"Well, let's think of something else, then," Gloria said. "You don't
know, Pill! That initiation's going to be something terrific! Maybe you
could trip the Dragon up when she comes into Assembly. You're on the
end of the line."
Flip shook her head again.
"Well, whatever you do," Gloria warned, "don't do anything like making
a pie bed or a booby trap for anyone in _our_ class. They wouldn't like
that."
"I won't," Flip assured her. "But I can't think of a Deed, Gloria. I've
tried and tried, but I just can't seem to think of anything."--If only
I could produce Paul and Ariel, she thought.--That would bowl them over
all right.
"I thought you were supposed to have such a good imagination," Gloria
said. "I've done everything I can to help you, ducky, so there's
nothing else for it. You'll just have to be initiated."
"I expect I'll have to," Flip agreed mournfully and with trepidation.
"I'll do what I can to keep it from being too awful," Gloria promised
her magnanimously.
But she was, as Flip had known she would be, one of the most violent of
the initiators.
The entire class met after lunch behind the playing fields. It was
almost out of sight of the school there; only the highest turrets could
be seen rising out of the trees. Erna, Jackie, and Gloria had Flip in
tow.
"Don't be scared," Jackie whispered comfortingly. "It's only fun."
"I'm _not_ scared." Flip was vehement. Even if she knew she was a
coward she did not want anyone else to know.
It was a grey day with little tendrils of fog curled here and there
about the trees. The tips of the mountains were obscured in clouds that
looked heavy and soft and like snow clouds. Erna said it was too early
for snow as far down the mountain as Jaman, though there might possibly
be some in Gstaad, a town further up, where the annual Ski Meet was
held. Behind the playing fields was the most desolate spot around the
school. It was rocky ground with little life; the grass was neither
long nor short; just ragged and untidy and a dull rust brown in color.
The only tree was dead, with one lone branch left sticking out so that
it looked like a gibbet. Most of the girls clustered about the tree.
Flip heard one of them asking, "What do we do?"
"Well, we put Pill through the mill, first," Erna said. "Come on,
peoples. Line up." She shoved and pushed at the girls until they got
into line, their legs apart, then she gave Flip a not unfriendly shove.
"Through the mill."
Flip bent down, held her breath, and started. With her long legs she
practically had to crawl on her hands and knees as she pushed through
the tunnel of legs, and her progress was slow and her bottom smarting
from the slaps. She gritted her teeth and pressed on until she passed
between Erna's legs at the head of the line. Erna gave her a resounding
smack.
"Good for Philippa," Solvei said. "She didn't yell once."
"She has tears in her eyes," Gloria shouted.
"I have not," Flip denied.
"What are they if they aren't tears?" Esmée Bodet asked.
"It's the wind," Flip said.
"Are you ticklish?" Esmée asked.
"Yes."
Esmée rushed at her and started tickling her.
"Stop! Oh, please stop!" Flip cried.
Esmée tickled even harder and Flip fell to the ground, laughing and
gasping hysterically while all the girls shouted with amusement. But
although Flip was laughing it was the laughter of torture and she
cried out whenever she could catch her breath, "stop, oh, stop--" She
laughed and laughed until she could scarcely breathe and tears were
streaming down her face.