Naughtiest Girl 2: The Naughtiest Girl Again (17 page)

"Have they really?" said Kathleen, "I mean, have I got plenty of courage if I like to use it? I don't have to be a coward then?"

"You tine an idiot!" said Joan, taking Kathleen's arm. "I mean what I say. No one has to be a coward-anyone can draw on their courage the moment they make up their mind to! Try it at the next Meeting, old thing-you'll see what I mean then,"

They found a great stretch of blossoming ivy just then, so they said no more, but busied themselves in writing down the large list of insects hovering over the nectar.

But Kathleen was thinking over Joan's words. It would be too marvellous if they were true. If everybody had courage deep down inside them, why then, nobody need be a coward-they only had to take hold of their courage and use it!

"I'll see if I can use mine at the next Meeting," thought Kathleen, though her heart sank at the thought. "It's tire.-some to see all the other children standing up and saying things, and I hardly dare to open my mouth!"

So at the next Meeting, unknown to any of her friends, Kathleen sat with shaking knees, trying to take hold of her courage. The usual business was gone through-money put into the box-money given out-money granted or refused for several things. And then came the complaints and grumbles.

There was only one complaint and only one grumble, and they were quickly dealt with. Then, before the other business of choosing a monitor was put before the Meeting, William said a few words.

"I think the School would like to know that Fred is back in his dormitory, and doesn't snore any more."

There was laughter at this, and a few cheers. Fred laughed too. William knocked on the table.

"I also want to say this-that the whole School has noticed and approved of the way that Robert has behaved for the last few weeks. Rita and I have had excellent reports from all the monitors. Also the stableman says that he really couldn't do without Robert now to help him with the horses."

Robert flushed with pleasure. The School was pleased too-it was always good to hear that they had been right in their treatment of anyone.

And then Kathleen found her courage, took hold of it with two hands and stood up.

Her knees no longer shook, Her voice was steady, She looked straight at the Judges and the Jury.

"I want to say something I should have said before," she said. "I want to say that I was the person who did all the things that Robert was accused of. I was afraid to own up before."

There was a complete silence. Everyone was most astonished. Those who hadn't known were surprised to hear the news-and those who had known were even more surprised to hear Kathleen owning up! Whatever bad made her do it so suddenly?

Then Rita spoke, "And what has made you able to own up now?" she asked.

"Well, it was really something Joan said," explained Kathleen. "She told me there was no need for anyone to be a coward. She said we all had courage in us, only we had to take hold of it. So I took hold of mine this evening -and Joan was right, I wasn't afraid any more."

"Thank you, Kathleen," said Rita,

Kathleen sat down. Her heart was light, She had got rid of a heavy load. She had found her courage-and she wasn't going to lose it again!

"We won't say any more about what Kathleen has confessed to us," said Rita, "We are all glad she has been brave enough to own up. William and I knew it was she, of course-and we hoped that one day she would be able to tell you herself, Now she has-and we are pleased."

"We had better get on with the business of choosing a new monitor," said William.

"Give out slips of paper, please, Eileen."

The slips were given out. Everyone wrote down the name of a girl or boy they thought fit to be a monitor. The papers were given to the Jury and opened. The Jury then chose out the three names that had most votes and voted on them themselves.

Their papers were given to the two Judges.

William and Rita opened the twelve slips of paper from the Jury. They talked to one another in low voices whilst everyone waited eagerly to know who had been chosen.

Then William knocked on the table with his hammer, and everyone was perfectly quiet. "There isn't much doubt as to who you want for a new monitor," he said. "Her name appears on almost everyone's paper. It is Joan Townsend!"

There were cheers and clappings, and Joan went as red as a beetroot She had had no idea at all that the School would choose her! But everyone had heard with interest what Kathleen had said about Joan's wise word on courage-and now Joan's reward had come! She was to be the new monitor, "We have had excellent reports of you from all the other monitors," said Rita. "We know that you are to be trusted, that you are kind and wise for yo ur age, and that you will do your best for the whole School, Please come up and sit at the Monitors' table, Joan-we are glad to welcome you on our Jury!"

Joan went up to the platform, proud and happy. Elizabeth clapped madly-she was so proud of Joan, so pleased that she was honoured in this way.

"Joan deserves it!" she thought. "She really does! My goodness, if only I could be a monitor too! But I'm not the right sort of girl, and never will be!"

A HORRID ADVENTURE.

The term slipped into December. The School was very busy planning and preparing plays and songs of all kinds.

The weather was unkind, and many afternoons there were no games to be played out-of-doors.

"It's even too bad to garden," groaned John, looking out of the window. "The ground is so sticky that I can't dig."

"Anyway, you'd get soaked through," said Joan. "It's a good chance for you to take an interest in something else!

But I expect you'll get down one of your gardening books and pore over that."

Joan was very happy to be a monitor. She took a great pride in her new honour, and did her duties well, She had to see that the children in her care did not break the rules of the school. She had to advise them when they came to her for help. She had to act wisely and kindly always-and this was not difficult for her because she was naturally a sensible and kindly child.

Elizabeth was very pleased that Joan was a monitor, She did not feel jealous, of course, but she longed to be one too, Still, Joan had been at Whyteleafe for far longer than Elizabeth-so she must wait her turn in patience.

Though patience was not a thing that Elizabeth possessed very much of at present!

Elizabeth practised her music pieces hard and played the duets over and over again with Richard, for she was very anxious to do her best at the concert. Mr. Lewis praised her, "Elizabeth, you are working very hard. You are playing extremely well this term."

Elizabeth felt proud. My goodness, she would show

everyone at the concert how well she played! If her father and mother came to the concert they would be surprised to see Elizabeth playing such difficult duets with a big boy like Richard!

"You're getting conceited about your playing, Elizabeth," said Richard one afternoon.

Richard never thought twice about what he said, and he could be very hurtful.

"It's a pity. I like your playing-but I shan't like you if you get conceited,"

"Don't be so horrid, Richard," said Elizabeth indignantly. "I don't tell you you're conceited, do I!"

"No, because I'm not," said Richard. "I know quite well that my gift for music is nothing to do with me really -it's something that has been given to me-a real gift.

Fm thankful for it and grateful for it and I'm going to use it for all Fm worth-but I'm not conceited about it and never shall be."

Elizabeth was annoyed with Richard-especially as she knew that what he said was just a little bit true, She was getting conceited about her playing!

"But why shouldn't I be proud of it?" she thought.

"I haven't got a wonderful gift for it like Richard-so my playing is my own hard work, and I've every right to be proud of that!"

So she went on planning to show off at the school concert, and make everyone think what a wonderful pianist she was. But pride always comes before a fall-and poor Elizabeth was going to have a dreadful shock, She and Robert, John and Kathleen, had arranged to go out riding one afternoon before games. Peter came running up and begged Robert to let him go too.

"No, you can't, Peter," sad Robert. "The horse you usually ride is limping-and I don't want yo u to have the other. It's a restive horse. Wait till your horse is all right."

"Oh, please, do let me ride the other horse," begged Peter. "You know I'm a good rider!"

"Let him come, Robert," said Elizabeth. "You know he can ride Tinker."

"Well, but Tinker really is a bit funny to-day," said Robert. "I'll see what he's hike when two o'clock comes, Peter."

When two o'clock came, Robert was not in the stables. The others were there.

Elizabeth saddled the horses and hooked for Robert, Still he didn't come.

"Oh bother!" said Elizabeth. "It's ten-past two already. Wherever has Robert got to?

We are wasting all our time."

Peter sped off to look for Robert-but he came back in a few minutes to say that he couldn't find him.

"Well, if we're going for a ride we'd better go!" said Elizabeth. She called to the stableman.

"Hie, Tucker! Can I saddle Tinker? Is he all right?"

"Well, he's a bit upset about something," said Tucker. "You have a look at him, Miss."

Elizabeth went to Tinker's stall. The horse, which was a small one, nuzzled into her hand. She stroked his long nose. He seems all right," she said. "I'll saddle him for you, Peter. I'm sure Robert would say you could ride him,"

She saddled him quickly. Peter leapt up on to his back, and the four children cantered out into the paddock. Then away they went down the grassy field-path, the girls' hair streaming out in the wind.

"We shan't have time to go very far," shouted Elizabeth. "We've only got about twenty minutes. We'll go as far as Windy Hill and back!"

They cante red out into a lane heading to the hill, And then something happened!

As they trotted round a corner, a steam-roller started rumbling down the lane, which had just been mended. Tinker reared up in fright, and Peter held on with all his might.

Elizabeth cantered up beside him and put out her hand to hold the reins tightly-but the horse tossed its head, gave a loud whinny, and darted into an open gateway that led to a field, And then it ran away! The three children stared infright. Poor Peter! There he was on Tinker, holding on for dear life, whilst the horse galloped like mad across the stony field towards Windy Hill~

"I'm going after him! cried Elizabeth. She swung her horse round and galloped through the gateway. She shouted to him, and smacked him on his broad back. He set off swiftly, knowing that he had to overtake the rum away horse.

Over the stony field went Elizabeth, whilst John and Kathleen watched in fright. Far away galloped Tinker, Peter still clinging fast.

Elizabeth's horse was bigger and faster than Peter's. He galloped eagerly, his heels kicking up the stones. Elizabeth urged him on, shouting loudly. It was a good thing that she was such a good rider and that she trusted her horse On and on they went, gaining little by little on Tinker.

Peter's horse was panting painfully. He began to climb the steep Windy Hill and dropped to a trot, Peter tugged at the reins and tried to bring him to a stop, but the horse was still terribly frightened, Elizabeth galloped her horse up Windy Hill and at last overtook Tinker. But Tinker started in fright as soon as the other horse came up beside him. He stretched out his neck and began to gallop off again.

But Elizabeth had managed to get the reins, and when Tinker felt her strong little hand on them, he quietened down, and listened to her voice, Elizabeth was good with horses and knew how to speak to them. After the first tug to get rid of Elizabeth's hand, Tinker slowed down and then, trembling from head to foot, stopped still.

Peter was trembling too. He climbed down at once. Elizabeth leapt down and went round to Tinker's head. In a few minutes she bad. quieted the horse, but she did not dare to ride him.

"Peter, ride my horse and go back and join the others," she said, "I shall have to walk Tinker home. Tell the stableman what has happened, and take a message to Mr.

Warlow for me to tell him I shan't be back in time for games. Go on, now!"

Peter rode back to the others on Elizabeth's horse. Ho soon recovered himself, arid began to boast about the runaway horse. The three children rode home and gave Elizabeth's message-whilst poor Elizabeth had to walk Tinker home for a very long way.

The little girl was tired and upset. Something dreadful might have happened-Peter might have fallen from the horse and been badly hurt! Why had she let him ride Tinker without first getting Robert to say he could? Well, it was Robert's fault for being late for the gallop!

Her heft hand hurt her, She had got hold of Tinker's reins with it when she had tried to stop him, and somehow her wrist had been twisted. She tucked it into her coat, hoping it would soon be better. She was very miserable as she walked back over the fields and lanes, leading a tired and steaming horse, The stableman was not pleased. Robert came running out when he saw Elizabeth coming back, and he was not pleased either, "Elizabeth! I've heard all about it! How could you be so silly as to let Peter ride Tinker! I couldn't help being late. Mr. Johns kept me to do something for him. You might have waited! This wouldn't have happened then, for I would never have let Peter ride Tinker in that state. You are always so impatient and cocksure of yourself!"

Elizabeth was tired and her hand was hurting her. She burst into tears.

"That's right! Be a baby now!" said Robert in disgust. "I suppose you think that if you cry I'll be sorry for you and not say any more! That's just like a girl! It's a good thing for you that neither Tinker nor Peter have come to any harm!"

"Oh, Robert, don't be so unkind to me," sobbed Elizabeth. "I've hurt my hand, and I can't tell you how badly I feel about letting Peter ride Tinker,"

"Let's have a hook at your hand," said Robert, more kindly. He took a look at the swollen wrist. "You'd better go right away to Matron. That hooks pretty bad to me, Cheer up! It's no good crying over spilt milk!"