Naughtiest Girl 2: The Naughtiest Girl Again (4 page)

"And after all," whispered one child to another, "she was the naughtiest girl in the school last term, you know."

"Yes. We used to call her the Bold Bad Girl," said another child, "But she was quite all right after the half-term, She really did turn over a new leaf,"

"And I know quite well that she meant to do her very best this term," said Harry. "I've heard her say so heaps of times. She lost her temper with me last term, but she said she was sorry arid has been absolutely decent to me ever since,"

So the talk went on, whilst Elizabeth and Robert sat up straight, hating one another, each longing to hear that the other was to be punished.

Meanwhile, the Judges and Jury were finding things very difficult. Some of the Jury felt quite certain that Robert was a real bully-and yet not even Peter would complain, so maybe there was not much truth in what they thought. All the monitors on the Jury were fair-minded and just, and they knew quite well that they must never judge anyone unless they had real, clear proof of wrong-doing.

Again, all the Jury knew quite well how bad Elizabeth had been the term before, and yet how marvellously she had managed to conquer herself and turn over a new leaf.

They could not believe that she would fight Robert just for nothing. It was all very difficult, They did not feel that they wanted to punish Elizabeth in case by any chance Robert did turn out to be a bully.

At last William knocked with his wooden mallet for silence. The whole School sat up, eager to know what had been decided. Elizabeth was still fiery red in the face, but Robert looked quite pale and cool.

"We find this matter very difficult to decide," said William in his pleasant voice. "It is quite clear that Elizabeth did lose her temper badly, and flew at Robert, but it isn't quite as clear that Robert was bullying Peter, After all, we must take Peter's word for that. He should know! But we know enough of Elizabeth to realise that she is a very just person, and it is quite plain that she thought Robert was doing something very unkind."

There was a pause. The School listened hard. William thought for a moment and then went on: "Very well, Elizabeth may have been mistaken, but she really believed that Robert was being unkind, So she lost her temper and flew at him to stop him. That is where you were wrong, Elizabeth, Hot temper makes you see things alt muddled instead of clearly, so when you see something you disapprove of, you must try to keep your temper, so that you can judge things properly and not get them all exaggerated and twisted. You spoke as if you hated Robert inst now, and that does you as much harm as it does Robert,"

"I do hate him!" burst out Elizabeth angrily.

"Well, to go on with this," went on William, "we have decided that unless we get much plainer proof that Robert is a bully, we can't very well either judge him or punish him. And as we are sure you really did think he was doing something mean, we shan't punish you either, Elizabeth, but you must say you are sorry to Robert for behaving so badly to him,"

The whole School thought this was a good decision. Nobody wanted Elizabeth badly punished, for they really did like the hot-headed girl. The School came to the conclusion that she must have been mistaken about Robert and therefore she really should apologise, and let the matter end there.

Elizabeth said nothing. She sat on the form, looking sulky. Robert looked pleased.

This was grand! William and Rita spoke together for a moment or two, and then said a few more words to close the matter.

"Well, that is our decision, Elizabeth and Robert, You will apologise, Elizabeth, and you will accept the apology graciously, Robert. Elizabeth, guard your temper-and, Robert, see that no charge of bullying is ever made against you. If it should be, you would not be judged lightly."

Then William spoke of other things for a few moments and broke up the meeting, for the time was getting late, The children were dismissed and filed out of the gym, all looking rather solemn. Bad temper and bullying! These were things not often dealt with at the Meeting.

Robert swaggered out, hands in pocket. He felt important and pleased. He had won that battle. Now Elizabeth had got to say she was sorry. Serve her right!

But Elizabeth had no intention of saying she was sorry. Joan looked in dismay at the angry face of her friend as she marched into the common-room.

"Elizabeth! There's Robert over there. For goodness' sake go and apologise now, and get it over," she begged the angry girl.

"But I'm not sorry!" said Elizabeth in a loud voice, tossing back her dark curls. "Not a bit! I'm glad I flew at Robert. How can I say I'm sorry if it's an untruth?"

"Well, you can apologise," said Joan, "That's only good manners. Just go up and say, 'I apologise, Robert.' You don't need to say anything more,"

"Well, I'm not going to," said Elizabeth. "The Judges and the Jury were wrong for once I Nobody can make me apologise."

"Elizabeth, no matter what you feel, you should be loyal to William and Rita," said Joan, troubled, "It isn't what you feel yourself that matters-it's what all the others feel to be right. You're one against a whole lot."

"Well, I may be, but I'm the one who happens to be right," said Elizabeth in a trembling voice. "I know Robert is a bully."

"Elizabeth, do what the Meeting says, and then we'll watch and see if we can't catch Robert at his horrid tricks," begged Joan. "Do it to please me. You'll make me so unhappy if you don't-and the whole School will think badly of you if you're afraid to apologise."

"I'm not afraid!" said Elizabeth, with her eyes flashing angrily.

Joan smiled a little smile to herself. She turned away from Elizabeth, "You are afraid," she said, "You're afraid of hurting your own silly pride."

Elizabeth marched straight up to Robert. "I apologise," she said stiffly. Robert gave a polite bow. "I accept your apology!" he said, Elizabeth stalked off by herself. Joan ran after her.

"Leave me alone," said Elizabeth crossly. She went into a music practice-room and sat down at the piano. She played a piece she knew, very loudly and fiercely. Mr.

Lewis, the music-master, looked into the room in surprise.

"Good gracious, Elizabeth!" he said. "I've never heard that piece sound so angry before. Get up, and let me play you something really fierce-something with a thunderstorm or two in it."

Elizabeth got up. Mr. Lewis took her seat and played a stormy piece of music, with the wind and the sea, streaming clouds, roaring trees in it-and then the storm died down, the rain sprinkled softly, the wind ceased, the sun shone, and the music became ca1m and smooth.

And as she listened, the little girl felt soothed and softened too. She loved music so much. Mr. Lewis glanced at her and saw that she looked peaceful instead of troubled He played a little longer and then the bell went for Elizabeth's bedtime.

"There you are," said Mr. Lewis, shutting the piano. "After the storm, the calm. Now co off to bed, sleep well, and don't worry your head too much about anything."

"Thank you, Mr Lewis," said Elizabeth gratefully. "I do feel better now. I was all hot and bothered about something, but now I feel happier"

"Good-night!"

JENNIE'S WHITE MICE.

ELIZABETH did not sleep very well that night. She tossed and turned, thinking of the Meeting, of "that hateful Robert," as she called him to herself, of the apology she had had to make-and she made plans to catch Robert when he was being unkind to any of the younger ones, "Yes-I'll watch and wait and catch him properly," said Elizabeth to herself. "He is a bully, I know he is-and sooner or later I'll catch him!"

Elizabeth was heavy-eyed and tired the next day. She did her lessons badly, especially French, and Mam'zelle was cross with her.

"Elizabeth! How is it that you did not learn your French verbs yesterday?" scolded Mam'zelle. "That is not good. You sit there, half asleep, and you pay no attention at all. I am not pleased with you."

Robert grinned to himself, and Elizabeth saw him, She bit her lip to stop herself from being rude to both Robert and Mam'zelle, "Well, have you no tongue?" asked Mam'zelle impatiently. "Why did you not learn your verbs, I said?"

"I did learn them," said Elizabeth truthfully. "But somehow I've forgotten them this morning."

"Then you will please learn them sometime to-day and remember them!" said Mam'zelle, her dark eyes flashing, "You will come and say them to me when you know them."

"All right," said Elizabeth sulkily. But Mam'zelle would not let that pass. She rapped on the desk and spoke sharply.

"You will not say 'All right' to me in that rude way! You will say 'Very good, Mam'zelle.'"

"Very good, Mam'zelle," said Elizabeth, knowing quite well that Robert was enjoying her scolding immensely, and wishing that she could pull some more hairs out of his dark head.

After that the lesson went on smoothly, for Elizabeth was determined not to give Robert any more chances to crow over her. But she did not do so well as usual in anything, for as soon as she had a moment to think, she began to plan how she might catch Robert being unkind to someone Belinda and Joan and Nora had a little talk together, whilst Elizabeth was having her music lesson that day.

"We'll have to keep Elizabeth away from Robert for a few days if we can," said Joan. "She just hates him, and, you know, she has such a quick temper that she's quite likely to fly at him again if he makes a rude face at her."

"After a few days she won't feel so badly about it all,"

said Nora. "We'll try and get her to come down into the town with us, or to garden with John, or something like that-the less she sees of Robert the better. 1 can't say I want to see very much of him myself!"

So for the next few days Elizabeth found that she was always being rushed off somewhere.

"Come and help me to choose a new ribbon, Elizabeth!" Joan would beg. "I really must get one." And down to the town the two would go.

"Elizabeth, come and practise catching the ball at lacrosse with me," Nora would say.

"You're getting quite good. A little more practice and you'll be first-rate."

Then Elizabeth would beam with pride and go to fetch

her lacrosse stick.

"Elizabeth, John wants you and me to go and help him to pile up rubbish for a bonfire!" Belinda would call. "Coming?"

And off Elizabeth would go again, so that she hardly saw Robert at all, except in class. But she did not forget what she had planned to do, and when she had a chance she watched to see if any of the smaller children were being bullied.

But she saw nothing of the sort, Robert went about his own business and seemed to keep right away from the younger ones. He knew quite well that Elizabeth was watching for him to do something bad again, and he wasn't going to give her the chance to catch him, She would soon get tired of that, Robert was immensely fond of horses, and rode as often as he could. He was not allowed to look after them, because only the bigger boys and girls were allowed to do that, but he spent as much time as he could hanging round the stables, and talking to the brown-eyed horses, who put their heads out over the stable doors when they saw him, Robert took no interest in the other pets at all, much to the annoyance of the other children, who always loved to show off their pets to anyone.

So, what with Robert going out riding and the other girls taking Elizabeth off with them as often as they could, the two enemies had few chances to meet and quarrel.

It was only in class that they could show their dislike of one another, Robert was so anxious not to give Elizabeth any chance of jeering at him that he worked extra hard, and took enormous care with his homework. Miss Ranger, the form-mistress, was surprised and pleased to find Robert making such progress with everything, and she praised him, "Robert, you are doing very well," she said. "I shouldn't be surprised if you are top of the class one week this term, if you work like this!"

Robert went red with pleasure. He was really a lazy boy, and had never been anywhere near the top of his form, even at his old school. Elizabeth was annoyed to here Miss Ranger say this. Why, she, Elizabeth, could easily be top of the form if she wanted to! She would work like anything and just show Robert he couldn't get to the top whilst she was in the form!

So she worked very hard too-but both children were working hard for the wrong reason-to spite one another!

So they did not enjoy their work at all, which was a great pity.

Then for a time both Robert and Elizabeth forgot their quarrel in the interest of something else, Jennifer's white mice made a great disturbance, and Jenny nearly got into serious trouble!

Her white mice had a family of nine small baby-mice, most adorable creatures with soft white fur, woffly noses, pink eyes, and tiny tails, Jenny loved these very much indeed, and it was quite a sight to see the little girl with half a dozen mice running up and down her sleeves.

"Jenny, put them back, the bell's gone," said Elizabeth one morning. "Hurry! You'll be late, and Miss Ranger isn't in a very good temper this morning."

"Oh, golly, I can't find them all," said Jenny, feeling all over her body for the baby-mice. "Wherever have they gone? Is there one down my back, Elizabeth?"

"Oh, Jenny, how can you let them do that!" cried Elizabeth. "No, there isn't one down your back, They must be all there in the cage now. Do come on. I shan't wait for you if you're a second longer."

Jenny shut the cage-door carefully and latched it. Then she ran off with Elizabeth, and they arrived in their classroom panting, just as Miss Ranger also arrived.

They took their places. The lesson was geography, and the class were learning about Australia and the big sheep-farms there. Jenny had a seat in the first row just in front of Elizabeth and Joan.

And, in the middle of the lesson, Elizabeth saw the nose of a white mouse peeping out at the back of Jenny's neck! Jenny felt it too. She wriggled, put up her hand and pushed the mouse down. It disappeared.

Elizabeth so badly wanted to giggle that she did not dare to look up at all. When she did look up, she saw the mouse peeping out of Jenny's left sleeve. It looked round at Elizabeth with pink eyes. Then it disappeared again.