A POPULAR SCHOOLGIRL

CONTENTS


I. The End of the Holidays

II. Opening Day

III. Wynch-on-the-Wold

IV. Intruder Bess

V. The Fifth-form Fête

VI. The School Parliament

VII. Hockey

VIII. An Unpleasant Experience

IX. A Hostel Frolic

X. The Whispering Stones

XI. On Strike

XII. The Rainbow League

XIII. Quenrede Comes Out

XIV. The Peep-hole

XV. Brotherly Breezes

XVI. An Easter Pilgrimage

XVII. The Rivals

XVIII. Bess at Home

XIX. The Nun's Walk

XX. Under the Lanterns

XXI. The Abbey Recital


CHAPTER I

The End of the Holidays


"Ingred! Ingred, old girl! I say, Ingred! Wherever have you taken
yourself off to?" shouted a boyish voice, as its owner, jumping an
obstructing gooseberry bush, tore around the corner of the house from
the kitchen garden on to the strip of rough lawn that faced the windows.
"Hullo! Cuckoo! Coo-ee! _In_-gred!"

"I'm here all the time, so you needn't bawl!" came in resigned tones
from under the shade of a large fuchsia. "You're enough to wake the
dead, Chumps! What is it you want now! It's too hot to go a walk till
after tea. I'm trying to get ten minutes peace and quiet!"

Hereward, otherwise "Chumps," put his feet together in the second
position, flung out his arms in what was intended to be a graceful
attitude, and made a mock bow worthy of the cinema stage.

"Have them by all means, Madam!" he replied in mincing accents. "Your
humble servant has no wish to disturb your ladyship's elegant repose. He
offers a thousand apologies for his unceremonious entrance into your
august presence, and implores you to condescend----_Ow! Stop it, you
brute!_"

Hereward's burst of eloquence was brought to an abrupt end by the
violent onslaught of a fox-terrier puppy which flung itself upon him and
began to worry his ankles with delighted yelps of appreciation.