and grandmother, but I don't know that they 
 were any the worse for that. I always thought 
 that Queen Victoria must have been far more 
 tuneful than King George. Hilda opened her 
 mouth and sang for all she was worth.
 
 122 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 " Darby, dear, we are old and grey, 
 Fifty years since our wedding day." 
 
 The pure, sweet notes floated out on the 
 summer's breeze, and the people on the Parade 
 stopped short and listened. Then they simply 
 tumbled over one another to get down the steps. 
 They formed a queue at the turnstile, and, as far 
 as I could see, every one paid sixpence. 
 
 "Always the same," sang Hilda, "Darby, my 
 own. Always the same to your old wife Joan." 
 
 The old lady who was the first patron got 
 out her handkerchief and wept freely. The 
 audience still swept in, and Tom Bowling himself 
 went into the pay-box to help to take the money. 
 
 " Darby and Joan " came to an end in a burst 
 of applause, and Hilda paused for a minute 
 before beginning again. Then she sang with 
 much feeling a song she had found inscribed 
 with the name of her great-great-grandfather. 
 
 " Said the Young Obadiah to the Old Obadiah, 
 ' I am dry, Obadiah, I am dry, 
 
 I am dry.' 
 
 Said the Old Obadiah to the Young Obadiah, 
 ' So am I, Obadiah, so am I, 
 
 So am I.' " 
 
 There were a great many verses, and Hilda 
 sang them all. Long before she had finished,
 
 THE CONCERT PARTY 123 
 
 every one was laughing, and nodding, and keep- 
 ing time, and joining in. The person who had 
 not been too civil to me at the first went to the 
 entrance to lend a hand with the money-taking. 
 No one thought any longer of paying three- 
 pence ; every seat was a sixpenny, and every 
 seat was full. 
 
 Still the people flocked in and stood all around 
 the enclosure, and along the aisle, and even 
 squeezed on to the sides of the stage ; but Hilda 
 did not seem to notice them or bother about 
 them. She had fairly got going, and I only 
 hoped her voice would not crack before she had 
 done. She sang some of our school songs, and 
 then luckily remembered " Tommy, make room 
 for your Uncle," which she had heard in some 
 Revue in the holidays. 
 
 I kept a sharp look-out for the shimmer of 
 mackintoshes in the distance. The concert had 
 lasted half an hour, and at any minute Doris and 
 her flock might come to search for us. The 
 horizon was clear at present, but I knew it could 
 not last. I had done what I intended and col- 
 lected an audience, but I had no desire that my 
 good deed should become known. There is so 
 little understanding of real goodness in this 
 world.
 
 124 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 " Last song, Hilda," I hissed across to her. 
 She folded her hands, raised her eyes in the 
 sickeningly sentimental way she has, and sang 
 Schubert's " Adieu," which is one of her master- 
 pieces. 
 
 " The hour is come to part us, 
 Adieu, my own dear love." 
 
 There was no laughter now in the rows of 
 faces turned towards her. Regret for the past, 
 sadness of parting, vague hopes for the future, 
 all showed in their rapt expressions. More 
 than one face was wet with tears. The six- 
 penny old lady was obviously gulping down her 
 
 sobs. 
 
 " Awhile for me thou'lt sorrow, 
 With tears my loss deplore, 
 But there will dawn a morrow 
 When we shall part no more." 
 
 Well, well, there is nothing pleasanter than 
 being thoroughly miserable, and I was feeling 
 choky myself when Hilda, for the grand finale, 
 broke into : 
 
 " Don't be sorrowful, darling, 
 Don't be sorrowful, pray, 
 For, take the year together, 
 You'll always find the May." 
 
 She had barely finished when my sharp eyes
 
 THE CONCERT PARTY 125 
 
 caught the glint of the sun on the row of mackin- 
 toshes, and I darted in front of Hilda and spoke 
 a few valedictory words : 
 
 " Ladies and gentlemen, you have answered 
 nobly to the call of duty, and now that you are 
 here, I trust you will remain to the end of the 
 show, which will be continued by Mr. Tom 
 Bowling and his talented assistants. I cannot, 
 therefore, follow that good old custom of the 
 Church and take a leaving collection, but I'll 
 just run around with Hilda's hat, and your 
 generosity will do the rest." 
 
 I thought that was rather a neat way of 
 putting it. But I had not much time, as the 
 gleam of the mackintoshes grew more distinct. 
 However, it was a splendid hatful of silver 
 that I emptied out at the pay-box, and there 
 were even two or three notes among it, given 
 by elderly gentlemen and the sixpenny old 
 lady. 
 
 It was rather a battered-looking headpiece 
 that I finally squashed over Hilda's head as I 
 led her hastily away, without waiting for any 
 more thanks or applause. We heard the tinkle 
 of the piano again as we ran up to the Parade, 
 and the company began a song in unison. 
 But what really happened we had no means of
 
 126 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 knowing, for we walked quickly to the rest of 
 our party and asked Doris where she had been 
 that we had not seen her for so long. 
 
 " I thought I told you not to go beyond the 
 terrace," she said angrily. 
 
 " Did you, Doris dear ? " I asked, trying to 
 soothe her. " Perhaps you did, but I'm afraid 
 it has slipped my memory. Still, we've been 
 very good all the time, so don't worry." 
 
 She did not answer, but stalked on ahead, 
 evidently rather upset. I fell meekly into my 
 place. 
 
 " Hilda," I whispered, " I believe I could 
 take a day off good deeds to-morrow. I've been 
 so uncommonly successful to-day." 
 
 " Um-m-m," said Hilda. " I don't quite 
 know how Miss Lavender would take it." 
 
 " As I shall say nothing about it, and you 
 never will, she'll not know anything." 
 
 " Perhaps not," said Hilda doubtfully, " but 
 you never know. Things leak out." 
 
 And our escapade very nearly did leak out, 
 for the very next Saturday The Brighton Herald 
 displayed a headline on its poster : ' Two 
 SCHOOLGIRLS ASSIST TOM BOWLING REMARK- 
 ABLE SCENES." Although it was against the 
 rules (of course), I felt justified in buying, un-
 
 THE CONCERT PARTY 127 
 
 observed, a copy of the paper and hiding it 
 under my mackintosh. 
 
 When I had an opportunity of reading it in 
 private, I was at first a little alarmed, but, as no 
 names were mentioned, and Hilda was spoken 
 of as a pretty and charming girl when she's 
 really quite plain I felt sure that no one would 
 recognize the description and we need not be 
 anxious. The paper raved about the beauty of 
 her voice, and hoped soon to hear it again. 
 
 It was a little curious that Miss Lavender 
 asked us casually at dinner if we remembered 
 where we walked on last Wednesday after- 
 noon. 
 
 " Only down Madeira," I said. " We broke 
 ranks for a time, and I recollect that Hilda and 
 I took a run on the beach. Doris said we 
 might." 
 
 " That all ? " persisted Miss Lavender. 
 
 " I gave a penny to a blind man on the way 
 home," I said. " I didn't speak to him, so no 
 rule was broken. He said * Gorblessyoumiss.' 
 Then we came in, and had seed cake for tea 
 which I can't bear." 
 
 Miss Lavender said no more, but I thought 
 she did not seem quite satisfied. I had, how- 
 ever, told the truth in every particular. There
 
 128 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 was no necessity to blazon forth my good deeds. 
 That is not the Guide method. 
 
 Now that the half term was drawing near, we 
 began to talk about the breaking-up day, which 
 was to be celebrated by a garden party, to which 
 our parents and friends were always invited. 
 There was to be a pastoral play, and Miss 
 Lambert, who was making all the arrangements 
 for it, had chosen As You Like It. She called 
 a meeting of the Upper Fourth, Fifth, and 
 Sixth Form girls to decide the cast, and she 
 herself took the chair. 
 
 Miss Lambert opened the proceedings with 
 a long speech, to which nobody listened ; it 
 was very prosy. She then called on the big 
 girls in the Sixth to help her allot the various 
 characters. 
 
 " I think Meta would be a good Rosalind, 
 and Norah might take the part of Orlando," 
 she suggested. ' What is your opinion ? " 
 
 I got on my feet at once. 
 
 " I do think Norah would look awfully silly 
 trying to wrestle," I said; " and I'm sure her 
 Aunt, who is very particular, wouldn't like it." 
 
 " Whatever do you know about my Aunt ? 
 Which aunt ? " cried Norah. 
 
 " Any of them," I said. " They'd be dis-
 
 THE CONCERT PARTY 129 
 
 gusted. I will willingly undertake the part of 
 Orlando. Let Norah be Charles, and I'll throw 
 her down." 
 
 " Be quiet, Pippa," commanded Miss Lam- 
 bert. " Nobody wants your opinion. How 
 about Freda Wright for Celia ? " 
 
 I got up again. 
 
 " It would be better to have Hilda," I said. 
 " Plain as she is, she's not so downright homely 
 as Freda." 
 
 " If you interrupt again, Pippa, you must go 
 out of the room." 
 
 And so it went on, until all the characters 
 were settled, in spite of my protests. Such a 
 play was, of course, foredoomed to failure, but 
 I could do nothing to prevent it. They would 
 not even let me play Charles or Audrey I 
 always liked Audrey but I was simply put 
 down for one of the pages, and Hilda for an- 
 other because she could sing. 
 
 It was a wretched set-out altogether, and I 
 felt that it would be hardly worth while to have 
 my family down just to see me as a silent page 
 for they had impressed upon me that I was 
 not expected to sing. Why, even Isabel For- 
 tescue was to be Old Corini, and had quite a 
 lot to say. It was most unfair, for I am really 
 
 (4,361)
 
 i 3 o PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 a good actor. But there were still many weeks 
 before the end of the term, and I hoped to wangle 
 a better part before the time for the garden 
 party arrived. 
 
 In the meantime I had a scheme in my head 
 for a little change from the routine of discipline 
 and the keeping of rules. Also, I saw my way 
 to enlarging my mind and improving my lan- 
 guages. On the Saturday night before the half- 
 term holiday I confided my plans to Hilda.
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 
 THE HALF-TERM HOLIDAY 
 
 WE were in bed, and the lights were out, 
 but the room was not dark. A soft 
 twilight, made of starshine mixed with departed 
 day, came in through the window and made 
 everything look creepy. 
 
 " Hilda," I whispered. 
 
 She did not answer. 
 
 " You needn't pretend you're asleep," I said 
 more loudly. " Even your snores wouldn't 
 convince me. And I want to say something." 
 
 Hilda turned over and yawned. 
 
 " It's against the rules to talk in bed," she 
 remarked. 
 
 " It would be," I answered. " And, fond as 
 I am of the rules, and anxious to keep them, as 
 you know, it happens not to be the turn to be 
 kept of the rule you refer to. Now listen. I've 
 made such a lovely plan." 
 
 Hilda raised herself on her elbow and leaned 
 towards me. 
 
 * ' Speak softly, ' ' she urged . "We don't want 
 
 131
 
 132 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 to disturb any of the Staff. The poor dears are 
 entitled to their night's rest." 
 
 " I wouldn't for worlds." 
 
 " Then what's the plan ? " 
 
 " It concerns a well-spent half-term holiday." 
 
 " Well spent ? It doesn't sound exciting, or 
 much like you." 
 
 " It is exciting, though ; and it's exactly like 
 me. No one else would have thought of it." 
 
 " I can quite believe that." 
 ' We will spend the pounds that Uncle 
 Philip gave us." 
 
 " I don't call that very original, and we should 
 only make ourselves sick." 
 
 " That's so like you, Hilda," I said in dis- 
 gust. " You think of nothing but eating. My 
 method of laying out our money is intellectual 
 and educational, as well as most amusing. I've 
 been thinking about it for a long time." 
 
 Hilda seemed to grow excited, for she sat up 
 in bed and cast off her attitude of indifference. 
 
 " Fire away," she cried, forgetting to modu- 
 late her voice. 
 
 "Hush!" I warned her. " You needn't 
 raise the household. Now listen. We will 
 spend the day in France, and perfect our 
 knowledge of the language."
 
 THE HALF-TERM HOLIDAY 133 
 
 Hilda gasped at the idea, but I went on and 
 unfolded my plan. 
 
 ' There's an excursion boat to Dieppe every 
 day from the pier. I've read the notice about 
 it. The return fare is only fourteen and six, 
 so we can well afford it. They give us four and 
 a half hours on foreign soil, and we shall be back 
 again by nine o'clock, almost in time for supper." 
 
 " Are you going to beg Miss Lambert to 
 escort us ? " asked Hilda sarcastically. 
 
 " That would spoil the whole thing, of course. 
 We will go by ourselves." 
 
 " They'll never let us." 
 
 " They won't be asked," I said with scorn. 
 " And when we say afterwards that we did it to 
 improve our French, they can't say anything." 
 
 " Oh, can't they ? I expect we should be 
 expelled." 
 
 " No such luck," I said with conviction. 
 " They don't expel from high class private 
 schools. A little storm will soon blow over, 
 and it will be worth it." 
 
 " Anyhow, I'm not going to do it." 
 
 " Then I shall go by myself. Mean sneak ! 
 And it was my Uncle who gave you the pound." 
 
 " That's true," said Hilda. 
 
 I went on to expound ways and means.
 
 134 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 " Most of the Staff will be away," I said, 
 " and a good many of the girls have invitations 
 out. We shall never be missed. We must 
 slip off after breakfast, go to the tents for a 
 bathe, and, instead of going in the water, get to 
 the pier. The boat goes at half-past ten. 
 There couldn't be a hitch." 
 
 "I'll think about it," Hilda agreed, but she 
 did not seem very enthusiastic. 
 
 " I've never been abroad, have you ? " I 
 inquired. 
 
 " No," said Hilda ; " but Dieppe doesn't seem 
 very much abroad. It's so close." 
 
 " It's the best we can do, anyhow," I argued. 
 " And one can learn a good deal in four and a 
 half hours." 
 
 I was so pleased with the prospect that I lay 
 awake a long time thinking about it and arrang- 
 ing details. I thought about it all Sunday, too, 
 and woke at an unusually early hour on the 
 eventful Monday morning. 
 
 " I do love adventures," I said while I was 
 dressing. " It's a heavenly day, Hilda. Just 
 look at the sky." 
 
 For the sky was like the turquoise in 
 Mummie's ring, with the sea sparkling up 
 to kiss it.
 
 THE HALF-TERM HOLIDAY 135 
 
 I thought it prudent to eat a good breakfast, 
 for I did not know when we should get another 
 meal. So I forced myself to take twice of every- 
 thing, and had seven doorsteps, thickly spread 
 with marmalade, to wind up with. I had thought 
 of taking a parcel of food with us ; but it would 
 have taken time and diplomacy to get it, and 
 English food, eaten on French soil, wouldn't 
 have been much fun. 
 
 ' We'll just have frogs and tartines for a 
 change," I thought to myself. " There'll be 
 plenty of money in the change out of the 
 pounds." 
 
 I hoped that Hilda was eating well, but I 
 forgot to mention it beforehand, and I could 
 not shout at her across the table. Still, I felt 
 I could trust Hilda, who is really rather a greedy 
 girl, and, not being a Guide, has no idea of self- 
 restraint. 
 
 Breakfast was a little later than usual, and it 
 was nearly nine when we rose from the table 
 and went to get ready for the beach. Doris 
 was told off to look after a small party, and about 
 eight or ten of us set off for the bathing tents, 
 carrying our towels and swimming dresses and, 
 of course, the mackintoshes. 
 
 " Hilda and I are going to have a tent to
 
 136 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 ourselves," I said when we had arrived. 
 "No one else is coming in. Good-bye, all. 
 We'll meet at Philippi." 
 
 I dragged Hilda in and secured the flap of the 
 tent. 
 
 " Now, we'll just give them five minutes to 
 get well in," I said, letting the mackintosh and 
 the rest fall to the ground, " and then we'll 
 slink off and get along to the pier with all the 
 speed we may." 
 
 Hilda looked at me admiringly. ' You have 
 a perfect genius for organization," she said. 
 
 " I am the head of Number One Company," 
 I answered proudly. 
 
 Presently we saw, through the chinks of the 
 tent, the swimming party emerge from their 
 shelters and waddle down to the sea, when they 
 waded in with the usual squeals. That was our 
 moment. We should not be missed until it 
 was time to return to school, and we hoped to 
 be nearing another country at the moment when 
 Doris collected her party for lunch. 
 
 We slunk away behind the tents and gained 
 the Parade, running as quickly as possible until 
 we reached the farther pier. We took our tickets 
 for Dieppe at the entrance, and ran to the land- 
 ing stage, feeling like birds on the wing. I
 
 THE HALF-TERM HOLIDAY 137 
 
 don't know when I had been so happy. Life 
 was perfectly glorious, and I was full of good 
 resolutions as I pranced along to the steamer. 
 
 " I hope it won't be rough," said Hilda. 
 * There are little white horses out there, and 
 I'm not a good sailor." 
 
 " How do you know that if you've never been 
 abroad before ? " 
 
 " I went once from London to Lowestoft in 
 a steamer, and I was disgustingly sick. I re- 
 member to this day how I wished I was 
 dead." 
 
 " Well, you're a nice cheerful companion for 
 an adventure, I must say." I spoke scorn- 
 fully, trying to cheer her up, but she sighed in a 
 doleful way. 
 
 " I half wish I hadn't come," she said. I 
 took her arm and pushed her down the gang- 
 way. 
 
 We arrived on a crowded deck and found 
 seats with difficulty. All round us were women, 
 and children, and babies, and groups of young 
 men in flannels, who were obviously not gentle- 
 men. But we were en route for France, and 
 the sun was shining on the sea, so what did 
 anything matter ? It was a thrilling moment 
 when they weighed the anchor, or, rather,
 
 138 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 loosed the chain that held the boat to the 
 pier ; and the good ship bounded away, rejoic- 
 ing to be free, like the bridge over the Tiber 
 in the days of Horatius. I squeezed Hilda's 
 
 arm. 
 
 
 Isn't it lovely ? " I cried. 
 
 " I don't know," she replied faintly. 
 
 Now I am sure that Hilda did not really feel 
 ill, but all the way across she pretended she did, 
 and it spoilt my pleasure a good deal. I can't 
 think how people can be so selfish. One should 
 always think of others rather than of oneself, 
 as every good Guide knows. 
 
 We sat very still, and the boat did go up and 
 down a little, certainly, but I enjoyed it very 
 much, and felt sorry when, three and a half 
 hours later, we sighted the French cliffs, and 
 the voyage was drawing to an end. 
 
 "Look, Hilda," I said. "We're getting 
 quite near. I can see houses high up on the 
 cliffs, and the beach with bathing tents, much 
 like the beach at Brighton." 
 
 She did rouse herself then and begin to take 
 an interest in life again. We glided into the 
 harbour between the two jetties, with a huge 
 Calvary on either hand and a church perched 
 high on the cliff to the left.
 
 I pushed her down the gangway. 
 
 " Isn't it all sweet ? " I cried. " There's 
 nothing like going abroad for enlarging the 
 mind." 
 
 139
 
 140 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 " And also the appetite," put in Hilda. " I'm 
 as hungry as a hunter." 
 
 I was glad to see that she had recovered her 
 spirits. 
 
 ' We'll have a meal the minute we land," I 
 said with enthusiasm. " Hilda, what's the 
 French for lunch ? " 
 
 " Dejeuner," said Hilda. 
 
 " I think that's breakfast. Never mind. 
 One meal is as good as another in this gorgeous 
 day-dream." 
 
 It did seem rather like a dream the quay, 
 and the blue water of the harbour, and the ships 
 of every kind. We were a long time getting 
 ashore, but at last our feet were crossing the 
 gangway to the enchanted land. 
 
 " I wonder if they've missed us yet at Black- 
 thorne House," said Hilda. 
 
 " I don't care if they have. Do you see all 
 the restaurants right round the quay, Hilda, 
 with little tables down to the edge of the 
 water ? " 
 
 "Yes; but it occurs to me," said Hilda, 
 " that we'd better get some French money 
 before we patronize one of the little tables." 
 
 That seemed sensible, so I pointed out a place 
 I had noticed at the station we came through.
 
 THE HALF-TERM HOLIDAY 141 
 
 It was marked " Bureau de Change, " and I 
 guessed rightly that we could change our money 
 there. The amount of French coins that we 
 got in exchange for our English shillings seemed 
 enormous. 
 
 " We never can spend such sums," I said, 
 gathering up handfuls of silvery and copper 
 coins and dirty paper notes. 
 
 " We must try," said Hilda. ' You take care 
 of mine, Pippa. I haven't got a bag, and you 
 have." 
 
 I put all the wealth into the little bag that 
 hung on my wrist. It had been one of Nita's 
 numerous presents before I left home, and it 
 was really useful at times when there happened 
 to be any money to put in. 
 
 There was a train standing in the station on 
 the quay which was on the point of starting 
 for Paris, and for half a minute I thought we 
 would get in and go too. Indeed, it is very 
 likely that we should have done so if we had 
 not been so hungry. 
 
 " We must have a meal before we can do 
 anything," I said. " And we might not be 
 able to get to Paris and back in time to catch 
 the boat this evening." 
 
 " You do think of everything, Pippa," said
 
 142 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 Hilda. ' You might be grown-up, you're so 
 sensible." 
 
 " That's because I'm a Guide," I said 
 modestly. 
 
 We walked round the quay to a place where 
 small, bright yellow tables were ranged along 
 the rough cobblestones. There were yellow 
 chairs to match, and it looked very clean and 
 comfortable. A girl with yellow crinkled hair, 
 to match the furniture, and a white muslin 
 apron approached us and stood waiting for 
 orders. 
 
 " Now, let's see," I said nervously. " Qu' 
 avez-vous a manger ? " 
 
 " Mademoiselles can speak English," said 
 the girl. " I was educated at a school in 
 England." 
 
 I was astonished that a person of the shop- 
 keeping class should be educated at all, but it 
 was rather a relief to find that we could speak 
 to her in our own language. 
 
 " Well," I said, " we've just landed from the 
 excursion boat from Brighton, and we're natur- 
 ally very hungry. What should you advise ? " 
 
 " Lunch is all over," said the waitress, " but 
 you can have some soup and an omelette if you 
 like."
 
 THE HALF-TERM HOLIDAY 143 
 
 * The very thing ! " we cried simultane- 
 ously, and she bustled away. 
 
 I never enjoyed a meal so much before. The 
 girl brought us all kinds of delicious things, as 
 well as those she had mentioned little crisp 
 rolls, and gold butter patted up into quaint 
 shapes, and glass saucers of strawberry pre- 
 serve, and a dish of ripe plums and grapes ; we 
 had coffee to wind up with. It was most 
 amusing to watch the coming and going of 
 the sailors, and the market women with baskets, 
 and all the life of the harbour, where the wonder- 
 ful deep blue water gleamed between the brown 
 boats. 
 
 " I want to stay here for ever," I said. 
 
 " So do I," agreed Hilda. " But we'd better 
 be moving on, or we shall see nothing of the rest 
 of the place." 
 
 We rose and beckoned to the waitress, who 
 presented us with a bill that rather staggered 
 us. Seven francs fifty seemed a good deal, but 
 I turned out the bag of money on to the table, 
 and the girl took what she wanted from it. 
 There did not seem so very much left, but I 
 gave her a franc for herself, and she thanked 
 us and bade us good-afternoon. 
 
 We strolled away up a narrow, fascinating
 
 i 4 4 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 street, none too clean, and came upon a huge 
 grimy church that we discovered was called 
 St. Jaques. 
 
 " Shall we go in ? " I asked. 
 
 " I suppose we ought to," said Hilda ; " but 
 we must be very quick, for time is going fast." 
 
 We went in and walked round rapidly in the 
 gloom. It seemed mouldy and badly in need 
 of a little soap and water, but we loved the 
 mysterious deep shadows that surrounded us 
 on every side. 
 
 I don't know what brought us to a standstill 
 in one of the side chapels, called the Chapel of 
 the Guardian Angel. But pause we did, and 
 look round, for it was a little lighter than the 
 rest of the building. A large stone angel with 
 cracked, dusty wings stood over us on a pedestal, 
 and underneath it was a real young man in a 
 sort of uniform of powdery blue, and he had the 
 nicest face I have ever seen. In his hand he 
 carried a cap with letters round it spelling 
 " Pourville." 
 
 " What's Pourville ? " I whispered to Hilda. 
 
 " I don't know," she replied. " Probably 
 some part of heaven, where he lives." 
 
 " He looks much more like a guardian angel 
 than the ugly stone thing up there."
 
 " What's Pourville ?" I whispered to Hilda. 
 
 (4.361) 145 IO
 
 146 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 " Perhaps he is," said Hilda. And we both 
 stared at him. He raised his eyes and smiled 
 at us, and then moved away. 
 
 We hurried from the dark church out into the 
 dazzling glare of the sun, and found our way, 
 somehow or other, into what I suppose was the 
 High Street, for it was full of shops, and people, 
 and the road was dense with motors. There 
 were all sorts of shops, each with a different 
 merchandise, but the patisseries and the shops 
 that sold souvenirs attracted us most. 
 
 " I shall get a few little presents to take 
 back," I said. " Would Miss Lavender like one 
 of those ivory elephants, do you think ? And, 
 considering that he's the founder of the feast, so 
 to speak, what can we buy for Uncle Philip ? " 
 " Not very much if we're to have any com- 
 fort ourselves," said the selfish Hilda. 
 
 In the end, we purchased the ivory elephant, 
 and following the good Guide rule of doing a 
 kindness to a person you dislike, I insisted on 
 getting a thimble in an ivory case for Miss 
 Lambert. For Uncle Philip we bought a 
 quantity of the sweets that look like small 
 stones from the beach. 
 
 " I don't suppose he'll actually eat them," 
 I said, " but he'll value them as a curiosity."
 
 THE HALF-TERM HOLIDAY 147 
 
 " And yet they're awfully nice," said Hilda, 
 putting one into her mouth. 
 
 We were highly pleased with these purchases, 
 though they were a nuisance to carry, and it 
 was past three when we arrived on the front. 
 There were stretches of grass there, like the 
 lawns at Brighton, and a large statue of some- 
 body, and antirrhinums. The sea was creep- 
 ing lazily over the yellow sands, and many 
 people were bobbing about in it. There was 
 no pier, but there, to the left, was the Casino, 
 imposing and glittering. I drew Hilda to- 
 wards it. 
 
 " I've always longed to enter a casino," I 
 said, " and now's our chance. I'm told that 
 such places are sinks of iniquity." 
 
 "You're thinking of Monte Carlo," said 
 Hilda. " This poor thing looks innocent 
 enough." 
 
 It was expensive enough, anyhow. When we 
 had paid for our entrance we found ourselves 
 almost penniless. 
 
 " Never mind," I said cheerfully. " I will 
 gamble and win a trifle for our expenses." 
 
 "You can't," said Hilda moodily. "It's 
 impossible to gamble if you have nothing to 
 start with."
 
 148 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 " That seems to prove that only the poor can 
 be truly virtuous." 
 
 " It doesn't prove anything. Besides, I don't 
 want to gamble. Do you hear music ? Oh, 
 Pippa, there's a concert going on in that lovely 
 hall. Let's go in." 
 
 We went in and found two very comfortable 
 chairs. An orchestra of stringed instruments 
 was playing away on the platform, and we 
 listened in a pleasant dream. The dream soon 
 slided into a sweet slumber, for the voyage and 
 the excitement had tired us out, and we slept 
 peacefully till the end of the concert. The 
 cessation of the music, and the rustle of the 
 audience going out, roused us, and for a minute 
 I could not remember where I was. Then all 
 the lovely reality flashed upon me, and I 
 laughed for sheer pleasure. 
 
 " Aren't you enjoying yourself ? " I said to 
 Hilda. 
 
 " No," she answered crossly. " I want my 
 
 tea." 
 
 I stopped laughing. It was nearly five 
 o'clock, and I, too, wanted my tea. I took the 
 few coppers out of the bag and counted them 
 carefully. They amounted to ninety-five cen- 
 times.
 
 THE HALF-TERM HOLIDAY 149 
 
 ' This is probably a very expensive place," 
 I said, putting them back. " We must wait 
 till we find a cheap confiserie, and buy some 
 buns. But we won't go away till we've explored 
 a little further." 
 
 So we wandered on, averting our eyes from 
 the tempting little tables on the terrace, and 
 found a reading-room, where there were many 
 comfortable chairs and lounges, and large 
 tables strewn with magazines and newspapers. 
 But what pleased us most were cases of note- 
 paper, with pictures of the Casino at the top ; 
 and you were allowed to help yourself. Hilda 
 and I both secured several sheets for future use. 
 
 Then, attracted by the sounds of a jazz 
 band, we opened a door, descended a few steps, 
 and straightway we were in a ballroom crowded 
 with people children and grown-ups. They 
 were all dancing to the strains of a small band 
 which blared away on a platform at one end. 
 
 " Come on," I cried, seizing Hilda round the 
 waist, and away we swung on the polished floor. 
 I am a good dancer, but Hilda is rather lumpy. 
 However, we enjoyed it, and, when the dance 
 was over, and we were standing by one of the 
 open windows getting cool, two little French- 
 men really only good-sized boys came smirk-
 
 150 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 ing up and bowed low to us with their hands on 
 their hearts. 
 
 " Allez-vous en," I said to them, for I hate 
 Frenchmen. But still they stood, gesticulating 
 and jabbering in such rapid French that I could 
 not make out what they were saying. 
 
 ' Whatever do the little monkeys want ? " I 
 said to Hilda. 
 
 ' They want to dance with us, I suppose," 
 said Hilda. 
 
 " Then they won't," I responded. " You're 
 a poor dancer, certainly, but you're superior to 
 a Frenchman. Regardez " (this to the grinning 
 aspirants), " vous n'avez pas etc introduits. 
 Je danserai avec mon amie seulement." 
 
 The music began again, and I grabbed Hilda 
 and whirled her off. 
 
 " Very stupid of you," she grumbled. " They 
 might have invited us to tea." 
 
 " They might, and they mightn't. Anyhow, 
 we shouldn't have understood what they said, 
 so it would have come to the same thing." 
 
 We danced until six o'clock, and then the 
 band stopped and the dancers drifted away. 
 The two French boys who had spoken to us 
 had disappeared, and we went next to the room 
 where they were playing " boule."
 
 THE HALF-TERM HOLIDAY 151 
 
 It was not unlike bagatelle, and the score was 
 registered by some contrivance overhead. Ap- 
 parently you said which number you'd have, 
 and an ugly fat man on a high stool set a ball 
 rolling, and the number it dropped into won. 
 It seemed simple enough, and I had a good 
 mind to risk a few centimes, only Hilda said 
 she didn't suppose they would take less than a 
 franc. 
 
 We stood peering over the shoulders of the 
 players, who were seated round the table, and 
 we were enjoying the novelty of the spectacle 
 when a clock somewhere in the distance struck 
 seven. 
 
 " Good gracious ! " said Hilda. " It is late. 
 What time does the return boat go ? " 
 
 " I forgot to ask, but, as we were to have four 
 and a half hours here, I should think it must 
 start about six." 
 
 " Impossible ! Why, it's struck seven." 
 
 We looked at each other in consternation. 
 Here was a pretty kettle of fish. 
 
 " Come on quickly," I cried. " We must run 
 down to the quay. I daresay it hasn't gone 
 yet." 
 
 We left the Casino at full speed, and crossed 
 roads at peril of our lives. Of course, we lost
 
 152 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 our way several times, but at last we arrived at 
 the harbour, breathless and panting. 
 
 " I don't see it," Hilda cried wildly. 
 
 I caught a porter and literally shook him. 
 
 " Ou est le bateau a Brighton ? " I asked him. 
 He shook his head and answered volubly in 
 some unknown tongue. 
 
 We continued to tear madly about the quay, 
 and I with difficulty prevented Hilda from 
 boarding a ship that was starting for Brazil. 
 At last we saw a man in a cap marked " Cook," 
 and he understood English and was kind 
 enough to make inquiries for us. 
 
 " The excursion for Brighton started half an 
 hour ago," he told us at last. 
 
 " Th-ank you," I gulped ; and we turned 
 aside into a sort of prison that they call the 
 " douane," and sank helplessly on to a bench.
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 
 ADVENTURE AT DIEPPE 
 
 " TAON'T cry, Hilda," I said after a time. 
 
 J " You look so ugly when your face is 
 sodden." 
 
 " Oh, I wish we hadn't come," sobbed Hilda, 
 wiping away the falling tears. " It was all your 
 fault, Pippa. I shouldn't have thought of it. 
 Now I suppose we shall die of starvation in a 
 foreign land." 
 
 " I don't know, I'm sure. We'd better try 
 to earn a little money to pay our fare back with. 
 You shall sing in the streets, and I'll go round 
 with the hat." 
 
 " Then I just won't." Hilda straightened 
 herself and stamped furiously. Then she 
 began to cry again. 
 
 " And where are we going to sleep to-night, 
 I should like to know ? " she wailed. 
 
 It was a serious question, and I felt I should 
 like to know myself. I meditated on several 
 plans, but all seemed impracticable. 
 
 163
 
 154 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 ' Well, there's always the casual ward," I 
 remarked with a sigh. 
 
 " What's that ? " asked Hilda hopefully. 
 
 But I really didn't know what it was, or how 
 to get there. I only remembered that I had 
 heard it mentioned in connection with tramps 
 and paupers, to which class I imagined we now 
 belonged. 
 
 I looked round the large empty place, with 
 its long, narrow counters, and found little 
 comfort. Then two men in greasy uniforms 
 came through one of the doors and made 
 straight for us. They were evidently angry, 
 and let fly such torrents of language at us that 
 even my stout Guide-heart failed, and poor 
 Hilda fairly screamed. We caught each other's 
 hands and ran from the place. 
 
 Outside in the air it was better, but the sky 
 was no longer clear. Clouds had gathered, and 
 a cold wind was blowing in from the sea. 
 
 ' We must get back somehow, if we have to 
 go as stowaways," said Hilda. 
 
 I said nothing, for my thoughts were busy. 
 Perhaps, after all, it had been wrong to come, 
 and we were being punished for our misdoings. 
 If so, we could only bear it, and make good 
 resolutions for the future. But would there be
 
 ADVENTURE AT DIEPPE 155 
 
 any future ? I was already so hungry that 
 I did not feel as if I could live much longer 
 without food. I was also growing tired and 
 sleepy. 
 
 We sat down on a large stone near the water, 
 and I borrowed Hilda's handkerchief, having 
 lost my own. Hers was soaking with her tears, 
 and I had made it worse before I returned it. 
 
 ' Well, you two forlorn-looking young people, 
 have you lost your way ? " asked a pleasant 
 English voice behind us. 
 
 We both started up and turned round to face 
 the Guardian Angel of St. Jaques, in his silvery 
 blue uniform, with the letters spelling " Pour- 
 ville " round his cap. 
 
 " Oh," I gasped, " who are you ? " 
 
 " Just an official from the hotel at Pourville," 
 he answered. 
 
 " What's Pourville ? " 
 
 " A little place close to Dieppe." 
 
 " And do you live there always ? " 
 
 " No," he laughed. " My home is in 
 Sheffield. I shall go back there at the end of 
 the season. What are you doing here, at this 
 hour, all by yourselves ? " 
 
 Then I poured out the sad story. " We're 
 spending our half-term holiday. Uncle Philip
 
 156 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 had given us some money, so we came away 
 from our school at Brighton to spend the day 
 in France and improve our French." 
 
 " Humph ! And do they know at your 
 school in Brighton what you've done ? " 
 
 " No, of course they don't, or we couldn't 
 have done it. I expect they are getting pretty 
 worried by this time." 
 
 " I expect they are," he said grimly. " And 
 are you not returning to-day ? " 
 
 " We can't. The excursion boat has gone. 
 We went to the Casino and forgot the time. 
 And now we are homeless, and penniless, and 
 starving." 
 
 " That's bad," said our new friend, and 
 looked at us as if he were considering the 
 situation. Then he took out a notebook and 
 opened it. 
 
 " Perhaps Madame Morville will take you 
 in for the night," he said. " Now tell me the 
 address of your school, and I'll try to get a wire 
 through to-night." 
 
 I told him, and he wrote it down. " They 
 can send for you to-morrow," he said. 
 
 " Yes, but what's to become of us to-night ? " 
 I wanted to know. " And who is Madame 
 Morville ? "
 
 We both started and turned round. 
 
 But he only said " Come on," and led the 
 way to the front of the station. 
 
 We followed meekly. A beautiful shining 
 light grey motor was standing there, and the 
 Pourville Angel opened the door and invited 
 us to get in. 
 
 " Of course your people will have to pay for 
 it afterwards," he said. 
 
 " Of course," I agreed. ' You must send 
 them the bill." 
 
 157
 
 158 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 My spirits were rising, and I was beginning 
 to feel that life yet held bright days in store. 
 It was a very nice car, with soft grey padded 
 seats, and a silver clock, and a bunch of mar- 
 guerites. We nestled down on the cushions 
 with immense relief, and the Angel shut us in 
 and drove off. 
 
 " I think I shall live at Sheffield when I'm 
 grown up," I murmured sleepily. " It must be 
 a nice place." 
 
 " I don't believe it is," replied Hilda. " I've 
 learnt something about it in geography, but I 
 forget what." 
 
 We glided through the grey streets, now 
 twinkling with lights. In many parts the pave- 
 ments were dotted with small tables, round 
 which clustered men, drinking coffee and wine, 
 and looking very happy and peaceful. 
 
 " I could drive on for ever, if I were not so 
 starving," I said to Hilda. " Isn't it just like 
 fairyland ? " 
 
 " I don't know what Miss Lavender will 
 say," she remarked. 
 
 " I can pretty well guess," I responded. 
 " But we must bear it bravely and patiently, 
 and they'll soon forget all about it." 
 
 "I don't know," moaned Hilda. "If
 
 ADVENTURE AT DIEPPE 159 
 
 I'm expelled, Mummy will be thoroughly 
 vexed." 
 
 " It's very selfish of you, Hilda," I remon- 
 strated, " to try to spoil the little pleasure we 
 might get out of the present circumstances. 
 As you say, we shall have enough to bear later 
 
 on." 
 
 She cheered up a little after that, and we 
 drove on past the shops and cafes, until we 
 stopped at last before a tall, narrow, stoney 
 house, in a steep street of other tall, stoney 
 houses all joined together. 
 
 The Angel got out, but told us to stay where 
 we were until he had interviewed Madame. 
 We watched eagerly while he rang the bell ; 
 the door opened and he disappeared into the 
 dim unlighted hall. It seemed ages before he 
 came back and invited us to get out and come 
 in. 
 
 " Madame will receive you for the night," 
 he said. " I have explained matters to her. 
 She speaks very little English." 
 
 We followed him through the door, and 
 across the hall, and into a room on the right. 
 A lamp was burning here on the table, and cards 
 were spread out evidently for a game of Patience. 
 Madame advanced out of the shadows to meet
 
 160 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 us, and, folding Hilda (who entered first) in her 
 arms, kissed her soundly on both cheeks. She 
 was a tall, thin woman, dressed in black, and 
 she had rather an unhappy, discontented sort of 
 face, but she seemed kind, and was clearly 
 delighted to see us. 
 
 " These are the little girls, Madame," said 
 the Angel, quite unnecessarily. 
 
 " Cheres petites ! " cried Madame, and kissed 
 me this time. 
 
 " Now I know they'll be safe with you until 
 they are called for," he went on, " so I'll be off 
 and send the news to Brighton before I get back 
 to Pourville. Bonne nuit, Madame. Good- 
 night, Mesdemoiselles." And he was gone. 
 The door banged behind him, and we were left 
 with Madame Morville. 
 
 But she seemed a hospitable soul. We were 
 thankful to see her clear away her Patience and 
 ring the bell. 
 
 " I 'ave ozzer guests," she told us, " but they 
 'ave already 'ad dinner. You 'ave faim, n'est-ce 
 pas ? " 
 
 " We 'ave beaucoup faim," I said, trying to 
 make her understand. 
 
 A French domestic entered, who was dressed 
 in a very short pink silk frock with no sleeves ;
 
 ADVENTURE AT DIEPPE 161 
 
 she was quite unlike anything of the sort I had 
 ever seen. But she appeared to be a nice girl, 
 for she grinned at us affably as she lit the 
 gas and got a tablecloth out of a sideboard 
 drawer. 
 
 Madame bustled about, and produced honey 
 and sweet biscuits, and cut thin wafers of raw 
 ham, which tasted delicious. The maid brought 
 us white china mugs full of hot milk, and a long 
 shiny grey loaf, which she was kind enough to 
 cut up for us. We ate and drank with great 
 vigour, and Madame beamed at us and urged 
 us on until we were obliged to call a halt. 
 
 " Non, merci, Madame," said Hilda, showing 
 off. " Je ne puis pas." 
 
 " Je n'en peux plus," said I, going one better. 
 
 Madame rose and took us upstairs. The gas 
 was now lighted in the hall and on the landings, 
 so we were able to see where we were going. 
 A large and very beautiful white dog was lying 
 across one of the stairs ; he refused to move 
 out of the way, so Madame adjured us to step 
 carefully over him. 
 
 " He is ver precious," she said. " He 'ave 
 belong many years to my son Jean." 
 
 " Where is your son Jean ? " asked Hilda, 
 as we stooped to caress the dog. 
 
 (4.361) II
 
 162 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 " He is at the dance, and Rochelle will sit 
 on the stair till he come in. Then he will go to 
 bed with him." 
 
 We kissed Rochelle on the point of his damp, 
 black nose, and stepped carefully over his rigid 
 body. He did not flutter an eyelid. 
 
 " Shall we see your son Jean in the morn- 
 ing ? " I inquired. 
 
 " I 'ope," said Madame. 
 
 She conducted us into a little room with two 
 small beds side by side, a small washstand, a 
 large wardrobe, and a soldier's helmet hanging 
 on the wall. There was also a framed faded 
 photograph of two little girls with stiff curls 
 and long, flounced frocks. Madame pointed to 
 them. 
 
 " My little girls," she informed us. 
 
 " And where are they ? " we asked eagerly. 
 
 " They are dead many years." 
 
 This was distressing, and we changed the 
 subject. 
 
 " Is that your son's helmet ? Is he a soldier ? " 
 
 " That is the 'elmet of a German he did kill 
 in the war," she said with pride. 
 
 We looked at the dinted, battered thing with 
 curiosity. 
 
 " Your son Jean must be very brave," said
 
 o 
 
 She took out two little white night-dresses. 
 
 Hilda, " and he must have hated to kill the poor 
 thing." 
 
 " Oh, no," said Madame brightly, " he like 
 it ver much." 
 
 She opened a drawer, and took out two little 
 white night-dresses, smelling of lavender. Then 
 she brought in brushes and combs and soap and 
 
 163
 
 towels, and finally lighted a candle and turned 
 out the gas. 
 
 ' You blow the bougie whan you go bed," 
 she commanded. " A ver good night to you, 
 my pretty ones." 
 
 She kissed us again, and went out quietly. 
 
 " Here's luxury," said Hilda, beginning to 
 undress rapidly. 
 
 " And a pretty penny it will cost our families," 
 I said moodily. " I think I hear them grumble, 
 and as for Aunt Florence lending a hand with 
 the expense, it's no use hoping for it." 
 
 " Perhaps it won't be very expensive. Pippa, 
 just look at this nightdress. I can't get into it." 
 
 ' That's the worst of being so fat. Mine is 
 quite a fit. I wonder if the telegram has arrived 
 at Blackthorne House by this time." 
 
 " Oh, dear. It doesn't bear thinking of. 
 Well, I'm too tired to bother about it to-night. 
 You put out the bougie." 
 
 She plunged into bed, drew the bedclothes 
 up to her chin, and in five minutes was fast 
 asleep. I did not go off so quickly, for I could 
 not help wondering what was going to happen 
 next day. Of course I should be blamed for 
 everything, but I was used to that. We had 
 had a splendid time while it lasted, and I could
 
 ADVENTURE AT DIEPPE 165 
 
 not regret it. After all, it might have been 
 worse, for if we had gone on to Paris we should 
 now be wandering in hunger and despair, unless 
 a gendarme had sent us to an asylum or prison. 
 But we had had a guardian angel from Pour- 
 ville to take care of us, and we had been kindly 
 treated and sumptuously fed ; and we were now 
 curled up in snug soft beds, so the future must 
 take care of itself. 
 
 I suppose I fell asleep at this point in my 
 ruminations. But I could not have slept very 
 soundly, for a slight noise woke me up. It was 
 apparently the dead of night, and I had been 
 unconscious for several hours, but, in a minute, 
 I was wideawake and listening. 
 
 The faint noise grew louder, and it seemed to 
 come from the German helmet on the wall. 
 Yes, there was no doubt about it. The sound 
 of groaning was distinctly heard issuing from 
 the helmet, and it grew louder and louder. The 
 spirit of the dead soldier was moaning in his 
 misery. 
 
 " Hilda, Hilda, wake up," I cried in terror. 
 
 She roused slightly. 
 
 " Wassermarrer ? " she murmured. 
 
 " Listen. The German soldier that Madame's 
 son Jean killed is groaning over there."
 
 166 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 " Don't be a fool," said Hilda. " How can 
 he groan, if he was killed ? " 
 
 " It's his ghost, of course. There. In the 
 helmet. Don't you hear ? " 
 
 " I hear a steamer hooting in the harbour. 
 Perhaps the night boat is in. Do go to sleep. 
 German groans, indeed ! " And she rolled over, 
 and began to snore. 
 
 I listened to the ghostly sounds until sleep 
 overpowered me. 
 
 The next thing I heard was a loud knocking 
 at our door, and, opening my eyes, I discovered 
 that it was broad day. The sunbeams were 
 dancing on the walls and turning the old helmet 
 into burnished silver. 
 
 " Come in," I shouted ; and Hilda said 
 politely, " Entrez, si vous voulez." 
 
 The door burst open, and the serving-maid 
 we had seen the night before still clad in the 
 sleeveless pink silk dress entered tumultuously. 
 She carried a large tray, which she left on the 
 bed while she went to fetch a table. This she 
 put up by the window, and slapped the tray 
 down on it. She then made us a long speech 
 in a patois that we could make nothing of, so 
 we merely nodded and grinned in a friendly 
 way.
 
 ADVENTURE AT DIEPPE 167 
 
 When she had gone, banging the door behind 
 her, we rushed to the window to see what she 
 had brought that smelt so delicious. A lovely 
 steaming jug of coffee, another of hot milk, a 
 plate heaped with rolls, and two large pats of 
 butter. 
 
 Hilda and I lost no time. We did not wait 
 to dress, but slipped on our coats and stockings 
 and sat down to breakfast. 
 
 " Let's open the window," I suggested. 
 " Then we can look out better." 
 
 We did so, and found that we were looking 
 down on a neat square garden, at the back of 
 which rose a steep chalky cliff. The garden 
 had a smooth grass lawn, with a round bed in 
 the middle, and narrow straight beds all round. 
 There were marigolds and geraniums, and 
 mignonette, and tobacco plants, and, what 
 pleased us most, a little fat brown man, made 
 of earthenware, wheeling a barrow of the same 
 material. At the corners of the grass were four 
 large glass balls, and a wooden bench was 
 placed under a plum-tree. 
 
 We sighed with pleasure. 
 
 " I didn't suppose that French people' ever 
 had such a garden as this," I said. " You can 
 pour out, Hilda."
 
 1 68 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 She poured out, and not even the devastating 
 prospect of the fate that was in store for us kept 
 us from enjoying our breakfast. 
 
 The garden below fascinated us. We were 
 delighted to see a young man whom we took 
 for Madame's son Jean come out of a side 
 door of the house and cross the lawn. He was 
 closely followed by Rochelle, who was barking 
 and gambolling round him. It was difficult to 
 believe that any one with such a gentle face, 
 and so devoted to his beautiful dog, could have 
 killed anything even a German. 
 
 " I should think, from the groans of the 
 helmet, that he used a bayonet," I said. 
 
 " Don't be silly," answered Hilda, crunching 
 the last lump of sugar. 
 
 We dressed slowly. It seemed a pity not to 
 make the most of the pleasant, peaceful time. 
 When we were ready we put on our hats and 
 coats and went downstairs. A foreboding of 
 coming disaster seized me, and I stood for a long 
 time in the hall, with my hand on the handle 
 of the dining-room door, before venturing to 
 turn it. 
 
 At last, with great reluctance, I opened the 
 door as slowly as possible and tiptoed into the 
 room. Hilda came after, and we saw in a flash
 
 ADVENTURE AT DIEPPE 169 
 
 that our forebodings of doom were more than 
 justified. 
 
 There, in a comfortable chair drawn up to 
 the table, drinking coffee and talking to 
 Madame, sat Miss Lambert.
 
 CHAPTER X 
 
 THE END OF THE HOLIDAY 
 
 MISS LAMBERT put down the coffee 
 cup which she was in the act of raising 
 to her lips, and looked at us in silence. Her 
 speech seemed frozen on her lips. 
 
 " Bon jour, mes enfants," said Madame, 
 smiling at us. 
 
 Miss Lambert still stared, incapable of 
 utterance. 
 
 " Good-morning, Madame," said Hilda. 
 " Good-morning, Miss Lambert." 
 
 Miss Lambert still stared. Her mouth re- 
 mained open, but no words came. This gave 
 me an idea, and, taking Uncle Philip's present 
 from my pocket, I opened the bag, and offered 
 her a pebble. 
 
 " Do have one, Miss Lambert," I coaxed. 
 " They're really Uncle Philip's, but he wouldn't 
 grudge it. Hilda has eaten them in a shameful 
 way." 
 
 170
 
 THE END OF THE HOLIDAY 171 
 
 Miss Lambert did not take one ; she went on 
 staring. 
 
 " I know that, from some points of view, 
 we've been wicked," I went on, " but we're 
 prepared to apologize for any inconvenience we 
 may have caused. Aren't we, Hilda ? " 
 
 Hilda nodded, and looked longingly at Uncle 
 Philip's present. 
 
 " No, you don't," I said, putting a firm hand 
 over the bag. " If Miss Lambert had fancied 
 one, it would have been a different matter. 
 But we've bought a present for yourself, Miss 
 Lambert, dear. Look ! " 
 
 I drew the thimble out of the other pocket. 
 
 " The case was marked ivory in the window," 
 I told her, " but I'm afraid it's only bone. 
 " You see, we were very short of money, so it 
 was the best we could manage. But thimbles 
 are always useful." 
 
 I put it beside her cup, but she took no 
 notice of it, except to push it from her as if it 
 were a snake. Then she stood up, and spoke 
 at last. 
 
 " This is neither the time nor the place to 
 tell you what I think of your conduct," she 
 said in an awful voice. " You will learn that 
 later. Madame, if we catch the one o'clock
 
 172 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 boat to Newhaven, we will leave here about 
 twelve." 
 
 " You must 'ave little lonch before you go," 
 said Madame politely. " The dear little girls 
 must not 'ave 'unger." 
 
 Miss Lambert scowled at us, as if it were her 
 dearest wish to have us poisoned. The atmos- 
 phere was heavy with gloom. 
 
 Then the front door opened noisily, and 
 Madame's son Jean, accompanied by Rochelle, 
 entered the room. Madame seemed relieved 
 to see him, and introduced him to Miss Lam- 
 bert, who looked at him as if she didn't see 
 him. 
 
 " This poor lady 'as travel all night, Jean. 
 She is fatigued she shall rest in quiet you 
 take the little girls for a walk." 
 
 Jean kissed his mother on both cheeks. 
 
 " Certainly," he said. 
 
 We tried to conceal our joy, and got quickly 
 out of the room before Miss Lambert had time 
 to forbid us to go. I think she really was tired, 
 and thankful to have us taken off her hands for 
 an hour. Anyhow, we lost no time in escaping 
 from her, and ran into the sunlit street, with 
 Jean and Rochelle behind us. 
 
 " This is more than we deserve," I cried,
 
 / drew the thimble out of the other pocket. 
 
 executing a fancy dance on the pavement. 
 " Oh, isn't it heavenly. Do you speak English as 
 well as your darling mother, Monsieur Jean ? " 
 
 " I speak English, of course, but I do nothing 
 as well as my mother." 
 
 " You hear that, Hilda ? As soon as I am 
 
 178
 
 174 p ! ppA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 grown up, dear Monsieur Jean, I shall have a 
 
 son exactly like you." 
 
 " Oh, I think you could do better than that," 
 he said, laughing. 
 
 " I couldn't. And I shall have a dog exactly 
 like Rochelle." 
 
 " That's impossible. For there's not another 
 dog in the world like him. Or ever will be." 
 
 Rochelle, finding himself the subject of 
 conversation, rose on his hind legs, and put a 
 paw on each of his master's shoulders. Jean 
 stooped down to allow him to reach, and the two 
 hugged each other with much enjoyment. 
 
 " And to think that you killed a German in a 
 groaning helmet," I cried. ' You did, didn't 
 you ? " 
 
 " Lots," he said. " Shake hands with the 
 ladies, Rochelle." 
 
 Rochelle sat on the ground and extended a 
 paw to each of us in turn. 
 , " Good dog," said Jean. " Now let's go for 
 a row." 
 
 Such a morning as we had. I forgot that we 
 were in disgrace, that we had committed the 
 blackest of crimes, and that unknown penalties 
 were in store. Jean took us on the sea in a row- 
 ing-boat, and we spent nearly an hour on the
 
 THE END OF THE HOLIDAY 175 
 
 sparkling blue water. Then we went to a con- 
 fiserie, where we all (including Rochelle) ate 
 cream cakes. 
 
 Jean also bought us delicious sweets in bright 
 colours, mounted on sticks. So convenient for 
 eating. He took us up a steep path, past the 
 old castle, to the top of the cliff, where the view 
 was enchanting. And then he looked at his 
 watch and said it was time for us to go back to 
 lunch, if we wanted to catch the boat. We went 
 back slowly and sadly. 
 
 Madame and Miss Lambert were just sitting 
 down to lunch. It was too early for the other 
 guests, whom we did not see. Jean said he had 
 some business to attend to, and wished us 
 good-bye, and went away. Rochelle took up 
 his position on the stairs to await his return. 
 
 We tried to enjoy our lunch, but it was diffi- 
 cult to eat with Miss Lambert's stony presence 
 opposite. She had not taken up her thimble, 
 which was lying on the sideboard, so I put it 
 back in my pocket. 
 
 " You must come again, my loves," said 
 Madame kindly. " Your good parents will 
 trust me to take care of you." 
 
 We could not feel any confidence in the pro- 
 ceedings of our good parents, but we thanked
 
 176 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 Madame, and said we would come again, if we 
 could. 
 
 Before we had quite finished, a fiacre drove 
 up to the door, and Miss Lambert rose and took 
 leave of Madame with many protestations of 
 gratitude. The maid whose name was Yvonne 
 wept bitterly at the parting, as if we had been 
 old friends. Madame embraced us, and forced 
 on us a parcel of cakes for the journey. We 
 drove away in a mist of tears. 
 
 It was not a pleasant journey. The sea was 
 quite calm, but Miss Lambert kept us down in 
 the cabin the whole time. She dozed on a 
 couch, but we could not sleep, and the steward- 
 ess, pitying our forlorn condition, lent us some 
 old comic papers, which had been left behind 
 by other voyagers. We reached Newhaven in 
 the afternoon, and took the train to Brighton. 
 
 " We seem to have been away for years," 
 said Hilda, as we jumped out of the taxi at 
 Blackthorne House and mounted the steps. 
 " And yet the old place looks just the same." 
 
 " Horrid old place," I pouted, and gave a little 
 stamp. 
 
 Miss Lambert, who had lingered to pay the 
 taxi, joined us in the hall. 
 
 " You had better go straight to Miss
 
 The view was enchanting. 
 
 Lavender's room," she said, " and see if it is 
 convenient to her to speak to you." 
 
 " May as well get it over," I whispered to 
 Hilda. " Come along." 
 
 We dragged unwilling feet to Miss Lavender's 
 
 12 
 
 (4,361) 
 
 177
 
 178 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 private snuggery, and knocked at the door. 
 Her voice said " Come in," and we went in. 
 
 As we met her eyes some sense of our mis- 
 conduct came over us. 
 
 * We're truly sorry, Miss Lavender," I said. 
 " I see now how wrong we were, but I didn't 
 realize it before." 
 
 " Sit down," she said briefly, " and tell me 
 all about it." 
 
 We obeyed, and as we went over again all the 
 details of our glorious adventure I could not 
 wish that it had never happened. 
 
 " It was more Uncle Philip's fault than any 
 one's, after all," I wound up. " If he hadn't 
 given us those pounds we couldn't have gone." 
 
 " I think you will own, Pippa," said Miss 
 Lavender, " that you are more to blame than 
 Hilda, for it was you who thought of the 
 plan- 
 
 " It was," I interrupted. " Hilda never has 
 any ideas, poor little noodle." 
 
 " And it was you who persuaded Hilda to 
 take part in the expedition, was it not ? " 
 
 " Why, of course. It was also my uncle who 
 furnished the funds. As a family we are greatly 
 to blame." 
 
 " You did not think, I suppose," said Miss
 
 THE END OF THE HOLIDAY 179 
 
 Lavender gravely, " of the unhappiness and 
 suspense you caused to me and those in charge 
 at school ? " 
 
 " No," I said truthfully, " for we meant to 
 be back before we were really missed. We 
 fully intended to return by the evening boat." 
 
 " It was ten o'clock before I got that wire 
 from Dieppe, and then Miss Lambert went off 
 at once by the night boat." 
 
 " Yes," I said, " and instead of enjoying 
 the unexpected little trip, she made herself 
 thoroughly disagreeable. She wouldn't look at 
 the nice little present we had got for her. Oh, 
 Miss Lavender, dear, if only you had been with 
 us. You would have loved Rochelle." 
 
 " And we didn't go on to Paris," pleaded 
 Hilda. 
 
 " Paris ? " cried Miss Lavender, looking 
 horrified. 
 
 " The train was waiting in the station," I said, 
 a trifle sulkily, for I was thinking of our lost 
 opportunities. " But we were so hungry that 
 we had to get food first." 
 
 " Well," said Miss Lavender, " I can but 
 be thankful that you are safely back, and I 
 must send my heartfelt thanks to that kind 
 Madame Morville."
 
 180 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 " And the Guardian Angel at Pourville. He 
 will expect to be paid for the motor." 
 
 " I will ask Madame to settle with him. 
 And now, girls, I am very sorry, but I must 
 write to your people and tell them the whole 
 story." 
 
 " Must you ? " I asked sorrowfully. 
 " There'll be the whatshisname to pay." 
 
 " You know that your conduct merits ex- 
 pulsion ? " 
 
 " Yes, we know. Of course, that would 
 have its bright side for me, but Hilda would 
 hate it. Do forgive us this once, dear Miss 
 Lavender." 
 
 " I am writing to your mother, and I shall 
 be guided by her wishes. And now I wish you 
 both to return to the ordinary school routine 
 for the present, but you are not to mingle with 
 your school-fellows more than can be helped. 
 You may go." 
 
 We retired rather crestfallen, and I did not 
 recover my spirits until after tea. The girls 
 crowded round us and asked innumerable 
 questions. But Hilda would not open her 
 mouth, and I thought it wise to say as little as 
 possible. 
 
 " I believe you've been up to some mischief,"
 
 THE END OF THE HOLIDAY 181 
 
 said Isabel Fortescue. " You may just as well 
 tell us all about it." 
 
 " Curiosity is a disgusting vice," I told her. 
 
 " Well, but, really, you know, what did you 
 get up to yesterday ? " 
 
 " You mind your own business," I said 
 loftily. 
 
 Isabel went on teasing, but I took no notice 
 of her, and directly it was possible Hilda and 
 I retired to our own room. Daylight and sunset 
 were still lingering in the sky, and I put my 
 head far out of the window and drank in the 
 fresh sea breeze. Hilda got into bed quickly. 
 
 " Come away from the window," she shouted. 
 " You know it's against the rules to put your 
 head out." 
 
 I blew kisses across the Channel in the direc- 
 tion of Dieppe. 
 
 " To think that we woke up this morning in 
 France," I meditated. 
 
 " France is all very well in its way," said 
 Hilda, " but, after all, England's England, and 
 I do wish we had stopped here." 
 
 " Well, I can't say I agree with you. We 
 had a ripping time. I think I will write to 
 Uncle Philip, and ask him to take the blame for 
 the whole thing."
 
 i82 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 " It would be horrid of you, after his kindness 
 to us." 
 
 " But, don't you see, Miss Lavender could 
 never be seriously angry with him, and I could 
 send him his present at the same time or what 
 remains of it after what you have eaten." 
 
 " I liked those pebbles," said Hilda can- 
 didly. " Do you think one more would be 
 missed ? " 
 
 " You shan't even look at them, you old 
 greedy. My poor Uncle ! " 
 
 " And I'm so hungry," wailed Hilda. 
 
 " So am I. It's the remorse and suspense. 
 They always sharpen the appetite. What a 
 blessing I managed to smuggle Madame's parcel 
 of cakes upstairs without notice." 
 
 " You did ? Oh, Pippa, how thoughtful of 
 you." 
 
 " Well, we couldn't eat in that stuffy cabin, 
 with old Lambert's stony eye on us. So I 
 brought it along, and left it on the landing while 
 we spoke to Miss Lavender. Then I hopped up 
 here with it. It's in the wardrobe." 
 
 " Get it out," cried Hilda. 
 
 We had a nice little feast, and finished the 
 cakes, which were delicious. The paper they 
 were wrapped in we returned to the wardrobe,
 
 THE END OF THE HOLIDAY 183 
 
 to be taken out at the first opportunity, under 
 shelter of the mackintosh. 
 
 " But we left the macks in the tent " I 
 could not help chuckling at the recollection 
 " and, unless Doris retrieved them, they're 
 hopelessly lost." 
 
 " Then we shall have to have new ones. I 
 hate to be such an expense to my family." 
 
 " Yes, so do I," I agreed with a sigh. 
 
 The door opened and Doris put her head in. 
 
 " Are you in bed and asleep ? " she inquired. 
 
 " Both," we assured her, and she departed. 
 
 The next day Mummie came, and there was 
 a very pathetic scene. I was sent for, and found 
 her alone in the drawing-room, with the tears 
 running down her cheeks. I rushed at her and 
 hugged her, and we cried together. 
 
 " Oh, Pippa, how could you ? " she sobbed. 
 
 " I'll try to explain, Mummie," I said, drying 
 my eyes, " but I doubt if I shall ever make you 
 understand." 
 
 " I understand well enough that you have 
 been a very naughty girl. Going to France, and 
 all by yourself. You don't know what might 
 have happened to you." 
 
 " Hilda went too, so I wasn't alone, and all 
 sorts of lovely things happened," I explained.
 
 1 84 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 " Oh, Mummie, you can't think how I enjoyed 
 myself." 
 
 " But it was very, very wrong." 
 
 " I know it was. Most nice things are 
 wrong. I can't tell what's the matter with the 
 world." 
 
 " Miss Lavender is very upset about it, and 
 she doesn't know what to do for the best." 
 
 " She'd better forgive us this once, and let 
 us start again, in the good Guide way." 
 
 " She would be only too thankful to do so, 
 but she must be fair to you. I am afraid you 
 are not very sorry for your fault, Pippa." 
 
 " I don't know. You see, I did love the 
 adventure, and the Guardian Angel was so 
 sweet, and Madame and her son Jean and 
 Rochelle were so darling. And Hilda and I had 
 a beautiful dance in the Casino, but we didn't 
 play * boule ' because we had no money." 
 
 " Pippa ! " 
 
 " Well, we didn't do anything particularly 
 wicked. And I don't believe they were really 
 worried here until after supper. For every one 
 does what she likes on half-term holiday, and 
 they probably were expecting us to turn up all 
 day. It was our losing the boat that put the 
 lid on things and gave you the trouble and
 
 THE END OF THE HOLIDAY 185 
 
 expense of coming to-day. Mummie, darling, 
 could you make it convenient to lend me a 
 shilling or two ? I've only a few French sous 
 in the world." 
 
 ' What do you want it for ? " said Mummie 
 suspiciously. 
 
 ' Why, it's Miss Lavender's birthday next 
 week, and the girls are collecting for a little 
 present. I must remember to ask her how old 
 she is." 
 
 " Pray don't," advised Mummie. " I'm 
 afraid you won't be popular as you grow up, 
 Pippa." 
 
 " That's not necessary," I said. " The great 
 thing is to be good." 
 
 Mummie stared at me for a moment, and 
 then broke into helpless laughter. At that 
 instant Miss Lavender walked in and caught 
 her. I felt bound to apologize. 
 
 " Do excuse Mummie," I said. " She's a 
 little hysterical." 
 
 Miss Lavender seemed surprised, and 
 Mummie regained her composure. 
 
 " I am naturally upset," she said, " to think 
 that a child of mine can have caused so much 
 trouble. I can only beg you to forgive her this 
 once, Miss Lavender. I know she will promise
 
 i86 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 to be a better girl in the future. Won't you, 
 darling ? " 
 
 " Yes, indeed, Mummie. Are you going to 
 take me out to tea ? " 
 
 Mummie looked at Miss Lavender, who shook 
 her head decisively. 
 
 " I don't think you deserve treats, Pippa," 
 she said sadly. 
 
 " Ah ! " I sighed. " If we all got what we 
 deserved, it wouldn't be much for most." 
 
 Then I went up to Miss Lavender and said, 
 " I know I'm not as repentant as I ought to be, 
 but I'll truly try to keep the rules for the rest 
 of the term. Do, please, give me a chance." 
 
 So Miss Lavender gave me a kiss, and sent 
 for Hilda and forgave her too, and we all had 
 a drawing-room tea together, and it left us very 
 hungry. Before Mummie left, I fetched the 
 ivory elephant we had brought for Miss 
 Lavender, and the bag of pebbles for Uncle 
 Philip. 
 
 " Will you take them to him, Mummie, and 
 give them to him with our love Hilda's and 
 mine. There would have been more but for 
 Hilda's greediness. I do hope he'll be pleased 
 with them. He might put them in a glass case. 
 Do you like the elephant, Miss Lavender, dear ?
 
 THE END OF THE HOLIDAY 187 
 
 I'm so sorry the trunk's broken, but poor Hilda 
 sat on it by mistake, and you know what a 
 weight she is." 
 
 Miss Lavender took it, and her mouth 
 trembled. I think she was touched. She 
 said, " Thank you, girls," in a choked voice, 
 and turned away her head to hide her emotion. 
 Mummie put the sweet pebbles away in her 
 bag, and promised to deliver them. 
 
 " Ask him to give one to Mr. Woolley, if 
 he meets him," I said, " and tell Mr. Woolley 
 where I am, and you might let him know how 
 fond Hilda is of sweets, and how I would give 
 them to her if I had them." 
 
 Mummie left soon after that, giving me half 
 a crown and much good advice, to which I 
 listened carefully. 
 
 " Well, that's settled," I said to Hilda, as we 
 made our way to the tennis courts. 
 
 " It may be for you," she replied, " but I 
 have yet to learn the view my ancestors take 
 of their little descendant's proceedings." 
 
 ' What a well-turned sentence," I exclaimed 
 admiringly. " Let's have a single, Hilda, and 
 use your balls." 
 
 Hilda learned her ancestors' opinion of her 
 the next morning, when she received a furious
 
 1 88 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 letter from her mother, who said that she was 
 shocked and horrified, and had never heard of 
 such a thing, and how dared Hilda do it, and 
 what an objectionable girl I must be. There 
 were four pages of it, and poor Hilda was quite 
 upset. 
 
 " Mother has so set her heart on my being 
 a prima donna that she is terribly afraid some- 
 thing may happen to stop it," she sobbed. 
 
 " Nothing will happen," I consoled her. 
 " You can be a prima donna without their help, 
 if you want to. Look at the way I brought you 
 before the public the other day." 
 
 She dried her eyes and cheered up. 
 
 " I think I will show the letter to Miss 
 Lavender and ask her what I had better do," 
 she said. 
 
 Miss Lavender read the letter and told Hilda 
 that she also had heard from Mrs. Cheesman, 
 who was evidently grieved and troubled. 
 
 "So I will permit you to write to-day, 
 Hilda," she said, " although it isn't Friday. 
 Tell your mother how sorry you are, and 
 promise amendment. She will forgive you 
 when she knows that I have done so. I am 
 also writing to her." 
 
 Apparently Mrs. Cheesman was soothed by
 
 THE END OF THE HOLIDAY 189 
 
 the correspondence, for she wrote no more on 
 the subject, and only said in her next letter 
 that if Hilda's shoes were down at heel she 
 was to ask to have them sent to be repaired at 
 once. 
 
 So we settled down again into the usual rut 
 lessons, and walks, and swims, and meals, and 
 rules, and all the rest of it until the half-term 
 holiday at Dieppe seemed like a dream. 
 
 Two things, however, occurred that lent it 
 reality for a time. One was an enormous box 
 of chocolates, tied with red ribbon, and in- 
 scribed " For the two Continental Travellers, 
 with the best regards of their sincere admirer, 
 E. Woolley." 
 
 The other thing was a pithy letter from Uncle 
 Philip : 
 
 " DEAR NIECE, Your gift of pebbles from 
 the beach at Dieppe was duly handed to me, and 
 I am obliged for your thoughtful generosity. I 
 shall never eat them. Your affectionate Uncle."
 
 CHAPTER XI 
 
 AS YOU LIKE IT 
 
 here, Prissy," I said to the school 
 cat one warm evening after tea. "Do 
 spare me a few minutes of your valuable time. 
 I'm sick of human beings. Cats are so superior." 
 
 Priscilla arched her back at the compliment 
 and rubbed her soft side against my cheek, for 
 I was sprawling on the grass. She then sat 
 down within kissing distance, and prepared to 
 listen to what I had to say. 
 
 I love cats and dogs and all creatures. Prissy 
 was very beautiful ; she knew it well ; every 
 one was always telling her so. But her centre 
 of pride just then was her son Peter, to whose 
 bringing-up she devoted most of her time. He 
 was a round ball of mischief with big blue eyes, 
 and he was sometimes very rude to his mother 
 when she tried to wash his face and get on with 
 his education. 
 
 " Prissy," I began, " everything is going 
 wrong." 
 
 190
 
 AS YOU LIKE IT 191 
 
 " M-r-r-r," purred Prissy meaning, " That's 
 nonsense. Peter's splendid." 
 
 " Oh, you think of nothing but Peter, and 
 though I own he's a sweet thing, you must 
 know there are other creatures in the world." 
 
 " Not to compare with Peter." 
 
 " No, of course not. But, do you know, 
 Prissy, the end of the term is coming ? " 
 
 " Who cares ? I shan't be dull. I shall have 
 Peter." 
 
 " Well, I know that Peter is much nicer than 
 a wilderness of girls. I don't like girls much ; 
 do you, Prissy dear ? " 
 
 " Got no tails, no fur, no whiskers, but well 
 enough in their way," said Prissy. 
 
 She sidled up to me, and held up her head 
 so that I could scratch her chin. She has 
 lovely manners. I believe she rather likes the 
 girls, who always fuss and play with her. 
 
 " Now, I'll tell you my troubles, Prissy," I 
 went on. 
 
 She distinctly purred, " You must be quick 
 about it, then. It's time for me to find Peter, 
 and wash his face." 
 
 " I'm being very badly treated. I ought to 
 have a good part in the breaking-up play " 
 
 " M-r-r why ? "
 
 192 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 " Because I'm a very clever actress, much 
 better than any of them, and I've only got a part 
 that isn't worth dressing." 
 
 " Don't dress, then." 
 
 " Oh, I shan't play it. I'd rather pretend 
 to be ill. And all my people will be there, and 
 Uncle Philip, and perhaps Mr. Woolley who 
 knows ? " 
 
 " I shan't come. Peter wouldn't care about it." 
 
 " Of course, it's not much of a play. It's only 
 Shakespeare. But if they'd let me be Orlando, 
 or the melancholy Jaques, or somebody decent, 
 it would buck the thing up." 
 
 " Any cats in it ? " 
 
 " No ; only deer." 
 
 " Not very interesting, then. Now, I'd 
 better " 
 
 " Oh, one more minute. The truth is, Prissy 
 dear, it's all Miss Lambert's fault." 
 
 " I don't care if it is. Oh, there's Peter 
 running after his tail among the hollyhocks. 
 Hi, Peter, come to Mammy, you bad kitten." 
 
 She rushed off, and she and Peter began to 
 chase each other round the lawn. Peter ran 
 backwards, with his ridiculous tail straight up. 
 It was a beautiful sight, but I was too moody to 
 enjoy it properly.
 
 AS YOU LIKE IT 193 
 
 I was really being very badly treated, and 
 besides, for the credit of the school, I wanted 
 the breaking-up to be as smart as possible. 
 But Miss Lambert was determined to keep 
 me out of everything. She had never liked me, 
 and ever since the half-term holiday and her 
 jaunt to Dieppe she had had her knife in me. 
 Not that I cared. A Guide can live her own 
 life and be independent of other people. 
 
 It was not only in the matter of the play, but 
 she always gave me absurdly low marks for my 
 school work. Even Hilda, who is notoriously 
 stupid, would occasionally get eight out of ten, 
 but I never got more than five. It wasn't fair, 
 but I did not see at the moment what was 
 to be done. I could only wait and be ready 
 for emergencies. In the meantime I learned 
 As You Like It straight through, and could have 
 played any of the parts at a moment's notice. 
 
 Rehearsals were going on rather languidly 
 at present. It was not until the last fortnight 
 that any one seemed to take much interest in 
 the show. On the evening when I confided 
 in Prissy there was to be a rehearsal at six 
 o'clock. As I had only a small part, I could 
 not feel that it mattered much whether I 
 attended or not, so I kicked up my heels in the 
 
 (4,361) J
 
 194 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 garden, and watched the gambols of Prissy and 
 Peter, and made no effort to go in. 
 
 Presently Isabel Fortescue came tearing out. 
 
 " Why aren't you at rehearsal ? " she gasped. 
 " Everybody's waiting for you." 
 
 " Oh, rot. What difference does it make if 
 I am there or not ? I'm not coming." 
 
 " I'll run and tell Miss Lambert what you 
 say," she cried joyfully, and she rushed away. 
 
 But I thought it more prudent to follow and 
 see what was going on. And I was glad I did, 
 for I found the rehearsal was to be in the garden, 
 on the raised lawn. This made a fine open-air 
 stage, and with a few screens for wings, and 
 a little painted scenery at the back, it could be 
 made to represent anything on earth. The girls 
 said that it had been a storm at sea last year, 
 when they had acted The Tempest, and Miss 
 Lambert had made the thunder by banging tea- 
 trays behind the scenes. 
 
 The players were all assembled in the long 
 room as Isabel and I went in. They were 
 chattering at the top of their voices, while 
 Miss Lambert issued directions. Every now 
 and then she rang a bell, and when she had 
 finished, she gave the word of command, and 
 the company trooped out to the garden.
 
 AS YOU LIKE IT 195 
 
 " First Scene," shrieked Miss Lambert. 
 " Girls, stop talking and clear the stage. Now, 
 then, where's the wheelbarrow ? Oh, I see. 
 Wheel it forward, then. Orlando, sit on the 
 handle and bite a straw. Oh ? Then why 
 haven't you got one ? I told you to remember 
 to get one from somewhere. Bite anything; 
 and don't forget next time. No, Old Adam, 
 that's not the way to come on. Don't you 
 realize that you're an octogenarian ? Oh ? 
 Then you ought to know what it is. A great 
 girl like you. Speak in a cracked voice, and 
 walk doubled up. No, that won't do. Look at 
 
 me." 
 
 Here Miss Lambert paused to give a very 
 painful exhibition. But poor Old Adam, try 
 as she would, couldn't get anywhere near it. 
 
 " Oh, go on," cried Miss Lambert in despera- 
 tion. " Get out of the barrow, Orlando, this 
 moment, and make your speech." 
 
 " My speech ? " said Orlando, looking silly. 
 " Do I begin ? " 
 
 " You know you do. Haven't you learned 
 it?" 
 
 " Of course," said Norah. " I've learned it 
 beautifully." 
 
 " Then say it."
 
 196 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 " But I can't recollect a word of it at the 
 moment. May I read it ? " 
 
 " No. I'll prompt. Old Adam, if you don't 
 pay attention to your part I'll send you to 
 bed." 
 
 Old Adam, who was only thirteen, after all, 
 and who in private life was Brenda Hoskyns, 
 got up from the grass, where she had been 
 taking a minute's rest, and, leaning on a stick, 
 hobbled towards Orlando. 
 
 " That's better," said Miss Lambert en- 
 couragingly. " Now, Norah, begin ' As I 
 remember, Adam . . .' ' 
 
 Orlando got through his speech by repeating 
 the words after Miss Lambert. Then Old 
 Adam winked at him and remarked, " Have you 
 finished ? Then, there's Oliver." 
 
 " No, no," yelled Miss Lambert. " It's 
 ' Yonder comes my master, your brother.' ' 
 
 " Why, so it is, of course," said Brenda. 
 " But I remembered the spirit if the letter 
 escaped me." 
 
 " I see how it is," said Miss Lambert in 
 despair. " Not one of you knows a word." 
 
 I came forward and said : "I know every 
 word. Shall I play Old Adam ? " 
 
 " No, thank you," said Miss Lambert coldly.
 
 A very painful exhibition. 
 
 " Take your books, then, girls, and, just for 
 to-day, you may read." 
 
 The girls opened their books gleefully, and 
 the rehearsal proceeded. 
 
 197
 
 198 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 I can't say I thought much of the wrestling 
 match, but that was entirely Miss Lambert's 
 fault. She was so afraid the girls would hurt 
 each other that she sent into the house for 
 cushions for them to fall on. 
 
 Jessie Sumner was Charles, chosen because 
 she was the fattest girl in the school. She 
 meant to play the part dressed as a butcher, 
 and she had already arranged privately with a 
 butcher in the town to lend her his blue apron. 
 Miss Lambert did not know this. 
 
 " Now, do be careful, girls," she begged. 
 " Walk warily round and round one another. 
 Oh, no, it's not like dancing the grand chain. 
 Look as if you were in earnest, Jessie, and taking 
 a little interest in what you're doing." 
 
 " Interest ! " said Jessie bitterly. { When it's 
 a foregone conclusion ! Touch me, Norah, and 
 I'll flop gracefully on to the cushions. There ! 
 Is that right, Miss Lambert ? " 
 
 " It's rather flabby," admitted Miss Lambert, 
 " but we can't stop to go over it again now or 
 we shall not be finished by supper time." 
 
 We were not finished by supper time or 
 anything like it. I did not get a chance to say, 
 " We are for you, sit i' the middle," which was 
 the first of my two silly speeches. A second
 
 AS YOU LIKE IT 199 
 
 page was not at all necessary, and I had no 
 intention of playing it, but it was no use stirring 
 up strife by saying so just then. 
 
 " But it's the proper thing to do," urged 
 Norah when Miss Lambert objected to her 
 prancing about with Old Adam on her shoulders. 
 " I've seen As You Like It on the real stage, and 
 Orlando did carry the old thing pick-a-back; 
 he did, truly." 
 
 " I don't care if he did," said the harassed 
 stage-manager. " I can't have you injuring 
 your spine, or breaking your shoulder-blades. 
 Brenda's a very heavy child. Put her down at 
 once." 
 
 Norah shot Brenda off her back with such 
 rapidity that the poor thing rolled over on the 
 grass and squealed. 
 
 ' You tiresome, careless girls. Brenda, get 
 up this moment and stop that noise. Now 
 hobble beside Norah and hold on to her arm." 
 
 " That's a very tame proceeding." 
 
 " I can't help it," said Miss Lambert. " It's 
 safe." 
 
 I really felt quite sorry for the poor creature 
 she had so much to contend with, and the 
 girls were all stupid. It didn't seem possible 
 that in three weeks' time the play would be
 
 200 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 ready to put before a large and mixed audience. 
 Nobody knew a word. 
 
 " Now, mind," Miss Lambert said, as the 
 bell rang and the company broke up, " at the 
 next rehearsal, on Friday evening, every one is 
 expected to be word perfect." 
 
 The company sighed. Learning by heart is 
 not a modern accomplishment. Very few 
 people can do it. Of course, I am an excep- 
 tion ; it comes easy to me. But, then, I am a 
 Guide. 
 
 After supper that night, before the bell rang 
 for bed, Meta Campion called a meeting in a 
 corner of the long room. I attended, and so did 
 most of the elder girls, but some of the younger 
 ones were playing " musical bumps " and 
 making a shocking noise. This did not, how- 
 ever, disturb the meeting. We were used to 
 noise, and liked it. 
 
 " It's about Miss Lavender's birthday pres- 
 ent," began Meta. " I shall stop collecting 
 now. I'm tired of trying to wring coppers out 
 of unwilling pockets." 
 
 " Stop it, then. How much have you got ? " 
 asked Norah. 
 
 " One pound, one shilling, and elevenpence 
 halfpenny."
 
 AS YOU LIKE IT 201 
 
 " I wonder who gave the halfpenny," I 
 mused. 
 
 " I'm sure I've forgotten, but it may be 
 handy. Lots of things are something half- 
 penny." 
 
 " Let's see," said Isabel, " Saturday's the 
 day. Some one will have to go shopping before 
 Saturday." 
 
 ;< Unless we ask Miss Lambert or Miss 
 Doreen to get it." 
 
 " Oh, that's no fun. Let's get it ourselves. 
 We can easily get leave. What shall we buy ? " 
 
 Every one suggested something different. 
 Isabel wanted to get a large birthday cake, and 
 Hilda thought warm winter gloves would be 
 useful later on. They all had a suggestion to 
 make, and nobody thought much of any sugges- 
 tion but her own. 
 
 " We might get something out of an antique 
 shop in Ship Street. Or, do you think she 
 would like a picture ? " I asked. 
 
 " If you're thinking of one of those horrid 
 sporting prints " 
 
 " I'm not. I'm thinking of one of Charlie's 
 oils. He's a future relation of mine, and for 
 my sake he might do one cheap." 
 
 " Cheap ? We've got over a pound. That's
 
 202 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 a good price to pay for a picture, I should 
 think." 
 
 ' Well, shall I write and ask him to do 
 it ? " 
 
 " No, there's not time," said Meta. " We'd 
 better go round the shops ourselves and see 
 what we can pick up." 
 
 " I shall come with you," I said. " I gave 
 a very large donation." 
 
 " We don't want you," said Norah unkindly. 
 " A shilling's not much, and you're always so 
 disturbing." 
 
 " Really, Norah, you are a beast. And your 
 Aunt gave me to understand that you were an 
 amiable little thing." 
 
 " Bother my Aunt ! " 
 
 " Now, don't be cross. There's Miss Lam- 
 bert. I'll take the bull by the horns." 
 
 And, without waiting for further discussion, 
 I rushed at Miss Lambert, who seemed deafened 
 by the musical bumps. 
 
 " What do you say, Pippa ? Go shopping by 
 yourself ? A secret surprise ? I don't under- 
 stand." 
 
 Here Meta and Norah came up, and Meta 
 said : 
 
 " We were only going to ask for an hour's
 
 AS YOU LIKE IT 203 
 
 leave to get a little present for Miss Lavender's 
 birthday. May we go on Thursday as Friday's 
 rehearsal ? " 
 
 " Very well," said Miss Lambert. " Doris 
 will go with you, and you may be out from five 
 to six." 
 
 " Thank you, Miss Lambert," I said joy- 
 fully. 
 
 Miss Lambert looked surprised, but she did 
 not say I was not to go. So, when the time 
 came, I went. The other two did not want me, 
 but I took no notice of them. 
 
 Directly after tea on Thursday, I threw on 
 my hat and joined them in the hall, where they 
 were waiting for Doris. 
 
 " Now, what's up ? " said Hilda, looking on 
 with dark suspicion. " Where are you wretched 
 conspirators going ? " 
 
 " You can't come, Hilda," I said hastily. 
 
 " Oh, don't want to. If you're in it, Pippa, 
 it's sure to lead to a scrape." 
 
 I was trying to think of something sarcastic 
 in reply when Doris appeared, ready for the 
 expedition, and we started. I kept a little 
 behind the other three, and was careful not 
 to attract attention until we were too far away 
 from the house for me to be sent back. They
 
 204 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 made for the Western Road and became 
 absorbed in the shops. 
 
 " I should like it to be a little out of the 
 common," said Norah. 
 
 " So should I," I said. " We got her an 
 elephant at Dieppe and she was very pleased, 
 although Hilda had broken the trunk. That's 
 a nice china idol." 
 
 I pointed to a seated figure of a very fat 
 Chinaman, polished and glazed. 
 
 " It's horrible," said Meta, turning away 
 with a shudder. 
 
 " There are some nice cut-glass scent bottles," 
 said Doris. 
 
 " Umph ! I shouldn't be pleased with them 
 myself," objected Norah, " and it's always safer 
 to give something you'd like yourself." 
 
 " I don't think it's at all a good rule," I 
 said. " Uncle Philip would be charmed with 
 carpet slippers, but you wouldn't look at 
 them." 
 
 We went slowly from shop to shop all down 
 the long road, but there did not seem anything 
 suitable to buy. We nearly got a lace collar at 
 Hannington's, and we all four trooped into the 
 shop. But, when they asked us what we wanted, 
 Norah said we had not quite made up our minds,
 
 AS YOU LIKE IT 205 
 
 and we trailed out again without buying any- 
 thing. 
 
 Then we turned into the funny narrow little 
 streets that lie round Ship Street, and that have 
 the most fascinating shops in Brighton. 
 
 " I have it," I cried at last. " Look there. 
 I know she'd like it." 
 
 We paused outside a wonderful florist's, 
 whose windows were full of plants, and rock- 
 gardens, and bowls of goldfish. 
 
 " An aquarium would be a difficult thing to 
 carry back," said Doris. 
 
 " Not an aquarium, but one of those delicious 
 rock gardens. Look at that ducky thing, with 
 the pagoda, and the bridge over the stream, and 
 real palms. And only twenty-six shillings." 
 
 " We couldn't afford so much." 
 
 " And whose fault is that, pray ? If you 
 hadn't given up collecting so soon, just because 
 it gave you a little trouble, we might have had 
 thirty shillings or more." 
 
 " Well, we haven't, then. But I think a rock 
 garden is rather a good idea. Let's go in and 
 look at them." 
 
 We went in, and Meta explained that if there 
 was a garden for one pound, one shilling, and 
 elevenpence halfpenny we should like to see it.
 
 206 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 " I have a pretty one for a guinea," said the 
 shopman, getting it out of the window and 
 placing it before us on the counter. It was 
 certainly sweet, with real moss, and a cactus, 
 and ferns, and a tiny tea-house, and little Japs 
 wandering about on the banks of a glass lake. 
 We were struck with admiration. 
 
 " It was clever of you, Pippa, to think of it," 
 said Meta. " I don't think we could do better. 
 And well within our means." 
 
 " What shall we do with the elevenpence 
 halfpenny over ? " I wanted to know. " Do 
 you think Miss Lavender would like it for a 
 nest-egg ? " 
 
 " Oh, we couldn't give her money. Let's 
 invest it in a fern." 
 
 So, in the end, we bought a beautiful fern for 
 a shilling Doris giving the extra halfpenny. 
 The rock garden was packed up in a card- 
 board box, and we carried it in turns. The man 
 offered to send it, but that would never have 
 done. 
 
 We went back along the front, which was 
 crowded with trippers tripping to their home- 
 ward-bound charabancs, and children, and 
 babies, and fat women. All the fattest women 
 in the world live in Brighton. The girls call
 
 We were struck with admiration. 
 
 them the " Not-more-than-others," because not 
 more than others they deserve, but God has 
 given them more. I looked away from them 
 to the shining plain of the Channel, with the 
 white-sailed fishing boats drifting out to sea. 
 
 " That reminds me," I said suddenly, " I 
 haven't been in a speedboat yet." 
 
 " And you're not likely to," said Norah. 
 
 207
 
 208 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 ' Why ? There's no mention of speedboats 
 in the rules. The sole thing that prevents me 
 from going is the lack of half a crown. Could 
 you lend me half a crown, Norah dear ? " 
 
 " I wouldn't if I could. And if you can't 
 carry that box straight you'd better give it to 
 me." 
 
 " Take it, then. I've got eighteenpence. 
 The next instalment of my weekly income will 
 bring it up to half a crown." 
 
 " Don't be silly. You'd get wet through and 
 probably be drowned." 
 
 " I'm not in the least likely to be drowned." 
 
 " No, I foresee another fate for you," said 
 the brutal Norah with a grin. 
 
 I was offended, and said no more on the 
 subject. We reached the school without any 
 adventures, and Doris undertook to put away 
 the rock garden and the fern in her room until 
 the moment of presentation.
 
 CHAPTER XII 
 
 MISS LAVENDER'S BIRTHDAY AND END OF TERM 
 
 A>J air of mystery pervaded Blackthorne 
 House on the following Saturday morn- 
 ing. There was a good deal of chattering in 
 hushed voices, whispering in corners, and 
 dartings to and fro. You might have thought 
 it the First of April if you hadn't known that it 
 was early in July. 
 
 The rock garden more fairylike than ever 
 was lifted from its box and carried in pro- 
 cession to Miss Lavender's room, where it was 
 left on the table, flanked by the fern. This was 
 done before she was down. By the side, neatly 
 written on a card, was a short poem composed 
 by Norah. It ran : 
 
 May the Garden that sits on your table 
 Speak for us the words we would say, 
 Breathe love and good wishes, and whisper 
 Many Happy Returns of the Day. 
 
 " From the Girls." 
 
 (4,1) 209 14
 
 210 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 We all thought that rather neat, and con- 
 gratulated the poetess on her soulful effort. 
 She smirked with satisfaction. We went in to 
 breakfast simmering with excitement, and as 
 the meal was drawing to a close, Miss Lavender 
 came in smiling. 
 
 " Oh, forgive me for interrupting I promise 
 not to make a speech," she said in a raised voice 
 that we could all hear. " But I must tell you 
 how much I love the rock garden you have 
 so kindly given me for my birthday. It is just 
 the thing I have always longed for, but I never 
 thought I should ever possess one, and I shall 
 value it extremely. Thank you, girls. The 
 rerse was beautiful." 
 
 She smiled her way out again, and we finished 
 our bread and marmalade. Then Miss Lambert 
 addressed the assembly. 
 
 " Girls," she said, " I was so grieved yester- 
 day to find how little you knew of your respec- 
 tive parts in the play, and so I have arranged 
 that you shall give the first hour this morn- 
 ing to learning them. You may take your 
 books into the long room, or into the garden, 
 and until half-past ten there is to be silent 
 study." 
 
 The girls looked at each other in dismay ;
 
 END OF TERM 211 
 
 they had other plans for the morning. Norah 
 ventured to remonstrate. 
 
 " But it's a holiday and Miss Lavender's 
 birthday." 
 
 " It's a pity," said Miss Lambert, " but you 
 should have thought of that before." 
 
 She hovered round until she had seen us 
 established with open Shakespeares, then she 
 melted away. 
 
 " Come on, Hilda," I cried, closing my book 
 with a bang as soon as the coast was clear. 
 " You and I know our parts, at any rate, and, 
 anyhow, I'm not going to act. Let's evaporate 
 with as little ostentation as a morning mist." 
 
 " Where do you want to go ? " 
 
 I did not tell her at once, but urged her to 
 put on her hat, and collect her money, and 
 come. 
 
 " We shall just have time to do it and be 
 back by half-past ten," I said, crawling low 
 among the bushes towards the gate. Hilda 
 followed, and we escaped without being ob- 
 served. I led the way to the West Pier, where 
 we arrived, hot and breathless. 
 
 "Pippa," cried Hilda, looking frightened, 
 " you're not thinking of going in one of those 
 dreadful speedboats ? "
 
 2i2 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 " That is my intention. Don't you want to 
 come ? " 
 
 " Nothing should induce me. And it's very 
 wrong of you to do it." 
 
 " Tm no coward," I said sublimely. " And 
 I am only gratifying a perfectly innocent desire." 
 
 " Well, I'll wait on the pier for you. You 
 won't be gone ten minutes." 
 
 We went to the landing-stage, and I took my 
 place in a crowd of three men and a boy. 
 
 " You going, missie ? " said one of the men 
 to me. " Bit rough for you. Why don't you 
 wait for a calm day ? " 
 
 " I like it rough," I said with dignity. 
 
 I nearly capsized the boat in getting in, and 
 the boy made a most unchivalrous remark, of 
 which I took no notice. We started, and soon 
 were rushing through the waves, with the spray 
 falling in showers all round us. I thought it 
 must be the next best thing to an aeroplane, and 
 felt sorry for Hilda, left behind on the stuffy 
 old pier. 
 
 The delight was all too short. We sped along 
 like magic, and, in an incredibly brief space of 
 time, swung round and rushed back to the 
 starting-point. 
 
 " Half a crown's soon gone," I reflected.
 
 END OF TERM 213 
 
 " Never mind it's worth it, and I'll save up 
 and have another." 
 
 We were within a dozen yards of the pier 
 when I suddenly caught sight of Hilda leaning 
 over the side and waving frantically to me. I 
 stood up in the boat to wave back. 
 
 " Sit down," shouted the three men and the 
 boy. 
 
 I was not going to be hectored by man or 
 boy, and I scrambled forward with rather too 
 much haste, for I lost my balance and fell over 
 to the part of the boat that was almost under 
 water. One of the men tried to clutch me, and, 
 to elude his grasp, I shook myself away to the 
 side. I am afraid I overdid the movement, 
 for the next moment I had rolled out of the 
 boat and was struggling in the water. 
 
 There was a shout from the boat, and a shout 
 from the pier, where the accident had been 
 observed. I distinctly heard Hilda's yell of 
 anguish as the waves closed over my head. 
 
 Of course, there was no danger. I could 
 swim like a fish, and we were close to the landing- 
 stage. Several people did their best to drown 
 me by jumping in after me and hanging on to 
 me. A good many heroic efforts were made, 
 quite unnecessarily, to save my valuable life.
 
 2i 4 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 I was towed to the side of the pier, where a 
 dozen willing hands dragged me to safety. 
 
 Hilda flew into my wet arms and got soaked. 
 A strange lady dried my face with her pocket 
 handkerchief, and several wept and tried to 
 kiss me. 
 
 ' Thank you all very much," I said, wringing 
 the water out of my garments. " I think I'd 
 better get home as quickly as possible. I do 
 hope all those kind gentlemen haven't spoilt 
 their nice clothes." 
 
 I seized Hilda's hand and we raced off 
 together, turning a deaf ear to the many offers 
 of assistance that were showered on me from 
 every side. We reached the school and 
 separated. Hilda crawled back through the 
 bushes to the lawn, where she had left her 
 As You Like It, and I sneaked round to the 
 kitchen entrance, and tapped gently at the 
 tradesmen's door. 
 
 As no one came, I turned the handle, entered, 
 and ran along the narrow passage as quickly as 
 the condition of my feet would allow. They 
 were squelching up and down inside my shoes 
 in a perfectly lovely way, and wherever I went 
 I left a trail of dampness. I opened the kitchen 
 door and looked in.
 
 The next moment I was struggling in the water. 
 
 Cook was standing at the table, rolling out 
 the paste for jam tarts ; and old Susan was 
 sitting by the fire drinking her morning cocoa. 
 They both stared as I slowly emerged round 
 the door, which I shut carefully behind me. 
 
 215
 
 216 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 " Don't scream," I implored them. " Don't 
 do anything to attract attention to me if you 
 love me. Cookie darling, what exquisite tarts 
 you are making. Is that raspberry jam ? I 
 think it's my favourite." 
 
 ' You've been in some mischief, as usual, I 
 suppose," said Susan. She came and passed 
 a hand over me. 
 
 " There isn't a dry thread on you." 
 
 " There wouldn't be," I retorted. " I've just 
 been rescued from a watery grave. But you 
 don't want to get me into trouble, do you ? 
 On Miss Lavender's birthday, and all." 
 
 " You ought to go straight to bed," said 
 Susan. ' Whatever have you been up to, you 
 naughty child ? " 
 
 " You'd never guess, and I shan't tell you. 
 Look here if you'll run up to my room, Susan, 
 and bring me some dry clothes, I can change 
 here by the fire. Then you can dry my wet 
 things down here, and no one will be any the 
 wiser. I fear I shall never see my hat again. 
 Another expense for my poor parents." 
 
 Five minutes later I was seated by the cosy 
 fire in Susan's chair, in nice comfortable dry 
 clothes, while my wet things hung steaming 
 over a clothes-horse. Cook, who was a good-
 
 END OF TERM 217 
 
 natured, comfortable old body, gave me a cup 
 of hot sweet cocoa, and I ate several rock-cakes 
 that had just been taken out of the oven. 
 
 " Cookie," I said, when I had finished, " and 
 Susan, your beneficence is beyond all praise. 
 I trust that in time to come I may be able to 
 reward you suitably. Now I'll skedaddle." 
 
 And I made tracks for the garden, and re- 
 sumed my Shakespeare. When Miss Lambert 
 appeared, a few minutes after, she found me 
 with my head in my book, immersed in study. 
 
 " I hope that you have not been wasting your 
 time," she said to us all. " Now you can have 
 tennis, or swimming, till dinner time." 
 
 I chose tennis. I did not seem to want to 
 get in the sea any more that day. Enough is as 
 good as a feast. Besides, it was awkward to have 
 lost my hat. 
 
 That, however, was brought back in an hour 
 by the boy who had been in the speedboat. 
 He had fished it out of the water, and some one 
 had recognized the school band and told him 
 where to take it. Fortunately I saw him 
 strolling up to the front door, twirling it in his 
 hand, and I rushed at him and grabbed it. 
 
 " Steady on," said the youth. " How do I 
 know it's yours ? "
 
 218 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 ' The name's inside. Look and see. And 
 you saw me in the boat. Do you want a reward 
 for your trouble ? " 
 
 " Rather. What do you think ? " 
 
 * Then you must call next Saturday, and I'll 
 give you a shilling. Or would you be satisfied 
 with sixpence ? " 
 
 The boy guffawed in a vulgar way and 
 seemed inclined to argue the matter, but I shut 
 him up and sped back to the house with my 
 property. It was a good thing that I met only 
 Miss Lavender, who is not eaten up with 
 curiosity as Miss Lambert is ; and she only 
 said, " What have you done to your hat, Pippa ? 
 It looks as if it had been in a naval engage- 
 ment." 
 
 " It fell in the sea," I said with perfect truth. 
 And that was the end of that. 
 
 We had a ripping birthday tea that afternoon 
 down on the beach. The maids brought out 
 cups and plates and great pots of tea, and 
 baskets full of cakes and buns. We ate every- 
 thing. 
 
 The last weeks of the term were the best. 
 The long holidays were coming, and a pleasant 
 air of bustle pervaded everything. Even the 
 play showed signs of life. The voice of the
 
 END OF TERM 219 
 
 prompter was no longer heard so constantly, 
 and boxes of costumes of a most exciting nature 
 began to arrive. 
 
 The last tennis match of the season was played 
 against a team from Hassocks or thereabouts. 
 Their school was called St. Ives, and they 
 were a plain, dreary lot of girls who looked as 
 if they couldn't smile if they tried. I thought 
 they appeared half-starved, and took the earliest 
 opportunity of asking the eldest if this was the 
 case. She turned on me a face of withering 
 scorn. 
 
 " Silly little ass ! " she said. 
 
 " Well," I cried, " you might give a civil 
 answer to a civil question. Probably you don't 
 pay the extra twopence for manners at St. 
 Ives." 
 
 She made a grimace at me and walked off. 
 
 We lost the match rather badly, but that was 
 not my fault, for they would not let me play, 
 although I offered. I had improved a good deal 
 lately, and though my swift services were always 
 faults, and when I returned a ball it invariably 
 fell out of court or got muddled up with the 
 net, still, the general style of my play, and the 
 grace of my movements, more than made up 
 for these slight blemishes. But there it was.
 
 220 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 I had to stand aside, and, as a result, we lost 
 the match. 
 
 It was just the same with the rehearsals of 
 As You Like It. The play could not be such a 
 success as I should have made it if I had been 
 allowed. 
 
 " My page's suit has come," Hilda told me 
 a few days before the breaking-up. ' When do 
 you expect yours ? " 
 
 " Never," I said gloomily. 
 
 " Why, what are you going to wear, then ? " 
 
 " Pyjamas." 
 
 " Oh, Pippa, how can you be so wicked ? 
 You'd better not act at all." 
 
 " That's just what I think." 
 
 I really had no intention of acting, so it did not 
 seem worth while to write home for a costume. 
 
 I had a letter from Mummie a few days 
 before the festival, in which she said how she 
 was longing for it, and trying to coax Daddy 
 to come with her. She said that he seemed 
 inclined to do so, as he wanted so badly to see 
 his little Pippa again. I fancy that was only 
 Mummie's politeness. 
 
 Nita also sent a line, enclosing a postal order 
 for two shillings. " You will find it useful," she 
 wrote. " I hope that the school routine has
 
 END OF TERM 221 
 
 tamed you a little. You perhaps remember 
 the young man you saw with me at the 
 Academy ? That was Sir Percy Swan." 
 
 " Oh, was it ? " I said to myself. " What on 
 earth makes her write about young men to 
 me ? I'm much too young to take any interest 
 in the subject." 
 
 Nita's letter wound up " Some of us are 
 going to Switzerland in August, and Mummie 
 has made arrangements for you to go to Lowes- 
 toft with Aunt Florence." 
 
 Oh ? I think I see myself starting for 
 Lowestoft with Aunt Florence, while the rest 
 of them go off to the Alps. I've always wanted 
 to do a little climbing. 
 
 Then a wonderful thing happened, and I 
 got my chance after all. The girl who played 
 Touchstone was Anne Batten not at all a bad 
 sort of person, with plenty of go in her. She 
 lived with her aunt in London, because her 
 father and mother were in India. But they 
 were coming home for a holiday that summer, 
 and my good angel directed that they should 
 arrive on the Saturday of the garden party. 
 Anne's aunt wrote that Anne must be at home 
 to welcome them on their arrival, and she went 
 joyfully off on Friday afternoon.
 
 222 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 Before she left she came to me, and gare me 
 the clown's dress she had got ready for the 
 performance. 
 
 " I've told Miss Lambert that you know the 
 part, Pippa," she said, " and I am sure you 
 will play it much better than I, so here's the 
 dress, and my blessing go with you." 
 
 It was a lovely dress, made in two halves of 
 red and yellow sateen, half of each colour, and 
 joined in the middle. The cap and tunic were 
 cut in scallops, and a tiny bell hung at the end 
 of each. 
 
 I put it on at once and danced round the long 
 room in it. Of course Miss Lambert caught 
 me, but she was in a chastened frame of mind, 
 and did not scold as freely as usual. 
 
 " Anne tells me, Pippa, that you know the 
 part of Touchstone perfectly," she said. 
 
 " She is right, I do. Am I to take her place ? " 
 
 " I suppose there's no help for it. I wouldn't 
 let you if there were any one else. I do hope, 
 for once, Pippa, that you can be trusted to think 
 about what you are doing." 
 
 I drew myself up. " I am always to be 
 trusted," I said. " Guides are firm and strong, 
 like rocks. I shall make a much better clown 
 than Anne."
 
 Of course Miss Lambert caught me. 
 
 " Well, you must try, anyhow. And I 
 shouldn't attempt to be too funny, if I were 
 you." 
 
 Saturday morning broke, sunny and warm. 
 The sky was laughing at the sea when I put 
 my head out of the window, and the sea was
 
 224 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 twinkling back as if it could not be merry 
 enough. Hilda and I made haste to be down as 
 quickly as possible, so that we could keep an 
 eye on all that was going on, and lend a hand 
 with the prepi-rations. 
 
 Dozens of small tables were set out on the 
 freshly shaven lawn, and we were allowed to 
 pick flowers for their decoration. We each 
 selected a table for our own particular friends, 
 and quarrelled a good deal about the relative 
 merits of different positions. 
 
 We had a little rehearsal of some of the worst 
 scenes of the play, and they were so very bad 
 that, at the close, Miss Lambert retreated with 
 a look on her face as if she were about to cut 
 her throat. 
 
 We helped with everything, and later on I 
 offered to cut the bread and butter and arrange 
 the cakes, but my kind services were declined. 
 
 The guests were to arrive at three, and at 
 half-past two we were sent to our rooms to 
 put on gala attire. I use the word " gala " in 
 a sarcastic sense, for we were all compelled 
 (by the rules) to wear the simplest of white 
 dresses, and could not deck ourselves out as 
 we should have wished. Even the eldest of us 
 were forbidden to wear as much as a ring or
 
 END OF TERM 225 
 
 a bracelet. I did not mind, as I had no jewel- 
 lery, but some of the rich girls like Isabel 
 Fortescue would have blazed with diamonds, 
 if they had been allowed. They complained 
 bitterly. 
 
 So there we were : forty white-robed dam- 
 sels no, thirty-nine, now that Anne Batten had 
 gone standing about on the grass among the 
 flower-laden tables. 
 
 At three, Miss Lavender and the Staff came 
 out, all shimmering in silks and satins. Miss 
 Doreen had on a white muslin frock, with 
 touches of blue about it. She looked quite nice, 
 and no one could guess her true character from 
 her appearance. I resolved to look out for her 
 fiance, and warn him before it was too late. 
 Only that very morning, before breakfast, she 
 had asked me if I had brushed my teeth. She 
 knew perfectly well how pressed for time I had 
 been, and if she had had any nice feelings she 
 would not have sent me back to do it. Certainly 
 I must let the doctor know what he may expect 
 if he persists in his infatuation. 
 
 People began to pour in, and the pretty scene 
 became more animated every minute. At last 
 I caught sight of Mummie strolling across the 
 lawn in the direction of Miss Lavender. With 
 
 (4,361) !
 
 226 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 her though I could hardly believe my eyes 
 came Daddy and Uncle Philip ; and behind 
 them were Muriel and Charlie. 
 
 I kept in the background until they had 
 greeted their hostess, and then I hurled myself 
 upon them and hugged them furiously. 
 
 ' There, that's enough, Pippa," said Daddy 
 testily. " Bless the child, whatever does my tie 
 look like ? " 
 
 " It's all on one side and coming undone," 
 I said, as I squeezed him round the neck. " Oh, 
 Daddy, I have missed you so." 
 
 ' Yes, and I've missed you too," he was good 
 enough to say. " It has been a very peaceful 
 three months." 
 
 " It must have seemed a long time to you 
 without your little Pippa." 
 
 " No-o," he said hesitatingly. " It has not 
 been nearly so nerve-racking as when you are 
 about." 
 
 " Oh ! " I turned from him to Mummie 
 and changed the subject. 
 
 " Where's Nita ? Why didn't she come ? " 
 
 " She couldn't she's engaged " 
 
 " Humph ! With Sir Percy Swan, I sup- 
 pose ?" 
 
 " However did you know ? "
 
 END OF TERM 227 
 
 " Well," I said, " if you mean she's going to 
 marry him, I'm thankful to hear it, because 
 that will leave Mr. Woolley for me. Oh, do 
 look at Uncle Philip smirking at Miss Lavender ? 
 Isn't she sweet ? Don't they make a lovely 
 couple ? " 
 
 " You silly little girl ! " cried Mummie. 
 And she went to Miss Lavender and asked if 
 my report this term was one that she could 
 bear to look at. 
 
 " I've done my best," said Miss Lavender, 
 " and now that Pippa has settled down at 
 school, I am sure that next term will see a great 
 improvement." 
 
 " If only we might have a company of Guides 
 at the school next term ! " I sighed. 
 
 " Well, I will think about it," she promised. 
 That's something. I shall remind her of it when 
 the time comes. 
 
 I steered my family to the table I had chosen 
 for them, and plied them with tea and ices. 
 There were some excellent strawberry ices, 
 and I was half-way through my fourth when 
 Meta came and said it was time to dress. I 
 finished the ice and went. 
 
 The girls were dressing in the long room, 
 and the utmost confusion prevailed. Every-
 
 228 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 thing was lost ; nobody could find more than 
 one stocking, and, with one bright exception, 
 no one remembered a word of her part. I was 
 the exception, as usual. In one corner the 
 melancholy Jaques was tying on a bolster, to 
 improve his figure. 
 
 " You look exactly like Tweedledum in 
 Alice, or the fat boy in Pickwick," I told him. 
 " You shouldn't make the melancholy one such 
 a figure of fun." 
 
 But the most realistic costume was that of 
 Charles. Miss Lambert nearly had a fit when 
 she saw it. 
 
 " Where did you get that horrible apron 
 from, Jessie ? " she inquired. 
 
 " Mr. Bones, the butcher, very kindly lent 
 it to me," said Jessie proudly. 
 
 " But it's so ragged and dirty and greasy. 
 You look disgusting." 
 
 " Yes, that's how I read the part," said Jessie 
 calmly. " Mr. Bones let me have the apron 
 after he had worn it for a week, and I got him 
 to smear it with steak before I had it. I bought 
 a pound of steak on purpose. I did not spare 
 trouble or expense." 
 
 ' You'd better throw it away and wear some- 
 thing else," said Miss Lambert.
 
 Tying a bolster to improve his figure. 
 
 " I have nothing else," said Jessie. " I can 
 wear that, if you like." 
 
 " I can't stay to argue. Your appearance is 
 repulsive." 
 
 Miss Lambert moved off and I approached. 
 ' What did you do with the pound of 
 steak, Jessie ? " I asked. " Did you bring it 
 away ? " 
 
 529
 
 230 PIPPA AT BRIGHTON 
 
 " Of course. It's in my bed at the moment, 
 wrapped in newspaper, under the pillow. I 
 shall have to take it with me to church to- 
 morrow, and leave it under a seat." 
 
 " Good idea ! " I exclaimed. " Then they 
 can give it to the poor of the parish." 
 
 Miss Lambert's heart seemed broken when 
 she found that Orlando had forgotten the straw, 
 and was obliged to substitute a blade of grass. 
 The wheelbarrow could not be found for a long 
 time, so the play was late in beginning. 
 
 But when it did start it went with a swing. 
 The audience said afterwards that they had 
 never seen anything like it. The melancholy 
 Jaques received quite an ovation when his front 
 figure wriggled round to his back, and it would 
 not become me to write down all the compli- 
 ments that were paid to my rendering of Touch- 
 stone. Dr. Major sought me out, and said he 
 had never laughed so much in his life. 
 
 " Ah ! " I replied with meaning. " Laugh 
 while you can." 
 
 
 
 And thus my first term at Brighton came to 
 an end. I did not go home with my people on 
 Saturday, but returned with a party of girls 
 who were going to London on Monday, and
 
 END OF TERM 231 
 
 Mummie met me at Victoria. Hilda was going 
 to Scotland, and had left earlier. 
 
 " Well, darling," said Mummie when we 
 were in a taxi, " are you glad to be home 
 again ? " 
 
 " Jlty gkd. When do we start for Switzer- 
 land ? " 
 
 " Oh, didn't you know ? Dear Aunt Florrie 
 wants to have you with her at Lowestoft." 
 
 " She couldn't," I said firmly. " She knows 
 me too well. And I am going to Switzerland. 
 So that's that." 
 
 " Well, well, we must hear what Daddy 
 says." 
 
 " I know what he'll say, but it won't make 
 any difference." 
 
 And I suddenly recollected that Daddy had 
 a priceless collection of old walking-sticks, and 
 I thought to myself, " I'll choose the stoutest 
 and strongest, and take it with me for an 
 Alpenstock. And it may be as well to cut a 
 few notches in it before we start." 
 
 THE END
 
 PUNTED IN GREAT BRITAIN AT 
 THE PRESS OP THE PUBLISHERS