The Naughtiest Girl Again Read online

  «There's so much to do and so little time to do it all!» sighed Elizabeth. «I would like to ride oftener – and I would like to garden all day long – and I'd like to have more music-lessons – and I'd like to spend more time with the rabbits – and I'd like to play games oftener. I wish I was like you, John – and only had one favourite thing to do, instead of about twenty!»

  «Well, I dare say you have a more exciting time than I have», said John seriously. «Mr. Johns is always saying I ought to do something else besides gardening in my spare time, because I shall become dull.»

  «I don't think you're a bit dull!» cried Elizabeth. «I love to hear you talk about gardening!»

  «Yes – because you like gardening and understand it», said John. «But to those who don't, I expect I do seem dull! You think of something else for me to do, Elizabeth.»

  «Well, what about riding!» said Elizabeth. «I never see you on horseback. Get Robert to take you out on Captain sometimes – he'd like that, and you'd enjoy it.»

  The week went by, and Friday came. The School Meeting was to be held again that night. The children filed in as usual, not so grave as last time, for there were no serious matters to be discussed tonight. They always enjoyed the Meetings. They liked ruling themselves, making their own laws, and seeing that they were kept.

  The extra money was put into the box. Kenneth proudly put in a whole pound-note from one of his uncles. Peter put in five shillings. Then the week's pocket-money was given out.

  John Terry asked for money for the new crocus corms and it was given him. He also asked for money for a new garden fork, a smaller one than the one he used.

  «Peter is going to help with the digging», he said, «and our fork is too big for him. We've never had one suitable for the younger ones.»

  That money was given out also. Richard asked for money to buy a gramophone record of a violin performance. He was anxious to play the same piece himself, and Mr. Lewis had said that if he could get the record and hear how a great master played the piece it would help him. William granted the money at once. The whole School was becoming very proud of Richard, for he played both the piano and the violin beautifully. He sat down, pleased.

  «Any complaints or grumbles?» asked William.

  Leonard got up. He looked rather apologetic. «This is rather a silly grumble», he said. «It's about Fred. He does snore so at night – and, you see, I have to get up early in the morning to milk the cows, so if I am kept awake by the snoring, I can't seem to make myself get up in time. We've all told Fred about it, but he can't help it. So what can we do?»

  Fred stood up. «I've had a bad cold», he said. «I think I'll be all right when it's quite gone. Shall I go and sleep in the sanatorium by myself till Matron says I don't snore any more?»

  «Yes, you should», said William, smiling. «It's about the funniest grumble we've ever had, I think. But Leonard must get his sleep or we shan't get our breakfast milk!»

  Everyone laughed. William tapped on the table with his hammer. «Before we dismiss», he said, «Elizabeth has something to say. Stand up, Elizabeth.»

  Elizabeth stood up, red in the face. She had been thinking about what she had to say, and she said it straight out, without stammering or stopping. «I want to say this», she began. «Last week I accused Robert of playing some mean tricks on me and on Jenny. You all believed me, and you said that Robert shouldn't play in the match as a punishment. Well, I was wrong. It wasn't Robert after all. It was somebody else»

  «Who was it? Tell us!» cried a dozen voices indignantly.

  William rapped on the table and everyone was quiet. «Wait a minute, Elizabeth», said William. «I want to say something. This is what I have to say: Rita and I, as judges, have decided that for the present we shall not give you the name of the child who did the tricks. You know that in certain cases it is sometimes best not to refer the matter to the whole School. Well, this is one of them. I hope you will be satisfied that we are doing this for the best.»

  «Of course!» cried half a dozen voices, for the head girl and boy were much liked and admired.

  Poor Kathleen was sitting on her form with her knees shaking! She could not help thinking that the whole School must know it was she who had been so horrid. She looked down at the floor, and wished that a hole would come there so that she might go down into it and disappear! Jenny and Joan were sitting on each side of her, warm and comforting. They could feel Kathleen shaking and they were sorry. Well – it was a good thing that the Judges had decided to say no more about that! Elizabeth was still standing up. She had a few more words to say. She waited for silence and then went on.

  «I haven't got much more to say – except that I am most awfully sorry for what I said, and that in future I will always be careful to be quite sure before I accuse anybody. Robert was very nice about it indeed.»

  She sat down. William was about to rap on the table to dismiss the Meeting, when Robert got up. He looked cheerful and bright, quite a different boy from the last Meeting!

  «May I say something, William?» he asked. «It's this. Elizabeth is letting me play in Saturday's match instead of her, to make up for saying wrong things about me. Well, I think that's very decent of her, and I want the School to know about it!»

  «Good old Elizabeth!» cried somebody. Everyone thought that Elizabeth had behaved justly and rightly. The girl could feel this, and she was happy.

  Then the Meeting was dismissed, and the children filed out to do what they liked for the half-hour before supper. Joan sat down to write to her mother. Jenny put on the gramophone and made up a dance in the middle of the floor, much to the amusement of the others. Elizabeth went to practise in one of the music-rooms. Robert began to read a book on horses.

  Kathleen took up her sewing. She had spent all the money she had on two handkerchief-cases to embroider. One was to be for Jenny, and the other for Elizabeth. Rita had said that it was possible to make up for nasty things by doing something nice – so she was doing it!

  “We learn a lot of things besides lessons at Whyteleafe School” thought Kathleen, as she sewed. And she was right!

  Chapter 20: The Great Lacrosse Match

  Saturday came, marvellously bright and sunny. There was a frost in the morning, and the grass glittered white. But it disappeared in the sun, and everyone agreed that it was a perfect day for the match.

  Elizabeth tried her very hardest to be glad that it was such a fine day. It was lucky for Robert; but she couldn't help feeling disappointed that she wasn't playing. She had missed playing the Saturday before because it rained – and now that it was so fine, she couldn't play! «Well», she said to herself, «it's your own fault, Elizabeth Allen; you shouldn't have been so foolish – then you would have been playing today!» She went up to Robert when she saw him.

  «I'm glad it's fine for you, Robert», she said.

  Robert looked at her and knew what she was feeling. «I wish you were playing too», he said. «Never mind – it will be your turn next time!»

  The day kept fine. All the team who were going to play were in a great state of excitement. Nora was playing, and she told the others that Uphill School had never been beaten by Whyteleafe yet.

  «If only we could beat them just this once!», she said. «But I hear they've got an awfully good team. Eileen says they haven't lost a match yet this term. They really are frightfully good. All I hope is they let us get one goal!»

  «Oh, Nora! We must get more than that!» cried Peter, a strong, wiry boy who was in the team. He was a marvellous runner and catcher. «For goodness' sake let's put up a good show!»

  «We'll do our best», said Robert.

  The morning went slowly by. Dinner-time came and the team could not eat very much, for they were all so excited. Elizabeth knew how she had felt the Saturday before. Oh, how she did wish she was going too! It was so terribly disappointing – but she was glad that she had been big enough to give up her place to Robert.

  The sun shone in through the
window. It was going to be a wonderful afternoon for a match. Elizabeth swallowed a lump in her throat. It was all very well to be big and brave and give up something because you thought it was right – but it didn't make the disappointment any less. Joan saw her face and squeezed her hand.

  «Cheer up!», she said. So Elizabeth tried to cheer up and smile. And then she noticed something going on at the next table. People were getting up and talking – what was happening?

  «It's Peter! He doesn't feel well», said Joan. «Isn't he white? I believe he's going to he sick. I didn't think he looked very well at breakfast this morning.»

  Peter went out of the room, with Harry helping him. He did look very green. Mr. Johns went out too. Mr. Warlow looked at his watch. He hoped Peter would soon recover – because the coach was coming to fetch the team in twenty minutes.

  Mr. Johns came back in five minutes' time. He spoke to Mr. Warlow, who looked disappointed. «What's happened to Peter?» asked John, who was at the same table. «Is he better?»

  «He's got one of his tummy upsets», said Mr. Johns. «Very bad luck. Matron is putting him to bed in the sanatorium.»

  «Golly!» said John. «Won't he be able to play in the match then?»

  «No», said Mr. Warlow. «It's bad luck for our team. Peter was one of the best. We must choose someone else.» The news spread round the tables, and everyone was sorry about Peter. He really was such a good player. And then one by one the children called out something: «Let Elizabeth play!»

  «What about Elizabeth?»

  «Can't Elizabeth play? She gave up her place to Robert!»

  «Well – », said Mr. Warlow, looking at his notebook, «I had planned to get someone else next time – but as Elizabeth really deserves a trial, she shall play!»

  Elizabeth's heart jumped for joy. She could hardly believe the good news. Her face went bright red and her eyes danced. She was sorry for Peter – but after all Peter had played in dozens of matches, and would again. Oh, she was really, really going to play after all!

  «Good for you, Elizabeth!» called her friends, all pleased to see her shining face. The whole School knew, of course, that Elizabeth had given up her place in the match to Roberts and now they were really glad that she had her reward so unexpectedly.

  Elizabeth sat happily in her place. Joan clapped her on the back, and Jenny grinned at her.

  «Things always happen to you, don't they, Elizabeth!» said Jenny. «Well, you deserve this piece of luck!»

  «Elizabeth! I'm so glad!» called Robert from the end of the table. «We shall be playing in our first match together! That'll be fun!»

  Elizabeth couldn't eat anything more. She pushed her pudding-plate away. «I shall feel sick, like Peter, if I eat any more», she said.

  «Well for goodness' sake, don't then!» cried Nora. «We can't have another player going sick at the very last moment!»

  Elizabeth rushed off to change with the others into her gym things. She found time to peep into the San with a book for Peter. «I'm sorry, Peter, old thing», she said. «I hope you'll soon be all right. I'll come and tell you about the match when it's over.»

  «Play up!» said Peter, who still looked rather green. «Shoot a few goals! Good-bye and good luck!»

  Elizabeth shot off, her heart singing. It was too marvellous for words. Everyone laughed at her face and everyone was glad for her. She found Robert and took his arm.

  «Sit next to me in the coach», she said. «We are the only ones who have never played in a match before – and oh, Robert, though I'm awfully happy, I feel a bit nervous!»

  «You nervous!» said Robert, with a laugh. «I can't believe it. A fierce person like you can't be nervous!»

  But Elizabeth was! She was so very anxious to do her best in the match, to do her best for Whyteleafe School. Suppose she played badly! Suppose she didn't catch the ball but kept dropping it! It would be dreadful.

  “Still, there won't be anyone from Whyteleafe watching to see if I play badly” she comforted herself. She looked at Robert as he sat beside her in the coach, looking burly and stolid and not a bit nervous. It was nice to be playing with him after all.

  “I simply can't imagine how I hated him so much” thought Elizabeth. “It seems to me that if we dislike people, we see all the worst side of them because we make them show that to us – but if we like them, then they smile at us and show their best side. I really must try to give people a chance and begin by liking them, so that they show their best side at once.”

  The coach soon arrived at Uphill School, which, as its name showed, was at the top of a steep hill. It was a much bigger school than Whyteleafe, and had the choice of far more children for its lacrosse team than Whyteleafe had. The Whyteleafe children looked at the opposing team and thought that they seemed very big and strong.

  The teams lined up in their places. The whistle blew, and the game began. The Uphill team were certainly strong but there were some fine runners in the Whyteleafe team. They missed Peter, who was the finest runner of all – but both Robert and Elizabeth seemed to have wings on their feet that afternoon. They had never run so fast in their lives before! Both children felt honoured to play in the match, and were determined to do their very best. Elizabeth's nervousness went as soon as the game began. She forgot all about herself and thought only of the match.

  She and Robert often threw the ball to one another. Both children had practised their catching every day for some weeks, and were very good at it. Neither of them dropped the ball, but passed it beautifully.

  «Good, Robert! Good, Elizabeth!» cried Mr. Warlow, who was with the team. «Keep it up! Shoot, Elizabeth!»

  Elizabeth saw the goal not far off. She shot the ball at it with all her might. It flew straight at the goal – but the goalkeeper was on guard and shot the ball out again at once.

  «Well tried, Elizabeth!» cried Mr. Warlow.

  Then the Uphill team got the ball and sped off towards the other goal, passing gracefully to one another – and then the captain shot hard. The ball roiled right into the goal, though Eileen, who was goal-keeper, did her best to stop it.

  «One goal to Uphill!» said the umpire, and the whistle blew. The game began again, and both Robert and Elizabeth were determined not to let the Uphill team get the ball if they could help it.

  Elizabeth got the ball in her lacrosse net and sped away with it. She was about to pass it to Robert, who was keeping near her, when another player ran straight at her. Elizabeth tripped over and fell. She was up again in a trice – but the ball had been taken by the Uphill girl. Down to the goal sped the girl, and passed the ball to someone else.

  «Shoot!» yelled all the watching Uphill girls, and the ball was shot towards the goal. It rolled inside before Eileen could throw it out.

  «Two goals to Uphill!» called the umpire. He blew the whistle for half-time, and the girls and boys greedily sucked the half-lemons that were brought out to them. Oh, how lovely and sour they tasted!

  «Now play up, Whyteleafe», said Mr. Warlow, coming out onto the field to talk to his team. «Robert, keep near Elizabeth – and, Elizabeth, pass more quickly to Robert when you are attacked. You two are running like the wind today. Shoot at goal whenever there's a chance. Nora, feed Elizabeth with the ball when you can – she may perhaps be quick enough to outpace the Uphill girl marking her.»

  The children listened eagerly. The Whyteleafe team were feeling a little down-hearted. Two goals to none! The whistle blew. The match began again. Nora got the ball and passed it at once to Elizabeth, remembering what Mr. Warlow had said. Robert kept near to her and caught it when she passed it to him. He passed it back again, and the girl sped towards the goal.

  She flung the ball with all her might. The goal-keeper put out her lacrosse net quickly – but the ball bounced off it and rolled into the goal.

  «One goal to Whyteleafe!» said the umpire. «Two to one.»

  Elizabeth was thrilled. She couldn't keep still but danced up and down even when the ball was nowhe
re near her. Nora got the ball. She passed to Robert, Robert passed back, and Nora ran for goal. She shot – and once more the ball rolled right in! It was too good to be true!

  «Two goals to Whyteleafe!» said the umpire. «Two all, and ten minutes to play!»

  The Uphill children, who were all watching the match eagerly, began to shout: «Play up, Uphill! Shoot, Uphill! Go on, Uphill!» And the Uphill team heard and played harder than ever. They got the ball – they raced for goal. They shot – and Eileen caught the ball neatly and threw it out again! Thank goodness for that! Two goals all, and three minutes to play. Play up Uphill! Play up, Whyteleafe! Three minutes left – only three minutes!

  Chapter 21: The End of the Match

  «Two minutes, Robert!» panted Elizabeth. «For goodness' sake, let's play up. Oh, how I hope that Uphill School don't shoot another goal!»

  The ball flew from one player to another. Elizabeth ran to tackle one of the Uphill girls, who was a very fast runner. She hit the girl's lacrosse stick and made the ball leap up into the air. Elizabeth tried to catch it but the ball fell to the ground. She picked it up in her lacrosse net, and tore off with it.

  But another girl tackled her, and although Elizabeth tried to dodge, it was no use at all. She fell over and the ball flew into the air. The Uphill girl caught it neatly and raced off with it. She passed it to another Uphill girl who threw it vigorously down the field to the girl by the goal.

  The girl caught it, and shot straight for goal. It looked as if the ball was flying straight for the goal-net – but Eileen saved it by flinging herself right out of goal. She fell over as she caught the ball, but somehow she managed to fling it to a waiting Whyteleafe boy. He caught it and was off up the field like the wind.

  «Pass the ball, pass it!» yelled Elizabeth, dancing about. «Look out! There's a girl behind you! PASS!»