It was a proverbial saying in the school that Annie Forest was always in
hot water; she was exceedingly daring, and loved what she called a spice
of danger. This was not the first stolen picnic at which Annie reigned
as queen, but this was the largest she had yet organised, and this was
the first time she had dared to go out of doors with her satellites.
Hitherto these naughty sprites had been content to carry their baskets
full of artfully-concealed provisions to a disused attic which was
exactly over the box-room, and consequently out of reach of the
inhabited part of the house. Here, making a table of a great chest
which stood in the attic, they feasted gloriously, undisturbed by the
musty smell or by the innumerable spiders and beetles which disappeared
rapidly in all directions at their approach; but when Annie one day
incautiously suggested that on summer nights the outside world was all
at their disposal, they began to discover flaws in their
banqueting-hall. Mary Price said the musty smell made her half sick;
Phyllis declared that at the sight of a spider she invariably turned
faint; and Susan Drummond was heard to murmur that in a dusty, fusty
attic even meringues scarcely kept her awake. The girls were all wild
to try a midnight picnic out of doors, and Annie in her present mood,
was only too eager for the fun.
With her usual skill she organised the whole undertaking, and eight
agitated, slightly frightened, but much excited girls retired to their
rooms that night. Annie, in her heart of hearts, felt rather sorry that
Mrs Willis should happen to be away; dim ideas of honour and
trustworthiness were still stirring in her breast, but she dared not
think now.
The night was in every respect propitious; the moon would not rise until
after twelve, so the little party could get away under the friendly
shelter of the darkness, and soon afterwards have plenty of light to
enjoy their stolen feast. They had arranged to make no movement until
close on midnight, and then they were all to meet in a passage which
belonged to the kitchen regions, and where there was a side door which
opened directly into the shrubbery. This door was not very often
unlocked, and Annie had taken the key from its place in the lock some
days before. She went to bed with her companions at nine o'clock as
usual, and presently fell into an uneasy doze. She awoke to hear the
great clock in the hall strike eleven and a few minutes afterwards she
heard Miss Danesbury's footsteps retiring to her room at the other end
of the passage.
"Danesbury is always the last to go to bed," whispered Annie to herself;
"I can get up presently."
She lay for another twenty minutes, then, softly rising, began to put on
her clothes in the dark. Over her dress she fastened her waterproof,
and placed a close-fitting brown velvet cap on her curly head. Having
dressed herself, she approached Susan's bed with the intention of
rousing her.
"I shall have fine work now," she said, "and shall probably have to
resort to cold water. Really, if Susy proves too hard to wake, I shall
let her sleep on--her drowsiness is past bearing."
Annie, however, was considerably startled when she discovered that Miss
Drummond's bed was without an occupant.
At this moment the room door was very softly opened, and Susan, fully
dressed and in her waterproof, came in.
"Why, Susy, where have you been?" exclaimed Annie. "Fancy you being
awake a moment before it is necessary!"
"For once in a way I was restless," replied Miss Drummond, "so I thought
I would get up, and take a turn in the passage outside. The house is
perfectly quiet, and we can come now; most of the girls are already
waiting at the side door."
Holding their shoes in their hands, Annie and Susan went noiselessly
down the carpetless stairs, and found the remaining six girls waiting
for them by the side door.
"Rover is our one last danger now," said Annie, as she fitted the
well-oiled key into the lock. "Put on your shoes, girls, and let me out
first; I think I can manage him."
She was alluding to a great mastiff which was usually kept chained up by
day. Phyllis and Norah laid their hands on her arm.
"Oh, Annie, oh, love, suppose he seizes on you, and knocks you down--oh,
dare you venture?"
"Let me go," said Annie a little contemptuously; "you don't suppose I am
afraid?"
Her fingers trembled, for her nerves were highly strung; but she managed
to unlock the door and draw back the bolts, and, opening it softly, she
went out into the silent night.
Very slight as the noise she made was, it had aroused the watchful
Rover, who trotted around swiftly to know what was the matter. But
Annie had made friends with Rover long ago by stealing to his kennel
door and feeding him, and she had now but to say "Rover" in her
melodious voice, and throw her arms around his neck, to completely
subvert his morals.
"He is one of us, girls," she called in a whisper to her companions;
"come out. Rover will be as naughty as the rest of us, and go with us
as our bodyguard to the fairies' field. Now, I will lock the door on
the outside, and we can be off. Ah, the moon is getting up splendidly,
and when we have secured Betty's basket, we shall be quite out of reach
of danger."
At Annie's words of encouragement the seven girls ventured out. She
locked the door, put the key into her pocket, and, holding Rover by his
collar; led the way in the direction of the laurel-bush. The basket was
secured, and Susan, to her disgust, and Mary Morris were elected for the
first part of the way to carry it. The young truants then walked
quickly down the avenue until they came to a turn-stile which led into a
wood.