[Illustration: Cover art]
[Frontispiece: "With the envelope in her hand she hesitated and
glanced round guiltily." (_See page_ 128.)]
Monica and the Fifth
BY
BRENDA PAGE
Author of "Schoolgirl Rivals"
_With Four Illustrations in Colour
and Black and White
By ELIZABETH EARNSHAW_
CASSELL AND COMPANY, LTD
London, Toronto, Melbourne and Sydney
First published 1928
Printed in Great Britain
CONTENTS
CHAPTER
1. The First Day
2. Enter the Black Sheep
3. An Amazing Confession
4. Allison Interferes
5. The Hockey Shield
6. Nat gets Her Chance
7. "Not Playing the Game!"
8. Thrills for the Fifth
9. While the Cat's Away
10. Lost, Stolen or Strayed?
11. The Telegram
12. Sentence is Delayed
13. A Sensational Paper-chase
14. A Riddle is Solved
15. Allison Tells a Story
16. Nat makes a Discovery
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
"With the envelope in her hand she hesitated and glanced round
guiltily" ... Frontispiece
"Everyone gazed at her with unrestrained curiosity"
"'Jumping Jehoshaphat,' exclaimed Madge, 'what have you been doing to
your study!'"
"For one horrible moment she hung there suspended by her hands"
Monica and the Fifth
CHAPTER I
THE FIRST DAY
The first day of a new school-year at colleges and boarding-schools
is of necessity devoted entirely to the arrival of the boarders,
unpacking and settling down. St. Etheldreda's was no exception to
this rule. Undoubtedly the busiest girl in the whole school on that
important Tuesday--the first day of the autumn term--was Madge
Amhurst, late of the Fifth Form, but now promoted to the double
dignity of the Sixth and a prefectship. Madge had been selected by
the house mistress, Miss Perkins, to receive and take charge of all
the new girls, and she was performing her first duty as a prefect
with remarkable conscientiousness; not that Madge was always so
painstakingly conscientious, but she was the possessor of a fluent
and ready tongue and was never so happy as when exercising it well in
airing her views. Though liked by her school companions she could
not always obtain an audience willing to listen to her; now at last
was a splendid opportunity; for the greater part of a day she could
hold the stage to her heart's content.
The rule at St. Etheldreda's was that all girls, save in very
exceptional circumstances, should be in the school before six-thirty
on Tuesday evening. Throughout the afternoon Madge was seen
wandering round the building with an ever-lengthening train of small
girls at her heels, very much, as Nellie Barthe remarked with a broad
grin, like a fussy old hen with a family of newly-hatched chicks, all
wearing the forlorn and miserable appearance of newcomers in a
strange and unknown world.
By four o'clock, Madge had collected a following of eight or nine
youngsters and was still walking them round. She was greeted with
broad smiles by girls whom she passed in the various rooms and
passages, but seemed quite unperturbed by their amusement at her
expense, and looked both busy and business-like with her pencil
tucked clerically behind one ear and in her hand the list with which
Miss Perkins had provided her. She finally halted her little band in
the Blue Dormitory, with another glance at the list she was carrying
and then at the watch on her wrist.
"This, my dear children," she remarked with a wave of her hand, "is
the Blue Dormitory, so called, as you may guess for yourselves, from
the tasteful cream and art-blue scheme of decoration. I think I have
already told you that we are now in the Annexe, which has been
recently added to the main building, to which it is connected by a
covered-in passage. Most of the dormitories are in the Annexe, also
the common room, senior studies and assembly hall."
She consulted her list again. "Which of you is Norah Maguire? Sure,
and it's you, is it, begorrah? This is the haven where in future you
will enjoy your nocturnal slumbers, Norah. In other words, cubicle
No. 4 is yours. You are the last on the list, I think. Here is the
wardrobe where you will hang your things, and this, of course, is
your chest of drawers. I haven't missed anyone out, have I?"
There was a murmured chorus of "Noes."
"A little refreshment will be provided at half-past four," Madge
continued pleasantly, "and as the tea-bell will ring shortly I don't
think it's much use starting to unpack till afterwards. Now, is
there anything you would like to know about your cubicles?"
After a few moments' silence one small, curly-haired girl spoke up.
"Are we allowed to hang any pictures in our cubicles?"
"Why yes, certainly, only you mustn't knock nails into the outside
walls. There's a picture rail on the wall, so that difficulty is
easily overcome. You can also use drawing-pins. Of course there are
certain dormitory rules about lights, talking and so on, but you'll
find a list of them hanging just inside the door, also a list of the
occupants of the cubicles. Hot water? You get it from the bathrooms
when you want it. By the by, you are expected to knock before
entering another person's cubicle--a senior's, at any rate. Anything
else you want to know, Matty?" tapping the small girl on the head
with her pencil.
"My name isn't Matty. It's Margaret."
"Too long," replied Madge cheerfully. "I haven't time for more than
two syllables just now."
"Please," inquired another rather timidly, "do we do anything else
this evening besides unpack?"
"Yes. I'm to take you to see Miss Julian--the Principal, you
know--at six o'clock. Then at half-past six we assemble. It's the
usual proceeding. Announcements are made, we are all welcomed back
and of course are all exhorted to roll up our sleeves for the year's
work and put some elbow grease into it. Also you get a few words for
the good of your soul, though fortunately Prinny's sermons are brief
and to the point. Of course, you needn't listen, but as you are new
kids perhaps it would be wise for you to do so this first time.
"That's all that happens to-night. Prinny may tell you what class
you are in, or if you haven't already been to school you may have to
sit for tests to-morrow morning. But really, if you're sensible kids
you can have an awfully good time here. There are several societies
you can join, the dramatic and the indoor games, for instance. The
dramatic get up a play every year, and the indoor games play draughts
and chess and table-tennis and so on. As for the outdoor games,
well--" Madge was warming to her work. "Now that summer term is
over I may as well tell you you'll soon have to make a very important
decision." Madge's expression grew portentous. "You will have to
choose which to join, the hockey club or the netball club."
"Can't you play both?"
"Play both!" Madge was horror-struck. "Indeed no! Not that there's
any rule about it, but it simply isn't done. You must choose one or
the other. I am secretary of one of the clubs, but I won't tell you
which," she added modestly, "as I don't wish to influence you
unfairly. Naturally, it is by far the better game of the two. Hark!
There's tea bell."
She counted them round to see if all were present, then marshalled
them downstairs with a wave of her hand and an encouraging: "Come
along. En avant, mes enfants!"
Tea was in the beautiful old dining-room, one of the oldest parts of
the original building, a long, lofty room with glorious oak panelling
and great worm-eaten oak beams across the ceiling, carefully
preserved through several hundred years. No one came to St.
Etheldreda's without being impressed by this room, particularly as it
had the added advantage of looking out on three sides to green lawns
and leafy trees.
From tea till the bell rang again for assembly at six-thirty the
school was like a hive of busy bees, swarming and buzzing. The hall
where the girls assembled every morning for prayers and every evening
for roll-call, and also on state occasions such as Speech Day, was in
the Annexe, and had a wide platform at one end and a small gallery at
the other.
Madge Amhurst found herself among a little party of Fifth-formers, as
she made her way down the corridor.
"Any new girls for the Fifth?" inquired one of them, Irene Eames.
Madge shook her head. "There is only one new senior so far, who I
expect will go into the Fourth. There's another who hasn't turned up
yet, though. She has the 'flu or something, and will probably be
coming next week."
Irene nodded, disappointed. "What a pity! It's rather interesting
having new girls in your form and wondering what they'll be like."
"Miss Perkins said she thought this girl who hasn't arrived yet would
be put into the Fifth," replied Madge.
Five minutes after the bell had sounded a goodly number of girls had
assembled in the hall. St. Etheldreda's was not as big as many of
the modern English boarding-schools, nevertheless its numbers were
not inconsiderable, averaging between seventy and eighty, all
boarders. The lowest age at which a girl could be admitted was ten,
for there was neither a kindergarten nor a preparatory department.
After the girls came the mistresses and finally the Principal
herself, tall and slight, with hair turning grey rather early, and
the possessor of a quiet manner and a voice of peculiar charm,
low-toned but very clear and distinct. Standing on the platform at
the end of the room she began to speak, saying how pleased she was to
see familiar and smiling faces again, but declaring that she would
not keep them very long as she knew many had had long journeys and
were doubtless beginning already to feel tired. She touched lightly
on the work of the coming year, impressing on them the need for a
good beginning, followed by steady work throughout the year.
She then read out the list of the new prefects and their chief
duties. At this, of course, all heads were turned towards the back
row, where stood the five or six new Sixth-formers, who tried hard
not to look self-conscious when they heard their names. They came
forward to the platform to receive their prefects' stars, which the
Principal fastened on the fronts of their dresses, and were heartily
clapped by the rest of the school.
When this commotion had subsided Miss Julian continued:
"There is just another little announcement I wish to make. I know
how glad you all are to see our last year's Head Girl back among us
for yet another year."
Fresh applause, whose sincerity no one could doubt, for Allison
Ravenel had been the most popular of all St. Etheldreda's Head Girls
and was still the best-liked and most admired girl in the school.
"Unfortunately," Miss Julian went on, "things are not quite the same
this year. With very great reluctance Allison has asked me to say
that she feels unable to carry out the multitudinous duties of a Head
Girl this year. She has returned to study for a university
scholarship and as it is a matter of very great importance to her
that she should win it if she possibly can, she feels she must devote
her whole time and attention to her studies. I have consulted the
other prefects and they are extremely anxious that she should not
relinquish her position as Head Girl while she is here; they declare
that they are ready and willing to undertake her work and to relieve
her of most of her duties. I have accepted their kindly offer, and
if the rest of the school are willing to back up the prefects in
every way I am sure the arrangement will work satisfactorily. Will
all those girls who willingly and gladly agree to do so, raise their
hands?"
A forest of hands immediately shot up. Miss Julian nodded her
satisfaction, then glanced across at the tall, fair-haired,
eighteen-year-old Head Girl. "Perhaps Allison wishes to answer you
for herself," she suggested.
"I can only say thank you all very much for your kindness," Allison
answered. "It was entirely the prefects' idea that I should retain
the Head Prefectship. Of course, if at any time they need my help I
shall be only too pleased to do anything I can. I did not like
trespassing so much on their good nature, but they insisted on it."
Already most of the seniors, at least, knew the reason for Allison's
anxiety to win a university scholarship. Her people had recently
lost money, and without the scholarship Allison, with several younger
brothers and sisters yet to be educated, would be obliged to give up
all idea of continuing her education at a university.
A voice came from the back row, the voice of Deirdre Samways, one of
the members of the hockey first eleven, saying in anxious tones: "I
hope this does not mean that Allison will be giving up games as well.
The school cannot afford to lose her services."
Allison answered for herself. "I am resigning the captainship of the
hockey club, as I may not be able to attend all the practices and the
meetings. But Miss Julian says I should be silly to give up playing,
as outdoor exercise is necessary when you are studying hard, so I
shall be only too pleased to turn out for matches."
There was a sigh of relief from the hockey enthusiasts, for was not
Allison the best centre-half the school had ever possessed and an
invaluable pivot for the team?
"And now," the Principal was saying, "as all except the new girls
know, it is my custom at the beginning of each school year to present
to you a little thought of some kind that may help you in your school
life. At the end of the year I generally refer to it again to see if
it really has been of any help to us.
"I suppose it is the aim and endeavour of everyone to get as much as
possible out of life, and you are all, I am sure, trying to get all
you can out of your school life.
"It is right that we should have ambitions. Many girls, I know, are
working to win scholastic honours, to do well in the public and
school exams or to take home better reports at the end of term;
others perhaps are trying to distinguish themselves in one particular
subject, their music or in some other branch of art; girls who are
already in school teams are anxious to win honour for themselves on
the playing fields, and those who have not a place as yet are keen to
obtain one; girls who cannot yet swim unaided have perhaps made up
their minds to be more successful in the baths this coming season.
"I am always pleased to see such ambitions. But this year I want you
not only to think of how much you can get out of school life, but
also of how much you can put in--how much of kindliness,
consideration for others, service, even small personal sacrifices, to
give some instances of what I mean. You girls, living together in
what we call a 'community life,' have so many opportunities of
'putting in' as well as 'getting out,' of making our school life here
happier and brighter and jollier for us all. I am not going to say
any more on that subject, but don't forget the thought I want to give
you for this year."
Miss Julian said little more, for, being a woman of wisdom and
experience, she was content to press home what she wanted to say and
then to leave off before seeing the first fidgety movements that told
of weariness or boredom on the part of her youthful audience. The
assembly came to a close with a hymn and a brief prayer, and the
girls were then dismissed with the injunction that the rest of the
evening till supper bell was their own to pass as they wished, but
that classes would begin at nine o'clock the next morning as usual.