by L. T. Meade
face with that childish petition: "Oh! do tellus a story, please." The little ones left Harriet wisely alone, andHarriet never concealed her aversion to them.
"Horrid little sticky things," she was heard to say, "with theirlollipops in their hands and their faces wanting washing, and theirclothes so grubby!" These statements were quite false, for the smallchildren were kept by their kind teacher, Miss Ford, in the mostimmaculate order. But Harriet was well-known in the school not to stickto the truth when she wished to give vent to her sentiments. Now,however, her feelings were changed. She must, of course, find the kingand queen at once.
"Ridiculous name!" she murmured. "That little tiresome, fat baby girland that small boy, dressed for all the world as though he were apeacock! But still--but still--a pony with a side-saddle and habit, andhis keep provided for, is worth struggling to win. And then it would be_such_ fun to get the prize over Robina's head. She is certain sure ofit already, I see by her smug face. I am sure I am clever enough to getthis from her, and I will."
Harriet now spied both children standing much too near the edge of around pond which ornamented part of the grounds.
"Oh, Curly Pate!" she shrieked. "Come back this minute, you naughtychild, from the edge of the water!"
Curly Pate, who had been gazing at her own little image in the pond,looked up. Her fair face was flushed with passion, and seizing Ralph'shand, she said imperiously:
"Turn away, king. Curly Pate hates that howwid dirl."
Harriet was near enough to hear the words. Angry already, and dislikingCurly Pate more than words could say, she rushed up to her now, seizedher by the waist, and planted her several feet away from the pond.
"There, you naughty, disobedient little thing!" she said. "You'll bedrowned if you don't take care!"
Curly Pate burst into roars of tears, and set to work screaming as shealone knew how. Ralph, furious at having his queen abused, turned toHarriet and began to beat her.
"Go away, go away!" he said. "You're not a bit a nice girl. Go away,you horrid thing!"
"Horrid thing yourself!" said Harriet and she slapped Ralph across theface.
Little Ralph Durrant was much too proud to cry; the slap stung him, andthe little olive-tinted face grew red. After a minute, during which hewas struggling with himself, he turned towards Harriet and said gently:
"'Twasn't ladylike of you to slap me, but I forgive you."
"Oh, your Mightiness! Do you, indeed?" said Harriet. "I am sure, yourMajesty, I am exceedingly obliged."
The scornful tone was quite new to little Ralph. What would havehappened next is hard to tell, if at that moment Robina had not rushedup.
"Well, Curly," she said; "well, my little precious! Why, what are youcrying about? And Ralph, dear, is anything the matter with you?"
Curly, whose tears were now growing less, flung herself impetuously intoRobina's arms, while Robina laid a trembling hand on her shoulder.Robina by this time was on her knees, both children fondling her.Harriet stood still for a minute. Then she said in a lofty tone:
"Take them to the house--or rather, take the boy to the house. _I_ wassent to fetch them, but of course it would be like you to interfere.You want to be his school-mother, and to get the pony--I know you; andlet me say at once that I despise you for your horrid ways!"
Robina turned scarlet.
"You have no right--no right to say such things to me!" was her firstremark. Then with a great effort she managed to quiet herself. Hereyes, with a wild light in them, were fixed on Harriet's face.
"I despise you too much," she said slowly, "to take any notice of yourwords. Curly, you shall have a ride, my sweet, on my shoulder; andRalph, you will hold one of my hands. We must come quickly to thehouse, for Mr Durrant wants you to say good-bye."
"Oh, good-bye," said Ralph; "that hurts, doesn't it?"
He forgot Harriet, who was watching the scene from a few feet away. Anew expression filled his beautiful little face, his eyes were fixed onRobina with a world of appeal.
"Yes," said Robina; "it hurts; but brave people don't mind pain."
"I am brave; I shan't mind it," said Ralph. "Hold my hand for a bitafter _he_ goes, will you? and then I shall not mind at all."
Book 1--CHAPTER FIVE.
EXPLAINED.
After prayers that evening Mrs Burton, as she had arranged, had a talkwith the girls of the third form in her own private sitting-room. Shespoke very simply, and explained what she considered her view of thematter.
"My dears," she said, "this is a very nice opportunity for you, forreally to win the affection of a little fellow like Ralph is to achievea victory; and I earnestly want you all to try, not so much for the sakeof the prize as because the looking after a little fellow like that, whowill be very spirited and, doubtless, also very exacting, will be goodfor your own character, teaching you forbearance, unselfishness, andmuch thought for others, which are qualities every girl ought tocultivate. These are essentially girls' qualities, my dears; for allthose girls who hope to be true women by-and-by ought to possess them.They are better and of greater value to the possessor than money orcleverness or beauty, for they mean beauty of the heart, and will last,my loves, when mere outward beauty fails, and, in short, even beyondthis life, when time is no more. And now, dears, I am going to tell youmy little plan.
"There are altogether seven of you, excluding Robina. Now, Robina has aspecial power with children, and has already captivated the affectionsof Ralph. It would not be fair that Robina should exercise herinfluence over him during the trial week, but each of the rest of youshall in turn take care of the little man for an entire day. I willgive you no directions whatever with regard to how you will treat him.During that day the girl who has him in charge will be excused fromlessons. She will look after him from morning till night, dress him andundress him, take him for a walk, and provide for his amusementgenerally. She will help him to learn his simple lessons; she will, inshort, be his mother _pro tem_. I do not expect any one of youabsolutely to fail, and at the end of the week Ralph is himself tochoose his school-mother. Now, nothing can be fairer than this.Frederica, my dear, you, as the eldest girl in the form, will look afterRalph to-morrow. And now I think I have said all that is necessary."
Mrs Burton asked the girls to leave the room, which they did in a body,and great was the discussion which took place in the third form parlouron that special evening.
Frederica was the first to speak.
"Of course, I will look after Ralph," she said, "and I don't believe Ishall find it difficult. I have several brothers and sisters at home,and though I don't know that I am especially good with children, Ithink, on the whole, I can manage them fairly well."
"You are not to spoil him, you know," said Harriet.
"Perhaps," interrupted Frederica, "we had best each keep our own counselas to the manner in which we are to treat Ralph. It is a greatresponsibility, and as something hangs on it--for I don't pretend for amoment I should not like to get the pony--the less we say to each otherthe better."
"There's one thing," said Rose Amberley at that moment. "Mrs Burton, Iam sure, will not wish any of us to give Ralph sweeties or cakes, or thesort of things that might make him ill. Otherwise, I suppose each girlwill manage him her own way. Now, let us see. To-morrow will beWednesday. You are to look after him to-morrow, Frederica. I supposePatience comes next, and then I; and then, I think, it is your turn,Harriet, isn't it? I presume we'll come according to our ages. You arenext oldest to Rose, aren't you?"
"Yes," said Harriet.
"Very well then, Harriet. If I look after Ralph to-morrow," saidFrederica, "and Patience has him on Thursday, and Rose on Friday,Saturday will be your day."
"Oh, I hate having him on Saturday," said Harriet, "for that is ourhalf-holiday, and there are such lots of things to be done."
"Still, that can scarcely be helped," said Frederica again, "for yourturn comes on Saturday, so there is nothing to be said."
&n
bsp; "What a nuisance!" said Harriet. "And I suppose Jane will have himSunday; I wish my day were Sunday."
The other girls made no reply, and Harriet presently went out of theroom, her hand linked in Jane's.
"Now, Janie," she said, "you understand, of course, that I mean to getthat pony."
"I know you mean it," said Jane.
"What I mean I generally manage to do," was Harriet's response.
"You do, as a rule," replied Jane.
"If I get the pony," said Harriet, "I will let you ride him prettyoften. You shall come over to our
