The Madcap of the School Part 13

At that moment the matron put in an appearance. She also had been on the qui vive in defence of her stores, and hearing voices, was sure she had trapped the thieves. She had already pa.s.sed on the alarm, and in a few moments, acting on a preconcerted signal, Mr. c.o.x and several of the farm hands burst upon the scene, ready to knock down and secure intruders. Explanations naturally followed. It seemed that nearly everyone in the camp had private and separately arranged watch parties, each unconscious of the others' vigilance, and that all had mistaken their neighbours for burglars. No one quite knew at first whether to be annoyed or amused, but in the end humour won, and a general laugh ensued. As n.o.body felt disposed to spend the whole night on sentry duty, the matter was settled by Miss Corley and Miss Hoyle proposing to bring their beds and sleep in the marquee for the future.

"I wake easily, so I should hear the very faintest footstep, I'm sure," said Miss Hoyle. "I'm going to keep a revolver under my pillow, too, and I hope you'll spread that information all over the gardens, and add that I'm accustomed to use it, and would as soon shoot a man as look at him."

Whether through fear of Miss Hoyle's bloodthirsty intentions, or with a shrewd suspicion that Mr. c.o.x was on the watch, the marauders did not repeat their midnight visit, and left the camp in peace. Miss Hoyle seemed almost disappointed. Being a journalist, she had perhaps hoped to make copy of the adventure, and write a sparkling column for her newspaper. The Grange girls decided that it was not the revolver, but the dread of Miss Gibbs which had scared away the gipsies.

"They've seen her in the fields, you know, and I should think one look would be enough," said Morvyth. "She has a 'Come here, my good man, and let me argue the matter out with you' expression on her face this last day or two that should daunt the most foolhardy. If she caught a burglar she'd certainly sit him down and rub social reform and political economy into him before she let him go!"

CHAPTER XI

Canteen a.s.sistants

The many acres of strawberry gardens were situated some little distance from the camp, so that the walk backwards and forwards occupied about a quarter of an hour each way. Once work was begun, n.o.body returned to the tents except on some very urgent errand, as the loss of time involved would be great. A really valid excuse occurred one morning, however. Aveline missed her watch, and remembered that she had laid it on the breakfast table in the marquee. It seemed very unsafe to leave it there, so she reported the matter to Miss Gibbs, who told her to go at once and fetch it, and sent Raymonde with her, not liking her to have the walk alone. The two girls were rather glad of the excuse. They were not shirkers, but the picking made their backs tired, and the run through the fields was a welcome change. They found the watch still lying on the table in the marquee, and Aveline clasped it round her wrist.

They were leaving the tent when Miss Jones, the canteen matron, bustled in, looking so worried that they ventured to ask: "What's the matter?"

She stopped, as if it were a relief to explode.

"Matter, indeed! You'll have no potatoes or vegetables for your dinner, that's all, and nothing at all for your supper! Mrs. Harper hasn't turned up, and I can't leave the place with n.o.body about. I meant to go to Ledcombe this morning for fresh supplies, and it's early-closing day, too, the shops will shut at one. Oh, dear! I can't think what's to be done! These village helps are more trouble than they're worth."

Mrs. Harper, the cook, had failed the camp before, taking an occasional day off, without any previous notice, to attend to her domestic affairs at home. Miss Jones knew from former experience that she would either stroll in casually about midday, or more probably would not come at all until to-morrow. In the meantime fifty people required meals, and the situation was urgent.

"Couldn't we go to Ledcombe for you?" suggested Raymonde.

The matron's face cleared; she jumped at the proposition.

"Geordie's somewhere about the buildings. He'd harness the pony for you, if you can manage to drive. I'll give you a list of what's needed. The meat's come, and I can put that on to stew, and get the puddings ready, and if you'll be back by eleven there'll be time to wash the potatoes. It's only half-past eight now. I'll write down all I want done."

It was impossible to go back to the gardens and ask permission from Miss Gibbs. The girls considered that the matron's authority was sufficient to justify the expedition, which was certainly for the benefit of the camp. Neither of them had ever handled the reins in her life before, so the drive would be a decided adventure.

Armed with a long list of necessaries, two huge market baskets, and Miss Jones's hand-bag containing a supply of money, they started off to the farm to find Geordie, a half-witted boy who did odd jobs about the fold-yard. After a considerable hunt through the barns they discovered him at last inside the pigsty, and bribed him with twopence to go and catch the pony. Dandy was enjoying himself in the field, and did not come readily; indeed, the girls were almost despairing before he was finally led in by his forelock. The little conveyance was a small, very old-fashioned gig, and though in its far-off youth it may have possessed a smart appearance, it was now decidedly more useful than ornamental. The varnish was worn and scratched, the cushions had been re-covered with cheap American cloth, the waterproof ap.r.o.n was threadbare, and one of the splash-boards was split. The harness also was of the most ancient description, and the rough pony badly needed clipping, so that the whole turn-out was deplorably shabby and second-rate.

"It's hardly the kind of thing one would drive in round the Park!"

laughed Aveline.

"Scarcely! It's the queerest little egg-box on two wheels I've ever seen. But what does it matter? n.o.body knows us in Ledcombe. The main point is, will it get us over the ground?"

"I wish we'd bicycles instead!"

"But we couldn't bring back a whole cargo of stores on them. I think it's top-hole!"

With much laughter and many little jokes the girls tucked themselves into their funny conveyance, evidently greatly to the interest of Dandy, who turned his head anxiously as they mounted the step.

"He do be a wise 'un!" explained Geordie. "You see, sometimes Mr.

Rivers takes his father-in-law, as weighs seventeen stone, and, with a calf or maybe a young pig as well, it do make a big load. Dandy don't be one to overwork hisself. I reckon you'll have to use the whip to he!"

Neither of the girls had even the most elementary experience of driving, but Raymonde, as the elder, and the one who in general possessed the greater amount of nerve, boldly seized the reins and armed herself with the whip. Geordie released Dandy's head, and gave him a sounding smack as a delicate hint to depart, a proceeding which brought clouds of dust from his s.h.a.ggy coat, and caused him to scramble suddenly forward, and plunge down the lane at quite an adventurous and stylish pace.

"If he won't go, just cuss at him!" yelled Geordie as a last piece of advice.

Though Dandy might make a gallant beginning, he had no intention of breaking the record for speed, and at the end of a few hundred yards dropped into an ambling jog-trot, a form of locomotion which seemed to jolt the badly hung little gig to its uttermost.

"It's rather a painful form of exercise!" gasped Aveline, setting her feet firmly in an attempt to avoid the jarring. "I believe something must be wrong with the springs. Can't you make him go faster?"

"Only if I beat him; and then suppose he runs away?"

"Well, if he does, we'll each cling on to one rein and pull. I suppose driving is pretty much like steering a bicycle. Is the rule of the road the same?"

"Of course. Don't be silly !"

"Well, I never can make out why it's different for foot-pa.s.sengers.

Why should they go to the right, and vehicles to the left?"

"You may be certain all motors will take the middle of the road, at any rate. We shall have to be prepared to make a dash for the hedge when we hear a 'too-hoo' round the corner. I've no mind to be run over and squashed out flat!"

"Like the naughty children who teased Diogenes in an old picture-book I used to have. I always thought it was a lovely idea of his to start the tub rolling, and simply flatten them out like pancakes. I expect it's a true incident, if we only knew. One of those things that are not historical, but so probable that you're sure they must have happened. He'd reason it out by philosophy first, and feel it was a triumph of mind over matter. Perhaps his chuckles when he saw the result were the origin of the term 'a cynical laugh'. The children in the picture looked so exactly like pieces of rolled pastry when the tub had done its work."

"I don't think the motors would have any more compunction than Diogenes, so the moral is--give them as wide a berth as possible. If we were driving a big hay-cart, I'd enjoy blocking the way!"

They had turned out of the lane, and were now on the high road to Ledcombe, but progressing at an extremely slow pace. Raymonde ventured to apply the whip, but on the pony's thick coat it appeared to produce as slight an impression as the tickling of a fly, and, when she endeavoured to give a more efficacious flick, she got the lash ignominiously entangled in the harness. There was nothing for it but to pull up, and for Aveline to climb laboriously from the trap, and release the much-knotted piece of string. Rendered more careful by this catastrophe, Raymonde wielded her whip with caution, and gave what encouragement she could by jerking the reins vigorously, and occasionally e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.n.g. an energetic "Go on, Dandy!" The pony, however, was a cunning little creature, and, knowing perfectly well that he was in amateur hands, took full advantage of the situation.

Under the excuse of a very slight hill he reduced his pace to a crawl, and began to crop succulent mouthfuls of gra.s.s from the hedge-bank, as a means of combining pleasure with business. It was only by judicious proddings with the b.u.t.t-end of the whip that he could be induced to hasten his steps.

In spite of the difficulties with Dandy, the drive was enjoyable. The country was very pretty, for they were nearing the hills, and the landscape was more diversified than in the immediate neighbourhood of the camp. They pa.s.sed through a beech wood, where the sun was glinting through leaves as transparent and delicate as fairies' wings.

"I feel like primeval man to-day," said Aveline. "The wander fever is on me, and I want to see fresh things."

"We shall be in Ledcombe soon."

"I don't mean towns; it's something much subtler--different fields, unexplored woods, a new piece of river, or even a patch of gra.s.s with flowers I haven't found before."

"I know," agreed Raymonde. "It's the feeling one had when one was small, and read about how the youngest prince set out into the great wide world to seek his fortune. I always envied him."

"Or the knights-errant--they had a splendid time roaming through the forest, and tilting a spear against anyone who was ready for single combat. One might lead a very merry life yet, like Robin Hood and his band, in the 'good greenwood', though we shouldn't be 'hunting the King's red deer'."

"It was pretty much like camp life, I dare say, only a little rougher than ours. More like the gipsy diggings."

"Talking of gipsies, I believe you've conjured them up. That looks like a caravan over there. I expect it is some more of the tribe coming to pick strawberries."

The gipsies, collected in a group in the roadway, were loudly bewailing a catastrophe, for their horse had just fallen down dead.

Until they could obtain another they must needs stay by the roadside, and could not get on to the gardens.

"They're a handsome set," said Aveline, taking out her camera, which she had brought with her. "Just look at the children!"

"It's the mother that attracts me most," said Raymonde.